Hello Barnard Baddies! As we embark on the fall season, let me remind you of one thing that unites us when it comes to our autumnal festivities: enjoying crafty, themed drinks. What better drink to get us in the mood than a pumpkin spice latte, the famed fall creation that took social media and our lives by storm since its conception?
Often regarded as the original pumpkin drink, the pumpkin spice latte was launched twenty years ago and kickstarted the pumpkin fall takeover which still dominates the season to this day. Fun fact: it is the result of a survey where respondents regarded pumpkin as the most unique and delicious sounding flavoring, unknowingly paving the way for the drink we know and love today. That being said, it has undergone a few changes over the years. The original pumpkin spice latte contained a lot of the same ingredients as it does now, but the syrup did not contain actual pumpkin—justthe classic spices nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. However, in 2015, Starbucks was forced to add real pumpkin as consumers started to question why a drink called a “pumpkin spice latte” did not contain its namesake. Eventually, it became the drink we know today: the epitome of fall in a cup which people look forward to all year-round.
Without further ado, let’s explore what Morningside Heights has to offer in terms of pumpkin-themed fall drinks and whether they are worth your time and that first-sip feeling!
Now, what did I think of Starbucks’ PSL in particular? I ordered a customized version with almond milk and no whipped cream (substituted for nondairy vanilla cold foam) to create a dairy-free version. It was creamy and sweet, and there was a coffee taste, but it was not as strong due to all of the other elements in the drink. If you are someone who does not particularly like bitterness in coffee or the taste of coffee itself, I would suggest that you try this. After all, this is the classic fall drink. I particularly enjoyed how this drink was easily customizable compared to some of Starbucks’ other fall drinks, especially as someone who is lactose intolerant. Overall, I would give this drink a 7/10 and recommend this drink to people who want to take a trip down memory lane and experience that idyllic fall flavor.
Starbucks has since expanded their pumpkin menu to include their pumpkin cream cold brew, which is an expansion of their extremely popular cold brew drinks. This drink was quite light compared to the other ones and definitely something that I would see myself drinking when I want to study into the night at Butler. It has just enough caffeine to keep me energized without completely compromising the fall spirit, reminding me of joy and nostalgia while I study. This one has a more watery feel as opposed to the creamy and heavy nature of lattes which contain milk and, in the case of my drink above, cream. It is much easier on the stomach, despite not being lactose free due to the small amount of pumpkin cold foam. The coffee flavor really shines in this drink and it is not sweet, which is perfect for someone who prefers their drink to be coffee-forward while embracing the festive spirit. That being said, I was unable to make this drink lactose-free, as the pumpkin cold foam did not come in the nondairy version unlike a lot of the other versions. Overall, I would give this drink an 8/10 and recommend this to someone who wants a drink that is comparatively lower in calories, less complicated, and less sweet with an emphasis on coffee.
One of Starbucks’ highly-awaited, non-coffee drinks of the fall season has to be the iced pumpkin cream chai latte,which my friends rave about and look forward to every year. This was my first time trying this drink and, as someone who loves traditional chai, I felt that this drink was more artificial in flavoring and does not properly resemble chai itself. It seemed to have a very sweet flavor that was overwhelming and, over time, coated my tongue in a way I was not used to and did not particularly enjoy. This drink was also quite heavy; I could not even finish it over an eight hour stint at the library, which is quite shocking, as I am typically able to do so.
Similarly to the cold brew, I was also unable to make this drink lactose-free due to the pumpkin cold foam. Overall, I would give this drink a 3/10 and recommend this to someone who wants a drink that does not contain coffee and is a fan of the Starbucks Chai. This drink is for someone who prefers extremely sugary and sweet drinks and truly enjoys the taste of the spice as it is present all throughout the drink, as part of the chai base and the pumpkin spice cold foam.
Joe’s coffee, present in a few different locations across Columbia’s campus, is a reliable place for your go-to study drink to pick up on the way to class or the library, both of which I do on a regular basis. While my typical drink is usually their matcha lattes, I just had to try out their new pumpkin latte, featuring a pumpkin spice latte base with pumpkin spice cold foam on top. I found that the flavoring on this one was milder compared to the Starbucks version and maintains a distinct coffee flavor. This drink, despite being quite complex, feels more like a coffee drink with pumpkin spice flavoring, rather than a pumpkin drink with coffee notes. This drink was not able to be made lactose free, due to the pumpkin cold foam which contains cream, so, if this is an issue, it might be best to avoid this drink.
Overall, I enjoyed this drink; it was what I wanted and expected. Plus, the flavoring is not super overpowering. I would give this drink a 9/10 as it could have been lactose free but was a wonderful latte and great study buddy regardless. I would definitely recommend this drink to anyone who appreciates a good latte and wants a reliable and convenient on-campus option.
While doing these reviews, I realized I never divert from my usual places and drinks. For example, I frequent Joe’s Coffee and tend to order the same matcha latte or cold brew, which are tried-and-true favorites for me while studying. After doing this, I will definitely make sure to check out the rest of the drinks on the menu and venture out more into coffee with creative flavorings. I hope that you can take these recommendations into consideration when purchasing your next study drink and lean into the festive spirit while grinding out those psets!