Starbucks hoists Irish cold brew
Non-alcoholic drink joins holiday menu.
Starbucks is spicing up its holiday lineup with a festive new beverage.
Starting Dec. 3, the Irish Cream Cold Brew will be available at participating locations nationwide for a limited time.
The Irish Cream Cold Brew is made with the coffee giant’s cold brew coffee and Irish cream flavored syrup over ice, topped with vanilla sweet cream cold foam and dusted with cocoa powder.
While traditional Irish cream includes Irish whiskey and cream, Starbucks’ new drink is non-alcoholic.
“It pairs so well with cold brew because of the chocolate flavor in the Irish cream and the cocoa notes from the coffee,” Erin Marinan, a product developer for Starbucks, said in a blog post. “I think about that customer who’s in the middle of work or shopping, and this will help get them into the holiday spirit for the rest of the day.”
Other holiday drinks available since Nov. 7 include Peppermint Mocha, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte and Eggnog Latte. All of the drinks are available hot, iced or as a Frappuccino.
Why introduce a new cold drink in winter?
Starbucks says cold coffee continues to be a hot trend, and its cold beverage lineup makes up more than half of U.S. beverage sales.
Happy Hours in December
Starbucks also announced that its popular Happy Hour promotion will be held every Thursday in December.
From 2-7 p.m. every Thursday through the end of the year, there will be a buy-one-get-one-free deal on all handcrafted beverages, grande or larger, including holiday drinks.
To get this deal, which is available when ordering on the app and at participating locations in the U.S., you need the Starbucks app. The offer will automatically be loaded for Starbucks Rewards members.
In October, Starbucks revamped its Happy Hour promotion, which used to rotate with different specials. Now, on select Thursdays, the deal will be a buy-one-get-one-free drink offer.
Starbucks for Life returns
The popular Starbucks for Life contest launches Tuesday. Prizes totaling more than $2.9 million are up for grabs through Jan. 6, according to rules.
Members of the Seattlebased chain’s loyalty program can enter the annual contest for a chance to win one of five grand prizes – free drinks daily for 30 years, worth about $59,458 apiece.
Other prizes include a freebie at Starbucks daily for shorter periods of time, including a year, six months, three months and a month. Bonus stars, free drinks and discounts also will be awarded.
Game plays are earned on eligible purchases at participating stores with the Starbucks app or registered gift card. You can get a maximum of two plays per day plus bonus chances to earn additional plays. Rewards members can request “free entries” on the website without a purchase.
Learn more about the contest and find contest terms at www.starbucksforlife.com.