Massachusetts is lauded for its iconic exports: chocolate chip cookies, Chris Evans and, of course, Dunkin’. Now, America’s biggest doughnut chain is expanding its footprint by diving deeper into the world of adult beverages.
On Aug. 7, drink publication VinePair discovered, by looking through the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) database, that Dunkin’ is putting out a new line of hard iced coffees and iced teas under the name “Dunkin’ Spiked.”
Dunkin’ finally confirmed the news on Aug. 14 in a press release, saying the drinks will be available in grocery and package stores across 12 states starting in late August.
“We knew we had the opportunity to create something special when we saw the positive response to our previous seasonal collaborations for Dunkin’-inspired beers. The growing appetite for adult beverages inspired us to put a twist on our customers’ favorite Dunkin’ Iced Coffee, Iced Tea and Refresher flavors,” said Brian Gilbert, vice president of retail business development at Dunkin’, in the release. “Dunkin’ Spiked is perfect for day or night enjoyment and comes in eight distinct flavors, available in grocery and package stores later this month. This new line of ready-to-drink adult beverages elevates Dunkin’s offerings, and we know our 21+ fans will love every sip.”
What is Dunkin’ Spiked?
The chain has already created a website for the upcoming suite of products: Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Tea and Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffee. They are flavored malt beverages, meaning the source of alcohol is a fermented base made from grain, including malted barley (so they’re not gluten-free).
In the Spiked Ice Tea category, there will be four flavors, each at 5% alcohol by volume (ABV): Slightly Sweet Iced Tea, Half & Half Iced Tea, Strawberry Dragonfruit Iced Tea Refresher and Mango Pineapple Iced Tea Refresher. As Dunkin’ devotees already know, the latter pair are versions of the nonalcoholic Refreshers served at shops around the country. According to the site, they contain between 15 and 30 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce serving, depending on the flavor.
These can be purchased as: a 12-can mix pack (three 12-ounce cans of each flavor), six pack of 12-ounce Slightly Sweet Spiked Iced Tea cans and single 19.2-ou nce Slightly Sweet Spiked Iced Tea cans.
The chain’s Spiked Iced Coffee will also come four flavors, each at a slightly more potent 6% ABV: Original Iced Coffee, Caramel Iced Coffee, Mocha Iced Coffee and Vanilla Iced Coffee. These contain about 30 milligrams per 12-ounce serving, according to the site.
These can be purchased as: a 12-can mix pack (three 12-ounce cans of each flavor), four pack of 12-ounce Original Spiked Iced Coffee cans and single 19.2-ounce Original Spiked Iced Coffee cans.
When and where will Dunkin’ Spiked products be available?
The coffee chain says the new drinks will be available in late August.
The drinks will be available in the following 12 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont, with more states to come in 2024. They will not be available in Dunkin’ restaurants. To locate nearby stores, customers can use the product finder on the Dunkin’ Spiked website.
This is not the first time Dunkin’ has lent its flavors to the canned booze category.
On Sept. 6, 2022, Dunkin’ announced it was continuing its years-long partnership with Harpoon Brewery by re-releasing its Harpoon Dunkin’ Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale.
In addition, it offered three new Dunkin’ coffee beers: Harpoon Dunkin’ Cold Brew Coffee Porter, Harpoon Dunkin’ Hazelnut Blonde Stout and Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Roll Cream Ale, all which live in Harpoon’s Limited offerings.
How are people reacting to the news?
Two humorous tweets pretty much sum up the public’s reaction to Dunkin’ Spiked.
“The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will not survive this,” tweeted X (formerly known as Twitter) user Jordan Meehan.
“Boston after the spiked Dunkin’ is released,” tweeted another user Julia Claire, including an image of Paul Revere’s engraving of the Boston Massacre.
