Starbucks' new summer drinks sparkle (and foam, and swirl)

There are two certainties when it comes to summer: insane heat and frequent Summer menu additions from Starbucks. Today we'll be discussing the latter as the coffee chain is launching some new beverage and food options.

Kicking off the new releases are brand-new iced energy beverages. Each one is sugar-free and mixes sparkling fruit flavors with iced tea. The flavors include Melon Burst, Tropical Citrus, and a Frozen Tropical Citrus one with Strawberry Puree, which is only available on the Starbucks app for a limited time.

Each of these drinks is only available in a venti (20oz) size and contains 180-250 mg of caffeine, which is said to be similar to a grande (16oz) Starbucks Cold Brew. One can only hope it doesn't have the same consequences as the Panera's Supercharged Lemonade release.

Also joining the menu is a Nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream & Vanilla Sweet Cream Foam. In what is a win for vegans and those who want to cut back on dairy, both are made from oat milk and soymilk. Maybe add this to your handcrafted beverage as an enhancer?

Rounding out the beverage additions is a Caramel Vanilla Swirl Iced Coffee. It takes the classic new iced coffee blend and pairs it with a mix of caramel and Vanilla Sweet Ice Cream, which sounds like a good way to do the drink.

If you've made it this far, you're probably hungry. And Starbucks has you covered with two new food items that will be permanent menu additions. The tasty options include an Egg, Pesto, & Mozzarella Sandwich and a Blueberry Struesel muffin, which sounds like the perfect combo ahead of a morning commute.

Will this be the last release of the summer for Starbucks? Probably not. But the real question is, when will I make the trip to a location for the first time in five months?