Brewing Creativity: Behind the Bar with Kiersten, Our Barista Lead
At Alma Coffee, seasonal drinks are more than just new flavors on a menu. They’re an experience, a story, and a little glimpse into the heart of our café team. If you’ve ever sipped one of our drinks and thought, “How did they come up with this?” — meet Kiersten, our Barista Lead and creative force behind the drinks you love here at Alma.
We sat down with Kiersten to dive into her process, her passion, and what really goes into crafting those unforgettable Alma Coffee seasonal drinks.
Where Inspiration Brews
Kiersten’s ideas come from everywhere. Sometimes it’s a passing thought or a trending flavor she wants to put her own twist on. Other times, it’s the result of a team brainstorm session. “I have an amazing team that’s always spewing out idea after idea,” she shares. The creativity at Alma is never in short supply.
The Flavor-First Approach
When it comes to building a drink, it all starts with one question: How is this going to accentuate the notes of our coffee? From there, Kiersten begins experimenting. She usually finalizes a recipe after two or three rounds of testing. But sometimes, it takes more trial and error. I love that we make our syrups in-house,” Kiersten shares. “It gives us total control over flavor and lets us get super creative with what we offer.”
One winter, I kept trying to perfect a syrup idea. After five or six tries, I had to let it go,” she recalls. But that pivot led to something better: our now fan-favorite Lavender Vanilla London Fog. Sometimes the best ideas come from knowing when to switch directions.
A Seasonal Favorite
Kiersten says spring is her favorite season to create drinks for because of how much room there is to explore. “Spring flavors are so fun to play with. There’s just endless room to experiment.”, she explains. Floral and citrus notes push her to try new things and expand her palate. When it comes to her favorite flavor season, fall wins every time.
Behind the Beloved Beverages
Two drinks stand out when Kiersten looks back at what she’s created. The Red Velvet Cake Latte for Valentine’s Day was a standout for how spot-on it was. “It tasted just like a real red velvet cake,” she says. She’s also especially proud of the Banana Pudding Latte, a customer favorite. “That one really resonated with people, and that plays a huge part in why I’m proud of it.”
More Than a Cup of Coffee
Kiersten hopes every café visit gives people something new to enjoy. “From a creative point of view, I hope they leave with a drink they’ve never had before. Something that changes their perspective on what they can try next,” she says. “From an Alma-wide point of view, I hope they leave with more knowledge about our story, our coffee, and a happy heart.”
Next time you try something new from our seasonal menu, remember this: it’s not just a drink. It’s a small part of a bigger story, crafted with love, creativity, and care.
