Nitro cold brew has been a mainstay at Tacoma, Washington’s Bluebeard Coffee Roasters since 2014. In 2022, they chose to take their offering and can it, for, as the folks at Bluebeard put it, your consumption at leisure. The gorgeous blue cans are distinctive and display the company’s mantra “COFFEE. PEOPLE. COFFEE PEOPLE. From Tacoma, WA.”
The folks at Bluebeard Coffee have been busy with an epic build-out of new roasting facilities and a cafe space at 5428 S Tacoma Way but took the time to speak with us about their RTD offering.
A post shared by Bluebeard Coffee Roasters (@bluebeardcoffee)
We spoke with Bluebeard Coffee’s founder and owner Kevin McGlocklin to find out more.
Tell us about the design of the product.
As our original branding guru (Pat Snavely of Partly Sunny) was too busy, the can design was a delightful collaboration with my upstairs work neighbor, Lex Schoner—whose multifaceted product design and development background spans Amazon, Microsoft, and Stanford Graduate School in Corporate Innovation. We aimed the look and feel pretty squarely at supermarket shelf differentiation, eventually arriving at shaded sky blue background color with both our logo and extended beard logo covering so much of the three-dimensional can that it’s impossible not to know whose juice you’re drinking or looking upon on a busy refrigerator shelf. We are just now running out of the original sleeved can run and currently printing cans for future production runs.
What does it taste like?
I am (and I believe, Lex) super stoked with the taste—which we’ve honed in on for the last decade, involving a rotation of balanced cocoa, caramel, and berry-inflected single-origin Guatemala or Chiapas de Mexico coffees. We TDS right around 1.45%. The hint of nitrogenation favors a gentle shake before opening to achieve that Guinness-effect saturation throughout.
How long have you been working on this project?
A long time. Still seeking proper distribution, although we believe that’s imminently forthcoming.
Where is it available?
Local independent grocers in and around Tacoma, WA. Lots of our local T-town eating and drinking establishments. Fingers crossed Metropolitan Markets current review includes us. They seem pleased. One sip is all we ask.
Thank you!
Get your hands on Bluebeard Coffee Roasters nitro cold brew at their cafe and various indie grocers around the Tacoma area. Check out their official website and Instagram @bluebeardcoffee to learn more.
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Zachary Carlsen
May 24, 2024
