I Tried Starbucks’ Summer-Berry Refreshers Like The Summer Skies Drink

Starbucks is getting a jumpstart on summer with its latest menu items. And all of them are game changers.

The all-new Summer-Berry Starbucks Refresher, available starting May 7, can be ordered three different ways, and features raspberry-flavored popping pearls. Yes, Starbucks is *finally* entering into the boba-like drink space. The beverage is a blend of raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry, and can be ordered as is or with lemonade.

Then, there’s the speciality Summer Skies Drink, which is the Pink Drink equivalent of the Summer-Berry Refresher, and made with a splash of coconut milk. Though the ingredients of these drinks are slightly different depending on which one you get, they all come with the raspberry pearls at the bottom.

These bright red popping pearls add another splash of color to the already vibrant blue Summer-Berry drink, and make Starbucks’ new refreshers Insta-worthy — even more so than the spring purple lavender drinks.

As everyone knows though, being picture-perfect isn’t everything. You also want your drink to be delicious, so before you run to your local cafe, here’s what Starbucks’ summer 2024 refreshers actually taste like:

The Summer-Berry Refreshers Drink Is A Simple Fruity Sip

The Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers Beverage is the most basic version of the three. It features the Summer-Berry drink with the raspberry pearls at the bottom, and those pearls did a lot of heavy lifting with the flavor here. In fact, they had main character energy, with the Summer-Berry drink being pretty plain.

You would think with raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry flavors, it would be more intense, but it’s fairly subdued. That simplicity actually works well with the other two Summer-Berry sips, but with this one it leans more on the boring side.

However, I see so much potential with the bright blue Summer-Berry. You can definitely use it to customize some gorgeous Starbucks drinks, and I can’t wait to see what creative ideas TikTok comes up with for secret menu sips.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

The Summer-Berry Lemonade Is A Gorgeous Take On A Summertime Fave

Having the Summer-Berry drink be subtle helped to really highlight the lemonade in the Summer-Berry Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers Beverage. With the sweet pearls at the bottom, this was like a gorgeous blue raspberry lemonade.

Though you may be tempted to keep the blue and red separate for the aesthetics, I recommend stirring this drink after you take your IG pics. Combining the sweet raspberry with the tart lemonade is the way to go. This was a tad bit too sour for my taste, but I can see how refreshing it’ll be on those extra warm summer days.

If I were to order this again, I would get it with a splash of the coconut milk. That would would help to cut down on the tartness and create the perfect blend of flavors in one refreshing sip.

Rating: 4 out of 5

The Summer Skies Drink Is So Nostalgic

Something I noticed right away about all three drink is how much they look like those rocket popsicles you can get from the neighborhood ice cream truck. And out of the three refreshers, the Summer Skies Drink tasted the most like that nostalgic summertime treat.

There’s just something about the coconut milk that really helped to enhance the flavor of the Summer-Berry refresher as well as the raspberry pearls. It was creamy, fruity, and so refreshing, like drinking a popsicle.

The Summer Skies is the one drink from the Starbucks summer menu I plan on ordering again, and I can’t wait to enjoy it while lounging by the pool or going to a friend’s backyard barbecue. I even think it takes the top spot away from the viral Pink Drink, because not only is it delicious but much more Insta-worthy and fun to drink with the pearls.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Hopefully, this is just the beginning of Starbucks journey into boba-inspired drinks, because I want to try tapioca inclusions with different lattes and chais.