Coffee vs. Beer Showdown: Why massachusetts Baristas Are Now Pouring Cold Brew Drafts Over Hops
In a bizarre twist on the state's craft beverage culture, baristas in massachusetts are ditching traditional espresso for an unexpected ingredient: hoppy cold brew. This new trend is blurring the line between the morning coffee run and the afternoon beer crawl.
Here are the top 5 things you need to know about this viral phenomenon:
- The Hybrid Drink: Called the "Hop-Infused Nitro," this beverage combines cold-brewed coffee with a subtle, non-alcoholic infusion of Citra hops. The result is a crisp, citrusy flavor profile that mimics a session IPA.
- Why massachusetts? The state's dual reputation for world-class IPAs (The Alchemist, Tree House) and meticulous coffee roasters (George Howell, Gracenote) made it the perfect laboratory for this experiment. Local roasters are collaborating directly with breweries to source spent hops.
- The Science Behind It: Baristas are using a technique called "dry-hopping" for coffee. Instead of boiling, raw hops are steeped in the cold brew for just 4-6 hours to extract aromatic oils without the bitterness. The drink is then charged with nitrogen for a creamy, Guinness-like head.
- Morning or Night? The viral TikTok videos (#MABrew) show people sipping these at 7 AM and again at 5 PM. The caffeine content is standard (150mg), but the hoppy aroma tricks some drinkers into thinking it's a beer, leading to a playful "is this booze?" question at the counter.
- Where to Find It: Currently, the trend is isolated to three high-volume cafes in Boston and Cambridge, with a pop-up planned for the Holyoke St. Art Walk. Expect long waits; one shop sold out of its experimental batch in 45 minutes yesterday.