Photograph by Jasmeen Shaqueita
Citrus and coffee may seem like an unusual flavor pairing, but to barista Paul Judy, it just makes sense. “Coffee has a lot of natural acidity to it already,” explains Judy, who works at Valor Coffee in Dunwoody. Specialty coffee shops often serve lightly roasted coffee that have naturally fruity notes. “There’s already kind of this citrus going on in a lot of the coffees. These fun takes on them just highlight it a little bit more,” says Judy. If you’re not already, here’s why you should keep an eye out for this refreshing combo this summer.
Recent years have brought Atlanta a slew of coffee shops with a cocktail-like approach to their drinks (only instead of booze, there’s coffee). Places like Academy Coffee in Virginia-Highland and Gilly Brew Bar in Stone Mountain whip up drinks using tinctures and bitters, giving them more dimension than your standard vanilla latte. They also don’t shy away from unique flavor pairings that one might find on an innovative bar menu, like olive oil and bay leaf. It’s no surprise, then, that when the temperatures begin their steady climb, Atlanta baristas turn to citrus for their caffeinated concoctions.
At Valor, for example, one such spring drink was the I’m Zesty and I Know It. Lime-agave cold foam tops off cold brew concentrate, garnished with lime zest and vanilla bean. “We like the way it kind of comes out like a Key lime pie,” says Judy.
“Coffee comes from a [cherry-like fruit], and what we’re making coffee from is actually the pit of the cherry that’s been cleaned, dried, and then roasted,” says Johnni Jesus, East Pole Coffee Co.’s general manager. Jesus played off the chocolate notes of East Pole’s signature roast, called Traffic, for his Sprojito. Jesus began his take on a Cuban mojito with cucumber-lime sparkling water instead of the usual club soda, but the sparkling water and espresso alone were not enough. “I thought, Let’s add a little bit of actual lime juice, and then let’s add some body to it by adding cream of coconut.” says Jesus. The refreshingly tangy, tropical drink has proved to be a hit.
Lime isn’t the only citrus that gets along well with coffee. Orange does, too. At Perc Coffee’s five locations in Atlanta, orange plays a role in a couple of their seasonal drinks. The Disco Tonic, a creation dreamed up by retail director Amber Foreman and quality assurance manager Addison Mathis, features espresso made with Perc’s Tanzania roast, tonic water, orange simple syrup, orange bitters, and an orange peel garnish. “We find the citrus elevates the flavors that already exist in the coffee,” says Foreman. “In this drink specifically, because it has the tonic and tonic is a little bit bitter, it just adds a bright, crisp sweetness to the drink.” On the other hand, their Cold Fashioned relies on their chocolaty, nutty Brazilian roast, which they blend with orange bitters, simple syrup, and a Luxardo cherry garnish. “It’s a riff on the cocktail, and we find that the orange just brings a little bit of crispness and lightness to it, and it really contrasts the flavors,” says Foreman.
This summer, caffeine fiends can expect to see more citrus on menus. “We have a new barista who wants to make a cherry-lime kind of soda water drink with espresso. So we’ll definitely have something along the same lines,” says Jesus.
This article appears in our July 2024 issue.
The post Things we like: Citrus-infused coffee drinks appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.