As a lifelong Dutch Bros. fan, I had to try their top drinks of 2022. Here's how it went

Drive past your local Dutch Bros. at pretty much any time of the day and you will likely see a line of cars wrapped around the parking lot. Stickers advertising the drive-thru coffee shop adorn teenagers' water bottles, laptops and even cars. But what is it about Dutch Bros. that inspires such a cult-like following from Arizonans?

Perhaps it is the exceptionally friendly baristas, or the fact that it's open late — some locations are even open 24 hours.

For me, growing up in suburban Peoria, Dutch Bros. played a big role in my teenage years. Shortly after my friends and I turned 16, all we wanted was to feel independent by staying out until midnight. But where? We were too young for bars and most stores and restaurants closed early.

You can't really have a bunch of 16-year-olds dancing and laughing loudly in a Starbucks at 11 p.m. Not only is the store not open that late, but it's also a completely different vibe.

Dutch Bros., on the other hand, welcomes the noise. This is not the cafe where you go to work or study. The music blares from inside the kitchen, where young baristas start up full conversations with people in the notoriously long drive-thru line. The wait times might seem like a deterrent to some, but for us, it was part of the experience.

When you're in high school and you just got your license, the first thing you want to do is pack your friends in the car and dance to your favorite songs blasting through the radio. The Dutch Bros. parking lot welcomes it and will top off your first foray into adulthood with an overloaded energy drink. Or you can park and walk up to the window, past circles of teens and young adults talking with their friends at the limited outside tables.

The 24-hour Dutch Bros. offered us a safe, legal place to go and be with other teenagers at night, and I think that's part of its appeal. That, and epic drinks.

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My go-to order didn't make the top drinks of 2022 list

I love the Rebel energy drinks. With a moderate caffeine content, the Rebel is just enough to give me that extra boost of energy without giving me heart palpitations. In college, I would regularly swing by the Dutch location near ASU after a full day of classes before heading back home to write my thesis, revitalized by the combination of the sugary, blended energy drink and time spent bonding with the also-college-age baristas over drive-thru length conversations.

When Dutch Bros. revealed its top flavors of 2022, it was an apparent tie between the Flap Jack and the Peach Ring, two drinks I'd never ordered before.

I knew I had to try them.

What does the Dutch Bros. Flap Jack taste like?

The Flap Jack is a combination of salted caramel, white chocolate and vanilla. When I ordered mine, the barista recommended that I try it in a breve, so I did, and I got it blended. Immediately after my first sip, I noted that the most powerful taste was the caramel. But as a whole, I can see why it is called Flap Jack — it basically tastes like sweet, caramelly maple syrup.

Surprisingly, though, the sweetness was not overpowering. I actually think it might be one of my new favorite drinks.

What does the Dutch Bros. Peach Ring taste like?

The other top flavor was the "Peach Ring," which consists of white chocolate, passion fruit and peach drizzle. I ordered it in a blended Rebel.

My first sip tasted mostly like any other Rebel — Red Bull-esque with some faint additional sweetness. But after stirring it up a little bit with my straw, I started to "get it." It really does taste exactly like drinking a peach ring candy.

A new Dutch Bros. favorite

Between the Flap Jack and Peach Ring, I would honestly lean more toward the Flap Jack, which was surprising to me as I am a regular Rebel drinker. Maybe that's why the Flap Jack stood out more to me, since it was different. I can't think of a drink from anywhere else that tastes like it.

When it comes to Rebels, even though the Peach Ring delivered on its flavor promise, my favorites remain the classic Gummy Bear made with pomegranate, passion fruit, watermelon and grapefruit, and the now-discontinued strawberry and pomegranate Vampire Slayer.

Don't forget the soft top

Dutch Bros. also reported that in 2022, the chain sold 17.5 million drinks ordered with soft top, a whipped cream-like topping that doesn't melt and dissolve as quickly as the real thing.

My personal favorite drink to order with soft top is the seasonal Holly Jolly Rebel, which is a mix of pomegranate and vanilla with soft top and green sprinkles.

Whether I order my new favorite or a standby, I know Dutch Bros. is going to deliver the caffeinated boost of nostalgia I need. And that's totally worth the wait.

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Reach the reporter at endia.fontanez@gannett.com. Follow @EndiaFontanez on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: I tried Dutch Bros. top flavors of 2022. Here's how they taste