![\"Starbucks](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5498\/14551178091_0134385764.jpg?resize=500%2C472&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/p>\nI am fascinated by transformations. From The Wolf Man<\/i> to Teen Wolf<\/i>, I love to watch things slowly take on new forms. Especially if it involves becoming a wolf. I\u2019m highly interested in one steady conversion in particular. <\/p>\n
Over the past five years, Starbucks has undergone a metamorphosis from a somewhat upscale coffee bar into your run-of-the-mill fast food chain. Granted, it\u2019s a \u201chigh-end\u201d version of a fast food chain, but they cover all the basics. Instead of cheeseburgers, they prepare paninis. Instead of milkshakes, they offer a plethora of creamy iced beverages and Frappuccinos. Instead of Egg McMuffins, they hawk wraps and sandwiches with slow-roasted ham and Fontiago cheese. Instead of donuts, they sell scones and Mallorca sweet bread. I\u2019m waiting for some hoity-toity French fries \u2013 maybe fingerling potatoes with rosemary and garlic?<\/p>\n
The latest Starbucks item to fulfill their fast food roots initiative is the Fizzio\u2122 Hand-Crafted Soda. Starbucks has introduced three new carbonated drinks — Spiced Root Beer, Golden Ginger Ale, and Lemon Ale. <\/p>\n
I suppose the Golden Ginger Ale is for later when you\u2019re puking your guts out after having whatever the hell Lemon Ale is supposed to be. (NOTE: The Starbucks press release says that Lemon Ale is \u201ca refreshing, citrus-forward blend of real lemon juice with hints of apricot and ginger.\u201d That ridiculous phrase \u201ccitrus-forward\u201d sounds like a marketing term dreamed up by someone who doesn\u2019t understand words anymore.) Anyway, I decided to go with the Spiced Root Beer. Frankly, to me, that flavor seemed to be the one closest to its origins as a diner staple.<\/p>\n
After ordering the new drink, I watched a barista pull a carton labeled \u201cRoot Beer\u201d from the mini-fridge and pour a small amount into my 12-ounce cup. Then she added ice. So\u2026 about that \u201chand-crafted\u201d business… I don\u2019t know what constitutes hand-crafting except for the fact that the barista had to pour the root beer base into a pitcher in order to make my drink. I wasn\u2019t expecting much, but the phrase \u201chand-crafted\u201d creates the image of careful measurements, stirring, and taste-testing. Or at least shaking something. Nah. In this case, hand-crafting just means pouring into a blender. <\/p>\n
I have no idea what the barista did next, outside of pulling out a magic wand and hollering \u201cExpecto Bubbletronum,\u201d but my drink arrived appropriately sparkling. Apparently, the bubbles were created using a new Starbucks-trademarked contraption called The Fizzio\u2122 machine. Basically, the machine carbonates any drink, so you can walk in and ask for a cold, fizzy whatever for an extra 50 cents.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, bubbles couldn\u2019t save the Fizzio\u2122 Spiced Root Beer from being a mostly bland and underwhelming beverage experience. According to the Starbucks website, the Spiced Root Beer flavor presents \u201cthe nostalgic taste of classic root beer with a deliciously unexpected twist \u2013 cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and star anise add a flavorful kick to this soda.\u201d<\/p>\n
Besides the fact that Star Anise sounds like the latest discovery in the Andromeda Galaxy, the use of these interesting spices is your proof that it\u2019s the hoity-toity version of a regular old root beer. In reality, instead of a flavorful kick, it tastes more like a feeble nudge with an outstretched toe. The Fizzio\u2122 Spiced Root Beer tastes like a watered-down version of regular old root beer, but that could be because it\u2019s not full of high fructose corn syrup.<\/p>\n
It was certainly spicy, but the flavor was more reminiscent of cinnamon gum — Kind of a delicate spiciness with just a hint of sweetness to balance it. It was an okay drink, but nothing I\u2019d run back to Starbucks to get. I suppose that this is part of the transformation process. When you begin to change into something else, part of you dies forever. I would hope that if I began a metamorphosis, I would change into something that might go well with rum.<\/p>\n
(Nutrition Facts – 12 fl oz. – 80 calories, 0 calories from fat, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 10 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of sugar, 2% Calcium.).)<\/small><\/p>\n
Item:<\/b> Starbucks Spiced Root Beer Fizzio\u2122 Hand-Crafted Soda
\nPurchased Price:<\/b> $2.55
\nSize:<\/b> 12 fl oz.
\nPurchased at:<\/b> Starbucks
\nRating:<\/b> 5 out of 10
\nPros:<\/b> Spiced with interesting spices. Bubbly. One of three new flavors. Lycanthropy.
\nCons:<\/b> A bland experience\u2122. Hand-crafted = pouring into a blender. Getting nudged with a toe. \u201cCitrus-forward.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I am fascinated by transformations. From The Wolf Man to Teen Wolf, I love to watch things slowly take on new forms. Especially if it involves becoming a wolf. I\u2019m highly interested in one steady conversion in particular. Over the past five years, Starbucks has undergone a metamorphosis from a somewhat upscale coffee bar into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1440],"tags":[1477,1542],"class_list":["post-17155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-fast-food","tag-starbucks"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":19238,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2015\/10\/26\/fast-food-news-starbucks-frappula-frappuccino\/","url_meta":{"origin":17155,"position":0},"title":"FAST FOOD NEWS: Starbucks Frappula Frappuccino","author":"Marvo","date":"October 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Vampires suck blood from necks. 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