Blueberries have long been a favorite addition to breakfast foods like pancakes, yogurt and oatmeal — but now they’re in everyone’s coffee, too.
All over TikTok, people are mixing up blueberry lattes, with thousands of videos appearing under its hashtag.
While the trend has been around for years, with videos appearing as far back as 2023, its recent popularity can be credited in part to the Nitro Bar coffee shops in Rhode Island. The chain has posted a number of TikTok videos on the subject since 2024, garnering millions of views in the process.
“What’s the most viral drink we’ve ever had?” asks shop co-owner Audrey Finocchiaro in a video posted June 10.
“Pretty sure it’s the blueberry latte,” a worker behind the counter replies.
The worker then assembles the beverage by pouring a shot of blueberry syrup over ice, then filling the container with milk. The attractive liquid becomes a sky-like blue and white before a shot of fresh espresso is poured over top.
The drink has proven popular for the growing coffee chain.
“Blueberry was one of the catalysts that sort of kicked us off on TikTok and Instagram, I would say,” Finocchiaro tells Link News. “Right when we started to post that content, we started to notice, like, ‘Oh s---, people are coming in now just for the blueberry latte.”
“We have been tagged in a ton of videos where people are literally flying to Rhode Island to try the lattes, which is just hilarious, but we still don’t believe it,” she adds. “We’re like, that can’t be real.”
How to Make a Blueberry Latte
While the blue-and-brown berry beverage can be assembled with ready-made products (Monin, Torani and other brands sell blueberry syrups), many proponents of the drink — including the owner of the Nitro Bar — create their own blueberry simple syrup.
“We love using a blueberry compote, and then we also add a bit of lemon,” Finocchiaro tells Link News. “Basically: sugar, blueberries, lemon and that’s really it. It’s really the more simple the syrup, the better.”
TikToker Alex Gren (aka @alexhomebarista) created her own version in an Aug. 24, 2024 video using fresh blueberries, brown sugar, water and two extracts (butter and cake batter) to make the syrup more akin to a blueberry cobbler.
All you do is bring those main ingredients to a boil, simmer and strain the solids out. Let the syrup cool and it’s ready for your morning brew.
My Blueberry Latte Review
I happened to have a bottle of the splendid-tasting Blackberry Patch brand’s blueberry syrup sitting in my fridge already, so I had to try out the trend for myself.
These pleasant photos of my finished product are misleading, I must admit. I didn’t photograph any of this but I experienced a comedy of errors making the drink.
First, I had to order espresso from my local Starbucks, which were not hot when they arrived. In an attempt to warm them up, I overheated one doppio and it exploded all over my microwave. So, I used my room-temperature backup.
After assembling the drink, I assumed I would be in berry heaven like some of the folks on TikTok who have helped make this drink go viral again and again.
I had high expectations going into this taste test because I regularly order Dunkin’s blueberry iced coffee.
Unfortunately, as soon as I mixed my beverage, it turned gray. As somebody who enjoys London fog latte, that’s not necessarily a problem, but I did feel a twinge of disappointment like others on social media.
I enjoyed the taste of the components on their own, but disappointingly, they didn’t improve when combined. The espresso really overpowered the blueberry, but to be fair, I gave it a heavy pour.
Next time, I plan on making my own blueberry syrup to stay true to this summer’s viral version.
“We got the inspo from being obsessed with craft cocktails and trying to make everything from scratch at home, using real fruit,” Finocchiaro says. She says next time, skip the ready-made ingredients.
“When I go out to get a cocktail, I want the nicest, most high-end-made-with-real-ingredients cocktail if I’m going to drink alcohol,” she says. “And I want the same for my coffee.”
So, my advice to you, if you plan to try this trend: Use a medium roast cold brew made at home instead of store-bought espresso to tamp down the coffee’s strength and give the blueberry a chance to shine.
This article was originally published on Link News
