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This year has been filled with surprises from The HeidelBean! From the Homecoming Court’s special drinks to the 'Berg classics the Bean has been spicing it up for everyone to enjoy. Since arriving back from spring break, however, there is no special occasion needed to find something new and delicious at the Berg’s coffee shop. What makes it more special: these new recipes are original creations of The HeidelBean! baristas!

Planning all of these drinks takes a lot of work. Kelli Steinmetz from Parkhurst Dining provides the baristas with general parameters and events which could be highlighted. “This is sometimes based on holidays, like the Lucky Charm Freeze for St. Patrick's Day, or our upcoming Peep Freeze for Easter. … Sometimes there's just an ingredient that I think would be fun to try, like Fruity Pebbles cereal or maybe a fun flavor of syrup that we haven't used before,” Kelli says. 

The baristas use those parameters to brainstorm and come up with the recipes all on their own. Student barista Emma Wright talked about her creative process. “For the most part, we like to see what new possible flavor combinations we can come up with,” she says. “Other times, I’ve tried to re-create a flavor, like a candy bar, and go from there.”

The recipes are taste-tested, and once they get approval, the marketing process starts.

You can expect to see a new drink every week for the rest of this year. “We found that whenever we try something new, there’s a lot of interest and curiosity from our guests, which we love to see,” Kelli explains, “Our Crimson Cup promotions run for longer periods of time, so while those always change out as well, having something new more frequently makes it more fun for everyone.” With such cool combinations, the Berg baristas are shaking things up on campus. Kelli adds, “We don’t ever want to feel like it’s getting boring!”

This week, The HeidelBean! is serving up a blue Cotton Candy Freeze in collaboration with Student Senate for Fresh Check Day. These drinks, like all menu items at The HeidelBean!, are customizable. If caffeine or dairy aren’t your friends, the awesome baristas at the Bean are happy to help out. On the other hand, if more coffee is necessary to get you through the day, they have the extra espresso on standby.

So, don’t hold back – be sure to try out the newest concoctions at The HeidelBean!

—by Em Swain '22