Review: Starbucks' Raspberry Cream Cold Brew Forgets The Star Of Its Own Show

Starbucks fans, I come bearing good news — the syrup you've been yearning to get your hands on is back in all its glory, ready to fruit-ify any (and all) of your favorite Starbucks concoctions. That's right: Raspberry syrup is once again gracing menus starting on July 29, but it's back for a limited time only, so don't wait to capitalize on this offer. More than that, though, the berry-licious syrup is debuting in new forms, and the raspberry cold foam should be at the top of your to-try list. 

Particularly featured by the chain is its newest menu concoction, the Raspberry Cream Cold Brew, which I got to sample ahead of the launch and which I ultimately have mixed feelings about. Whether or not you decide to try the cold brew that utilizes the new, fruity cold foam is up to you — the cold foam itself, though, is very worthy of some acknowledgement. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Doesn't this drink look just delightful? I have to admit, it's an effortlessly aesthetic drink; the pink-purple cold foam ribbons down into the cold brew for a beverage that captures everything we'd want in a summer coffee offering. The beverage isn't a complex offering at all. It combines the chain's cold brew and vanilla syrup before topping it off with the true star of the show: a generous helping of raspberry cream cold foam. 

If you're a fan of the chain's cold brew, this is a no-brainer buy, particularly if you're not turned off by the idea of a fruity coffee drink. If the cold brew doesn't sound like your cup of tea (or, well, coffee), I have some good news: You can add raspberry syrup to any beverage, and raspberry cold foam can be added to any cold beverage. Some other concoctions recommended by the coffee behemoth include a White Chocolate Mocha with Raspberry Syrup, a Strawberry Açaí Refresher with Raspberry Syrup, and an Iced Green Tea with Raspberry Syrup.

Unless the price of the raspberry flavoring is already included in your beverage (as it would be with the Raspberry Cream Cold Brew), adding raspberry syrup to a drink will most likely add a slight upcharge to your final total, though it's unclear exactly what that amount will be (and it may vary based on location). The same principle applies if you want to add raspberry cold foam to a drink. We aren't sure how long it will be around, but we do know that it's definitely a limited-time offering. 

About the longevity of the item, Starbucks itself says, "But just like a summer breeze, it won't last long!" You can score raspberry syrup in stores starting on July 29, and though we'd expect it to stick around through August and possibly into September, it will undoubtedly have a short lifespan — all the more reason to grab some before it's gone. Needless to say, the drink in question — the Raspberry Cream Cold Brew — will probably see the same limited lifespan as its namesake flavor. 

Cold brew may not be at the top of your list of Starbucks drinks to order with cold foam, and I'll admit to being somewhat stymied by this beverage. On the one hand, I absolutely adored the raspberry cream cold foam. Its raspberry flavor is potent, sweet, and fruity, while retaining the unadulterated taste of raspberries. Its pink-purple hue was the icing on the proverbial cake, but at the end of the day, I'm not sure cold brew was the right pairing. 

Perhaps this would be a good time to give some insight into my own Starbucks preferences, and I'll be honest — the chain is not where I go to get my coffee fix. I prefer making my own pour-overs at home, but I do like to visit the chain when I want a sweet treat that also gives a little caffeine boost. I found the raspberry cream cold foam and the cold brew to be a mismatch — the decadent mouthfeel of the cold foam didn't play well with the relatively thin-bodied cold brew, and I found myself trying to stir it into the coffee as much as possible to add some body to the whole drink, which ended up being easier said than done. Were I to get this again, I would probably take it home and shake it in a cocktail shaker to make for a more cohesive drink overall. Then again, this is just my take, and I could see some customers (particularly those who are already fans of the chain's cold brew) really enjoying this offering. 

The real strength of the Raspberry Cream Cold Brew is the signature cold foam on top, and it's unfortunate that it doesn't blend better with the cold brew it sits atop. Don't let this discourage you from heading in for a taste, though — as I've already said, cold brew fans will probably love the drink, and you can add raspberry syrup to whatever concoction suits your fancy. 

Will I try to bribe the baristas into giving me a cup of just raspberry cold foam the next time I go in? I really might; after all, I did end up eating it off the top of the drink with a spoon. More likely, though, I'll just add the raspberry cold foam to the top of a Frappuccino, or I'll get a little adventurous and ask for some atop my next Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. However you choose to do it, the syrup and its cold foam shouldn't be missed — grab some before they're gone!