COLUMBUS, Ohio, U.S. – Ohio caffeine addicts, rejoice: Award-winning coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea releases its newest drink innovation on April 9. The roaster’s new Canned Cold Brew features direct trade Guatemala Antigua coffee inspired by a legendary ghost dog.
“We are proud to release the perfect canned coffee,” said Founder and President Greg Ubert. “This smooth, naturally sweet and chocolatey cold brew is the favorite drink of cuppers at the Crimson Cup Innovation Lab, who traveled 84,000 miles last year to seek out the world’s best java.”
The initial release features Crimson Cup’s Finca El Cadejo craft coffee, named after a mythical Guatemalan dog believed to shepherd drinkers safely home after a night of indulgence.
Crimson Cup sources Finca El Cadejo through its Friend2Farmer direct trade program. Grown by Mario Rodas and his mother Lucrecia on their small farm in the Antigua region of Guatemala, the coffee tastes slightly sweet with notes of bittersweet chocolate, floral and citrus.
“With our Friend2Farmer coffee, you can enjoy each sip knowing that the farmers who grew your coffee earned a fair return on their crop,” said Coffee Buyer Dave Eldridge. “We invest in farmers and their communities to help create sustainable, economic change for future generations.”
Ubert said it took about a year to develop the Canned Cold Brew. “We were looking for a sustainably sourced coffee with superior smoothness,” he said. “Made with just coffee and filtered water, our Canned Cold Brew is smooth from start to finish.
“With no added sugar, this naturally sweet beverage is perfect for health-conscious coffee drinkers, though we are confident all coffee lovers will enjoy this amazing cold coffee on the go,” he added.
To celebrate the launch, Crimson Cup Coffee Houses in Clintonville, Upper Arlington and Tallmadge, Ohio will sell Canned Cold Brew for $1 per can on April 9 only, while supplies last. An 11-oz. can normally costs $3.99. The coffee houses also will offer active samplings the first few weeks of the launch.
The drink debuts the following day at Weilands Market in Clintonville and The Hills Market Downtown and in Worthington. Look for the locally canned coffee in the refrigerated section.
Although initially available only in Ohio, Ubert expects rapid growth in distribution. “We believe we have the best-tasting product in a booming category,” Ubert said, noting that sales of cold-brewed coffee have quadrupled since 2015.
Crimson Cup coffee has been judged among the best in the nation. The roaster was named 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year by Roast magazine, the flagship publication of the specialty coffee industry. Its Ethiopian Kossa Kebena coffee won a 2017 Good Food Award and was a finalist for a 2019 Good Food Award. Crimson Cup coffees have also brought home trophies and medals from the America’s Best Espresso and Golden Bean North America roasting competitions.
