Known for its coffee, doughnuts, and quintessentially Canadian vibe, Tim Hortons is Canada’s largest restaurant chain. What do you order when you’re feeling a bit parched?
The Tim Hortons refreshers, of course!
So which refresher should you order? That’s where we come in! We’ve ranked them all so you can try the perfect drink for you.
10 Must-Try Tim Hortons Refreshers
Made from a delicious blend of green tea and real organic fruit juice, these refreshers offer clean energy without a colossal caffeine content.
They're perfect for a little pick-me-up on a hot summer afternoon, or if you are in for a tasty beverage that won't keep you up all night.
1. Pineapple Coconut Sugar-Free Red Bull
Okay, we know we said that the refreshers are caffeine-free, and that's typically true.
However, the Pineapple Coconut Sugar-Free Red Bull is a revitalizing tropical paradise in a cup that you just have to try.
It's surprisingly hard to find out exactly what they put in the refresher, but we do know that they add an entire Red Bull, coconut syrup, and pineapple juice.
The natural citrusy flavors of the Red Bull blend surprisingly well with the pineapple and coconut, creating the ultimate summer drink. Red Bull refreshers are only available in US locations, currently.[1]
2. Raspberry Tropical Red Bull
If the rich red color of the drink doesn’t get your attention, the unique flavor profile of the Raspberry Tropical Red Bull sure will.
Once again, the Red Bull combines perfectly with this new refresher, offering a jolt of energy to start the day with. We felt that while there’s a slight raspberry tang to it, it tastes more like fruit punch.
3. Strawberry Lemonade
We were worried about this one having a really sweet taste, but we were pleasantly surprised! If you aren’t a fan of Red Bull or want to cut back on the caffeine, this Tim Hortons refresher is perfect.
Rather than using sweet, artificial lemonade, they use lemon oil and lemon juice to create a more authentic, light flavor.
The acidity perfectly compliments the green tea, while the sugar and strawberry syrup adds a bit of indulgence.
With a bit of Vitamin C and minimal calorie content, it's one of the "healthiest" on the Tim Hortons menu.
Nutritional Facts:
4. Blue Raspberry Coconut Original Red Bull
Out of all the refresher drinks, the Blue Raspberry Coconut Original Red Bull may have the most unique flavor. It contains the obvious Red Bull, along with raspberry and coconut syrups.
The combination may not seem obvious, but it's surprisingly good on a hot day! Just be wary that the sugar content is pretty high, as each one contains 29g and 112 kcal.
5. Nitro Refresher
Coffee lovers aren't left out of the refresher fam, don't worry! The Nitro Refresher is intense in flavor and caffeine.[2]
The coffee blend is steeped for over 16 hours and infused with nitrogen to create a silky-smooth texture that's a pleasure to sip on.
This alone makes it easy to love, but the lasting energy boost all day long keeps customers coming back for more.
6. Strawberry Coconut
The Strawberry Coconut Refresher features a mixture of strawberry syrup, coconut milk, and strawberry juice/extract and is absolutely delightful!
It has a kind of strawberries-and-cream feel with a tropical twist, thanks to the addition of coconut milk.
With its pink color, many customers thought the drink would taste like the Starbucks Pink Drink, but it's very different. Specifically, it is sweeter due to the ratio of strawberry syrup vs coconut milk.
Based on feedback, it seems to be one of the few Tim Hortons Refreshers that customers either seem to love or hate.
The Strawberry Coconut Refreshers are pretty heavy on calories and sugar, however, so keep that in mind.
Nutritional Facts:
7. BlackBerry Mint
BlackBerry Mint is one of their new refreshers and is one of the most popular!
In fact, Tim Hortons had actually discontinued it for a time, and there was such high demand for it from customers that they decided to bring the drink back!
Made with real blackberries, invigorating mint, and green tea, this drink is the most refreshing of the refreshers. The unique combination is just slightly sweet but overall feels light and thirst-quenching.
We also appreciated how "natural" the taste was, whereas some of the other Tim Hortons refreshers taste a bit artificial.
If you're going to try any of these, make sure it's the BlackBerry Mint refresher!
8. Orange Tangerine
Just like the Blackberry Mint Refresher, the Orange Tangerine refresher was also supposed to be a limited edition but was brought back due to popular demand.
The tangy orange flavor and tart tangerine combined with green tea is packed with vitamin C, perfect for keeping that immune system strong (maybe that's just an excuse to continue drinking these tasty drinks!)
If you're into citrus, the Orange Tangerine-flavored Refresher is simply the best option!
9. Lemonade Refreshers
Customers absolutely seem to love the Lemonade Refreshers, thanks to its light and tangy taste! It's a simpler flavor profile than the Strawberry Lemonade and is significantly less sweet.
The refresher is comprised mostly of water, along with some lemon oil, lemon juice, and a bit of sugar.
10. Sunrise Sunset
This Red Bull-infused refresher drink is one of the most popular drinks, and feedback has been great from customers!
It's undoubtedly named after the electric orange, yellow, and red appearance. The refresher features an interesting mix of raspberry syrup and Red Bull Yellow Edition.
That sounds straightforward, but what does the Red Bull Yellow Edition taste like?
It tastes like orange mango and frankly has a much stronger flavor than regular or sugar-free Red Bull. It tastes a bit more like orange tangerine, with a notable tropical profile.
Each sip results in an explosion of flavors, with a kind of fizzy feeling in the mouth thanks to the energy drink.
What Are Tim Hortons Refreshers?
Tim Hortons refreshers are water-based drinks that include additional ingredients to make for light, flavor-packed, and energizing thirst quenchers.
Ingredients
It all depends on the drink you order, but aside from water, they will add Red Bull, blackberry, tangy orange, tart tangerine, coconut milk, mint, green tea, passion fruit syrup, lemon oil, and other fruit juices.
Nutritional Information
There's unfortunately not much out there (even on the company's website) about the nutritional information regarding Tim Hortons refreshers.
However, the regular Red Bull has up to 168 kcal and 29g of sugar. Add syrups on top of that, and it's even more.
The Nitro and Lemonade Refreshers are probably the "healthiest" of the bunch, seeing as they have minimal sweetener added and are lighter on calories.
Customers appreciate that there are options for everyone, no matter their diet.
Cost Breakdown
Each refresher comes in a Small (14 oz.), Medium (20 oz.), and size Large (24 oz.). Let’s take a look at the cost of each, in each size.
Refresher Cost By Size | 14 oz | 20 oz | 24 oz |
|---|---|---|---|
Blackberry Mint Refresher | $2.69 | $3.29 | $3.89 |
Orange Tangerine Refresher | $2.89 | $3.49 | $4.09 |
Strawberry Coconut Refresher | $2.78 | $3.38 | $3.98 |
Lemonade Refresher | $2.69 | $3.29 | $3.89 |
Strawberry Lemonade | $2.77 | $3.37 | $3.97 |
Blue Raspberry Coconut Original Red Bull-Infused Refresher | $2.79 | $3.39 | $3.99 |
Pineapple Coconut Sugar-Free Red Bull-Infused Refresher | $2.81 | $3.41 | $4.01 |
Raspberry Tropical Red Bull Refresher | $2.79 | $3.39 | $3.99 |
Nitro Refresher | $2.40 | $2.75 | $3.00 |
*Note that prices may vary depending on the store. This is an average we found from regular visits to our local Tim Horton cafes.
Tips When Ordering Refreshers At Tim Hortons
Not every refresher is available at every Timmy's place of business. However, there are some occasions where you can ask them to custom-make one for you, and it's possible.
Other times, the store won't even have the ingredient to do so.
Many customers have ordered refreshers not listed on the menu at certain locations before, and they were able to be modified to make it as close to the original as possible.
For example, they may not have the Blackberry Mint refreshers on the menu, but they could carry the mint and syrups necessary to make it.
Many prefer ordering refreshers on the app, which can mean less wait time when you're on the go![3] Depending on the place and home country you order from, however, you may have limited choices.
Refresher Showdown - Tim Hortons Vs Starbucks Vs Dutch Bros
Tim Hortons Refreshers vs Starbucks
One major factor that sets the best Starbucks’ refreshers apart from Tim Hortons’ is that Starbucks uses green coffee beans in theirs, which makes them caffeinated.
We also noticed that their green tea has a more heavily sweetened taste, along with most of their refreshers, in general.
However, Tim Hortons carries less variety of syrup flavors and generally only offers a few refresher options per location compared to Sbux.
Tim Hortons Refreshers vs Dutch Bros
Tim’s refreshers with caffeine use Red Bull energy drink, while Dutch Bros uses their own Blue Rebel energy drink.[4]
Dutch Bros also offers iced teas and lemonades, along with their iced sodas that are somewhat similar. Overall, Dutch Bros has a much wider variety and you can customize the taste much more.
Both taste delicious, with unique flavor profiles your mouth is sure to thank you for.
Frequently Asked Tim Hortons Refresher Questions
Do Tim Hortons refreshers have caffeine?
Some Tim Hortons refreshers have caffeine, but not all of them. Mostly, they're just the ones that say "Red Bull" in the name.
Do Tim Hortons refreshers contain real fruit?
Not all Tim Hortons refreshers contain real fruit, but the berry-flavored ones do!
Do all Tim Hortons stores have refreshers?
All Tim Hortons stores have refreshers, but not every location offers every flavor.
Does Tim Hortons still have quenchers?
Yes, they still offer a Freshly Brewed Iced Tea Quencher and the Real Fruit Quenchers.
Conclusion
If you’re sick of only getting coffee at Timmy’s or want to reduce your caffeine intake, their refreshers are a fantastic alternative.
Whether you want to start your morning off with a bang with a Red Bull-type refresher, or just want to cool down with an icy drink - they do it all.
Do yourself a favor and order that delicious Blackberry Mint drink - you’re sure to return for another!
References:
1. https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/tim-hortons-boost-red-bull-us
2. https://timhortons.co.th/product/nitro-cold-brew/
3. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tim-hortons/id1143883086
4. https://www.dutchbros.com/menu/dutch-bros-rebel-energy-drink
