I can’t recall a time when I was torn between a glass of red wine or a cup of coffee, but if this conundrum ever occurs, there’s now a solution: Apothic Brew.
The limited-release wine is made by infusing a dark red blend with cold brew coffee, giving the vino a coffee-esque flavor with notes of red fruit and toasted oak. Sadly, the wine has less caffeine than a cup of decaf coffee, so you may not be replacing your daily latte with the stuff anytime soon.
Apothic cited the ongoing “cold brew craze” as the inspiration for their newest wine. Winemaker Deb Juergenson said in a press release that she joined in on the craze last year, needing a little assistance to make it through the long hours of the harvest season.
“Quickly, I realized that many of the characteristics of cold brew coffee and red wine naturally complement each other. This led us to experiment with a few blends, eventually leading to the seamless creation of Apothic Brew.”
The winery itself is no stranger to innovation, and recently released Inferno, a red blend that was aged in whiskey barrels. “We’ve always sought to break the mold to bring our fans products we know they will love. Apothic Brew is a game changer that offers the best of both worlds… and I can’t wait for people to try it,” said Christine Jagher, the winery’s Director of Marketing. Apothic recommends trying it at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Though the idea seems novel, blending coffee and wine isn’t new. Last year, a winery in Virginia created a merlot-infused coffee. They infused 100 percent Arabica coffee beans in aged oak wine barrels. You’ll get a cup of joe with fresh, red berry flavors and hints of currant. Unlike Apothic’s creation, this coffee does have caffeine — but no alcohol.
On a broader scale, adding alcohol to coffee is something that’s become mainstream. We recently reported on the new gin and tonic-inspired cold brew at Starbucks, and according to Moneyish, Intelligentsia is planning to release a coffee beer in collaboration with Goose Island Brewery. This high-end coffee chain also released a bourbon stout brewed with espresso last year. You might also remember that last year, Jack Daniel’s concocted a whiskey-infused (albeit non-alcoholic) coffee.
It seems that we might be getting a little closer to cocktail hour at the coffee shop. That’s definitely something to be excited about.
