Bustelo Cool, reviewed

Did you know that Cafe Bustelo is the best selling espresso brand in the US? I had no idea until recently, primarily because this is a brand that is really only distributed in New York and Florida markets and I never see it in stores out in California. It is hugely popular for making Cuban coffees, so since the company is moving into the refrigerated beverage market with the new Bustelo Cool.

Bustelo Cool is a cuban-style cafe con leche made with intensely flavored coffee (Cafe Bustelo espresso) that is sweetened with sugar and given a splash of milk. I’m already a fan of cuban style coffee, and this drink delivered. I really appreciated that you could taste that dark, smoky espresso note clearly even with sugar and milk added. It was well balanced, not too sweet (my pet peeve with packaged coffee drinks) and really stood out from similar coffee drinks already on the market. Of course, if you want your drink to be super sweet, than Bustelo Cool probably isn’t going to be your favorite.  Chill the can as much as you can, because the drink isn’t quite as good when ice has melted into it and thrown off the ratio of coffee to milk. There is also a mocha version out there, which I’ll be keeping an eye out for.

Starbucks Refreshers, reviewed

Starbucks Refreshers are new summer drinks hitting the menu boards at Starbucks this summer. The drinks were test marketed in several areas last year, and must have been quite the hit to get the push to a larger market! The drinks are slightly sweet, fruity drinks that are designed to be – as the name suggests – refreshing in the warm weather. They’re made with frozen fruit and a flavor-neutral extract made with green coffee beans. The green beans are ground into a powder that is incorporated into the drinks. It doesn’t add a coffee flavor, but it does add a small amount of caffeine (less than a regular cup of brewed coffee) and green coffee beans are said to help lower blood pressure and promote weight loss. The drinks are low in calories, too.

The Refreshers come in two flavors: Cool Lime and Very Berry Hibiscus (pictured above). I felt like the lime tasted a bit like watered down limemade, and while it wasn’t bad at all, it also wasn’t terribly exciting. The hibiscus was much better. It had a very light berry flavor, floral notes and was very refreshing. It was just barely sweetened, just enough to highlight the fruits without leaving a sticky taste in your mouth. I like their tea-lemonade, but I think I would definitely choose the hibiscus refresher over that on a hot day. I didn’t notice a caffeine kick – but then again, I had already had a bit of coffee in the morning before I tried the drinks.

I also want to mention that this is the first drink in my area offered in the extra large Trente size, and having had the drink, I can actually see it working in that much larger size (remember, a lot of the volume is offset by ice ) on a hot day when you want more than just a few ounces of refreshment from a very lightly sweetened drink like this one.

Seattle’s Best Coffee Iced Vanilla Latte, reviewed

I usually prefer coffee that is prepared fresh than a drink that comes out of a can, but with that said, I will also admit that I have had some pretty delicious prepared coffee drinks (mostly in other countries) and so I am always happy to try a new drink if I spot one in the grocery store. I like Seattle’s Best cold-brewed iced coffee in their stores, so I didn’t have to think twice before picking up a can of Seattle’s Best Coffee Iced Vanilla Latte.

This coffee drink is basically made with just coffee, milk, sugar and vanilla flavorings – no thickeners or anything to try and give it an unusually “creamy” consistency. In short, there is nothing weird in the can to screw up the drink and the result is a fresh-tasting, perfectly sweetened coffee drink with a good vanilla flavor and a great milk-to-coffee ratio. I didn’t honestly expect to like it as much as I did when I opened the can, but once I had finished, I definitely put it on my shopping list for the future. I still have my vanilla syrup in the fridge when I want to make my own, but as a quick and refreshing coffee drink (that is cheaper than a coffee shop), I’ll take one of these any time.

I should note that Seattle’s Best also makes a mocha version of this drink, as well as a plain version that is sweetened, but not flavored. I preferred the vanilla to the mocha, although the mocha was also quite good, and I’m still keeping an eye out for the Iced Latte flavor to give that one a try.

Trader Joe’s Caffe Latte Drinks, reviewed

I have a soft spot for canned coffee drinks, not because the brands I’ve tried at home in the US have been so great (many are just awful), but because I’ve had some really excellent drinks in other countries, like Korea. This just means that I can’t resist trying one that looks good when I spot it on store shelves. Naturally, I picked up a package of the new Trader Joe’s Caffe Latte Ready-To-Drink Coffee Beverages the last time I was there to give them a taste.

The Caffe Lattes come in very small cans (just 6.5-oz) and have a simple ingredient list that includes coffee, reduced fat milk, sugar, vanilla and an emulsifier that helps all those things stay well-blended inside that little can. The overall flavor of the drink is very nice, with a good balance of milk and coffee flavors. The vanilla comes through very well – to the point where I would almost call this a vanilla latte, even though it is actually only lightly sweetened. For my tastes, this is a satisfying little coffee drink that is nice for an afternoon fix when you don’t want to brew a whole new pot of coffee. The little cans are also convenient for taking to the office or bringing along on road trips. Trader Joe’s also makes a mocha version of this drink that I’ll have to try one of these days, too.

Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa Mix, reviewed

I like the seasonal Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate that Starbucks adds to their menu in the winter and it is something that I’ll definitely order if I feel like indulging in a non coffee beverage on a cold night. I had no idea, however, that Starbucks packaged hot cocoa mix in single serving packets (think Swiss Miss) until a friend handed me this box of Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa Mix.

The mix is made from natural ingredients – including Madagascar vanilla powder and ethically sourced cocoa powder – and the mix can boast that it is lower in calories and fat than the version that you can order in the store. The trade-off, of course, is that you don’t get the same indulgence factor as you do with the in-store version of this drink. This is a good hot chocolate mix that has salty overtones and actual pieces of caramel mixed in with the cocoa. The caramel melts into the hot milk (which you add yourself) and brings a richness that you don’t find in other hot chocolate mixes. It’s a definite plus that there are no artificial flavors and you get the real thing (including that caramel) for the overall flavor of this mix. I just might have to keep my eyes peeled for another box because I’m going through the eight included in this box surprisingly fast!