This New Cold Foam Drink At Starbucks Was Tailor Made For Dark Chocolate Fans

For many of us, fall begins when the Pumpkin Spice Latte officially graces the menu at Starbucks. But this year, there's a new drink on the menu giving PSL fans a run for their money — or, at least something to add to their fall favorites list. You'll want to know about Starbuck's new Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro, because it's the new drink of fall you didn't know you needed. And trust me, you need it.

Pumpkin Spice is familiar and seasonal, but the reality of early fall is that it still feels like summer. The air is still warm, you're still wearing shoes without socks and eating ice cream on the regular, so while the calendar might tell you fall is near, it certainly doesn't feel like it. So if your soul and your palate are not yet craving those warming cozy flavors, this chilled dessert-like beverage is going to really hit the spot.

According to Starbucks, this drink is inspired by dark chocolate stouts, as the cold foam holds a bittersweet cocoa flavor, perfectly balancing out the coffee's natural chocolate notes. Because the cold brew is charged with nitrogen, (just like a classic stout beer) there's a thick layer of cold foam on top that gives the drink a creamy blanket. The addition of the bittersweet chocolate mist gives the drink a dark, smooth, and subtly sweet flavor that complements this transitional time of year, oh-so-perfectly.

If you're having a a particularly slow morning, a few sips of a Starbuck's Nitro Cold Brew and you're suddenly the Road Runner, beep-beeping your way through work. Because cold brew is more concentrated than other types of coffee drinks, it takes less to feel the affects of caffeine, which is also why they offer a smaller 10 ounce-sized cup for their cold brew drinks. If you're new to Starbuck's nitro cold brew, you might want to start small and work your way up to your regular-sized drink order. But whatever you do, Starbucks baristas suggest that you do not add milk or ice to your Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro. Milk will dilute the flavor, which is meant to be dark and rich and heavy, and ice will weigh down and break the cold foam head that makes this drink so balanced. Nitro cold brew experts also suggest that you don't add sugar to your drink, as it's intended to be enjoyed with all of its bittersweet complexities.

That said, as someone who grew up putting ketchup on pasta, I'm not here to tell you how to order your drink! Give the Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro a taste before adding anything to it so that you have an opportunity to try it as its meant to be experienced, but then add whatever you want to it until it's perfect for you. Whatever you do, make sure you head to Starbucks before the weather changes, and enjoy this drink during the perfect conditions. Pumpkin Spice fever is inevitable and it will come, but the longer you put off your yearly addiction, the more time we get out of the summer. The PSL will wait, enjoy the Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro today.