Flyby Tries: Seasonal Coffee Drinks

With the cold weather settling in and exam season upon us, we could all use a little pick-me-up with our morning coffee. Here at Flyby, our trusty writers set out to try the newest (and some classic) seasonal drinks so you know exactly what to order the next time you need to take a study break from Widener and grab some extra motivation in Harvard Square. You’re welcome :)

Starbucks Gingerbread Latte

EKR: Honestly, I had high hopes for this one after hearing great things, but I was sadly let down. I opted for only one pump of gingerbread syrup (in lieu of the default three) and boy was I glad. Tbh, I could’ve done with zero pumps. What I learned is that I’m simply not a fan of gingerbread, and next time I should try the Almond Sugar Cookie Latte instead…

ESD: What I learned is that I’m simply one of the biggest fans of gingerbread, and this drink is that perfect holiday spice.

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

EKR: A tried and true classic that I will never get tired of. Whenever I order one of these, I have to slow myself down or else I’ll down the whole thing in three minutes. Coffee, peppermint, and chocolate? I don’t think there’s any better combination.

ESD: Starbie’s Peppermint Mocha 🤝“All I Want For Christmas” for the holiday vibes. There’s nothing like it. Chef’s kisses all around.

Cold Brew with Peppermint Chocolate Cream Mocha Cold Foam

EKR: Let me begin by letting it be known that I am a HUGE fan of Starbucks cold foam. In the summer, I practically lived on cold brew with sweet cream vanilla cold foam. So, when I heard that Starbucks was announcing FOUR new seasonal cold foams (peppermint chocolate, sugar cookie, chestnut praline, and caramel brulee), I was ecstatic. As noted above, I love any peppermint and chocolate combinations, so I was naturally inclined to test out the peppermint chocolate cold foam on my cold brew on a not-too-cold-for-an-iced-drink winter morning.

And… I loved it.

I must admit that it is REALLY sweet and I had to scoop out a few spoonfuls to tone it down and retrieve some cold brew flavor. But, it was the perfect blend of peppermint and chocolate mixed into my cold brew. I think it definitely requires a strong coffee flavor underneath (i.e. not a milked-down iced latte) to balance out the sweetness, but I absolutely recommend it.

L.A. Burdick’s Hot Chocolate

EKR: Okay okay, I know it’s not necessarily a ~seasonal~ drink, but I tend to equate hot chocolate with the holidays, so I found it fitting to include. This is hands down the best hot chocolate in Harvard Square. Maybe even in Boston.

ESD: Definitely in Boston. Beats the $12 Seaport hot cocoa any day.

EKR: It’s practically a melted chocolate bar in a cup. So ooey. So gooey. So warm and the perfect treat to warm you right up during finals. It’s overpriced, but so is everything in Harvard Square. Take any friends or family you might have in town and I promise it’ll be a hit.

ESD: Second everything above. For the vegans / lactose-intolerant out there, the almond milk dark chocolate is out of this world. However, we don’t recommend shelling out the extra money for the spicy hot chocolate, which doesn’t have enough of a kick to be worth it.

Happy holidays, and happy studying!