Starbucks’ newest holiday drink is Irish cream cold brew coffee

Starbucks is debuting a brand new coffee drink just in time for the holidays that is sure to keep you caffeinated through all the hustle and bustle of the season.

The new Irish cream cold brew is made with Starbucks’ cold brew coffee and Irish cream syrup over ice, then topped with a frothy cap of vanilla sweet cream cold foam, which Starbucks says is “like a layer of fresh snow,” and a dusting of cocoa powder.

When tasked with creating a new beverage for Starbucks, Erin Marinan, product developer for Starbucks R&D, drew from memories of making homemade Irish cream with her family, which they blended up to add to coffee or give to loved ones as a gift.

“(Vanilla) pairs so well with cold brew because of the chocolate flavor in the Irish cream and the cocoa notes from the coffee,” Marinan said in a press release. “I think about that customer who’s in the middle of work or shopping, and this will help get them into the holiday spirit for the rest of the day.”

Surprised to see a cold brew headlining their holiday lineup? Starbucks says cold coffee and other cold beverages now make up more than half of their U.S. beverage sales. Cold foam, which was first introduced in 2014, has been in Starbucks stores since April 2018. The first cold foam was the Cascara cold brew, followed by salted cream cold brew that July and a new pumpkin cream cold brew in fall 2019.

“Cold foam has been key for us from the innovation side of product development,” Marinan said. “It highlights our coffee craft with a great creamy texture and those beautiful layers. It’s adding a little bit of flavor in a way that’s unique to Starbucks.”

You can get the new Irish cream cold brew (or any other grande or larger “handcrafted” beverage, which doesn’t include regular coffee or tea) in a buy one, get one free deal on Thursdays in December from 2-7 p.m. To get the deal, just download the Starbucks App.

The Irish cream cold brew is a non-alcoholic drink, but Baileys Irish cream in coffee is a popular winter warmer for a reason. And whatever you do with your Starbucks when you get home with it is up to you!