Specialty drinks are unique beverages that are fun and different from the daily menu of coffee options available. They may be available for a short amount of time, whether it be one day, one week or an entire season! These drinks consist of several combinations of flavors using various ingredients, preparation methods or fun presentations. They can be picturesque and perfect for an Instagram story or be the highlight of a TikTok trend. Oftentimes, specialty drinks have a theme that may reflect an occasion or season; whether it be full of spice for fall, floral notes for spring or refreshing for summer! Specialty coffee drinks can be used to influence a change in a customers everyday order.
Different coffee chains and companies have made their own specialty drinks that have gained popularity over the years. The most famous specialty coffee beverage — with what some might classify as a cult following — is Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, or PSL. There are now dedicated Facebook groups, merch and entire social media trends dedicated to this famous fall beverage. While most specialty drinks, like the peppermint mocha or the dirty chai (a chai latte with a shot of espresso), do not have the merch, pop culture references and claim to fame that the PSL does, specialty coffee drinks continue to be on the rise.
Here in Central Pennsylvania, we see this trend to be true with many local coffee shops touting specialty beverages and seasonal menus. Wagging Tail Coffee Company is a Bucknell fan favorite that offers a variety of coffee and non-coffee beverages at its three locations. The two locations close to campus are the drive-through in Allenwood (right on Route 15) and the storefront location in the quaint downtown of Watsontown, with a third location in Muncy, PA. These shops offer drinks that fit a cutesy aesthetic with fun branding and an Instagram-worthy background.
The special seasonal coffee drinks menu at Wagging Tail this week consists of four options: Slugger, Batter’s Up, Screwball and Gimme S’more. We ordered the Slugger, which was a chocolate chip cookie latte with sweet cream, and the Screwball, the chocolate caramel cold brew with peanut butter sweet cream. The Screwball could also be ordered as a latte, which could have made the drink a bit sweeter. Between the two orders, the Slugger was definitely the sweeter option. The first sip of the drink was an overwhelming taste of the vanilla sweet cream, and the chocolate chip cookie latte was a satisfying mid-afternoon pick-me-up. On the other hand, the Screwball with the cold brew delivered a stronger taste of coffee, and the caramel flavor was not overpowering. The real star was the peanut butter sweet cream, which was absolutely delicious and added the perfect balance to the cold brew.
Overall, we would give this a 3.7 out of 5. We love Wagging Tail and thoroughly enjoyed our drinks, however our only points of critique would be long wait times and sweet coffees!
Flavor – While we recommend the Slugger for the sweet tooths, the Screwball is an excellent embodiment of sweet coffee. It is not overpowering and offers the right amount of coffee taste and sugar that the Slugger missed the mark on.
Fun – On a Friday afternoon, these were nice sweet treats that brought a little extra joy to our day. It felt adventurous trying a drink different from a regular latte off the specialty menu, and an adventure worth taking!
Fame – Wagging Tail Coffee Co. is a locally owned and operated business. While it is a small business, these locations are well-attended, often having customers wait in line for 10-15 minutes to order their drinks. Going at off-peak times will definitely decrease the wait, but beware there is a decent chance you might see some fellow Bucknellians in line whenever you go!
Funds – For two medium specialty drinks, the total came out to around $11. While this is not an everyday affair, Wagging Tail’s specialty drink prices are on par with, if not cheaper than, its chain competitors. Wagging Tail offers a yummy, reasonably priced, local alternative for your next coffee run!