The Conversation For Wednesday, August 10

Do you prefer your beverages hot or cold?

I’ve followed trends at Starbucks for the past several years. In that time, I’ve noticed that percentage of iced beverages it sells has been steadily growing.

It was no surprise to me: if I’m going to pick up a drink, I’d prefer that it was cold. Many people I knew in Boston drank Dunkin’ iced coffee year around (even in a snowstorm). I’m also particular about the way I brew hot tea and coffee, and unless I’m at an expert cafe, I’d rather make those myself.

Last week, Starbucks shared a statistic that was surprising to some people. About 75 percent of the beverages Starbucks sells are now iced or cold.