While we wait for the fall weather to catch up with the official start of the season, people are already beginning to enjoy fall traditions and activities. From apple-picking to carving pumpkins to anything fall-flavored, we all have our favorite customs. One trend that has taken the fall season by storm is the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Starbucks is the original inventor and distributor of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, creating its signature flavor and launching the invention in 2003 as part of the company’s special seasonal flavors. At first, the drink was only released at the Starbucks locations in Vancouver and Washington D.C., but it was an immediate hit with the customers and was soon expanded to their other locations. 

20 years later, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has become Starbucks’ most successful seasonal drink with hundreds of millions sold over the past 20 years during the fall seasons. Their menu has also expanded to include their Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, which are available during the fall season as well.

Before the creation of the Pumpkin Spice Latte by Starbucks, the pumpkin spice flavor and scent was not yet present in the marketplace. Now in 2023, you can’t walk into a store during the fall season without seeing a pumpkin spice-flavored drink, candle or a variety of other products emulating the signature combination. 

The extreme popularity of the Pumpkin Spice Latte took off with the arrival of social media sites Facebook and Twitter in 2006. Media exposure through celebrity endorsements, viral videos and more brought the Pumpkin Spice Latte to its current status as a cultural symbol of fall. The original Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte has also been copied by innumerable coffee shops and can be found in almost every store that you visit in the fall. 

In Liberty and nearby areas, some of my personal favorite places for a Pumpkin Spice Latte (hot or iced) include:

Starbucks: There are various locations around Liberty. You can never go wrong with the original.

Hammerhand Coffee: Located near Downtown Liberty, Hammerhand offers their delicious Spiced Pumpkin Latte and Spiced Pumpkin Chai drinks that have a perfect blend of fall spices.

Paisley Perk: Located in Kearney (a short 15 minute drive from Jewell). Their Pumpkin Pie Latte has a rich flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the espresso.

Make sure to take advantage of these indulgent flavors before they disappear at the end of the season!

Many corporations across the United States have recently decided to use their platform to either support or regulate the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. For example, a few airlines have decided to take a stand and allow BLM pins to be worn by all employees if they so desire. Delta Airlines was the first to design their own rendition of the Black Lives Matter pin for their flight attendants to wear, and American Airlines soon followed, issuing a statement of support. 

“American Airlines believes in equity and inclusion for all. In light of the appropriate attention to lives of Black Americans, we will allow team members who wish to wear a Black Lives Matter pin to do so if they choose,” read a statement from American Airlines provided to USA TODAY by representative Sarah Jantz. 

While some employees frowned upon this decision from American Airlines, saying it goes against their own belief that “all lives matter,” American Airlines made it clear that it is an option and not a requirement for their flight attendants. 

“One symbolic way to show our support is through a uniform pin,” said one American Airline employee. “We are working with our Black Professional Network on designing a specific pin that may be worn with the uniform. In the interim until this pin is produced, to recognize the significance of this moment in history, we are allowing people to wear a Black Lives Matter Pin.”

Outside of the sky, this debate continues. Companies such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Taco Bell and Starbucks decided to regulate the Black Lives Matter attire and restrict employees from taking a stand with their clothing and masks, to avoid controversy. 

Starbucks issued a statement to their employees explaining that Black Lives Matter buttons were verboten because they violated dress code policies forbidding attire that advocates for “political, religious or personal issues” and could be used to “amplify divisiveness,” but the company quickly retracted it after Buzzfeed brought the memo to the public. 

Taco Bell also issued a retraction statement after sending an employee home in Ohio for wearing BLM masks, but Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have stood by their managers and have yet to issue a statement in support of their employee’s attire. 

When asked by the North Star, Trader Joe’s said “We understand this is a time for us to use our voice, and we appreciate the desire to hear how we plan to take action, sooner rather than later. It’s also critical that we take the time and steps that bring about the most meaningful change. When we say we’re committed to listening, caring, acting and continuously improving, we mean it.”

While this is a tough topic to speak about because of the tension going on in the United States, many companies have found it imperative to do so, in spite of fear of backlash or losing business. The NFL, NBA and MLB have all spoken in support toward Black Lives Matter, and they are huge corporations with big support and continue to have support. Many big corporations agree with this statement and have even given millions of dollars to the cause to show full support, such as Apple, Amazon and Microsoft.

Christmas Present Mocha at Over Flow Coffee House in Liberty.

When the seasons change, one of my priorities is tasting all relevant seasonal coffees. The holiday season is no different. Starbucks released their selection Nov. 2, and I was there that morning. Here is my official rundown and review of a few holiday drinks.

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha:

This drink is the classic winter, feel-good beverage. As soon as I think of snow, I want to be drinking a peppermint mocha and singing Christmas songs. While this drink, like most Starbucks seasonal drinks, is very sweet and lacks a prominent coffee flavor, its sweetness could only be enhanced by adding whipped cream. I mean really, if part of the holiday season isn’t developing a sweet-tooth, then what is it?

Though if you do want it to be a little less overwhelmingly sweet, I suggest adding a shot of espresso to the drink.

Overall, you can’t skip this holiday icon and just can’t go wrong when ordering it.

Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte:

I was so excited for this drink, but, honestly, I have some beef with it. While it is warming and sweet and helps to get you in the mood for the holiday season, it is essentially identical in taste to their fall specialty drink–the salted caramel mocha.

One would think a mocha would taste distinctly different from a latte, but one would be sorely mistaken in this case. Even if the chocolate from the mocha were prominent, I still think it is misleading for Starbucks to use what seems to be the same flavors in two drinks with fairly distinct names. Did they just think caramel brulee sounded more wintry? I honestly felt a bit betrayed when trying it.

That said, the caramel brulee latte was delicious and not excessively sweet–I would recommend it.

Roasterie Peppermint Mocha:

At our very own Perch, I was submitting my order of a Cardinal Grind (10/10 would recommend, especially iced) when I was asked if I had tried the peppermint mocha. I had previously been under the impression that the Cardinal Grind was essentially a peppermint mocha.

I was so wrong. The mocha had excellent peppermint flavor without being overwhelmingly chocolately. Whereas the Starbucks mocha sometimes has a chalky feel to its chocolate, the Roasterie mocha was smooth as could be.

With some whipped cream to top off the experience, this was the perfect peppermint mocha and we are so lucky to have them nearby.

Starbucks Eggnog Latte:

This latte is a subtle holiday drink. The eggnog was present but not overwhelming and the spices added to the drink were obvious but not excessive. I thoroughly enjoyed this latte and think it is an excellent way to indulge in the holiday spirit without feeling *too* basic.

Overall enjoyable, even if you’re not a huge fan of eggnog–it’s just hidden enough.

A selection of holiday coffees from Starbucks. (Photo courtesy of Starbucks)

Starbucks Juniper Latte:

This latte was also understated and calming. With evergreen hints, it satisfied a desire for Christmas spirit without going too hard and hitting you over the head with a candy cane or Christmas tree. It was nothing that special, just a solid seasonal drink.

Overall, I would recommend, especially if you want to be seasonal but hate those over-the-top sugary specialty drinks.

Over Flow Coffee House Christmas Present Mocha:

Okay guys, for real. I. Love. This. New. Coffeeshop. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Over Flow has amazing coffee–they carry Messenger as well as more local roasters–and crepes. So when I saw their holiday specials, I was ecstatic! This mocha is, as promised, a present. It is sweet, chocolatey, minty and beautiful. If you chose to pair it with one of their signature crepes, you may just transcend.

Overall, this is the holiday drink I most recommend. The environment of Over Flow, the quality of the coffee and the quality of presentation simply cannot be beaten.

Cover photo courtesy of Christina Kirk.

I was so excited to go here and try their bourbon caramel latte or pumpkin spice latte, but, alas, on an early Tuesday evening at 4:56 p.m., they had no more of such lattes.

Nevertheless, a far ways away from the Hill – McLain’s Market is in Overland Park – I tried another fall-y drink: a cinnamon spice latte. The latte itself has very strong espresso taste, for those of you who hate the milk-y taste of a Starbucks/Roasterie latte.

While I really like the coffee itself, it doesn’t hit you in the face and remind you of fall, so I would advise trying one of the more exciting fall lattes – bourbon caramel or pumpkin spice – if you make it down to McLain’s. I expect the coffee to be good even if fall doesn’t smack you over the head with a pumpkin.

Starbucks: Iced maple pecan latte with cold brew foam→

For people who want to avoid the pumpkin-dripped everything that magically appears when the first leaf of the season falls, this maple latte can soothe your fall craving without tasting like pumpkin juice. It is a sweet drink – one can’t escape that Starbucks trend – but the maple and pecan notes contribute to an overall calming feel.

It’s an iced drink, which can help fulfill a fall craving in cases of abnormally warm midwestern day or malfunctioning heaters. This drink may just have become a fall staple for me, and I highly recommend if that #PSL is too basic for you but you still want your sweet-tooth Starbucks fix.

Starbucks: Caramel apple spice→

For those of you who are unaware of the crisis, despite having superior drip coffee and tasty espresso, @theBeak and the Perch – supplied by the Roasterie – do not (as of now) have an apple cider.

Apple cider is a staple of fall – it makes me want to curl up by a fire while reading a book with a cinnamon apple donut and fuzzy socks on.

So, if you need your fall apple cider fix as much as I do, Starbucks’ caramel apple spice may be for you. They don’t call it an apple cider, and it does have whipped cream and caramel drizzle on top – which kind of alters the classic appeal of an apple cider.

It’s a solid, albeit excessively sweet and excessively expensive, drink that can fix your fix temporarily but doesn’t quite replace a nice, classic apple cider from a cute little cider mill.

Starbucks: Salted caramel mocha→

I did not intend to review this drink, but when I tried to order a peppermint mocha, the barista gods said no – I received this fall mix as a punishment for trying to bypass fall and go straight to winter coffee.

However, this low-key fall drink surprised me. It doesn’t scream fall like some of the other drinks, but its warm, caramel vibe gives a relaxed hint of fall. It’s sweet and reminds me of candy in drink form, but it’s not too sweet to drink. The caramel is subtle enough to not overpower the chocolate.

The espresso is more present than in most seasonal Starbucks drinks but is still not super visible. I love a good salted caramel candy, and this drink is just like a warm, chocolatey, liquid salted caramel.

It’d be the perfect drink to have while picking pumpkins or going through a corn maze but is less exciting if you’re just doing homework. It just reminds you of fall in the way that makes you sad to be inside. Highly recommend if you have a candy craving.

Starbucks: Pumpkin Spice Latte #PSL #FALL #OMGFLANNELANDBOOTSANDPUMPKINS→

A pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks is the iconic fall drink, and for good reason. When you drink this coffee you can’t help but feel there is something special, something different about it.

It’s a blend of pumpkin and milk with almost no taste of espresso and is completely orange. I can’t say it’s my favorite fall drink, or even my favorite Starbucks fall drink, but it is iconic and you have to try it at least once a year.

For those weirdos who have sworn off caffeine for some reason or other, Starbucks can make a hot chocolate with pumpkin spice flavoring that is comparable to the typical #PSL.

Cover photo courtesy of Time.