Have you ever been recommended a drink by a friend, then you taste it and all you can make out is the bitter coffee flavor? After this, you decide that you cannot have any coffee drinks because they will all taste that strong.
Most of the time, you just haven’t found the right style of drink for you.
Blended Ice Coffees:
Blended ice coffees are drinks that have coffee mixed, or blended, with ice, milk, sweeteners, and other flavors. Because of the added milk, sweeteners, and flavors, the taste of coffee is hidden or barely able to be made out. Blended ice coffee drinks are usually called Frappés, but can be called Frappuccinos at Starbucks and Freezes at Dutch Bros.
Crème Base:
If you want zero chance of tasting coffee in your drinks, you can request a crème base for your Frappuccino at Starbucks. A crème base is used in blended drinks instead of coffee and provides a thick and creamy texture. Since a crème base usually has no flavor of its own, a drink with a crème base is often mixed with other flavors like chocolate and fruit.
When asked about her own coffee alternative junior Marley Parreco said, “I enjoy Starbucks crème-based Frappuccinos, which are just like a coffee-based one without the taste of the coffee.”
Mocha (Coffee/Espresso plus Chocolate):
The mixture of coffee or espresso with chocolate is called Mocha, and it’s very popular. The chocolate part of mocha can overpower and even complement the bitter taste of coffee. You can have a milk chocolate mocha, dark chocolate mocha, and even a white chocolate mocha, all of which can be iced or served hot.
Chai:
If you’re looking only for the caffeine pick-me-up from coffee but don’t like the taste of it, then Chai is a great alternative. Chai means tea in the Hindi language but has evolved to mean a sweetened, spiced tea with milk and spices like cinnamon and ginger in Western countries. Usually, chai drinks are called Chai Lattes and those with espresso in them are called Dirty Chai drinks.
“Chai Lattes have some caffeine in them without the same taste as coffee. Tea is what I’ve grown up with in my household, so naturally, I’ve come to favor it over coffee,” said junior Zahraa Albadran.
All around, there are many coffee drinks that do not actually taste like coffee, as well as coffee alternatives. Trying drinks in different ways, like getting a Frappuccino with a crème base, can unlock so much more to your non-coffee desire.
