You have probably seen it by now. That color-changing tropical lemonade that took over everyone's feed this summer. It starts a deep purple, fades to pink, and tastes like a tropical afternoon in a cup. Starbucks calls it the Tropical Butterfly Lemonade Refresher, and it is having a real moment.

Here is the fun part. You can make your own version at home with loose leaf tea. One batch fills a pitcher, so you end up with about six cups instead of one. And you get to skip the drive-thru line.

Why make it at home

A cafe version runs about $6.45 for a single grande. This recipe makes a whole pitcher for the cost of a few spoonfuls of tea and some lemonade mix. You also get to dial in the sweetness and the caffeine yourself, and you brew it in your own kitchen, on your own time.

It is the kind of thing you mix up in five minutes, let sit overnight, and have waiting for you the next day.

What gives it that tropical flavor

The drink gets its layered flavor from three of our blends, plus our lemonade mix.

Butterfly Effect (Mango Peach) brings the mango, along with the butterfly pea flower behind that color shift. Road Trip Refresher (Passionfruit Orange Guava) covers the passionfruit and guava base. Pineapple Pop adds the bright pineapple note. And our Deluxe Lemonade Mix is the tart, sweet finish that pulls it all together.

About that color

The color change is real, and it is the butterfly pea flower doing the work. The flower steeps into a deep blue tea. When the lemonade hits it, the acidity shifts the color toward pink and purple right in the glass. Pour it over ice and watch it happen. It is half the reason people love this drink.

A note on caffeine

The green and white tea in Butterfly Effect give this a light, easy lift, so it lands somewhere between an iced tea and a refresher. Just right for an afternoon when you want a little something without a full cup of coffee.

The Recipe

Makes about 6 cups · serves 4 over ice

For the iced tea

• 1 tsp Butterfly Effect (Mango Peach)
• 1 tsp Road Trip Refresher (Passionfruit Orange Guava)
• 1 tsp Pineapple Pop
• 3 cups cold water

For the lemonade

• 6 tbsp Deluxe Lemonade Mix
• 3 cups cold water

Cold brew the tea

1. In a jar or pitcher, combine all three loose teas (3 tsp total) with 3 cups of cold water.
2. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight (8 to 12 hours) to cold brew.
3. Once steeped, strain out the tea leaves using a fine-mesh strainer or infuser.

Make the lemonade

1. In a separate pitcher, stir 6 tbsp of Deluxe Lemonade Mix into 3 cups of cold water.
2. Stir until the powder fully dissolves.

Assemble and serve

1. Fill a tall glass with plenty of ice.
2. Pour equal parts lemonade and tropical iced tea, a 50/50 split, into the glass.
3. Give it a quick stir and enjoy.

A few tips

Make it ahead. The tea cold brews overnight, and the lemonade keeps happily in the fridge, so you can have both ready to pour all week.

Adjust the sweetness to taste. More lemonade mix leans sweeter and tarter. Less keeps it lighter and lets the fruit come through.

Serve it cold and over lots of ice. This one is meant to be a refresher, so do not be shy with the ice.

Want a little flourish? A lemon wheel or a few frozen berries on top make it feel like a treat.

Ready to brew a batch

This drink is built for warm afternoons and sharing a pitcher with someone. Mix it up tonight and it is ready by morning.

You will need four things to make it: Butterfly Effect, Road Trip Refresher, Pineapple Pop, and our Deluxe Lemonade Mix. Grab all four below, or start with a sampler if you would like to taste a few blends before you stock up.