Blackberry Sage Refresher (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
Get ready to be obsessed with Starbucks’ Blackberry Sage Refresher! You can recreate the same drink with two ingredients in less than two minutes! All three refresher recipes are included, including the creamy coconut milk Midnight drink.
Blackberry Sage Refresher
Starbucks Copycat Recipe
EASE: Super Easy
TIME: Less than 2 minutes! (More like one!)
DIET: Vegan, Dairy-Free, and Vegetarian
What is the Blackberry Sage Refresher?
If you’ve missed the Very Berry Refresher, your wait is over! Starbucks’ newest drink, the Blackberry Sage Refresher, is the perfect replacement. While not the same drink, it is very similar.
It has the sweetness of the Strawberry Acai Refresher and a tartness similar to the Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher. There is a hint of sage. When I say hint, I literally mean hint!
Like all refresher lines, this iced drink, comes in three varieties. The first, known as the refresher, is mixed with water—perfect for those with a sweet tooth. The second option is mixed with lemonade, balancing the sweet with a strong tartness. Finally, the Midnight drink is mixed with creamy coconut milk for a rich tropical drink.
Speaking of the Midnight Drink, I believe it will be as popular as the Pink Drink. The coconut is rich and velvety, and the blackberry syrup adds a fruity flavor. Combined, it tastes like a Blackberry Cream Saver Candy.
Why You Should Be Excited
Key Ingredients
I always like to point out that there is no way to recreate the Starbucks syrups at home. That is because Starbucks uses artificial flavors to create its drinks. In other words, simmering fresh blackberries into a simple syrup will not mimic the flavor. The end result will leave you frustrated with the time and expense.
- Pink House of Alchemy Blackberry and Sage Syrup will run you about $21 for a bottle. If you are making grande-sized drinks, that is enough syrup for 21 drinks! The syrup also includes citric acid, which is also in the Blackberry Refresher. Saving you from having to buy one ingredient. I choose Pink House for two reasons, one the sage is already infused into the syrup, making the flavor natural without having small bits of sage in your drink. Second, I wanted to support smaller businesses. Torani and Monin also have blackberry syrups, but they do not include sage.
- Green Coffee Extract is included in the original, but I have made it optional. This ingredient adds caffeine and can have an overpowering flavor. Personally, I do not like how it changes the flavor and prefer to leave it out.
- Freeze-Dried Blackberries I love these inclusions. But, if you want to cut costs, I recommend cutting these. They make the drink fun but add very little flavor. At our house, I substitute these with fresh blackberries.
Not included
- Stevia Extract – Starbucks lists Stevia as an ingredient in their blackberry refreshers. While I was testing the drink, I could not taste the Stevia. For that reason I left it out of my recipe.,
Refresher Mixer Flavor
Each Starbucks Refresher line comes in three flavors.
- The standard refresher is mixed with water
- Lemonade is the second choice. The combination creates a sweet and tart flavor.
- The third one, Midnight Drink, is mixed with coconut milk. The result is a tropical drink that is dreamy! Be sure to use coconut milk from the dairy case and not the can.
Blackberry Sage Mocktail Twist
When I first read the Starbucks ingredients, I thought this is the beginning of a perfect mocktail (non-alcoholic refresher)! Here is how to make this perfect summer drink.
- 1/2 cup of fresh blackberries
- 1/2 cup of spritzer or club soda.
- 1 tablespoon of blackberry syrup
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon of sage powder or 1-2 fresh sage leaves, muddled.
Pour it into a glass filled with ice and top it with fresh blackberries and sage.
If you tried this Starbucks Blackberry Refresher or any other recipe on my blog, leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below.
Blackberry Sage Refresher (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 large glass
Ingredients
Base Flavor
- 1 cup Water for Classic Refresher
- 1 cup Lemonade for Blackberry Lemonade
- 1 cup Coconut Milk* for Blackberry Midnight
Blackberry Base Ingredients
- 1 and ½ tablespoons Blackberry and Sage Syrup
- 1-2 teaspoons Freeze-Dried Blackberries
- .25 teaspoon Green Coffee Extract – Optional
- 1 and ½ cup Ice
Instructions
Base Mixture:
- In a shaker or mixing glass, combine 1 cup of your preferred base flavor (water, lemonade, or coconut milk), 1 1/2 tablespoons Monin Blackberry Syrup, and 1 tablespoon freeze-dried blackberries (optional).
- Add 1 1/2 cups ice and shake well to chill the mixture.
- Optional Caffeine: Add green coffee extract for a caffeine boost if desired.
- Garnish with extra freeze-dried blackberries and sage leaves if desired.
Notes
- When making the Midnight version of this drink, use coconut milk from the dairy case. Do not use canned coconut milk.
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The nutrition is based on using water. If you use lemonade or coconut milk, adjust accordingly.
