5 Best Starbucks Refreshers Of 2024
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks out there right now. While a lot of people thrive on coffee, not everyone enjoys the warm, bitter beverage, so we need some suitable alternatives.
Starbucks created their drink Refreshers to fit the bill. These drinks are made using real fruit juice and green coffee extract.
This gives non-coffee drinkers the chance to have a little bit of healthy and refreshing caffeine in the form of a cold drink – with no coffee flavors attached.
What are the best Starbucks refreshers? You can buy refreshers at Starbucks but you can also now get these in canned options at a variety of different stores as well. They have a lot of different flavors to choose from. Whether you want a variety pack to try them all or you want a specific flavor, you really can’t go wrong!
In this guide, we will share with you the 5 best Starbucks Refreshers in our opinion.
They have multiple options to choose from and we’ve narrowed it down to our top 5 picks to give you some flavor inspiration. No matter your flavor preferences, there is bound to be something here you will love.
Keep reading to learn about the 5 best Starbucks Refreshers and more!
What Is A Starbucks Refresher?
Let’s cover a quick overview of just what these drinks are. You can go to a local Starbucks and order one but you can also purchase them from a number of other locations in a canned version as well.
These are fruit drinks that are made to be enjoyed cold. They do contain caffeine, which comes from green coffee extract so that is something to be aware of. They have several different varieties of refreshers as well.
They have their regular line, a line that combines the refresher with lemonade, and they also have a line that adds coconut milk to the flavor as well.
They make the Refreshers with freeze-dried fruit, although your can will most likely not have fruit chunks in it like the version you get from Starbucks. It will be made with real fruit juice though.
What Makes The Starbucks Refresher A Good Choice?
Wondering why these are a popular option? So many people are looking for a way to get caffeine without having to force themselves to like coffee.
If you like fruity drinks that aren’t loaded with ridiculous amounts of sugar, this can be a good option.
To be clear, there is some sugar, but the caffeine is sourced from green coffee extract. You get real fruit juice, real fruit in some drinks, and caffeine from a quality source.
They have a good flavor that is directly related to the fruit used in the mix.
There is some opportunity to personalize and customize these drinks. You can make your own version similar to the in-store options or you can just enjoy the pre-made flavors that we are ranking and reviewing here today.
Choosing The Best Starbucks Refresher
Before you run out and just purchase a bunch of these drinks, you may want to consider a few details. There are differences in the different drinks, primarily related to the flavors that are used.
Considering the details before you buy will go a long way to help ensure that you like the flavors or options that you end up with.
Here are a few things to consider before buying your Starbucks Refreshers:
Flavors
There are a number of different flavor options overall when it comes to the Starbucks Refreshers. There are also several ways to make your own if you choose to purchase the powder mixes and mix them up yourself.
You can choose from their simple line of flavors or you can turn your drink into the whole ordeal with coconut milk and real fruit if you want to. It’s totally up to you! Just be sure that you pay attention to the flavors.
Be brave and try something new but it’s ok if you want to stay away from a certain flavor that doesn’t really appeal to you.
Starbucks Fresh Refreshers Vs. Canned/Powder Refreshers
We want to talk about this for just a little bit. When you order a refresher at a Starbucks location, it is going to be slightly different than what you get when you purchase the canned version or a powder version to make your own.
In the store, you can add certain things, such as dried fruit pieces and coconut milk. You can also choose from slightly more flavor options as well.
In pre-made versions, you get a more standard approach. However, they are still flavorful and still a quality non-coffee drink you can enjoy.
The 5 Best Starbucks Refreshers Flavors Of 2021
There are a variety of flavor options out there to choose from so we did a bit of research to share with you the very best!
Keep in mind these are the flavors that are available in either the pre-made canned options or the pre-made powder to create your own drink!
Hopefully, you will find a flavor here that you can totally enjoy with ease.
| Rank | Product | Best Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Strawberry Lemonade | Best overall flavor |
| 2. | Black Cherry Limeade | Made with real fruit juice and coconut water |
| 3. | Peach Passion Fruit | Delicious sweet tea flavor |
| 4. | 3 Flavor Variety Pack | Comes with peach passion fruit, black cherry limeade, and strawberry lemonade |
| 5. | Via Instant Refreshers – Very Berry Hibiscus | Comes with individual packets for convenience |
1. Strawberry Lemonade
This is probably one of the most popular flavors you will find for Starbucks Refreshers.
There is just something about taking the fruity flavor and combining it with lemonade that people just can’t seem to get enough of.
It’s super light and refreshing and absolutely delicious. This is our top pick overall and if you like strawberry or you like lemonade, you really can’t go wrong!
The strawberry lemonade drink is a sparkling juice so you get the bubbly feel and appeal.
It is made with real fruit juice as well as real coconut water to give you that light and refreshing flavor. This flavor contains 25% fruit juice and does not have any trans-fat in it.
Just like the drink is known for, you will find a light, fruity flavor with a sparkling approach, as well as the lemonade flavor that really sets it apart.
The coconut water leads to refreshing goodness and you get your caffeine as well as some good vitamins and minerals in the mix.
2. Black Cherry Limeade
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Black cherry limeade is another top favorite in the market and it’s pretty clear why.
It’s made with carbonated water, coconut water, various fruit juices to create your flavors, as well as some other flavor creation ingredients.
It does contain some sugar but the basis of the ingredients is real fruit juice and coconut water.
These are made with sparkling water and juices to really bring you refreshing flavor. The black cherry limeade flavor has a deep cherry flavor with a hint of lime.
If you like cherry limeade drinks, this one is perfect for you. It’s not too sweet and not too sour so if you like something not overly fruity, it’s a great choice.
In addition, this concoction has all of the goodies that make it a popular choice.
It’s made with 25% fruit juice and then contains coconut water, caffeine derived from green coffee extract, and some B vitamins as well. It’s both crisp and refreshing with that twist of lime that really perfects the drink.
3. Peach Passion Fruit
For the ultimate fruity blend, you can’t overlook the peach passion fruit flavor of Starbucks Refreshers. This is perfectly sweet and perfectly Southern.
If you like peach or drinks like sweet tea, this is the perfect option for you.
This particular flavor is pretty sweet overall so it’s for the people who really appreciate sweet drinks.
It’s got perfect notes of both peach and passion fruit so you get the delightfully sweet and refreshing flavors without just being super fruity at the same time.
So many fruity drinks focus on flavors like strawberry or kiwi or blueberry. While those are great, this offers you an alternative flavor that makes a really great drink overall.
Slightly sweet but also slightly subtle at the same time and using fruits that have juicy flavors behind them makes a world of difference.
4. 3 Flavor Variety Pack
If you like all of these flavors and just can’t wait to try them all, that’s totally ok!
You could always just enjoy this variety pack that comes with 12 total cans and contains several of each of the 3 flavors we’ve already discussed.
In the variety pack, you get peach passion fruit, black cherry limeade, and strawberry lemonade all in one single package.
It’s really great because you get a little bit of everything and you get to have your pick whenever you want a refreshing drink.
Each drink is made with real fruit juices to create the perfect flavors and they also include coconut water.
All of them are sparkling juices so they have a little bit of carbonation to give you the bubbly flavor as well. In addition, they all contain caffeine from green coffee extract as well as B vitamins.
You really can’t go wrong here, especially if you like all of the flavors!
5. Via Instant Refreshers – Very Berry Hibiscus
Say hello to the original flavor of Starbucks Refreshers.
This is a great option if you simply want the ability to create your own drink without the carbonation.
Very Berry Hibiscus is delightfully sweet and light at the same time. This package comes with 6 individual packets so you can simply just make your own drink at will.
These are almost better than the canned varieties if you want a healthier option because it doesn’t contain nearly as much sugar as the canned drinks. It does still have sugar but it’s less than half in comparison.
From there, they use natural flavors and both fruits and vegetables to create your flavors.
This is the very original flavor that Starbucks Refreshers originated from. When they first started creating these, this was it. It’s always been a popular and flavorful option.
The berry flavors make it sweet and refreshing and the hibiscus helps to tone the sweetness while adding just a little something extra to the flavor for you.
Can You Order Other Refresher Flavors At A Starbucks Store?
You will find that if you visit any Starbucks, you can find a variety of cold drink flavors on their menu.
The canned Refreshers and powder versions are still fairly new. Most likely, they will continue to build on these but you certainly do have a vast array of options to choose from when you visit Starbucks in person.
Remember that the drinks will also be slightly different in person because they can tailor them to you and add things like coconut milk or real dried fruit as well.
Here are some of the other flavors you might find in store:
- Star Drink (with coconut milk)
- Kiwi Starfruit
- Kiwi Starfruit Lemonade
- Dragon Drink (with coconut milk)
- Mango Dragon Fruit
- Mango Dragon Fruit Lemonade
- Strawberry Acai Lemonade
- Very Berry Hibiscus Lemonade
- Pink Drink (with coconut milk)
- Strawberry Acai
- Very Berry Hibiscus
- Blueberry Acai
These are the current flavors on their menu. However, they have adjusted and adapted flavors at times and even changed out flavors and added new flavors here and there.
The Kiwi Starfruit flavors are their most recent addition of flavors. They’ve also removed some flavors like Cool Lime and Violet drink over time as well.
Best Refresher Flavors At Starbucks
Finally, let’s talk about some of the best Refresher options to order at Starbucks. You will find that your choice really may depend on your flavor preferences and whether or not you like the addition of coconut milk.
If you’re just not sure where to start or what to try first, consider these ones.
1. Very Berry Hibiscus Lemonade
You really can’t go wrong with any of the Very Berry Hibiscus flavors, whether you choose just the regular or you try out the lemonade. This is one of the most popular selections at Starbucks.
With the lemonade, you get the very berry base and then they add freeze-dried blackberries as well as lemonade.
You can also just go with Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher if you don’t want to have the lemonade flavor. This is the perfect iced drink. It has really great flavor with just a hint of sweetness and the berries really do something wonderful.
2. Pink Drink
This is the absolute most popular Refresher on the Starbucks menu. Pink Drink is a top choice and it’s pretty obvious why.
They use the strawberry acai base so you get a classic strawberry flavor. From there, they build onto it with freeze-dried strawberries and then they add in coconut milk.
It’s creamy and light with strawberry flavor and it really stands apart overall. If you like strawberries, this one is a definite winner!
3. Mango Dragon fruit
Finally, your next best option is the mango dragon fruit refresher. This drink is made with mango and dragon fruit as well as freeze-dried dragon fruit pieces. It’s hearty and delicious but the dragon fruit can be pretty sweet as well.
If you like something super sweet, this is your winner and it can be even sweeter if you choose the Dragon Drink that also has coconut milk as part of the mix.
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