Exclusively at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle, Starbucks is now serving a new Gin Barrel-Aged Cold Brew.
Over the past few years coffee culture has taken off, and with it, countless cold brew beverages have been unveiled. In the same way that whiskey may be aged in wine barrels and other types of alcohol have their flavor subtly altered in this way, Starbucks' newest small-batch Rwandan coffee beans are aged in oak barrels at the Seattle-based gin distillery Big Gin.
As the barrels used by the partnering distillery originally held bourbon, the taste of the finished Gin Barrel-Aged Cold Brew from Starbucks is said to have a "warm botanical essence that highlights its bright citrus notes and caramel finish."
What's Driving This Trend
- Barrel-aged Cold Brews
- Opportunity for coffee companies to experiment with aging their cold brews in different types of barrels for unique flavor profiles.
- Small-batch Coffee Beans
- Businesses can focus on sourcing and highlighting unique small-batch coffee beans to attract coffee enthusiasts looking for distinct flavors.
- Collaborations with Distilleries
- Partnerships between coffee companies and distilleries offer the potential for innovative and distinctive flavor combinations.
Who This Affects Most
- Coffee
- Coffee companies can explore opportunities to innovate and differentiate in the crowded market by offering unique barrel-aged cold brews.
- Craft Distilleries
- Distilleries can expand their market and product offerings by collaborating with coffee companies to age their coffee beans in their used barrels.
- Beverage Retail
- In the beverage retail sector, there is an opportunity to cater to connoisseurs by offering barrel-aged cold brews as a premium and unique product.
