In honour of International Coffee Day on Monday 1st October, The Grounds are celebrating with a week long line up of new ways to to try your coffee. Whether you like a classic latte, take it iced or prefer it at the end of your day in an old fashioned, there’s something for everyone.
Designed by Head of Training and licensed Q Grader, Andrew Hunt, each of these new drinks showcases coffee in a new way.
“Coffee is an incredibly versatile beverage and as a specialty coffee roaster, we’re always seeking new ways to bring out the best in our coffees and innovate our offerings.” – Andrew Hunt
Launching in The Grounds of Alexandria on Tuesday, and The Grounds of the City on Wednesday, here’s what’s on rotation:
The Espresso Tonic
Tonic water and espresso has long been known to be a fantastic pairing; the bitterness of both come together in a surprisingly sweet way and is incredibly refreshing. In our take on the espresso tonic, we’ve used elderflower tonic water, which pairs fantastically well with the fruitiness of this naturally processed castillo micro-lot espresso from Diofanor Ruiz, whose farm is located in in Buenavista, Quindío Colombia. Or for a more floral take, try it with the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Aricha espresso at The Grounds of the City.
Raspberry Cascara Latte
This is a playful twist on one of the most popular coffee drinks, the latte. A by-product of the coffee producing process from origin that’s often overlooked are the skins of the coffee cherries. These pulped skins, known as cascara, are often composted following the removal of the seeds (coffee beans) but in this instance, we’ve used their character to add fragrance and sweetness. Raspberries offset the sweetness with texture and acidity, and add colour to create a point of difference in the presentation.
The Colombiano:
Proof that coffee based cocktails shouldn’t always need to be espresso martinis or Irish coffees, this cocktail incorporates a reduced cascara syrup to add a sweet cranberry-like bitterness, reminiscent of the orange bitterness in a classic Americano. Combined with a dash of espresso, these elements really come together with great balance and lingering sweetness and bitterness.
