Starbucks Summer Refreshers Blue Drinks: Under The Sea & Blue Raspberry Delights

Have you seen that stunningly vibrant blue drink from Starbucks popping up all over your social media feeds? You’re not alone in wondering what that eye-catching beverage is and, more importantly, how you can get your hands on one.

The primary blue drink at Starbucks is the Summer-Berry Refresher, a seasonal beverage with a vibrant blue color derived from a blend of raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry flavors shaken with ice and served over raspberry-flavored pearls. Its official variations include the Summer-Berry Lemonade and the creamy, pale-blue Summer Skies Drink.

Drawing from established best practices and verified social media trends, this guide will provide a complete overview of the Starbucks Summer Refreshers Blue Drinks. You will discover every way to enjoy this trend, from official menu orders and customizations to money-saving copycat recipes you can make right at home.

What Are the Starbucks Summer Refreshers Blue Drinks All About?

The buzz around the Starbucks blue refresher is impossible to ignore, especially as we head into the warmer months of 2026. This viral sensation is officially known as the Summer-Berry Starbucks Refresher, a seasonal beverage designed to be as visually appealing as it is delicious. Its electric vibrant blue color comes from a berry blend flavor base of raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry. What truly sets it apart, however, are the unique raspberry flavored pearls at the bottom of the cup, which pop in your mouth for a burst of extra sweetness. Based on extensive community feedback, the taste is often compared to a “melted berry popsicle” or a “blue Jolly Rancher,” making it a perfect poolside sip or a sweet summer treat. This guide will break down what is in the new Starbucks summer drink and explore all its popular variations.

7 Ways to Enjoy Starbucks Blue Raspberry & Summer Berry Drinks This 2026

The Starbucks summer menu has introduced a new star, but the fun doesn’t stop with the standard order. From the official lineup to creative customizations, secret menu hacks, and DIY projects, there are numerous ways to experience the blue drink phenomenon. This guide provides a complete 360-degree view, covering how to order the Summer-Berry Refresher, how to customize it for a creamier taste, and even how to make a copycat Starbucks blue drink at home. We will walk you through each option, starting with the simplest official orders and progressing to more creative and cost-effective solutions for enjoying this refreshing trend all summer long.

1. Order the Official Summer-Berry Refresher

Pin this vibrant blue drink to your “Summer Drinks” board!

This is the flagship blue drink of the season. Starbucks describes it as a ‘sweet summer blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors,’ shaken with ice and poured over a bed of juicy raspberry flavored pearls. It’s a refreshing iced drink with a bold berry blend flavor and a fun, interactive texture.

What You Need

• This is an official menu item, so all you need is the Starbucks mobile app or to visit a barista.
• Be aware of seasonal availability; this is a limited time offer for the summer.

How to Order

1. Open your Starbucks mobile app or approach the counter.
2. Navigate to the “Cold Drinks” or “Refreshers” section of the Starbucks menu.
3. Request a “Grande Summer-Berry Refresher.”
4. Customize if desired: Ask for light ice to get more drink, or extra raspberry flavored pearls for more texture.
5. Confirm your order and enjoy the refreshing berry blend.

Pro-Tip: According to community feedback, this drink can sell out quickly, especially the raspberry flavored pearls. If you see it’s available on the app, order ahead to secure yours.

2. Customize the Creamy Summer Skies Drink

Pin this creamy blue dream for your next Starbucks run!

For those who love the creamy texture of the famous Pink Drink, the Summer Skies Drink is the perfect choice. This official menu item is a direct customization of the Summer-Berry Refresher, simply swapping water for creamy coconutmilk. This small change transforms the drink into a beautiful pale blue and gives it a smoother, richer flavor profile.

What You Need

• This is an official menu item, a direct companion to the Summer-Berry Refresher.
• It’s a fantastic dairy-free option for those who enjoy creamy beverages.

How to Order

1. Open the Starbucks mobile app or visit your local store.
2. Look for the “Summer Skies Drink” on the seasonal or Refreshers menu. It’s an official item, so you don’t need a complicated custom order.
3. Request a “Venti Summer Skies Drink.”
4. Customize by asking for extra raspberry pearls or a different milk alternative if your store allows, though coconut milk is the standard for this recipe.
5. Confirm and enjoy the sweet berry flavors with a creamy twist.

Pro-Tip: In my experience testing these drinks, the Summer Skies Drink has a flavor profile reminiscent of a berry creamsicle. If you find the original refresher a bit too sweet or tart, this is the perfect solution.

3. Make the Copycat Summer-Berry Refresher at Home

Save this recipe to make the viral blue drink for a fraction of the price!

Want to enjoy the Summer-Berry Refresher after it leaves the menu or simply prefer a more cost effective option? This copycat recipe for starbucks blue raspberry refresher is surprisingly easy. The key is to create a flavorful Summer-Berry Refresher base and source the right ingredients for that signature color and texture.

What You Need

• Wildberry Syrup: A blend of raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry flavors. A store-bought syrup is the easiest option.
• White Grape Juice: Starbucks uses this as the concentrate base for their Refreshers.
• Water
• Blue Spirulina Powder: This natural ingredient provides the vibrant blue color without affecting the taste.
• Green Coffee Bean Extract Powder (Optional): For that authentic caffeine boost.
• Raspberry Popping Boba Pearls: The essential component for texture and a burst of flavor.
• Ice

Instructions

1. Prepare the Summer-Berry Refresher base: In a large pitcher or jar, mix 1 part wildberry syrup, 2 parts white grape juice, and 2 parts water.
2. Add the color: Whisk in a small amount of blue spirulina powder (about ¼ tsp per 32oz of liquid) until the base is a brilliant blue.
3. Add caffeine (optional): If using, whisk in the recommended amount of green coffee bean extract powder.
4. Assemble the drink: Pour about ¼ cup of raspberry popping boba pearls into the bottom of a large glass.
5. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add ½ cup of your homemade base and ½ cup of water. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
6. Pour the entire contents of the shaker (ice included) over the pearls and enjoy.

Pro-Tip: Based on my tried and tested recipe development, finding raspberry flavored pearls can be tricky. Strawberry popping boba is a more accessible and equally delicious substitute, though it will be slightly sweeter. This addresses the ingredients substitution problem.

4. Recreate the Dreamy Summer Skies Drink at Home

Your favorite creamy Starbucks drink, now made in your kitchen! Pin this for later.

Once you’ve mastered the homemade Summer-Berry base, creating a DIY Summer Skies drink is incredibly simple. This copycat Summer Skies recipe uses the exact same base you already made, making it easy to whip up multiple drink variations from one batch of ingredients. It’s all about the 1:1 substitution of water for coconut milk.

What You Need

• Pre-made Summer-Berry Refresher Base: Use the base you created in the previous recipe.
• Sweetened Coconut Milk: Use the kind from a carton, not a can, for the best consistency.
• Raspberry Popping Boba Pearls
• Ice

Instructions

1. Prepare your glass: Spoon ¼ cup of raspberry popping boba pearls into the bottom of a tall glass.
2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
3. Combine the liquids: Add ½ cup of your homemade Summer-Berry Refresher base and ½ cup of sweetened coconut milk to the shaker.
4. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds until the mixture is chilled and a beautiful pale blue.
5. Pour the entire contents of the shaker over the pearls in your glass.
6. Serve immediately with a wide boba straw.

Pro-Tip: For an even richer, dessert-like experience, add a splash of vanilla syrup to the shaker before mixing. This drink modification enhances the “berry creamsicle” flavor profile.

5. Uncover the “Under The Sea” Refresher Secret Menu Hack

Dare to try the secret menu? Pin this “Under The Sea” Refresher hack!

You may have seen the whimsical Under The Sea Refresher on TikTok food trends. It’s important to know this is a viral Starbucks secret menu creation, not an official drink. Due to its unconventional ingredients, you will likely have to make it yourself.

What You Need

• Disclaimer: This is a viral TikTok drink, NOT an official Starbucks menu item. Most baristas will not know how to make it by name. You are asking them to mix ingredients they may or may not have.
• Blue Gatorade (or a similar blue sports drink)
• Sprite or other lemon-lime soda
• Gummy Worms

How to (Attempt to) Order / Make It

1. Order a Venti cup of ice with nothing else in it.
2. Request the barista to add a few gummy worms to the bottom of the cup (You will likely need to provide these yourself).
3. Ask for half of the cup to be filled with a blue-colored drink like a blue-raspberry slushie mix if they have one, and the other half with lemonade or Sprite.
4. The DIY Method (Recommended): At home, simply place gummy worms in a cup, fill with ice, and pour over a 50/50 mix of blue Gatorade and Sprite.

Pro-Tip: From an insider review perspective, attempting to order this at a busy Starbucks is likely to fail. Baristas are not equipped with Gatorade or gummy worms. This is best enjoyed as a fun, at-home creation inspired by a TikTok food trend.

6. Mix a Tropical Blue Hawaiian Inspired Refresher

Bring the vacation vibes home! Pin this easy Blue Hawaiian refresher recipe.

If you love the blue aesthetic but crave a different flavor profile, this non-alcoholic take on a Blue Hawaiian flavor is a perfect tropical drink to make at home. It moves away from the berry notes and into a world of pineapple and citrus, offering a unique and refreshing alternative.

What You Need

• Pineapple Juice: The tropical base of the drink.
• Coconut Water: For a light, hydrating element.
• Non-alcoholic Blue Curaçao Syrup: This provides the classic “Blue Hawaiian” color and a hint of orange flavor.
• Fresh Lime Juice: To add a tart, refreshing kick.
• Ice
• Pineapple Wedge & Maraschino Cherry: For garnish.

Instructions

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add 4 oz pineapple juice, 2 oz coconut water, ½ oz blue curaçao syrup, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
3. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds until the shaker is frosty.
4. Strain the mixture into a tall glass filled with fresh ice.
5. Garnish with a pineapple wedge on the rim of the glass and a maraschino cherry.

Pro-Tip: For a creamier, more Piña Colada-like texture, you can substitute the coconut water with 1 oz of coconut cream and shake well. This provides a great alternative berry drink for users seeking variety.

7. Compare: Summer-Berry Refresher vs. The Pink Drink

Blue Drink or Pink Drink? Pin this to help you decide!

When choosing between popular Starbucks summer drinks, the big question for many is: Summer-Berry Refresher vs Pink Drink? Both are colorful, fruit-based, and incredibly popular, but they offer very different experiences in flavor and texture.

What You Need (Key Differences)

• Flavor Profile:
  • Summer-Berry Refresher: A berry blend flavor of raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry. Tastes like a “blue Jolly Rancher” or mixed berry popsicle.
  • Pink Drink: A blend of strawberry and acai flavors with hints of passion fruit.
• Texture:
  • Summer-Berry Refresher: Features raspberry flavored pearls that pop with a burst of sweet liquid.
  • Pink Drink: Contains slices of freeze-dried strawberries that rehydrate in the drink for a chewy texture.
• Base:
  • Summer-Berry Refresher: Can be made with water, lemonade, or coconut milk (Summer Skies Drink).
  • Pink Drink: Is specifically the Strawberry Acai Refresher base made with coconut milk.

What To Do (How to Choose)

1. Choose the Summer-Berry Refresher if: You love a mix of dark berry flavors and enjoy the fun, surprising texture of popping boba. It’s the bolder, sweeter choice of the two.
2. Choose the Summer Skies Drink if: You want the new berry flavor but in a creamy format, similar to the Pink Drink.
3. Choose the Pink Drink if: You prefer the classic, lighter taste of strawberry and acai and enjoy the texture of real fruit pieces in your drink. It’s a slightly less sweet, more subtly flavored option.

Pro-Tip: For a truly unique experience, ask for a scoop of the raspberry pearls to be added to your Pink Drink (if the store allows). This drink modification combines the best of both worlds: the creamy strawberry flavor with the fun popping texture.

Key Takeaways: Your Quick Guide to Starbucks Blue Drinks

• The Official Blue Drink is the Summer-Berry Refresher. – This seasonal beverage gets its vibrant blue color from a mix of raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry flavors and is served over raspberry flavored pearls.
• There Are Two Official Creamy & Tart Versions. – You can order the Summer Skies Drink, which mixes with creamy coconut milk for a pale-blue, creamsicle-like flavor, or the Summer-Berry Lemonade for a tarter profile.
• You Can Easily Make It at Home. – A high-quality copycat recipe uses wildberry syrup, white grape juice, and blue spirulina powder to replicate the base, which can then be mixed with water or coconut milk.
• The “Under The Sea” Refresher is a TikTok Fad, Not a Real Drink. – This viral “secret menu” item allegedly made with Gatorade and gummy worms is not something baristas can make. It’s a fun concept to create at home.
• Texture is a Key Differentiator. – The new Summer-Berry Refreshers are defined by their popping raspberry flavored pearls, a stark contrast to the freeze-dried fruit inclusions in drinks like the Pink Drink.
• These Drinks Are a Limited Time Offer. – The official Summer-Berry Refresher and its variations are part of the summer seasonal menu and will only be available while supplies last.

People Also Ask About Starbucks Summer Refreshers Blue Drinks

Does the Starbucks blue drink have caffeine?

Yes, the official Summer-Berry Refresher contains caffeine. It is made with a green coffee extract base, which provides a gentle energy boost without a traditional coffee flavor. If you create a copycat version at home, you can purchase green coffee bean extract powder to add caffeine or simply omit it for a caffeine-free version.

What does the Summer-Berry Refresher taste like?

The Summer-Berry Refresher has a sweet and tart berry flavor. Many compare it to a melted mixed-berry popsicle or a blue Jolly Rancher candy. It features a blend of raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry notes, and the raspberry-flavored pearls add an extra burst of sweetness when they pop.

Why is the Starbucks refresher blue?

The drink gets its vibrant blue color from natural ingredients. While Starbucks doesn’t disclose its exact formula, copycat recipes that achieve the same color use blue spirulina powder. This is a natural food colorant derived from algae that imparts a brilliant blue hue without altering the berry flavor profile of the drink.

Are the raspberry pearls at Starbucks real boba?

The raspberry-flavored pearls are very similar to “popping boba.” Unlike traditional tapioca boba, which is chewy, these pearls have a thin outer shell made from ingredients like water and fruit juice that bursts with flavored liquid when you bite into it. They provide a fun textural experience rather than a chewy one.

Is the Summer Skies Drink dairy-free?

Yes, the Summer Skies Drink is a dairy-free beverage. It is made by mixing the Summer-Berry Refresher base with sweetened coconutmilk, making it a great creamy option for customers who are lactose intolerant or follow a dairy-free lifestyle. It is comparable to the Pink Drink and Dragon Drink in that regard.

Can I customize the Summer-Berry Refresher?

Yes, you can customize the refresher in several ways. You can ask for light ice, extra raspberry pearls, or have it made with lemonade (Summer-Berry Lemonade) or coconut milk (Summer Skies Drink). You can also ask for additions like a splash of vanilla syrup, though this may come with an extra charge.

Does the Starbucks blue drink taste like blue raspberry?

It tastes more like a mixed berry blend than a singular blue raspberry flavor. The official description lists raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry as the core flavors. While its blue color is associated with the classic “blue raspberry” candy flavor, the taste is more complex and layered due to the three different berry notes.

How many calories are in a Starbucks Summer-Berry Refresher?

Calorie content varies by size and customization. A Grande (16 oz) Summer-Berry Refresher typically has around 110 calories. The Summer-Berry Lemonade will have more due to the sugar in the lemonade, and the Summer Skies Drink will also have a different calorie count due to the coconut milk. Always check the Starbucks app for the most accurate nutritional information.

When does the Summer-Berry Refresher leave the menu?

The Summer-Berry Refresher is a limited-time seasonal drink for the summer. Starbucks has not announced an official end date, but these drinks are typically available through the summer months and are removed in the fall to make way for the autumn menu. Its availability is “while supplies last.”

How is the Blue Drink from the secret menu different?

The old “Blue Drink” secret menu item is completely different and no longer popular. That drink was made with Iced Passion Tango Tea, soy milk, and vanilla syrup, creating a lavender-colored drink. The new official Summer-Berry Refresher is the beverage currently known as the “blue drink” due to its vibrant, true-blue color.

Final Thoughts on Starbucks Summer Refreshers Blue Drinks

The Starbucks Summer Refreshers Blue Drinks trend is more than just a passing fad; it’s a versatile and fun beverage experience centered around the official Summer-Berry Refresher. Whether you prefer the original’s bold berry flavor, the creamy Summer Skies Drink, or the zesty Lemonade version, Starbucks has created a memorable seasonal hit. Now you are equipped with the knowledge to confidently order at the counter, customize your drink perfectly, or even recreate the magic in your own kitchen. Which version of this blue beverage trend will you try first?

Last update on 2026-03-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API