The Future - Cherry Soda

The Future has been a beloved staple on our year-round menu for quite awhile now. With it, we have been able to showcase excellence in processing techniques, particularly in regard to anaerobic and co-fermentation endeavors.. Our goal with each of these unique blends is to elevate flavor as the guiding principle for each creation.

HOW WE GOT HERE | The flavor phenomenon that is cherry soda was first discovered in soda fountains in the 1950s, where skilled soda jerks often experimented with various soda-syrup flavor combinations for the patrons who frequented their establishments. It was at one of these such counters that a delightful discovery was made: Coca-Cola and cherry syrup tasted pretty darn good together. 

The mixture gained so much popularity in the years that followed, it eventually captured the attention of the soda giant itself. Finally, in 1982, Coca-Cola unveiled Cherry Coke as its latest product at the World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, solidifying a place for this symbol of nostalgia and innovation on the shelves of grocery stores all over America - and eventually, around the world.

HOW WE DID IT | Recreating this now ubiquitous flavor profile - which consists of cherries, lemon-lime citrus, cinnamon, and vanilla - proved to be quite a challenge for us. It required numerous attempts, endless cuppings, and a careful blend of five different coffees before we got it just right: 

• 40% Ivan Solis - Cinnamon Anaerobic
• 25% Muthatai - Washed
• 20% Equation - Natural
• 10% Edwin Noreña - IPA
• 5% Jairo Arcila - Dragonfruit

TAKE A SIP | The result is a delightful ode to all of those first sips at soda fountains so many years ago. A natural lot from Equation Coffee and Jairo Arcila's dragon fruit co-fermented coffee join forces to give us a big POP! of fruit flavor, like black cherry. Edwin Noreña's IPA experiment lends a lovely complex citrus acidity to the blend. And finally, Ivan Solis's cinnamon co-fermented lot and the sole Kenyan coffee in the mix contribute those nuanced baking flavors for which we were searching - cinnamon, and subtle vanilla. As a whole, the tasting experience is somehow both novel and nostalgic - delighting our taste buds with something brand new, but also reminding us of an old favorite we've enjoyed our whole lives.