SEATTLE -- Move over, pumpkin. Starbucks is testing a coffee drink it calls Dark Barrel Latte, which a few early samplers say tastes like a stout beer, in a "handful" of stores in Ohio and Florida, company spokesperson Lisa Passe told USA Today.
Dark Barrel Latte is made with espresso and topped with whipped cream and dark caramel drizzle and comes blended with a "chocolaty stout flavored sauce," she said. The beverage also is available as a blended Frappuccino.
It does not contain beer or any form of alcohol, she added.
Consumers on social media have had different reactions, said the newspaper:
- "This Dark Barrel Latte from Starbucks tastes just like beer & I might be in love."
- "The dark barrel latte at Starbucks literally tastes like drinking a Guinness in the early morning...So yuck."
A Starbucks training guide for baristas cited by the paper says that the "stout flavor" is actually a "roasted malt flavor."
So, why test a coffee that may taste like beer?
"Starbucks regularly tests new beverages, and testing is an essential part of bringing the Starbucks experience to our customers," Passe said.
The company would not comment on when the special brew might be available at more locations.
"We're looking forward to learning more from the test," Passe told USA Today.
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