Wyndham Grand is bringing a new buzz to the traditional coffeehouse experience with the launch of Brew Parlor: a fresh take on afternoon happy hour where people can meet, recharge, or simply take a breather over cold-brewed coffee-based drinks and cocktails developed in partnership with the brand’s “Chef de Caffeine,” culinary personality, Chef Stephanie Izard, and mixology maven, Ivy Mix.
Coffee lovers will experience cold-brewed pick-me-ups and hand-crafted caffeinated cocktails beginning January 14, 2016, from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. every Monday through Friday at Wyndham Grand’s Brew Parlor pilot hotels in Chicago, U.S.; Doha, Qatar; Shenzhen, China; and Istanbul, Turkey.
Wyndham Grand’s Brew Parlor is centered on cold-brewed coffee, an artisanal yet approachable trending drink consisting of coffee brewed with cold or room-temperature water, producing a condensed, smooth, and full flavor. Cold-brewed coffee is making its presence known in coffee shops around the world, reaching $7.9 million in sales in the U.S.—a 115 percent increase over the past year according to Mintel—and popping up throughout Europe. A study by Euromonitor International shows bottled cold brew is growing in sales worldwide, faster than any other bottled non-alcoholic beverage.
“We believe travel should be approachable by design, where every day experiences—like the quick cup of coffee our Wyndham Grand hotels serve hundreds of thousands of times a day—are transformed into moments to savor,” said Mark Anderson, vice president of food and beverage for Wyndham Grand. “Brew Parlor invigorates those afternoon pick-me-ups with innovative cold brew creations developed with Chef Izard and Ivy Mix—people who, like us, are passionate about what they do.”
Not only is coffee a universal daily beverage, but it has become an increasingly popular ingredient in cocktails, sweets, and savory dishes. Izard has created several proprietary cold-brewed coffee beverages available only at Wyndham Grand’s Brew Parlor like Five Spice Shaken Iced Coffee with Thai chili, cinnamon, clove, star anise and sweetened condensed milk; Cafe Olé with dark chocolate, brown sugar and ancho and guajillo chilies; and Biscotti Coffee with almond whipped cream and simple syrup.
“There’s nothing better than a perfect cup of coffee,” said Chef de Caffeine Stephanie Izard. “As a chef, I’ve always put a lot of care into the coffee I serve, and I’ve worked with Wyndham Grand to find a coffee that is not only tasty on its own, but also serves as a base for creative flavors.”
Mixologist Ivy Mix shakes up cocktails such as The Impetus Spritzer with St. Germain, Canada Dry tonic, and Cynar; Spurred Ground with cold-brewed coffee infused with oloroso sherry, Italian vermouth, rum, and amaro; and Initial Ascent with bourbon, crème de cacao, lemon, framboise, and fresh raspberries.
Wyndham Grand plans to roll out Brew Parlor to its global portfolio of hotels throughout 2016.
