Starbucks launches new 'dangerously good' Aerocano coffee
Starbucks has given the humble iced Americano a dramatic makeover, and it’s already caused a buzz on social media.
Meet the Aerocano, a new iced coffee that looks almost too fancy to be an Americano.
Instead of simply pouring espresso over water and ice, Starbucks aerates the coffee to create a layer of whipped foam and a cascading effect as the drink settles.
And yes, there is a video-friendly element to the whole thing.
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The new Starbucks drink officially launches across North American stores today, September 29, following its success in South Korea.
While UK customers will have to wait for now, the Aerocano is already attracting plenty of attention online.
So what exactly is an Aerocano?
At its heart, the Aerocano is still an iced Americano, but it's had a major glow-up.
Starbucks makes it with Blonde Espresso, ice and water, but the coffee is aerated before it is poured over ice. That extra step gives the drink a lighter, silkier texture and a layer of foam on top.
It also creates the drink's most eye-catching feature, whereby the coffee appears to cascade through the cup as it is poured.
In fact, it doesn't look too dissimilar from how a pint of Guinness settles.
Starbucks says the idea came from South Korea, where iced Americanos are particularly popular.
The company says around 60 per cent of the drinks it sells globally are cold, so giving a familiar iced coffee a new texture makes commercial sense.
Chanda Beppu, senior vice-president of Starbucks Asia Pacific, described it as a way of changing up a familiar favourite.
“It is creamy with a slightly sweet flavour,” she said, adding: “I’m an Americano drinker myself, and it’s fun to take that familiar experience and add a visual and textural element to it.”
What does the Starbucks Aerocano taste like?
Early reviews suggest the Aerocano is more about texture than loading the coffee with sugar.
A Delish taste tester tried both the original Aerocano and its sweeter Caramel version ahead of the launch.
They found the original to be smooth and light, with the foam giving the espresso more body without drowning out its coffee flavour.
The Caramel Aerocano, meanwhile, adds sweetness without completely masking the coffee.
Starbucks Aerocano gets mixed reaction online
As expected, social media has already developed opinions.
Some Starbucks workers and coffee fans on Reddit have been impressed after trying the drink during training.
One commenter described it as ‘dangerously good’, while another said their test version was ‘real smooth’.
Others are less convinced.
Some have questioned how practical the drink will be during a busy shift, given that it requires additional preparation.
One comparison described it as being like nitro coffee ‘with more steps’.
There has also been debate over how long the impressive foamy appearance actually lasts.
Some commenters have suggested that the drink can look considerably different after sitting for several minutes.
The Aerocano is certainly a departure from the increasingly elaborate iced drinks that have dominated coffee menus in recent years.
Rather than adding another syrup, topping or collection of colourful extras, Starbucks has taken one of its simplest drinks and changed the way it is prepared.
The result is a coffee that looks different, feels different and, according to early tasters, still tastes unmistakably like coffee.
For now though, it’s a drink that looks good on camera and gives people something to argue about online.
Jen Thomas