Please join us in raising a glass to Cupping Room Manager Stacey Lynden, who took first place in the Canadian Coffee in Good Spirits competition this April at the Restaurants Canada show in Toronto! A mixology aficionado as well as coffee expert, the Coffee in Good Spirits event was a perfect fit for Stacey's many talents. Stacey's win comes hot on the heels of her Swiss Water cupping lab colleague Kunie Inaba winning the Canadian Brewer's Cup Champion title. We couldn't be more proud of that we get to work with such passionate and talented national champions!
Coffee In Good Spirits is part of the World Coffee Events series of competitions, and showcases the creativity and bartending skills of competitors preparing signature-created alcoholic drinks that include coffee as an ingredient. Entrants must prepare hot and cold coffee cocktails of their own design and—naturally—an Irish coffee!
Stacey's first designer drink creation, "The Apple of My Pie," featured featured Wayward Distillery Drunken Hive Rum, apple liqueur, cherry syrup, honey simple syrup, and a cold brew coffee concentrate made with an exciting anaerobic process Ombligon variety of coffee, grown by Colombian producer Nestor Lasso at Finca El Divisio, and roasted by Hatch Coffee.
"It’s a big personality coffee with a lot of red fruit flavours—raspberry, cherry, and strawberry—roasted by an exceptional roaster," says Lynden. "I knew that with these fruity flavours it would pair just as well with a refreshing cold cocktail as it would with a warm, comforting cocktail."
Her second cocktail creation was her interpretation of the Irish Coffee, called "Sweater Weather". This drink also starred Ombligon, alongside Irish whisky, Odd Society Spirits Prospector Rye, simple syrup, and whipped cream.
Long inspired by legendary North American cocktail institution Death & Co. which originally started in New York City, and local Vancouver night spots like The Keefer Bar and Bao Bei, Stacey has more cocktail adventures to look forward to when she travels to Copenhagen this June to compete at the top level. The World Coffee in Good Sprits competition will take place in late June in conjunction with World of Coffee. We'll be cheering her on from Vancouver, as well as at booth #CJ-016 on the show floor!
Until then...cheers!
