Dirty Chai Latte: What’s In It & How To Order From Starbucks
9 min read
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You may already be aware that there are a lot of restaurants, cafes and fast food joints that have secret menu items – well, Starbucks is no exception to this. Starbucks has a custom drink that does not appear on their usual menu called a dirty chai latte.
If you are not acquainted with this beverage, you may be curious about its nature and the proper way to request it. It’s possible that you’ve encountered individuals who have tried it online or in your vicinity!
Basically, a dirty chai latte consists of chai tea combined with shots of espresso. It can be served hot with steamed milk or as an iced beverage.
There is certainly more information to be learned about the dirty chai latte. To assist with this, we have created a useful guide that provides a comprehensive explanation of the beverage, including its ingredients and how to request it at Starbucks.
Are you prepared to discover additional information? Explore further by reading below!
Dirty Chai Latte
Starbucks is well-known for providing a wide range of beverages and snacks. It can be overwhelming to navigate their menu or decipher the various size options.
Nevertheless, it’s not only their regular menu that requires consideration. Several food and beverage establishments have hidden items, and Starbucks is among them, featuring their dirty chai latte.
So, what is it?
What Is A Dirty Chai Latte?
Can you explain the meaning of a Dirty Chai Latte?
Earlier, we mentioned that a dirty chai latte is a chai tea latte with added shots of espresso before serving. This drink can be served hot with steamed milk or iced.
At this juncture, it is important to note that a dirty chai latte can be obtained not only from Starbucks but also from any coffee shop that serves chai tea or chai lattes, regardless of whether it is listed on their menu.
What Is In A Dirty Chai Latte?
A dirty chai latte is made up of three primary ingredients: chai tea, milk, and espresso. Despite its seemingly simple composition, this beverage boasts a complex and diverse range of flavors.
The blend of black tea and various spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, make up the chai tea. Upon adding espresso, additional flavors become prominent.
The addition of espresso enhances the drink’s flavor profile with a subtle roastiness, providing it with added depth and personality.
Can you describe the flavor of a Dirty Chai Latte?
This inquiry is intriguing as the taste of a dirty chai latte varies depending on the location. The dirty chai latte served at Starbucks is notably sweet, possibly because the chai concentrate is mixed with honey and sugar.
As previously mentioned, upon adding a shot of espresso, despite its slight bitterness, it contributes additional roastiness, character, and a distinct coffee taste. This aids in balancing out the excessive sweetness of the remaining components.
Consequently, the combination of the components results in a remarkably successful outcome, yielding a stunning beverage that is hard to rival!
Can you provide information on the amount of caffeine present?
It is probable that you already know that combining black tea with espresso results in a highly caffeinated beverage. Starbucks’ chai beverages contain the highest amount of caffeine among tea-based drinks. To illustrate, a medium-sized chai latte contains 95 mg of caffeine.
Next, we need to take into account the amount of caffeine present in the espresso shot. Espressos typically have a high caffeine content because they are often consumed in small quantities to provide a morning energy boost.
If you add a shot of espresso to your drink, it will increase the caffeine content by 75 to 85 mg. For instance, a grande dirty chai latte has 170 mg of caffeine, while a blonde roast dirty chai has approximately 180 mg of caffeine.
For those who enjoy caffeine, it is important to know that you can increase the amount by asking for an extra shot of espresso, which contains approximately 250 mg of caffeine. Additionally, if you prefer decaffeinated options, Starbucks provides decaf espresso as well.
Can you suggest any other variations of Dirty Chai beverages?
We have briefly discussed various types of dirty chai beverages, but to clarify, there are three primary categories:
- Hot dirty chai tea latte (made with steamed milk)
- Iced dirty chai tea latte (made with ice and cold milk)
- Blended dirty chai beverage (make with milk, ice and frappuccino syrup)
Naturally, Starbucks offers all of these items. However, what is the method for ordering them? We will examine that in the following section.
How To Order A Starbucks Dirty Chai Latte
It is essential to keep in mind that a dirty chai latte is a personalized beverage and therefore, it is not listed on the regular menu of Starbucks. Nevertheless, one can easily order it by incorporating the ingredients to the base of the drink.
Since the beverage contains chai and espresso, you can begin by requesting a chai tea latte or a caffe latte espresso. If you opt for the former, you have the option to personalize it by incorporating espresso shots. On the other hand, if you select the latter, you must include chai syrup pumps.
Let’s take a closer look at the ways you could do this.
Chai Tea Latte With Espresso Shot
To create a chai tea latte with espresso, simply order your preferred size from Starbucks’ tea menu and customize it by adding a shot of espresso. The ingredients include chai concentrate, water, 2% steamed milk, and espresso.
Ice Chai Tea Latte With Espresso Shot
Created using a similar method as previously described, but with ice replacing the steamed milk. To acquire this beverage, simply request an iced chai tea latte from Starbucks’ cold tea selection and personalize it by adding a shot of espresso. Essentially identical to the previous version, but served chilled!
Brewed Organic Chai Tea Latte With Espresso Shot
This variation is prepared using Teavana organic chai tea bags, hot water, 2% steamed milk, and a shot of espresso. The ordering process is slightly different as you will need to request a chai tea latte made with tea bags instead of chai concentrate.
There is a minor issue with this as it is not possible to perform this action on the Starbucks app. Therefore, if you wish to order it in this manner, you will have to inquire at the store. After obtaining your initial beverage, simply include an espresso shot and you’re finished.
Caffe Latte With Chai Syrup
To create a dirty chai, begin by requesting a caffe latte from the hot coffee options on the Starbucks menu. This drink is prepared with espresso, steamed milk, and chai concentrate. Simply incorporate chai syrup into the mix to transform it into a dirty chai.
It is important to mention that by following this method, the chai flavor of the drink will be significantly stronger compared to other ordering methods.
Iced Caffè Latte With Chai Syrup
This beverage is created using espresso, 2% milk, ice, and chai concentrate. It is a simple way to order the drink by requesting an iced caffe latte and adding a single pump of chai syrup. This can be accomplished through the app.
Chai Frappuccino With Affogato-Style Shot
This beverage is quite intricate, consisting of chai concentrate, ice, whole milk, creme frappuccino syrup, whipped cream, brewed espresso, and cinnamon.
To place your order, choose a chai creme frappuccino from the blended beverages section of the menu and personalize it by including affogato-style shots. If you’re using the Starbucks app, you can make these modifications under the “espresso and shots” category.
Espresso Frappuccino With Chai Syrup
This beverage is prepared using brewed espresso, chai concentrate, ice, whole milk, and coffee frappuccino syrup. To order this drink, you will need to customize a standard espresso frappuccino, which can only be done in-store.
After placing an order for a regular, simply include chai syrup and mix it well. However, the Starbucks app does not have the capability to do so.
Additional Options For Your Drink
The reason for ordering this beverage (besides its delicious taste) is to personalize it according to your preferences. Therefore, you don’t have to limit yourself to just that. There are several other ways to tailor this drink.
- You have the option to request tall, grande, or venti sizes.
- Espresso roast – dark, blonde or decaf
- Preparation – standard, ristretto, long shots
Since there are numerous options available, it is advisable to review all of them over several months before selecting your preferred one. It is suggested that you document your discoveries in a blog or journal.
The Bottom Line
This guide provides all the necessary information for ordering a dirty chai latte at Starbucks. We wish you the best of luck on your journey to caffeination!
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the questions that are asked most often.
Is it possible for vegans to request this beverage?
It can be challenging to create a completely vegan version of this drink, although there are some options that are suitable for vegans. It is advisable to verify if the drink is vegan-friendly before consuming it if you follow a vegan diet.
Can this beverage be considered as a healthy option?
Indulging in this occasionally as a component of a nutritious and well-rounded diet is acceptable, but it’s not particularly wholesome. Generally, it contains high amounts of caffeine and sugar.
Can the beverage be considered costly?
The cost fluctuates based on the store and the method of ordering.
