The land of Frappuccinos and mom chats, Starbucks seems to always be trending. The most recent Instagram phenomenon features our classic cups with the Starbucks siren and brightly colored drinks in all colors of the rainbow. Off of the fan-driven secret menu, these drinks are colorful and intriguing and definitely worth a proper Clog tasting. Here’s what we tried and what we thought.  

The “Pink” Drink

What it is: a Strawberry Acai Starbucks Refresher with coconut milk instead of water

Our first thoughts on this drink aren’t about the taste, but about how gosh darn pretty it is. We can just see it featured on Instagram in front of a brick wall, clutched by perfectly polished nails. However, the taste of this drink sadly does not quite live up to its appearance. In one sip it tastes like a Starbucks version of a fruity Capri Sun, and in another sip it tastes like the strawberry cough syrup doctors prescribe to kids thinking it tastes better than regular cough syrup (it doesn’t). We would suggest giving this drink a try and snapping a picture, but because of its inconsistency in taste, we can’t imagine drinking this on a regular basis. Stick to your passion tea lemonade.

The “Orange” Drink

What it is: Orange Mango Juice with vanilla bean powder and a splash of coconut milk

Though the black specks from the vanilla powder were a little suspicious looking, this was our favorite drink out of the four of the rainbow, mainly because we have a huge sweet tooth here at the Clog. This sugary juice combo tastes just like an orange Creamsicle and is a perfect summer treat. That being said, if you’re a fan of bitter coffee or tea drinks, this drink won’t be for you. The sweetness of this drink can edge on tooth-achey, and it’ll definitely spoil your next meal. If you’re a dessert before dinner kind of person, this is definitely your drink.

The “Green” Drink

What it is: a Teavana Iced Black Tea with coconut milk instead of water and matcha

This is probably the most classic Starbucks drink out of the four. With its sewage-esque color and watery texture, this drink was basically just a green tea. A welcome bitterness after three pretty sweet drinks, the crisp, classic taste was good, but nothing special. If you’re looking for something fun to try with your tea, this could be an interesting twist, however it isn’t worth the hassle of digging up the exact combo to get the weird green color to your drink.

The “Purple” Drink

What it is: a Teavana Iced Passion Tango Tea with soy milk instead of water and vanilla syrup

Creamy and fruity, this drink is also very Insta-worthy. A pretty lilac color holds a weirdly milky, but also kinda yummy taste as this drink is a strange mix between a tea and a Frappuccino. The initial sip was pretty blah, but the drink got progressively better as the soy milk settled with the tea. However, at its best, this drink was nowhere near the creaminess and sweetness of a Frappuccino or the tanginess of an iced tea. Overall, this drink seemed to be a strange wannabe milkshake with the consistency of tea, making it just plain weird to drink.

While they are colorful and different, these drinks lack the usual yumminess of Starbucks coffee and, maybe more importantly, the caffeine kick. We at the Clog suggest that you do taste the Starbucks rainbow, but not in any size larger than a tall.