An in-depth look at frozen lattes, the espresso-fused summer treat that everybody’s selling these days and three places that make them best.

Spring is, thank goodness, finally here. And that means our thoughts are turning towards warmer
weather and all the pleasures that come along with it. For coffee lovers, that sometimes means switching out our normal hot stuff for iced or blended coffee.

Ever since Starbucks invented the Frappuccino, it seems everyone who sells coffee has been hot on their heels to duplicate it. I decided to check out a couple of these “blended” iced coffees at some restaurants that I didn’t expect to find these kinds of beverages being offered and let you know where they ranked on the unofficial My-Best-Coffee.com scale of awesomeness. In other words, you won’t find Java Chip on this list.

I tend to stay away from these things for a number of reasons. For starters, they’re loaded with calories, and since most places serve them pre-mixed, there’s no way of asking them to go easy on the whole milk. Secondly, I find them to be too sweet and more like a glorified milkshake than anything else. Once I’m finished drinking one of these, I end up feeling like I need a nice glass of water and a run around the block.

Nonetheless, your intrepid reporter put away her pre-conceived notions and hit the streets. Here they are in no particular order:

Sonic Java Chiller

Mocha flavor. Initially very milkshake-y, but well blended. Not overly sweet, but definitely chocolately. Had a nice healthy dollop of whipped cream on top. Very subtle coffee flavor. Still had that sticky aftertaste, though. The girl who served it to me told me they were addicting said it was her “favorite blended drink ever”. That’s pretty high praise coming from a fast food chain that prides itself on its iced beverages. I think I’ll stick with my initial impression, though, since it’s got a strong ice cream feeling to it. Order it when you’re in the mood for a milkshake that kinda has some coffee flavor to it.

Dairy Queen MooLatte

Mocha flavor again, just to be scientific. Very strong coffee flavor, immediately. Not quite as ice cream-y as the Sonic drink, but still very creamy in texture. The chocolate notes are subtle and come last, followed by an after taste that’s rich like peanut butter. The only con seems to be that it’s so icy I have chew it after every sip.

I’m surprised with this one because I expected the least out of it. I tried this when it first came out a few years ago and was really disappointed. Either they’ve improved on the recipe or I’m not as picky as I once was. I still wouldn’t walk into DQ with the intent of ordering one of these, though. Not when I could have actual ice cream instead of ice cream that’s masquerading as coffee.

Sheetz Coffeez Frozen Mocha

This is a bit of a regional choice, but Sheetz deserves recognition for a number of reasons. For those who don’t live on the mid section of the East Coast, Sheetz is a gas station that’s known for its Made To Order – or MTO – foods. Most stores feature espresso beverages as part of the MTO format, made from an actual Nouva Simonelli espresso machine.

This is where Sheetz got everything about their frozen drink right: they gave me the option to choose everything that went into the drink including the type of milk. I chose the frozen mocha with a shot of chocolate chip syrup. By far, this was the smoothest drink and it neither required chewing nor reminded me of a milkshake. Not bad for any fast food chain, let alone one found inside a gas station.

All in all, I think Sheetz definitely takes home the prize for awesomeness. I’m still not won over by these frozen concoctions, but if you enjoy them, I hope I’ve given you some new ideas to try. Happy Spring!

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