Earlier this month, Starbucks launched their Fan Flavours frappucino campaign, asking customers to choose their favourite flavour combos with the winner becoming available all summer long.

I was given an exclusive invite to the Belfast Cornmarket shop sample the new summer menu and brought Caelan along as my sidekick. As much as I like to think of myself as a coffee purist, I do indulge in a frappucino every now & then and leapt at same to try the new flavours of Cinnamon Swirl, Cupcake & Cookie Dough. I am not a fan of cinnamon; it does something to my sinuses and while the Cookie Dough and Cupcake flavours were made without coffee, they were sweet and creamy and totally over the top.

We also got to try the iced coffee selection, including the classic Iced Americano (which many coffee shops simply label iced coffee) and the intense Cold Brew Coffee. The Cold Brew is made exactly as the name suggests, the coffee beans are brewed in cold water, meaning they release more of their aromatic and flavourful oils. This is pretty much coffee times coffee, it's potent and perhaps not for the occasional coffee drinker. If you prefer a smoother, lighter flavour, opt for the Iced Americano, a classic Americano tempered with cold water and ice.



After getting our caffeine fix came the exciting part, we were given free reign behind the bar to have a go at making our own lattes and frappucinos!
I love the thought of having a full barista station at home and until the day I can afford it, this was the next best thing.



I donned the black apron of the coffee master and stepped behind the bar to be trained by Belfast's regional coffee master Eduardo, who won the Starbucks UK Barista Championship in 2013.
FYI if you ever see a Starbucks barista wearing a black apron, they're the coffee master. The black apron is akin to a black belt in coffee!






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