Starbucks Changed Its Iced Coffee Blend And Fans Have Mixed Feelings

Starbucks may be a poster child for embracing change with its experimental drinks and ever-rotating seasonal menus full of new flavors, but some things like iced coffee are meant to stay the same. As a fan, you may like that the coffee giant recently unveiled new energy drinks, and you may get excited trying some secret menu Frappuccino concoction, but when you order a simple drink like a black coffee, you want consistency. It's true for any chain that updates a longstanding formula — whether it be a drink or french fries, there's bound to be some backlash. Because even if customers end up liking the change in the long run, old habits (and tastes) die hard. So, when people found out one of Starbucks' most popular drinks, iced coffee, was in for an adjustment for the first time in 18 years, there were going to be some thoughts about it.

Starbucks actually changed its iced coffee blend back in May of 2024, and since then the reviews have been rolling in. Regular drinkers of the old iced coffee know that it was often noticeably stronger than competitors like Dunkin', and the strength of the new brew seems to be central to complaints. Fans posting on Reddit have said it "seems like they mellowed out [the new iced coffee] and tried to make it more subtle," and stated in slightly less neutral terms: "I feel like it tastes both more water[ed] down and simultaneously burnt every single time I've gotten it."

According to a statement, Starbucks says its new iced coffee blend is made of a mix of sun-dried Latin American coffee beans. The taste is meant to be "approachable and refreshing" with sweet notes of malted milk chocolate and brown sugar. Starbucks also added that the blend was made with versatility in mind so that it can be customized easily. Approachable and refreshing do make it sound like the new iced coffee blend is in fact lighter, as a less robust taste might be considered more universally appealing. But if you ordered Starbucks' iced coffee drinks for the stronger taste, that isn't going to make you happy.

Unfortunately, watered down is not the only phrase people are using to describe the new blend. Another Redditor labeled it "way too bitter, even with my usual vanilla and oat milk," and another post said "it tasted INSANELY bitter and acidic." However, one alternate explanation for the bitterness was given by a fan (possibly a barista) who noted that "the new iced coffee involves grinding beans fresh at brewing," and that it wasn't made clear how much coffee should be used for the new recipe. One lone commenter claims they love it, so perhaps there's hope yet. Given the fact that any new change inevitably forces a new learning curve, it might be worth checking back in once stores have fully adjusted.