For its latest specialty summer drink, Starbucks has gone and stuck a piece of beef jerky onto a cold brew, nitro coffee.
Called the Pepper Nitro with a Jerky Twist, the limited-edition beverage was created to promote the brand's latest small-lot coffee from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Made with Congo coffee, the drink is slow-steeped as cold brew and served on draft through a nitro tap, then infused with a sweet and savory malted fennel black pepper syrup.
It's then topped with a layer of honey cold foam, finished with crack pink peppercorn and a bamboo skewer of beef jerky made with grass-fed beef.
Unlike their Unicorn Frappuccino, however, which drove many a Starbucks barista into a sticky, frustrated meltdown for its complicated recipe, the Pepper Nitro drink will only be available at the Seattle Reserve Roastery for a limited time.
"With the first sip, you get a hint of the honey cold foam and the aroma of the pink ground peppercorn. The real surprise is the salty savoriness of the jerky garnish, an exciting complement to the smooth and sweet finish of the nitro cold brew experience," said Raegan Powell of Starbucks R&D team.
Starbucks Reserve DR Congo Kawa Kabuya coffee, the brand's fourth Congo coffee, is described as sweet and herbal with spice notes that pair naturally well with savory ingredients.
The coffee is available online and in-stores across the U.S. and Canada for a limited time.
