The fall season is upon us at Grand Canyon University… as much as it can be in 100 degree weather. But the burning pavement outside should not deter you from embracing one of the best experiences of fall: chai tea lattes. In a world inundated with coffee and espresso, chai lattes offer a refreshing and sweet drink without the drawbacks of extra caffeine. Students at GCU may be shocked to learn that chais at their local coffee shop GCBC are quite delicious. Unlike ordering GCBC coffee, which is infamous for its inconsistency, you can guarantee a good consistent drink when ordering a chai at GCBC.
Not sure what flavors to start with? Here are some of my favorite fall flavors to experiment with at GCBC.
Pumpkin Chai
This is a basic one, but you may be shocked how many people forget to put pumpkin flavor in their chais. The GCBC pumpkin flavor is subtle but delicious. It does not overpower like store-bought pumpkin flavor, and the baristas even mix some pumpkin spice with the chai. It looks and tastes like the fall season!
Blueberry Maple Chai
This is my personal favorite chai. It looks so delicious that several random students have come up to me at the GCBC pickup to ask for my drink order so they can order it themselves. So far, no one has been disappointed by this combination of flavors. The maple adds to the sweetness of the chai, but the blueberry flavor adds a tanginess not often found in the drink. The blueberry maple chai encapsulates the feeling of the fall harvest.
Classic Maple Chai
If you are not a blueberry person, then you can’t go wrong with a classic maple chai. This one is a bit on the sweeter side, especially since GCBC chais are already sweet. If you like a sweet chai though, this might be the option for you!
Caramel Chai
Adding caramel to a drink is not revolutionary, but it definitely deserves a spot on this list. It is important to be very specific when ordering this drink; just asking for a caramel chai may not guarantee the best version of the drink. Be sure to ask for caramel drizzle. It adds texture to the drink, and you can never go wrong with some caramel sauce adding more flavor!
Lavender Chai
This is an acquired taste, but if you are willing to try new flavors, give a lavender chai a chance! It is one of the more subtle flavors on this list, but it adds a new layer of taste to the traditional GCBC chai. If the flavor is too subtle, you can always ask for extra lavender on your order.
Dirty Chai
Alright, this one is cheating a little bit because there is espresso in this chai. If you really need to get that caffeine fix, this drink offers a lighter variety of caffeine. Just be warned that the coffee might not always be brewed to perfection, so your dirty chai might not be as consistent as the pure chais.
These are some of the most fall-inspired chai flavors on the GCBC menu. The coffee shop offers many more flavors, so don’t be afraid to try other flavors, but these are a great place to start experimenting. Since it’s hard to embrace fall weather while it remains a hundred degrees outside, at least you can embrace the fall with your chai flavor!