Starbucks' New Blended Matcha Lemonade and Energy Refreshers Are Worth The Brain Freeze, But One Flavor Is A Total Miss

Have you ever craved the bright fruity flavor of a Refresher with the thicker, icy texture of a Frappuccino? Well, you're in luck. Last July, Starbucks' Firework Frappuccino delivered a rich yet fruity explosion of summer flavor, and it seems the chain is once again leaning into blended fruity drinks this season. The coffee giant is giving some of its most iconic menu items a frozen twist this summer with its new Blended Refreshers and Blended Matcha Lemonade. Nearly all of your favorite Refresher flavors — including a new Passionfruit Guava Refresher — can now be ordered in an icy, blended form with this new launch.

But how do these new blended drinks compare to our usual favorites? We tasted some of our favorite Refresher flavors, the new Passionfruit Guava options, and the Blended Matcha Lemonade to find out. Are these new drinks even more refreshing, or does blending them up take away from the flavors that made us fall in love with them in the first place? Here's the 411 on which blended beverages are worth ordering and which ones you may want to skip.

To conduct my taste test, I ordered a Grande size of each beverage with no customizations. I reviewed each drink at my local Starbucks location rather than taking them to-go to prevent any watering down or melting and ensure I tasted each beverage at its highest quality.

As Food Republic's resident Starbucks reviewer and a regular Starbucks customer, I came into my taste test ready to give a thorough, honest review of each new menu item. The most important factors I considered were flavor, presentation, and innovation. A drink was most successful when it possessed a bold yet balanced flavor that matched its description, looked as good as it tasted, and added something new to Starbucks' current offerings.

Starbucks launched its Blended Matcha Lemonade on July 14. While the drink will only be available for a limited time, the Blended Refreshers are set to become permanent menu additions. The Blended Refresher line also introduced a new, limited-time Refresher flavor: Passionfruit Guava Lemonade. Customers can enjoy the flavor as a traditional Refresher, blended with a lemonade as the Blended Passionfruit Guava Lemonade Refresher, or blended with coconut milk as the Blended Island Colada Drink.

The drinks arrived just days after the chain debuted a new Pink Drink merchandise line on July 9. Starbucks Rewards members can redeem 400 stars for a discount on items from the collection. In terms of pricing for the new menu additions, Standard Blended Refreshers are priced at $5.25 for a Grande size, while the caffeinated Blended Energy Refreshers are priced at $5.95. The Blended Matcha Lemonade falls between the two at $5.75.

Grande sizes of the new Blended Refresher line range from 100 to 160 calories, with 24 grams to 43 grams of carbs, and 0 to 2.5 grams of fat. The new Passionfruit Guava Lemonade Refresher contains 100 calories, with 30 grams of carbs, 0 grams of protein, and 0 grams of fat, while the Blended Island Colada Drink contains 100 calories, with 24 grams of carbs, 0 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fat. 

The Blended Matcha Lemonade falls within a similar range to the Blended Refresher lineup. The new drink contains 150 calories, with 40 grams of carbs, 1 gram of protein, and 0 grams of fat.

Starbucks used to offer an Iced Matcha Lemonade, a drink that some of the chain's baristas considered one of the best drinks you could order. Although it was discontinued in 2025, the same flavor pairing has returned in a new way this summer with the chain's Blended Matcha Lemonade.

I had mixed expectations going into this taste test. I'm as much of a matcha lover as the next gal (especially Starbucks' Double Berry Matcha from its berry-filled Valentine's launch in 2026), but I was unsure whether the earthiness of the matcha would complement the bright acidity of lemonade. After one sip, though, it's safe to say I was proven wrong.

The Blended Matcha Lemonade is a refreshing way to enjoy the flavor of matcha. It had that grounded, earthy quality from the matcha (and, of course, the classic green color) while gaining a bright, summery flair from the lemonade. The two flavors were also incredibly balanced, neither overpowering the other. With that said, the drink is certainly a bit more lemonade-forward, so don't expect it to be like Starbucks' other fruity matcha offerings, which tend to lean more prominently toward matcha. This drink is one I'd gladly order again, and with the original Matcha Lemonade no longer on Starbucks' official menu, it's certainly a worthy addition to the chain's current lineup.

When it comes to the new Passionfruit Guava Refresher flavor, either Starbucks is still finding its footing or guava simply isn't one of the chain's strengths. Both the Blended Passionfruit Guava Lemonade Refresher and Blended Island Colada Drink felt like a miss. They lacked the fruity flavor they promised, leaving me searching for both the guava and the passionfruit. The experience reminded me of a taste test of a markedly similar drink: the Tropical Butterfly Refresher (which unfortunately looked better than it tasted). In fact, after comparing their descriptions, the only notable difference appears to be that the new flavor lacks the butterfly pea flower infusion (and, consequently, the Tropical Butterfly Refresher's pretty purple hue).

Neither the lemonade nor the coconut base did much to enhance the Passionfruit Guava flavor. Although I enjoyed the coconut milked-based Butterfly Drink, the Blended Island Colada didn't have the same appeal. The drink was overly thick and icy. In fact, I had to wait a bit for it to melt before I could sit it through the straw. Textural issues aside though (as those can surely vary by location), the flavor profile was lost. Simply put, the drink was relatively bland.

The Blended Passionfruit Guava Lemonade Refresher was pretty lackluster as well. While the lemonade flavor came through, the passionfruit and guava did not, resulting in yet another disappointment. Both versions did possess an eye-catching baby pink color, but even that wasn't enough to win me over.

In addition to launching the Blended Matcha Lemonade, Starbucks is bringing the blending fun to its line of Refreshers. Nearly all of the chain's current Refreshers are now available in blended form, with Starbucks' online menu currently listing a whopping 12 options.

In order to best understand how the new blended format has impacted the Refresher lineup, I ordered three flavors that were already familiar to me: the Blended Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher, the Blended Ocean Drink, and the Blended Pink Drink. As much as I love a classic Refresher, I must say, the blended versions just might give them a run for their money.

One qualm I've always had with Starbucks' Refreshers is that they sometimes seem to be gone almost as quickly as the barista took to make them. The cups are sometimes packed with ice, leaving the drinks lacking a bit in the quantity department. Blending them creates a more substantial drink that customers can savor for longer while preserving the familiar flavor profile they already enjoy.

The timing also couldn't have been better. The icy texture makes these drinks are extra cooling — perfect for the middle of summer. As a frozen lemonade fan, I especially enjoyed the Blended Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher. Meanwhile, the Blended Ocean Drink and Blended Pink Drink gave off total fruit smoothie vibes. It's a fun yet simple idea and one that'll certainly make an impact on my own ordering habits.

For the most part, Starbucks really hit the nail on the head with this launch. The Blended Refreshers and Blended Matcha Lemonade elevate menu items that the chain already does well. Stabucks' Refreshers are a fan favorite for a reason, and it's refreshing (pun intended) to see the chain build on that by introducing a new way for customers to enjoy them.

One thing this launch didn't need, though, was a new flavor. The Blended Passionfruit Guava Lemonade and the Blended Island Colada Drink left a lot to be desired. The blended variations of the chain's superstar Refreshers are so good, they didn't need the support from this new, lackluster flavor option. Of all the drinks in the lineup, the Passionfruit Guava options are certainly ones that I think you should skip. Still, that shouldn't take away from the success of the collection as a whole. This summer, I'll definitely be ordering my favorite Refreshers blended.