To be VERY up front, I too am part of the problem. For more years than I care to remember, the start of September was graced with the excited first sip of a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. That earthy, cinnamon-nutmeg aroma and taste meant that the days by the beach would be dwindling, and that “sweatah weathar” was on the horizon.
While I’m sure I am far from alone in this American trend gone wild, it's one that feels modern and somehow already a ‘must’ in the bucket of fall traditions. Pairing spices and traffic-cone-orange emulsion has become a rite of passage for those of us who look forward to the latter half of the year, when the summer heat subsides and holidays are on the horizon (aka the beginning of the annual Mariah Carey thaw-out period).
And yet, Pumpkin Spice coffee has truly only been in the mix on a large-scale since 2004.
Yes, 2004. October 10, 2003, in fact, goes down as the day Starbucks first launched the infamous flavor in 100 test stores. A syrup to be infused with espresso or drip coffee, the test turned out to be a hit. More and more chains soon followed, as a way for folks to ‘autumnify’ their cup-o-joe for the fall season. Popularity skyrocketed into the mainstream within only a few years, as Pumpkin Spice Lattes (PSL for short) became a peak October ‘treat’. By the time I put on my first cafe apron at a Barnes and Noble in late 2006, the images of roast pecan-colored coffee in a to-go cup with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon-sugar topping was already in full force.
And yet, similar to the ever-dwindling population of us candy corn lovers, Pumpkin spice coffee remains, to this day, highly divisive.
For some, the idea of a spice blend and the creaminess of a roasted squash, blended with strong coffee, milk and perhaps some foam is an ideal seasonal treat, taking the traditional Thanksgiving pie and shaking it into our morning cafe order. To others, sacrilege. Why on earth would anyone take an already-loved-or-hated pie flavor and mix it with coffee? Reactions to the seasonal favorite being ‘back’ are often met with extreme enthusiasm or disgust. I feel it goes without saying, even politics could veer future candidates into success or critique based on how they answer whether or not they enjoy pumpkin spice coffee.
While the love-or-loathe conversation can easily help us divide a group of friends into two camps for game night, there is also something to be said for many of the unspoken factors here, that could be contributing to the polarizing stance.
First and foremost, there is, of course, taste: it would be ridiculous for us to assume that everyone desires spice in their coffee. From how we drink coffee on a daily to seasonal basis, so much is influenced by our own personal lives and histories. In this case, the relationship to pumpkin spice is often similar. Hot ‘latte’ drinkers are probably more likely to enjoy it over those who prefer Turkish coffee or cold brew. Truly, there is no right or wrong answer to why anyone should or shouldn’t like pumpkin spice.
Now, to delve a bit deeper, I will share a personal limitation of mine with pumpkin spice, and one I know is relevant from countless conversations I have had in recent years.
Any quick internet search can share a tidal-wave of stories about the varying quality of the ‘syrup’, notably from Starbucks over the years. Many of us can recall having any array of stomach issues after any given season, and often support each other when we hear that the recipe has been ‘redone’ for the upcoming fall. Personally, I have had my years where the first sip of a PSL left my stomach in shambles, and other years, I went well into November without any issue. This lottery of will-it-won’t-it is no doubt a factor for many who did not care to return for a second pumpkin spice-flavored beverage, or immediately joined the camp of rebels and victims/survivors of a PSL gone wrong.
Joking aside, the varying forms of synthetic pumpkin, in varying shades of orange, is understandably a turn off. While many chains have tried to rebrand their selling of pumpkin spice in recent years through more natural looking syrup, or sourcing from a more simple ingredient syrup, folks still remain divided.
Among my few fellow pumpkin spice fans, in recent years I have taken to making my own small batch ‘sauce’. Made of far fewer and simpler ingredients, a stove-top mix of vanilla extract, brown sugar, organic pumpkin and maple syrup is a quick and far easier-on-the-gut alternative to the gamble of store versions. Others stand firmly that it is the syrup itself, and are advocates for PS flavored beans (or the spice equivalent) for an autumnal twist on their favorite roast.
Another outlying factor here may be that similar to the holidays, American retailers and coffee shops alike have begun selling and promoting PS products earlier and earlier each year in the last decade. A treat that used to arrive well into the new school year is now often available before mid-August. Excitement has become lost as it feels unspecial when it is being promoted well before the first October breeze. Too much accessibility to something special, over time, starts to remove its novel appeal. This may also explain the eye-roll for folks who do not enjoy it, yet feel it is being forced on consumers well ahead of its proper season.
Love it or hate it, pumpkin spice, for now, is here to stay. In tandem to its’ autumnal sister flavor, apple, popularity has leapt for both from pie to coffee and beyond. Safe to say, this trend has sewn itself into American and western culture, and remains a staple. Where it goes in the years and decades beyond will be fascinating to see. Is this a ‘millenial’ trend that becomes a lost gem in fifty years, or will pumpkin coffee continue to expand and reinvent itself over the years? And to that end, I will digress that pumpkin spice use is a personal choice. I firmly drop my pen here on the topic of coffee, as I have no interest in delving into the bizarre use of it in gum, cat litter, spam and deodorant.
Happy Autumn, all.
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