Starbucks' St. Patrick's Day Drink Puts A Caramel Twist On The Matcha Crème Frappuccino

St. Patrick's Day is among many things our biggest beer holiday, and green beer in particular, but if you are looking for a less inebriating drink to celebrate the Irish this week Starbucks is coming to the rescue with a special holiday version of a Matcha Crème Frappuccino. Despite its continuous rotation of limited-edition seasonal flavors, like Starbucks' new lavender-flavored drinks for this spring, the coffee chain hasn't normally done official St. Patrick's Day releases. That has mostly been the realm of McDonald's with its mint-flavored favorite, the Shamrock Shake. Maybe Starbucks has been feeling the heat from competitors, or maybe they have just gotten caught up in the spirit of the Irish, but this year they are doing things differently with a caramel-infused "Luck of the Matcha Crème" Frappuccino.

The Luck of the Matcha Crème Frappuccino will be available starting Tuesday, March 12 for a limited time according to a press release sent to Tasting Table. The company says it's "Inspired by a pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow," and mixes up the standard Starbucks Matcha Crème Frappuccino with caramel syrup in the drink, a caramel swirl on the whipped cream, and a crunchy caramel-sugar topping. Best of all, Starbucks rewards members have the chance to score a free order of the St. Patrick's Day special, or any other drink, with a single-day offer this week.

Starbucks is calling the free drink offer "Thurs-Yay," and it will be available from 12–6 p.m. at local stores this coming Thursday, March 14. The offer is exclusively for Starbucks rewards members, who can purchase one handcrafted beverage and get a second one free. The offer can be found in the Starbucks app, or rewards members can ask for the deal to be applied at checkout in person. While the free drink must be of equal or lesser value to the first drink, it applies to any Starbucks handcrafted beverage, including the new lavender drinks and the Luck of the Matcha Crème Frappuccino. So you can celebrate St. Patrick's Day for yourself, and treat a friend, or yourself a second time too.

And if matcha isn't your favorite, there are a few other ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day using tricks from Starbucks' secret menu. The go-to customization for years has been the "Shamrock," or "Leprechaun Frappuccino," which is a copycat of the Shamrock Shake. Unlike some more complicated secret menu items that might have your barista hating you, all this involves is adding peppermint pumps and java chips to the Matcha Green Tea Crème Frappuccino. It's so simple and tasty that you'll want to celebrate St. Patrick's Day year-round.