Oh man am I excited about this one! For the past few months I’ve been working with my friends over at Stumptown Coffee on their seasonal beverage program. Craft cocktails, meet craft coffee! I mean, obviously I’ve always been a huge fan of coffee cocktails, but this is the first time I’ve gotten the opportunity to design non-alcoholic coffee drinks with the very best in the business.
I approached it the way we do at the bars, kinda turning the conventionality about coffee drinks on its head and doing something different and not off-the-shelf. Which of course meant we’d get to use a bunch of fresh ingredients and make our syrups in-house (this is my jam).
The first two are a lot of fun. The Citrus Cold Brew Shrub pairs apple cider vinegar and lemon with tasty Stumptown cold brew for something tart and earthy. And the Honey Peppercorn Latte has a little grapefruit peel to take the whole thing to a different place than other coffee drinks you’re used to.
The first drink, the Citrus Cold Brew Shrub, is something to take the edge off. It’s got a lot of apple cider vinegar and lemon set up against that dense and rich Stumptown Cold Brew. It’s really about balancing those flavors and playing with contrast. It’s meant to be unexpected.
The second drink is called the Honey Peppercorn Latte. It’s just playful and light and fun. It’s meant to shake things up a little bit, as all of these drinks are going to do. Fresh black pepper cracked on top of a latte is really unexpected and then it works and you’re kind of left thinking about it.
Both of these are available at every Stumptown location in the country now. Stay tuned for the next drinks in the series: we’ll be doing this all year long.
Wish there was a stumptown in my town. What brand chambray workshirt is that? I want to dress like you.
I am obsessed with the citrus cold brew shrub. Delicious. Best thing I’ve had all year.
Aw thank you. And just wait, we’ve got lots more delicious ones coming out this year!
That cold brew shrub sounds great. Can you suggest ratios for making it at home? I’m nowhere near a Stumptown.
Aw man, I wish I could, but you know… Anyway, a little shrub, a lot of cold brew, and a nearly equal amount of chilled soda water should do the trick 😉 I’m sure you can figure it out on your own.