Starbucks has become the most popular and successful coffee chain globally in recent years. Their perfectly brewed coffees and mouth-wateringly delicious iced lattes are so popular that they have become a part of many people’s daily lives.
From business corporates to athletes, young adults, and kids, everyone is addicted to Starbucks’ drinks. They have strange names for their drinks and cup sizes.
However, if you are a huge fan of Starbucks’ drinks, you must learn their language to get the right drink every time you order.
The crowds at Starbucks are not only drawn by the cozy atmosphere and the ambiance, but their reward programs and signature handcrafted drinks also seem pretty appealing to coffee lovers.
However, now you must be wondering what a handcrafted drink is at Starbucks? How do you claim one using your rewards? Scroll down to find everything about Starbucks handcrafted drinks.
What is a handcrafted drink at Starbucks?
If you are a frequent shopper of Starbucks, you might have wondered what handcrafted drinks are and what makes them so special that people are willing to pay extra dollars. Let us help you understand that. Whether hot or cold, all the Starbucks drinks belong to two categories – brewed or handcrafted.
First, let’s shed some light on brewed drinks – They are simple drinks that contain only coffee or tea. They do not have any other ingredients. That’s why they are relatively cheaper than other drinks from Starbucks.
On the other hand, handcrafted drinks require more preparation time and contain additional ingredients. From hot chocolate to espresso-based drinks, iced teas, steamers, and other seasonal drinks, every drink that includes something more than a drink base is handcrafted.
Moreover, handcrafted drinks can be customized according to your preference. For example, you can add your favorite topping, sweetener, or creamer to your coffee or iced tea.
However, the customization will come with a hefty price to pay. Handcrafted drinks at Starbucks are pretty expensive and do not fit everyone’s budget.
List of Starbucks handcrafted drinks
Picking out your favorite drink at Starbucks is already a challenging task. The brewed and handcrafted category makes it even more difficult. To help you understand which drink quality for a handcrafted category, here is a list of Starbucks handcrafted drinks:
Espresso-based drinks
Does your drink have an espresso shot? It is a handcrafted drink. The majority of people depend on espresso-based drinks to help them kick start their day. Starbucks – The biggest American chain of coffee houses – offers a wide variety of espresso-based drinks, from basic to fancy drinks like the Cinnamon Dolce latte.
Here is the list of handcrafted espresso drinks:
- Espresso
- Cinnamon Dolce Latte
- Espresso Macchiato
- Irish Cream Americano
- Espresso Con Panna
- Pistachio Latte
- Honey Almond Flat White
- Caramel Macchiato
- Cappuccino
- Caffè Americano
Blended beverages
Who does not love Starbucks Frappuccino? It is perfect when you want to treat yourself to a more substantial and dessert-like drink. One sip of Starbucks Frappuccino will blow your mind away with its deliciousness.
However, Frappuccinos are one of the most expensive handcrafted drinks at Starbucks. So if you want to try this heavenly drink without breaking your bank, you must put your Starbucks stars to good use and buy Frappuccino. It will definitely be worth spending all your Starbucks stars on it.
Here is a list of handcrafted blended beverages:
- Espresso Frappuccino
- Matcha Crème Frappuccino
- Chai Crème Frappuccino
- Vanilla Bean Crème
- Chocolate Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
- Mocha Frappuccino
- Java Chip Frappuccino
- Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino
- Caramel Frappuccino
- Pistachio Coffee Frappuccino
Iced coffees
If you are a fan of Starbucks, you must have tried their iced coffees to refresh yourself on a hot day.
They are one of the most popular handcrafted beverages at Starbucks. Try it to know why they are worth the hype.
Here is a list of handcrafted iced coffees:
- Iced Caramel Macchiato
- Iced Oat Latte
- Cold-brew coffee
- Pumpkin Cold Foam Cold Brew
- Iced Pistachio Latte
- Iced Caffè Americano
- Nitro Cold Brew
- Iced Caffè Mocha
- Iced Shaken Espresso
- Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew
Iced teas
Iced teas are also considered handcrafted drinks as they are prepared with many additional ingredients. However, bottled teas are not part of the handcrafted category.
- Iced Black Tea Lemonade
- Iced Chai Tea Latte
- Iced Matcha Lemonade
- Iced Passion Tango
- Iced Matcha Tea Latte
- Iced Royal English Breakfast Tea Latte
- Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade
- Iced Black Tea
- Iced London Fog Tea Latte
- Iced Green Tea Lemonade
Cold drinks
Cold drinks are great to consume when you don’t feel like having iced tea or coffee. If you have Starbucks stars, you should purchase one of the handcrafted cold drinks to treat your taste buds better.
- Lemonade
- Violet Drink
- Pink Drink
- Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers
- Blended Strawberry Lemonade
- Kiwi Starfruit Refreshers
- Dragon Drink
- Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade
- Star Drink
Seasonal beverages
Starbucks knows how to keep its customers hooked with its seasonal beverages. People often wait all year to try their favorite Starbucks seasonal drinks. They change their menu based on occasions and seasons to make them worth the wait for their beloved customers.
- Star Drink
- Sugar Cookie Oat Latte
- Pistachio Latte
- Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
- Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha
- Toffee Nut Latte
- Pink Drink
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
- Peppermint White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
Starbucks Rewards programs
Starbucks knows how much customers love rewards and gifts. Starbucks gives a certain number of stars to their customers every time they spend a dollar to make it more exciting and thrilling.
Also, the number of stars you get depends on the payment method. For example, if you pay with a digital prepaid card, you will earn more stars per dollar spent. Also, you can earn thousands of stars by enrolling in various promotions.
However, now you must be wondering what you do with these stars? The best thing about these stars is they can be redeemed. You can use them in many ways, such as getting refills, free add-ons, and FREE HANDCRAFTED DRINKS!
How do you get a handcrafted drink for Starbucks stars?
Fortunately, all handcrafted drinks are included in the Starbucks Rewards program. Therefore, you can buy any handcrafted drink by redeeming your Starbucks stars.
To buy a handcrafted drink for free, you will need 150 stars between 38 to 75 dollars spent through qualifying purchases. Starbucks allows customers to add extra shots, fillings, sprinkles, and much more to their handcrafted drinks paid through stars to make it even better. Earn more stars to enjoy your free handcrafted drinks!
Which size of handcrafted drink can you get with Starbucks stars?
The handcrafted drinks come with the following size options:
- Tall (345ml)
- Grande (475ml)
- Venti Hot (590ml)
- Venti Cold (709ml)
- Trenta (920ml)
However, there are a few exceptions too. Some handcrafted drinks do not come in Trenta size, such as Frappuccinos. You can enjoy any handcrafted drink in any size by redeeming your stars. Isn’t it amazing?
Whether you want a Tall Vanilla sweet cream cold brew or Venti dragon drink, or Trenta iced pistachio latte, you can buy anything in any size you like by redeeming stars – as long as your drink comes in that size.
The best practice is to order the largest handcrafted beverage with your Starbucks stars and share it with your loved ones.
Do Starbucks stars expire?
Here comes the twist – Starbucks stars expire after six months. Therefore, you can not wait all year long to hit the 150 stars limit and enjoy your favorite handcrafted drink.
However, you can track the stars’ status in the reward section of your account. If the expiration date is close, you can speed up your star earning process by spending more dollars or enrolling in various promotions.
If you use a Starbucks Rewards Visa card, your stars will not expire until your card or prepaid account is open. However, the stars will automatically expire after six months if the account or card gets closed.
Best-Selling handcrafted drinks of Starbucks
The list of Starbucks handcrafted drinks is quite long and confusing. While Starbucks is known for its great-tasting drinks, some drinks are still available on their menu that is not worth your 150-star redemption.
To help you get the best value, here are a few best-selling handcrafted drinks from Starbucks that are worth your star redemption:
- Vanilla Latte
- Iced White Chocolate Mocha.
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino Blended Coffee
- Java Chip Frappuccino
- Hot Chocolate
- Green Tea Crème Frappuccino
- Chai Latte
- Caramel Macchiato
Moreover, Starbucks’ seasonal favorites, such as Apple Crisp and Peppermint Mocha, are worth redeeming your hard-earned stars.