This January we hosted our 2024 Spring and Summer Seasonal Drink Competition! These events bring together the creative minds at Frothy Monkey, and provide an opportunity for employees to contribute to our cafe menu each year. One of our guests favorite drinks, the Havana Latte was born from these competitions!
All employees are welcome to participate. Employees do not need to be a barista or front-of-house to enter. Take a look at the photos below and learn a little more about how we choose our unique seasonal drinks.
2024 Seasonal Drink Competition
This year, the competition was hosted at Frothy Monkey in The Nations neighborhood of Nashville, TN. Competitors traveled from cafe locations including, The Nations, 12South, and Downtown Nashville as well as Franklin and Knoxville, TN. The winning drinks from this competition will appear on the Spring and Summer Seasonal Drink Menu for 2024 which runs from mid-March through mid-September.
After initial introductions, the espresso starts flowing. With over 15 drinks in the competition this year, we were in for a long evening! Each competitor must present their drink to a small panel of judges and explain their process or inspiration for the drink. Presentation is a part of the final selection, so it’s important to have a “why” or a story behind the recipe.
Competitors draw inspiration from family recipes, memories, comfort foods, and even travel experiences!
Does the seasonal drink have to include coffee or espresso?
Seasonal drinks are not required to include coffee or espresso. We’ve had contestants enter mocktails, variations on lemonade and matcha, and tea-centric drinks as well!
Some entries over the years have included activated charcoal, turmeric, crystalized ginger, floral extracts, and lots of house-made syrups.
Who are the winners?
We would love to congratulate Sammy, Scott, and Jeff for being the top three winners of this years competition. Congratulations! We’re sure our friends and neighbors will love these creative recipes.
The launch date for our Spring and Summer Seasonal Drinks is March 26th. We can’t wait for you to try them!
Be sure to check back on the blog to see the announcement of the new menu next month.
