Dunkin' Spiked Coffee Doesn't Use Liquor To Get You Buzzed. It Has This Instead

America runs on its coffee — but Dunkin's taken things up a notch with a spiked version of its brews. With a pretty constant calendar of creative launches, such as Sabrina Carpenter's espresso launch, Dunkin' is no newcomer to mixing up its menu offerings. But you won't see these drinks at the drive-thru for obvious reasons, so keep an eye out for the Dunkin' Spiked line on retail shelves across select states. 

These canned alcoholic drinks — in spiked coffee, hard tea, and fruity refreshing flavors — aren't made with actual hard liquor, but are indeed alcoholic — most clocking in at a respectable 6% ABV per can (cue the "Drunkin'" jokes — sorry, we had to). It's the addition of malt that gives them their boozy punch and 21+ stamp — the same type of alcohol used to spike Mike's Hard Lemonade or a can of White Claw. 

For the unfamiliar, malt is a type of beer, strictly speaking, made from fermented grains. The booze provides a higher ABV compared to a typical beer, but is decidedly cheaper to mass produce and less strong than, say, a shot of tequila or whiskey. And because malt is sweet, but doesn't have a too robust or fizzy flavor profile of its own, it plays well as an add-in — it doesn't overpower lighter or flavored drinks like these spiked coffees and teas.

For those who like their caffeine with something a little harder and are near retailers carrying the line, you'll have options. Since the launch back in 2023 (yes, this has been a thing!), the line included eight varieties — including original iced coffee, caramel, vanilla, and mocha flavors, all made with real Dunkin' coffee, flavoring, and malt. As a nice bonus, all beverages are dairy-free — though they do contain gluten from the malt itself. Recently, Dunkin' introduced a limited edition Summertime S'mores latte, in addition to other seasonally inspired cans like the Peppermint Mocha and Pumpkin Spice Latte (of course!).

Feeling a drink that's a little less coffee-forward, a little more refreshing to sip poolside or at a get-together? Dunkin' has that, too, with its line of iced teas — in flavors including Kiwi Watermelon Refresher, Slightly Sweet Iced Tea, Half and Half Iced Tea, Strawberry Dragonfruit Iced Tea, and Mango Pineapple Iced Tea — all also spiked with malt. As far as the taste and what to expect, reviews online are mixed. Some delight in the booze/coffee combo, and others swear these deserve a spot on the list of Dunkin' drinks to avoid. If you're generally a fan of the coffee chain, though, and looking to add in a little boozy fun, it might be worth picking up a can (or six-pack or mixed 12-pack) to crack open and test out at your next tailgate, picnic, or pool day.