Some Trends in Coffee

Posted on: 2016-02-19 11:36 AM

When it comes to our favorite morning (and sometimes afternoon) beverage, we often find ourselves wondering: What's next? Each season, we wait with bated breath to see what the next major coffee trend will be. But really, we want to know now: What will come after nitro cold brew, draft lattes, and the latest flavored coffee drinks?
 
To find out, we asked the experts from top coffee shops and chains what they think the future of coffee will look like. Ahead, read their responses and get some professional insight into what you might be ordering next.
 
Cold Sweet Coffee Rising
 
"In my opinion, hot coffee had the focus of innovation during the past decade, with a huge number of flavor innovations. However, in the last couple of years, the light has started to shine on cold coffee drinks, and I think we are just getting started.
 
"Recently we we attended a Cold Brew Throwdown at Stumptown Coffee headquarters — roasters and brewers and baristas from around the Northwest showcased innovative drinks with cold brew coffee as the base ingredient: Date Coffee Shakes, Hopped Cold Brew, Cold Brew Sodas, etc. The possibilities are endless. Additionally, we continue to see restaurants, bars, and mixologists create amazing cold brew cocktails. So much potential for brunch deliciousness!
 
"I think draft has to be a part of the conversation, too...and great coffee bars do not open without draft systems now. I think you'll see expansion of that in years to come. We can all remember when bars had three to four tap handles of beer, and now that number has exploded. With innovation in cold brew and other drinks, the draft offerings in cafes will likely follow suit."
 
Increasing trend to see more signature drinks
 
"The trend we noticed is the rise in signature sweetened drinks. Not too long ago, it wasn't uncommon that specialty cafes weren't carrying even milk and sugar... We have found that our past signature drinks, the Apple Betty and Espresso Julep, were a big hit with our customers and well-received in the coffee community. Sprudge even puts together a 'Feel-Good Drinks of the Fall' list. This year, our fall drink takes coffee creativity a step further with our Maple Sage Latte — definitely stop in and try one!
 
Coffee Producers are improving waste handling
 
"In terms of coffee production, waste removal is a major buzz trend. Farmers using the cherry skin that's removed during the coffee-harvesting process and [turning] it into a coffee flour for use in baking is one way — and roasting the green cherries, cherries that are removed at harvest by mechanical means...so that you can use all of the harvest, is another."


I have a few more trends that I’m following so keep checking back. I’ll post here when I think that they are genuine.