Pumpkin flavor spices up traditional coffee drinks

As the days grow shorter, sleep-deprived college students seek solace from long nights of paper… As the days grow shorter, sleep-deprived college students seek solace from long nights of paper writing and exam studying in a steaming cup of rich, pumpkin spice coffee.

The corporate coffee concocters fight for fall drink supremacy. Most offer lattes and coffee brews, some sell coolers and others have cappuccinos, but all things considered, it’s not hard to rank local pumpkin coffee drinks.

1. Starbucks — Pumpkin Spice Latte

This beverage has been a favorite of mine since intermediate school, when my mom forbade me to drink coffee. Though it came with less whipped cream than I’d prefer, at least there was more smooth, pumpkin latte to drink. This latte offers a hint of pumpkin, and it’s not too sweet. This was the only drink that motivated me to gulp it down and consider ordering another.

2. Panera Bread – Pumpkin Spice Latte

This pumpkin spice latte greeted my lips with a thick, frothy layer of whipped cream and a caramel drizzle. The hearty pumps of pumpkin syrup at the bottom of the cup gave this drink the most potent pumpkin flavor. At first I thought this was my favorite, but as I kept drinking, the latte tasted sweeter and sweeter. It was almost a struggle to finish, and unfortunately, it only comes in one 16-ounce size.

3. Caribou Coffee – Wild Pumpkin

I have a sweet tooth, but neither my tooth nor my tummy enjoyed Caribou’s Wild Pumpkin drink for long. This is the most expensive drink per ounce on this list, and with the Solo cap off, it looks like the most decadent pumpkin drink. With whipped cream and chocolate shavings piled high, it looks like a creamy dream dessert. The mix of strong espresso, pumpkin spice, white chocolate and a phantom mint taste — that’s not in the drink description, by the way — made the drink too sweet,even for me.

4. 7-11 – Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino

To be fair, 7-11 doesn’t push pumpkin coffee drinks like the other contenders in this competition. It also sells pumpkin spice cappuccinos that don’t really seem like cappuccinos at all. It’s more like a super-sweet, thick pumpkin spice hot chocolate. The machine doesn’t hide the mixing powder and hot water. But the beauty of 7-11 is that you can prepare your own drink. Considering 7-11 coffees are less than half of the price of the competition’s drinks, I have no problem mixing Brazilian bold with the powdered pumpkin to make a personalized fall specialty. Add some dehydrated marshmallows and this drink shoots up to number two.

Note: Sorry to the Bruegger’s and Kiva Han on Forbes Avenue, but you weren’t open when I needed my pumpkin coffee most.

[Editor’s Note: Bruegger’s and Kiva Han’s operating hours are not a reflection upon their pumpkin flavored coffee drinks.]