Review: Only One Of Starbucks' Summer Drops Is Drink-Worthy — And It's An Odd Choice For The Season

The first day of summer isn't technically until late June, but that hasn't stopped Starbucks from releasing its summer menu in preparation for much warmer days ahead — and honestly, who among us isn't ready for the longer daylight hours, trips to the beach, and laid-back summer vibe? This summer's drink menu includes an all-new Refresher flavor and a Frappuccino upgrade to a returning handcrafted espresso drink.

As has been the case for the last two summers with the Summer-Berry Refreshers, the new Tropical Butterfly Refreshers are a departure from the usual lineup of permanent menu Refreshers. This year, the beverage has a new flavor profile, made with a dark pink Tropical Passionfruit Guava base, that's topped with a splash of purple butterfly pea flower infusion. Instead of freeze-dried fruit bits floating on top of the drink, the new summer Refreshers have bright yellow mango-pineapple flavored popping pearls at the bottom of the drinks, turning the Refreshers into a moody liquid summer sunset, from yellow to pink to purple.

Last summer, Starbucks launched the Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, which is returning to the seasonal lineup this year, alongside a new Horchata Frappuccino, made with many of the same ingredients as the shaken espresso. If you're ready for the sweet taste of summer, we've got all the details on how the new drinks taste, and what you can expect from the new Starbucks summer 2026 menu.

On opening day, I headed over to my local Starbucks to grab the first sips of the new summer drinks, and settled in to taste all of them side-by-side. I tried the new Tropical Butterfly Refreshers in all three iterations: the Tropical Butterfly Lemonade Refresher, a Tropical Butterfly Energy Refresher, and coconut milk-based version, called the Butterfly Drink. (The Butterfly Drink is also offered as Energy Refreshers with the addition of a green coffee extract that boosts the caffeine content of the drink.) I also ordered the new Horchata Frappuccino, as well as the returning Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso to taste together.

Each of the permanent menu Starbucks Refreshers is still currently available throughout the summer season, including the newest Mango Strawberry Refreshers — all of which I have tasted in every variation they come in, both regular and energy-spiked. I have also tasted most of the Starbucks seasonal beverages throughout every season for the last five years. 

With all of that in mind, I first tasted each of the drinks on its own, then compared them to each other. I considered how well the drinks stood against available items on the Starbucks menu, and how interesting they are compared to memorable offerings from seasons past.

If there's one thing that all of the Starbucks Refreshers have in common, it's that they're easy on the eyes. Current Refreshers range in color from the golden-yellow Mango Strawberry to the juicy red Strawberry Açaí, and the deep magenta-hued Mango Dragonfruit. The new Tropical Butterfly Refreshers incorporate all of those colors with an impressively vibrant sunset ombre effect. 

Both the Refresher and the Butterfly drink have a bed of yellow mango-pineapple flavored popping pearls on the bottom of the drink, followed by a dark pink Tropical Passionfruit Guava Refresher Base, and punched up with a popping infusion of purple butterfly pea flower on top to complete the look. It's begs to be photographed.

But for all of its impressive layers, I was expecting a much bolder flavor from each beverage. Generally speaking, butterfly pea flower infusions tend to be very mild in flavor, mostly contributing a gorgeous blue or purple color to drinks. Unfortunately, the Tropical Passionfruit Guava Refresher base is also. Mild so much so that it's practically tasteless. Some of the delicate earthier guava notes shine through, but the bolder sweetness and mouth-puckering acidity of passionfruit is missing.

Luckily, the mango-pineapple popping pearls are literally bursting with flavor, making them an absolute can't-miss part of the drink. The Tropical Butterfly Refreshers come with an extra-wide straw, intended to help you reach all the way down to those pearls while you're enjoying the drink, so don't leave without one.

For those not already familiar with horchata — it's a popular rice-based drink, most often associated with Mexican, Central American, and Spanish cuisine. The relatively simple drink is often made by soaking rice in water, then blending and straining it to create a light and creamy base that's sweetened and spiced with cinnamon and vanilla. It's regularly served chilled in warmer weather, and is considered an agua fresca along with other fresh fruit and plant-infused waters.

Starbucks' version of the horchata is much less of a reinterpretation and more loosely inspired by the original, as the Horchata Frappuccino's ingredients are substantially different from the real thing. The seasonal drink is made with ice, milk, coffee Frappuccino syrup, coffee, horchata syrup, whipped cream (which includes vanilla syrup), and a dusting of cinnamon on top. The horchata syrup is made with sugar, water, and natural flavors, leading me to believe that there isn't actually any rice in this drink.

So, does it taste like horchata? To a small degree, it does. It's sweet, creamy, and has a toasty taste similar to the toasted rice often used for horchata. The cinnamon spice is a nice touch as well. It's much thicker than a traditional horchata would be, and also contains coffee and dairy, which most horchatas do not have. But ultimately, it's nice as a stand-alone drink, and reminds me more of the style of toasty and spiced drinks Starbucks releases during the holiday season in December.

While the new Tropical Butterfly Refreshers are incredibly attractive and make for a great photo op, they unfortunately miss the mark bigtime in the flavor department. Of the three versions I tried, the regular version was the least inspiring, making me question whether or not I was just drinking beautifully-colored water. The Butterly Drink, made with a coconut milk base, has more of a light tropical flavor to it, thanks entirely to the coconut milk. Finally, the Tropical Butterfly Lemonade Refresher provided me with some much yearned-for flavor, thanks to the deliciously sweet and sour lemonade itself, paired with the mango-pineapple popping pearls. Even still, the tropical flavors of guava and passionfruit were next to impossible to find.

Many fans of the Summer-Berry Refreshers from the 2024 and 2025 summer menus have expressed their disappointment that the drink would not be returning this year on Starbucks' social media feeds. After tasting the new Tropical Butterfly Refreshers, I can't help but agree.

I love a nice frozen Frappuccino in the summertime, and the Horchata Frappuccino is an option that I'm happy to have. I'll gladly sip it, imagining the holidays and the cooler weather of December while sitting directly in front of the air conditioning. If you'd like to give it a try, and lean a little more into the horchata spirit, consider ordering it with oat, soy, or almond milk instead of dairy, and pass on the whipped cream.

The new Starbucks summer menu is available in coffee shops across the U.S. beginning Tuesday, May 12 and will last through the summer, or while supplies last. While no end-date is set, menu options begin to dwindle in August, as back-to-school season kicks into full gear.

Tropical Butterfly Refreshers are available in tall, grande, venti, and trenta sizes (12, 16, 24, and 30 ounces, respectively). Prices will vary depending on which drinks you get, any additions, and your location. For general reference, a grande Tropical Butterfly Refresher at my local Starbucks is $6.75, and the lemonade and coconut milk-based versions are $7.25, before tax. The Horchata Frappuccino is available in tall, grande, and venti sizes. The price of the Frappuccinos will also vary, but a grande from my local Starbucks in NYC costs $6.75 before tax.

Additionally, a new line of summer merchandise will be hitting stores featuring coffee mugs, tumblers, tote bags, and picnic blankets designed to celebrate spending time in the great outdoors.