It is primed to be one spicy summer! From the record-breaking temperatures to sizzling menu collabs and swicy (that's sweet + spicy, in case you haven't heard) dishes, there's plenty to make you sweat this season. Luckily, Taco Bell is aiming to cool things off with its brand new Refrescas beverage lineup. Starting today, customers can choose from six new drinks that'll help to keep things chill—your mouth included—way past summer.
The new beverages come in an array of flavors and iterations—the Strawberry Passionfruit Agua Refresca, Dragonfruit Berry Agua Refresca, Mango Peach Agua Refresca, Pineapple Lime Rockstar Energy Refresca, Tropical Punch Rockstar Energy Refresca, and, lastly, the Refresca Freeze, which is a frozen take on the classic in a Strawberry Lime flavor. And when the heat has you losing steam, fret not—all the drinks are boosted with caffeine. The Agua Refrescas contain green tea syrup for a bit of a kick (51 mg caffeine, to be exact), while the Rockstar Energy Refrescas take it up a notch with 200 mg.
I got to try these on the hottest day of the year so far to test off their cooling powers. The Agua Refrescas, created to pay homage to the classic Mexican drink, come mixed with freeze-dried fruit pieces on top. I personally found the Dragonfruit Berry flavor much too sweet for my palate, but my favorite was the Strawberry Passionfruit. This one tasted very juicy and fruity—the strawberry flavor was quite pronounced. The Mango Peach would've earned higher marks if it dialed up the mango a bit. The peach flavor was very noticeable, but it overwhelmed any other flavors mixed in there.
When it came to the Rockstar Energy Refrescas, I'll admit I was a bit intimidated. I avoid energy drinks like the plague (I'm quite sensitive to caffeine) and don't even drink coffee.
I was surprised to find that the Pineapple Lime flavor was not as offensive as I expected it to be. It wasn't bad, but I could taste the "energy drink" as an aftertaste, which I didn't love. The Tropical Punch, on the other hand, was sweet and refreshing; if you're looking for some extra oomph, this is the drink to get.
In addition to Taco Bell's new bevvies, its Live Más Café concept is expanding, with 30 new cafés opening up within existing Taco Bell locations across Texas and Southern California. The cafés will offer over 30 signature drinks, including specialty coffees, Refrescas, and Churro Chillers. Yo quiero más!
