Our Review of the Not-Yet-Released Taco Bell Horchata Cold Brew

At Live Más LIVE back in February, Taco Bell revealed a canned “Horchata Cold Brew Latte” in collaboration with Beekeeper Coffee. Didn’t hear about it? That’s understandable; flashier announcements like the return of the Cheez-It Crunchwrap and Baja Blast Gelato largely overshadowed this reveal. Plus, as Taco Bell themselves revealed in the post-event press release, this coffee was “exclusively served at Live Más LIVE and [is] currently in the testing pipeline.” 

Nevertheless, the good folks at Beekeeper Coffee were kind enough to send over a few test cans of this new collab with an important caveat: Officially speaking, there are no confirmed release plans for this product. It could be out tomorrow. It could be out in 2025. Read on to find out what this Taco Bell canned coffee tastes like and whether or not you should seek it out on the beverage blackmarket or patiently wait for the release.

Horchata Cold Brew

Beekeeper Coffee and Taco Bell Horchata Cold Brew Latte

The team at Beekeeper Coffee launched their first four canned coffees just last year. A collaboration with one of the largest fast-food chains in the country is a pretty big swing for a company that only became public knowledge six months ago. Let’s figure out whether this canned coffee knocked our lights out.

Pros: Horchata can mean a few different things depending on the region of origin, but it’s a safe assumption Beekeeper Coffee is referring to the Mexican variant primarily flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. I took samples to the baristas and horchata superfans in my life for their opinions, and they were all pleasantly surprised. I wouldn’t call myself well-versed in either coffee or horchata, but I still enjoyed this quite a bit. While it’d be very easy for the coffee and cinnamon sides to get into a taste bud turf war, the two were balanced extremely well. The sweetness isn’t overpowering either. The horchata fans were especially surprised this canned product nailed not just the taste but the texture. The baristas put this above any canned cold brew sold by the big coffee companies. 

Cons: All that being said, this is still a canned coffee. It isn’t going to compare to your favorite spot’s $6.75 cold brew latte. But, aside from that, there’s not a lot to quibble about. Okay, there’s one thing. All 12 sample cans we received were dented in various ways. Beekeeper Coffee either uses thinner cans or just beats up their product during the packaging and shipping process. You can tell we’re scraping the barrel for criticism when aluminum thickness gets a mention. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Bee Keeper Coffee

Rating:

8/10

Sporks