Pumpkin spice and everything nice are the main ingredients of an iced pumpkin spice chai. This drink makes many go crazy during the fall season. But who has the better version, Starbucks or Dutch Bros? Personally, Starbucks wins by a landslide.
Starbucks is a star when it comes to making this delicious drink. The savory flavor aligns better with the cozy fall season.
The Starbucks drink has perfect proportions, not too much drink and not too many toppings. The cinnamon they add as part of the topping complements the drink very well, adding more spice. The topping can be enjoyed by itself or mixed in with the drink.
When it comes down to flavor, Dutch Bros is way too sweet. Dutch Bros doesn’t make a traditional pumpkin spice chai; they make a caramel pumpkin brulee chai, adding a sweet caramel sensation. They use pumpkin drizzle and sugar sprinkles; the topping adds more sweetness when mixed in or by itself, not really enhancing the flavor of the drink, just making it more sugary. If you were looking for a sugar rush or wake-up call, this would be your kind of drink.
Don’t get me wrong, the Dutch Bros drink is good, but it’s aggressive and overbearing compared to the Starbucks drink, which is warm and inviting, just like the fall season, and probably the reason so many people go crazy about it. Starbucks frequently runs out of the pumpkin spice flavor because it sells out so fast when it is first released.
Ingredient-wise, when it comes to these two drinks and which is “healthier,” Starbucks also takes the crown.
Starbucks proportions are smaller, which I think encourages a healthier diet when ordering from their menu. Also, for you gym rats, the Starbucks version has more protein. I know I said the Dutch Bros drink was a wake-up call, but technically, the Starbucks drink will start your day because it has more caffeine. The weird thing about the ingredients vs the way it tastes is that the Dutch Bros technically has less sugar, but somehow tastes so much sweeter. The reason behind this is that the Dutch Bros version uses other alternatives to sugar, like the syrups, and as always, the brulee topping. Natural flavors also play a role in the sweetening of the drink.
So basically, at the end of the day, whether you’re sipping your Nitro Brew or your flavorful rebels, we gotta get one thing straight: tastes are subjective, and your palate isn’t your gospel. But you can trust me when I say Starbucks is on top for pumpkin spice iced chai.
