Starbucks recently released a new chocolate Cold Brew drink for fall 2022. This delicious iced coffee beverage combines Starbucks’ smooth Cold Brew coffee with sweet mocha sauce and is topped with sweet cold foam. For coffee lovers who enjoy chocolatey flavors, this new menu item from Starbucks provides the perfect blend of chocolate and coffee.
Cold Brew Coffee
The base of the chocolate Cold Brew drink is Starbucks’ signature Cold Brew coffee. Cold Brew coffee is made by steeping ground coffee beans in cool or cold water for an extended period of time, usually 12-24 hours. This long steeping time extracts the oils and flavors from the beans, resulting in a smooth, rich, and highly concentrated coffee concentrate.
Unlike traditional iced coffee which is brewed hot before being cooled down, Cold Brew coffee is never exposed to heat. The cold brewing process results in lower acidity and a sweeter flavor compared to regular iced coffee. Starbucks describes its Cold Brew as having a “smooth, rich, and inherently sweet” taste.
Mocha Sauce
The chocolate component of the chocolate Cold Brew comes from Starbucks’ mocha sauce. The mocha sauce is a chocolatey syrup made from a blend of cocoa powder and sugary sweeteners.
According to Starbucks, their mocha sauce contains:
– Water
– Sugar
– Fructose
– Natural Flavors
– Cocoa processed with alkali
– Potassium Sorbate (preservative)
– Salt
The combination of cocoa powder and sugar gives the mocha sauce a deep chocolate flavor along with a sweet taste. The sauce provides the rich chocolate infusion that transforms regular Cold Brew into a chocolatey delight.
Sweet Cream Cold Foam
The chocolate Cold Brew is topped off with a layer of Starbucks sweet cream cold foam. The cold foam provides a light, foamy crown that adds sweetness and texture.
Starbucks sweet cream is made by blending heavy cream with vanilla syrup. To turn it into a foamy cold foam, the sweet cream is frothed up using a foaming wand. The airy foam floats atop the Cold Brew, providing a sweet complement to the chocolate and coffee flavors.
According to Starbucks, the sweet cream cold foam contains:
– Heavy whipping cream
– Vanilla syrup
– Natural Flavors
– Carrageenan (thickening agent made from seaweed)
The sweet cream foam adds a signature touch to many Starbucks drinks including the pumpkin cream cold brew and vanilla sweet cream cold brew. On the chocolate Cold Brew, it provides an extra hit of sweet vanilla flavor.
Complete Ingredients
To summarize, the new chocolate Cold Brew from Starbucks contains:
– Cold Brew coffee
– Mocha sauce (water, sugar, fructose, natural flavors, cocoa, preservative, salt)
– Sweet cream cold foam (heavy cream, vanilla syrup, natural flavors, carrageenan)
So while the ingredients are relatively simple, they come together to create a delicious blend of chocolatey mocha flavor and smooth cold brew coffee.
Nutrition Information
Starbucks provides the complete nutrition information for its new chocolate Cold Brew, as shown:
| Size | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Sugar | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grande (16 oz) | 200 | 13g | 23g | 20g | 2g |
| Venti (20 oz) | 260 | 17g | 31g | 27g | 3g |
As you can see, the chocolate Cold Brew is high in calories, fat, and sugar compared to plain Cold Brew coffee. A grande provides 200 calories, 13g of fat, 23g of carbs, and 20g of sugar. The calories and sugar increase in a larger venti size.
Fat
The high fat content comes from the sweet cream foam which is made with heavy whipping cream. The heavy cream contributes nearly 10g of fat in a grande size.
Sugar
The mocha sauce and vanilla syrup in the sweet cream are the sources of added sugars. A grande chocolate Cold Brew has 20g total sugars which is equivalent to 5 teaspoons of sugar. The sweeteners make it a high sugar beverage.
Protein
While not a significant source of protein, the chocolate Cold Brew provides 2-3g of protein from the dairy ingredients like cream and milk.
So for those wanting a chocolate flavored Cold Brew, expect it to be a more indulgent treat with higher calories and sweetness compared to plain Cold Brew coffee.
Comparisons to Other Drinks
How does the chocolate Cold Brew compare nutrition-wise to other Starbucks chilled coffee beverages? Here is a nutritional comparison:
| Beverage (16oz Grande) | Calories | Fat (g) | Carbs (g) | Sugar (g) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Brew (black) | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Nitro Cold Brew (black) | 10 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Iced Coffee | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew | 140 | 7 | 15 | 14 | 2 |
| Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew | 270 | 14 | 33 | 30 | 3 |
| Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew | 250 | 13 | 30 | 25 | 3 |
| Chocolate Cream Cold Brew | 200 | 13 | 23 | 20 | 2 |
Compared to plain Cold Brew or Iced Coffee with no milk or sweeteners, the chocolate Cold Brew significantly increases calories, carbohydrates, and sugar. However, it has fewer calories than the Salted Caramel and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew options. So while indulgent, it is not the most caloric of Starbucks’ cream-based cold coffee drinks.
Caffeine Content
One consideration with cold coffee drinks is that the cold brewing process results in higher caffeine levels compared to standard hot brewed coffee.
According to Starbucks, here is the caffeine content of its Cold Brew and chocolate Cold Brew:
| Beverage | Caffeine (mg) |
|---|---|
| Tall Cold Brew (12 oz) | 155 |
| Grande Cold Brew (16 oz) | 205 |
| Venti Cold Brew (20 oz) | 285 |
| Tall Chocolate Cream Cold Brew (12 oz) | 155 |
| Grande Chocolate Cream Cold Brew (16 oz) | 205 |
| Venti Chocolate Cream Cold Brew (20 oz) | 285 |
As you can see, the caffeine content of the chocolate Cold Brew matches the regular Cold Brew for each size. So adding the mocha sauce and sweet cream foam does not dilute the caffeine level compared to regular Cold Brew coffee.
In general, you can expect around 205mg of caffeine in a 16oz Grande chocolate Cold Brew. That’s nearly triple a 16oz Coca-Cola at 34mg of caffeine. So the chocolate Cold Brew will definitely deliver the energizing caffeine kick that coffee drinkers crave.
Price
The chocolate Cold Brew comes at a premium price compared to standard Cold Brew or iced coffee. Here are the current prices at Starbucks:
| Beverage | Tall Price | Grande Price | Venti Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Brew | $2.75 | $3.25 | $3.75 |
| Iced Coffee | $2.75 | $3.25 | $3.75 |
| Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew | $4.25 | $4.75 | $5.25 |
| Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew | $4.95 | $5.45 | $5.95 |
| Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew | $4.95 | $5.45 | $5.95 |
| Chocolate Cream Cold Brew | $4.25 | $4.75 | $5.25 |
The chocolate Cold Brew costs $1.50-$1.75 more than a plain Cold Brew or iced coffee. The mocha sauce and sweet cream foam additions come at a price. However, it is less expensive than the seasonal flavor Cold Brew options.
So while not cheap, it provides a reasonably priced way to indulge in a chocolatey cold coffee drink from Starbucks.
Is the Chocolate Cold Brew Worth It?
Should you splurge on Starbucks’ new chocolate Cold Brew? Here are some pros and cons:
Pros:
– Delicious chocolate and coffee flavor combo
– Smooth cold brew base with higher caffeine
– Balanced sweetness from mocha sauce and sweet cream foam
– Creamy, frothy texture from cold foam
– Good value compared to seasonal flavor cold brews
Cons:
– Higher in calories, sugar, and fat compared to plain cold brew
– More expensive than plain iced coffee or cold brew
– Sweetness may be overpowering for some coffee purists
Overall, the new chocolate Cold Brew is worth trying for chocolate and coffee fans. The indulgent flavors make for an elevated cold coffee experience. While not as healthy as black cold brew, it delivers big on rich chocolatey flavor. For an occasional treat or dessert-like caffeine boost, the chocolate Cold Brew hits the spot.
Conclusion
Starbucks’ new chocolate Cold Brew offers a perfect blending of sweet chocolate flavors with smooth cold brew coffee. Made with its signature Cold Brew concentrate, velvety mocha sauce, and topped with vanilla sweet cream foam, it provides a delicious chilled coffee drink. While higher in sugar and calories than plain Cold Brew, it offers a moderately priced way to enjoy chocolate and coffee together. Next time you need a chocolate fix, consider trying the new chocolate Cold Brew at Starbucks.