It’s a common summertime scourge: by the time you’re out the door with your iced coffee, it’s melted into a watery mess. Well, Hank Weed, known to many as the former owner of Queen Street Grocery, has an ice-free and ultra-caffeinated solution—his bottled Mr. Weed’s Cold Press Coffee.
The John’s Islander has been selling the blend for two years. “After college, I traveled around Martinique, and the natives were drinking a lot of cold press. From then on I drank nothing but,” says Weed. He started brewing his own at Normandy Farm Artisan Bakery, soaking coarse grounds in tepid water for an extended (and classified) period of time. In so doing, he extracts all of the essential oils from the beans, sourced from the Holy City’s Rainforest Alliance-certified Balzac Bros. & Co. The result is a sweeter taste with a 70 percent reduction in acid and a tripling of caffeine.
Currently, his 12-ounce bottles of coffee concentrate mixed with chocolate soy milk are sold at some 18 venues around the Lowcountry. (Almond milk and a chicory versions are coming soon.) Pop one open for a local product that will keep you buzzing all morning long.
