Starbucks' New Coconut Beverages Are All Visually Striking, But Only One Was Worth A Second Sip

Summer may not officially arrive until June 21, but Starbucks is getting an early start to the season. After kicking off its summer menu in May with the launch of new summer drinks like the Tropical Butterfly Refresher, Horchata Shaken Espresso, and Horchata Frappuccino, the coffee chain is introducing another vibrant collection of beverages in a new color palette. While the previous launch embraced rich shades of purple and orange, this latest drop is as blue as can be.

Now, I don't know about you, but I haven't seen too many bright blue drinks in my day. Though the lineup looks like it could be flavored with the bold blue curaçao, the striking color actually comes from blue spirulina, a superfood derived from blue-green algae. The new collection includes the Iced Blue Coconut Matcha, Blue Coconut Refresher, Blue Coconut Lemonade Refresher, and Ocean Drink.

The real question, though, is whether these blue beverages taste as good as they look or if they're purely for aesthetics. Fortunately, we're here to give you the 411 on each drink so you can determine whether they're worth a try. Here's everything you need to know about Starbucks' latest drop.

In order to conduct my review, I ordered a Grande size of each beverage with no customizations. To ensure I tasted the drinks at their highest quality, I tried each of them at my local Starbucks location rather than taking them to-go, which avoided any watering down or melting (a very real concern during a hot Northeast summer).

As Food Republic's resident Starbucks reviewer, I've tried everything from the chain's summer Frappuccinos back in 2025 to its berry-filled Valentine's Day launch in 2026. My experience in doing so has prepared me to conduct a thorough, honest review of Starbucks' latest lineup. The most important factors I considered during my taste test were flavor, presentation, and innovation. A drink was most successful when it had a bold yet balanced flavor that matched its description, looked as good as it tasted, and added something new to Starbucks' current menu.

Starbucks' Blue Coconut beverages launched on June 16 and will be available for a limited time. In honor of the blue theme, the chain is partnering with Water.org's Get Blue initiative, which aims to expand access to safe, clean water worldwide. Through July 7, Starbucks will be donating $0.25 from every Blue Coconut beverage sold to the organization's initiative.

Prices for the new drinks vary slightly, with Grande sizes ranging from $5.25 to $6.45. The standard Blue Coconut Refresher costs $5.25, followed by the Blue Coconut Refresher and Ocean Drink at $5.75, and the Iced Blue Coconut Matcha at $6.45. Prices may vary by location.

Grande sizes of Starbucks' blue coconut beverages range from 110 to 310 calories, with 28 to 40 grams of carbs, 0 to 9 grams of protein, and 0 to 15 grams of fat. The Iced Blue Coconut Matcha is the most indulgent of the bunch, containing 310 calories with 35 grams of carbs, 9 grams of protein, and 15 grams of fat. All three Refreshers possess relatively similar nutritional information. 

The Ocean Drink contains 160 calories, with 33 grams of carbs, 0 grams of protein, and 2.5 grams of fat. Meanwhile, the standard Blue Coconut Refresher contains 110 calories, with 28 grams of carbs, 0 grams of fat, and 0 grams of protein; the Blue Coconut Lemonade Refresher contains 160 calories, with 40 grams of carbs, 0 grams of protein and 0 grams of fat.

If you're unfamiliar, all Starbucks Refreshers can be ordered with one of three bases: lemonade, coconut milk, or water. The standard Blue Coconut Refresher has a base of water, meaning the drink itself has to do the heavy lifting in the flavor department. Prior to my taste test, I couldn't help but wonder whether the Blue Coconut Refresher would disappoint me in the same way the Tropical Butterfly Refresher did. (TLDR: It was relatively bland without the addition of lemonade or coconut milk.)

Thankfully though, the Blue Coconut Refresher rose to the occasion. From my first sip, I was immediately hit with all of the flavors promised in the description: strawberry, açaí, and a subtle coconut flavor. In many ways, it tastes like the chain's Strawberry Açaí Refresher, minus the strawberry fruit inclusions and the pink color. Because of that, it isn't necessarily adding much of a new flavor profile to Starbucks' menu. Instead, its biggest differentiator is its appearance.

And what an appearance it is. The vibrant blue hue is striking and unlike anything else on Starbucks' menu (or many menus, to be fair). With that said, the drink could have been even more visually and texturally interesting with some sort of fruit inclusion to complement the flavor and color.

While the Blue Coconut Refresher delivered on its promised flavors, the Blue Coconut Lemonade Refresher struggled to do the same. I tasted this drink directly after the standard version and was shocked by how different the experience was. As a huge lemonade fan, Starbucks' lemonade-based drinks are typically among my favorites. Unfortunately, I can't say this one has earned a spot on my reorder list.

Though the strawberry, açaí, and coconut notes were subtly present, they were overpowered by a lingering aftertaste that felt oddly artificial. Despite being colored with a natural ingredient like blue spirulina, the drink somehow tasted blue (read: artificial). I was especially surprised by this because blue spirulina is naturally derived — it's not like we're using Blue No. 1 here. In fact, I took several extra sips just to make sure I wasn't imagining it. Each time, I was met with the same off-putting flavor at the end of each sip that distracted from the fresh, fruit-forward flavor profile I was anticipating. I'm not exactly sure what caused it. Perhaps the lemonade just didn't mesh with the other flavors? It's definitely still a bit of mystery to me, especially since the other Refreshers didn't seem to possess the unknown flavor.

The drink's one saving grace is its appearance. You can't deny that its bold hue is eye-catching. But with the Blue Coconut Refresher looking nearly identical and tasting better, I don't see much justification for choosing this version over the standard one.

Usually when Starbucks adds coconut milk to a Refresher, it switches up the name a bit (I suppose "Blue Coconut Refresher with Coconut Milk" doesn't have that good of a ring to it, huh?). Take the Pink Drink, for example, which is simply the Strawberry Açaí Refresher made with coconut milk, or the Dragon Drink, the coconut milk version of the chain's Mango Dragonfruit Refresher. These names are relatively straightforward, making it easy to guess which Refresher they're derived from. But I guess Starbucks decided to get a bit more creative with this one. Rather than naming it something rather predictable like the "Blue Drink," the chain opted for another name that fits the water theme: Ocean Drink.

Unlike the Blue Coconut Lemonade Refresher, this one made quite a splash. Of the three Refreshers, it was by far my favorite of the day and did the best job of showcasing the coconut flavor, making it feel like the most valuable Refresher addition to Starbucks' menu in my eyes. The drink was sweet without being overpowering and had a slight creaminess to it due to the addition of the coconut milk.

The Ocean Drink also possessed a light blue color that was the most aesthetically pleasing shade of the three. Most importantly, it lacked the strange artificial aftertaste that plagued the Lemonade version. If I were to order any of the Blue Coconut Refreshers again, it would certainly be this one.

I love a good matcha, and Starbucks has released plenty of great ones this year — and you can add the Iced Blue Coconut Matcha to that list. This drink is perfect for anyone who prefers a matcha that isn't overly sweet. Starbucks says the beverage features mango flavors in the matcha, while the cold foam brings a toasted coconut flavor and the vibrant blue hue of blue spirulina. And the drink certainly delivered on all fronts. Starbucks describes this drink as "tropical and creamy," and that's exactly what it is.

Mango can be a bit of a subtle flavor, but it's highlighted particularly well here. It's present enough to add a unique element to the matcha without overpowering it. The Blue Coconut Cold Foam is a standout as well. Not only is it gorgeous in color (I mean, are we seeing this blue?!), but it perfectly captures the coconut flavor while adding just the right amount of sweetness. Compared to the other beverages in this launch, the flavors are a lot more subtle, but that only adds to the drink's appeal.

The Iced Blue Coconut Matcha feels like a beverage that could easily become part of any matcha lover's regular Starbucks rotation. It isn't trying to do too much, and that's exactly why it works so well. Of all the drinks I tried today, it's easily the one that I'm most likely to order again.

Starbucks' bold blue lineup ultimately proved to be a bit of a mixed bag. The Blue Coconut Refresher was exactly what it said it would be, but its similarities to the Strawberry Açaí Refresher left me questioning whether it was different enough to replace a drink that I already know and love. Meanwhile, the Blue Coconut Lemonade Refresher was the most disappointing of the bunch, with an almost artificial aftertaste that distracted from its fruit-forward flavors and left me wondering whether drinks were meant to be blue to begin with.

The real standouts were the Iced Blue Coconut Matcha and the Ocean Drink. Both felt like meaningful additions to Starbucks' menu rather than blue variations of existing beverages. More importantly, they did the best job of showcasing the flavor at the heart of the launch: coconut. The Ocean Drink was sweet and creamy. It had a beautiful light blue color and a fruity flavor reminiscent of the chain's Firework Frappuccino.

When it comes to the winner of the launch, though, the Iced Blue Coconut Matcha blue (pun intended) the competition away. It felt fresh yet timeless and struck the best balance of flavor, visual appearance, and innovation. Of all the drinks, it was the only one that felt truly new — and it definitely didn't leave me feeling blue.