PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE SEASON IS HERE:
The season of Pumpkin Spice Lattes has started. Of course, if you don’t want a hot PSL, you could opt for a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino too.
The early-sippers of PSL are beginning to enjoy their Pumpkin Spice Lattes now by unlocking Starbucks stores with a code and a badge.
Here’s my first PSL drink this season: I opted for a Frappuccino for my #FirstPSL:
Starbucks customers can show baristas a badge (shown below) and provide a code to “unlock” a Starbucks store. If the store hasn’t been “unlocked” the Pumpkin Spice Latte isn’t available until September 2, 2014. I asked readers to send in their #FirstPSL photos and got these great pictures!
PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE VIA READY BREW:
I also want to mention that this is the first year for Pumpkin Spice Latte Via. You can find it on StarbucksStore.com here. This is the first year for this Pumpkin Spice Via – it’s not the same as last year’s version. The first year of Pumpkins Spice Via was 2012: You can view the old version of the PSL Via here. The discontinued, older (2012 – 2013) version of PSL Via were non-dairy products. The instructions were to add 8 ounces of hot milk to the Via mix for a great Pumpkin Spice Latte.
The 2014 version of the Pumpkin Spice Latte Via does include dairy. Notice that the packaging says “simply add hot water” and tells you that it’s made with “natural dairy.” Again, the 2014 verision of PSL Via ia already available on StarbucksStore.com here, and will be in Starbucks stores everywhere (as well as many grocery retailers) September 2, 2014. I’ve had a few readers tell me that the new Pumpkin Spice Latte Via is already starting to show up in grocery retailers. I’m looking forward to trying this new version. I haven’t yet.
Feel free to weigh in on anything Pumpkin Spice related!
Have you had your #FirstPSL yet?
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We will probably have to wait until the end of September for #PSL to arrive in the UK and Ireland:-(
@Chris – Oh no. That’s a long wait. It will be truly fall weather by the time you have your first PSL!
Its That Time Of The Year! Y-A-Y-U-S
Last year I wasn’t to big of a fan of PSL until the last chance I could get one. I’m really looking forward to the real star PM 🙂
But I will be stocking up on Via.
Great post melody. Sorry this comment is scattered .
@George – Let me know what you think of the Via when you try it! I’m not gong to stock up until I know that I like it. 😉
Honestly, out store has been serving PSL since last week when the button returned to our registers. Once we were able to ring people up for… when started selling it. *but* only if you asked if we had it. we weren’t volunteering the information. I don’t really agree with it. Starbucks used a lot of money to do this “unlock” stuff and the we just sold it anyway. Takes away some of the excitement of seeing who gets to unlock the store’s supply of pumpkin spice.
I’d be very curious to know if there are any stores that actually don’t serve it until 9/2.
At my store we had a couple customers become irate in the last week when we told them PSL wouldn’t be available until the 26th. They had been drinking them at other stores apparently. It always bums me out when stuff gets sold earlier than the launch date (including the pretty retail mugs for this fall that we are already sold out of) or, in this case, the early super fan launch date. Launch dates help provide consistency from store to store since different stores will receive product at different times. It’s not fair to the partners in the stores who follow the timelines given =/
That being said, I’ve always loved pumpkin spice. It was my go-to fall drink before even becoming a partner! Yumm!
OK, what’s the secret code to activate a Clover Anniversary Blend before Tuesday? 😉
Can’t wait to add some butter to it!
As a fairly recent devotee of Starbucks, I love your blog for tidbits like this…now I can have my PSL fix a week early — thanks, Melody! 🙂 I zipped over to the PSL site, and excitedly figured out the code and headed off to my nearest Starbucks. I was greeted by signage stuck to the door announcing that the PSL was at the store early — apparently, they rolled it out yesterday without anybody “unlocking” it…the one day I skipped going! 😛
Anyway, since it was already about 7:15pm when I got over there, I decided my first pumpkin-spicy item of the year would be a frappucino creme with no whip.
Oh, pumpkin, how I’ve missed you! 😀
I just had it tonight. Great as I remembered. I will enjoy it until it disappears yet again.
I understand the PSL fever, but I am not a huge fan of pumpkin beverages or pumpkin pie (gasp!!!). And honestly, it doesn’t even feel like Fall (or what we assume to be Fall weather) until the end of summer!
It’s hot here in Georgia – I’m not in the fall mood yet! I don’t really like the PSL anyway :p Although I’m curious to try the VIA. I love pumpkin beer but not pumpkin coffee for some reason. The red cups and peppermint mochas are more my thrill 😀
Hope they release the PSL VIA in the UK as well.
Anyone tried the PSL Via yet?
@Mark Silverberg – I thought the PSL Via Latte was pretty amazing. What a good substitution. Though at $6.95 for a 4 pack, it’s a little spendy.