The “Refresher Wars,” Are Here

Do you want a tasty drink (often with caffeine) that isn’t coffee or a bubbly soda? Well, for some time, Starbucks was the go-to if you wanted a, “Refresher,” drink. When something is popular, however, others take note and also do whatever is getting press. After all, good artists copy, great artists steal. With that in mind, we’ve got a lot of great artists popping up, so to speak. Another popular coffee location, Dunkin’, has been going hard and heavy on its own version of refreshers. Panera has them. Beloved drive-in chain, Sonic, is at it too. Oh, and the biggest fast food brand around, McDonald’s, has plans to offer their own spin on refreshers plus handcrafted sodas (so watch your back, Swig). The question some have, however, is why do people love refreshers?

Millennials and GenZ are apparently big fans of these drinks as they lack the bitter or overly sweetened taste of iced coffee (for those weirdos who dislike coffee), can be colorful/fun, don’t have to be too caffeinated, and are simply nice and refreshing, as the name indicates. They’re getting lots of hype, so the corporations are eagerly hopping on the bandwagon of this latest trend. Once upon a time, everybody was trying to be Atkins diet-friendly. Then, lots of people were opposed to gluten even if they lacked celiac disease or such. During the COVID-era lockdowns, we were all creating, “Cloud coffee,” out of boredom. The list goes on, and as of right now, the latest metaphorical bullet point happens to be refresher drinks. Hop on the train or be like me and dodge out of its way because they’ll take my iced coffee from my equally cold, dead hands. Don’t worry either way, because before too long, the next popular trend will be here and you’ll love it…or find it annoying.

Nearing the End of September with Bits of News

I started September with one of my articles that combines links and pieces of interesting news. I have some more stuff that maybe doesn't warrant a whole article, but deserves a mention. How about we do something for the first time ever in nearly 15 years of blogging and have a second news & links post in the same month--one to start it and one to end it? It's my website and my rules, so let's do it!

EA is a publicly traded company, but thanks to 55 billion dollars, it will now be going private. Various entities, including Saudi Arabia and a Jared Kusher (Trump's son-in-law) private equity group, are going to buy out everyone's shares. It is the largest-ever private equity buyout, and people have mixed feelings about very questionable folks buying EA--Saudi Arabia especially has been eager to try and clean-up its bad image relating to human rights via, "Sportswashing," and now this.

It is National Coffee Day. Coffee is arguably my favorite drink, and a number of stores still have promos to celebrate if you hurry.

Diamond Comics continues to be a zombie of a company as moments here and there of legal filings keep the shambling corpse occasionally jolting. Image Comics seems to have decided that settling is easier than this unending legal debacle and has reached some semblance of an agreement with Diamond.

A new, "Simpsons," movie is coming, like, a second one--due in 2027. The last, "Simpsons," flick was in 2007, believe it or not, so 20 years later, we get a film sequel to a television show that has been going since about 1989 (not counting the 1987 shorts). It is wild the program has been on the air that long and managed to be either amazing or at least decent.

Bleeding Cool sometimes spreads dumb gossip and sometimes has surprisingly juicy news scoops. If you can wade through the unending barrage of ads on the site, one of the latest articles admits it is gossip, but I want it to be true--a new Superman and Spider-Man crossover for 2026. That would be so fun!

Finally, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco just got married, proving that no matter how weird a guy you are, if you're emotionally open, caring, and kind, you will find love--so shut up, all you internet incels who claim, "Getting," a woman is impossible. Oh, and being funny helps!

Coffee Report Card: Roesmary Coffee Co.

My friend, Emily AKA The Koze Pantry, and I went to another coffee shop recently in the region, and you know I'm going to share my thoughts! Known as Rosemary Coffee Co., it is located at 1316 Big Bend Road in Manchester, Missouri. The space looks small from the outside, but once you step in, the area actually winds around and is quite spacious while still feeling comfy! 

I had some regular black coffee, which hit the spot perfectly, and Emily had some various flavored drinks she loved. I also got a delicious ham and cheese roll-type thing and a cinnamon roll that was also yummy. 

Between the relaxed feeling, welcoming atmosphere, and the tasty food & drink, I loved Rosemary Coffee Co. for sure! I'd recommend checking it out anytime you're nearby!

5 out of 5 Stars.

Coffee Report Card: Six North Cafe is Lovely

Time for my second Coffee Report Card! I am doing these with my friend Emily, AKA The Koze Pantry, where we check out a coffee spot and review it! I've been to Six Noth Cafe a number of times and am a fan, but it was Emily's first visit.

I had a breakfast sandwich as well as a cherry Italian soda and some coffee. A breakfast item I used to get was no longer available (a big tasty bowl of eggs and bacon and such) so I got the sandwich and it was perfectly fine--I was just a bit bummed. That said, the Italian soda really hit the spot, and the coffee was solid as well. Emily had some waffles that she said were, "Okay," but not her favorite. She also wasn't vibing with the coffee as much as me.

The decor is chill, and the employees were really nice as always (Emily noted how nice everyone was as well). I've had lunch sandwiches at the Six North Cafe as well and quite often love them, but as it was breakfast time, we didn't have any of those this visit. The store was hopping with a steady stream of people in and out, but it never felt too busy or crowded. As I often visit the Six North Cafe, it is obvious I am a fan, but Emily said, despite the lovely employees, she wasn't too into her food or drink. Our reviews differ this time, it is evident, and that will happen sometimes with the Coffee Report Card! I, however, grade the Six Noth Cafe as 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

Coffee Report Card: The Ground is a Great Spot!

My friend, Emily AKA The Koze Pantry, is going to be trying out new coffee shops for me, and we’re both going to make posts about them! She’ll be calling her posts The Koze Passport, and mine will be the Coffee Report Card! Will we always agree on what spots we enjoyed versus those we did not? Time will tell, but for now we both agree The Ground in Ballwin is a fantastic place!

The Ground opened a bit over a year ago and is both a coffee shop and a plant store. Yes, there are tons of cool plants and other interesting items for sale on the upper and lower level. I had some smooth house drip coffee and some zucchini bread—it was delicious. Emily had a muffin and tried a couple of coffees that she enjoyed. One was hot with a graham cracker flavor element, and another was an iced latte that featured lemon cold foam--she was especially fond of the lemon cold foam!

The Ground is a chill place with friendly employees, tasty coffee, yummy food, and the atmosphere is lovely thanks to all the plants. I’d recommend anyone in the Ballwin area stop there for a drink or snack, and I rate it…5 out of 5 Stars.

Industry Coffee is Scrumptious!

I've discussed, "Grow a Garden," before and have it to thank for discovering a new coffee, funnily enough. Samii was playing with someone who mentioned being a part of, "Industry Coffee," and as we love a brewed cup of joe, that caught our attention. We looked into the Pennsylvania-based company, and ordered some of the, "Gold Standard Medium Roast." The darker roast sounded interesting, but we worried an espresso blend would be a bit too strong for us. The medium roast arrived quickly via UPS, and I've now brewed it two mornings in a row. My thoughts? It is lovely!

This blend is delightfully smooth, whether you pair it with a bit of sweetener and milk (Samii does that) or drink it black (that's my style). There is a nice earthy tone to every sip, but it never feels too harsh. It reminds me of the nice cozy vibe of other breakfast blend/blonde roast coffees I enjoy, but a bit darker--just extra enough. I also want to offer props to the bag's design--it is resealable and that keeps the freshness intact, unlike some bags you fold over and which can get stale. I really enjoyed the medium roast I bought from Industry Coffee and will be sure to order more as soon as my bag gets low. They do Keurig-compatible cups as well if that's your thing, as well as whole bean and ground coffee.. I'd recommend trying them out!

Enjoy the Various Holidays!

Today, multiple holidays occur that are both official and relatively unofficial. It is Easter, we are in the midst of Passover, it is 4/20, and today is National Cold Brew Day! That is a lot of events that overlap, without a doubt. Between Jesus returning from the dead, the Hebrews escaping enslavement, a lot of cannabis enjoyment, and deliciously cold coffee, there is something for everyone to like about today--and safely engage in, be it prayer, weed, or coffee. Have a good one, ya'll.

We Tried Dutch Bros!

The first Dutch Bros Coffee in our region had its grand opening yesterday! A decent-ish drive away in O'Fallon, Missouri, I was around there today and figured I'd pick some goodies up for Samii and myself to try. I was surprised (but shouldn't have been) by the long line. I imagine other folks in the area are excited to try Dutch Bros too, after all. The line moved along briskly enough and all the employees were quite friendly throughout the ordering process. After I got everything we headed home to sample the drinks and snacks.

I ordered a cold brew coffee and a strawberry-flavored soda. I found both quite tasty, with the cold brew going down smoothly and the soda's syrups were just right too (not overly sweet or anything). Samii got a tea with some flavors and found it decent, but we think they might have used green tea as the base instead of black tea--as we requested. She was still pleased overall though. As for the snacks, the granola bar was a big and chunky piece of deliciousness,s and the muffin tops/muffies were solid if not as good compared to the granola bar (it was legit yummers). We either liked or loved everything today from Dutch Bros and I can see why it has a lot of hardcore fans. That said, I still think Scooters is my absolute favorite coffee joint, currently. Still, anytime I happen to be in O'Fallon I will eagerly stop by Dutch Bros for something scrumptious.

4.5 out of 5 Stars overall.

QuikTrip Is Adding Coffee Bars to Various Locations

Various QuikTrip locations have been adding these cool new coffee bars--including a QT by my house! Featuring assorted hot coffees as well as cold brew and, "Nitro," cold options, they are quite neat to see. This article discusses the exact setup and rotating assortment of flavors. As I am a huge fan of coffee this, clearly, excites me! I really enjoyed the cold brew I got yesterday when I noticed the coffee bar and I plan to try more options on future visits to any QT with this as a selection.

Exit 11 Coffee is a Great Local Chain!

I was driving around the Saint Peters region for some errands and noticed a coffee stand. I have never seen it before and that intrigued me as a person who loves coffee. I pulled up and discovered it was called, "Exit 11 Coffee." They informed me this location had been here for about 2 years--why I had not ever, "Seen," it is beyond me, but I'm glad I stopped there as they were really snazzy!

With seven different drive-through locations around Missouri, Exit 11 has an assortment of coffees, tasty flavored teas (they can be iced or slushy-style), and a good deal of food items as an all-day breakfast. I wasn't hungry or I would've tried a cinnamon roll--I'll go back soon for one. I did, however, try a RAVE Energy Tea known as the, "Nervous Breakdown." It was a lovely blend of fruity flavors including blackberry, lime, raspberry and strawberry; I dug it. I also had an Americano and it was perfect in terms of not being too bitter or too light. It was smooth and tasty.

I am pleased to have discovered Exit 11 Coffee and will be going back there anytime I am near one of their locations. I encourage you to check them out online and if you live in Missouri/find yourself traveling through here you should visit a stop!

I Tried and Greatly Enjoyed Simply Delightful Popcorn

Simply Delightful is from Michigan and has many products they sell at their physical store. Other shops can sell their stuff, and one local place near us had a display full of Simply Delightful's popcorn! There are a lot of novelty popcorn flavors, but of the ones for sale, I bought three that looked really appealing. I sampled, "Java," "Blue Monster," and, "Birthday Cake."

I was most excited to try the, "Java," flavor as a lover of coffee, and it was good but not my favorite. There is an element of toffee mixed with the coffee flavor and it is yummy but I honestly would have liked more coffee flavoring as someone who enjoys a strong brew. The, "Blue Monster," popcorn was themed for a famous blue puppet who loves cookies and features blueberry-flavored popcorn with little chocolate chip cookies mixed in too. It is the strangest mix you can think of, but it works! The blueberry popcorn was really tasty and the mini-cookies complimented it well. My favorite of the three had to be, "Birthday Cake," as it tastes just like cake mixed into the popcorn. It is astounding and delicious. I cannot get enough of the, "Birthday Cake," flavor and if I were to buy one of the three again, it would without a doubt be this one.

Simply Deligthful's popcorn I tried was really good. There are even more flavors than what I tasted and if I ever get a chance to eat other tasty options then I will be sure and report back to you all on them!

I Tried Two New Scooter's Drinks

I love coffee but it is not the only beverage I drink. The popular chain known as Scooter's has an assortment of fun drinks--including special limited flavors--and when I'm not solely after coffee I'll sample the other stuff sometimes. I recently tried two iced drinks that are around for a brief period of time and thought I'd offer my opinion on them! Without further ado...

Electric Peach Infusion

This beverage features the tropical flavors of the SCOOOT! Energy drink that Scooter's features with peach (plus a hint of cherry and pomegranate). To top it all off, they include some peach ring candies as well. I enjoyed this drink a lot, although it definitely leaned over toward the almost-too-sweet side. The SCOOOT! drink worked very well with the peach, however, and the drink has a nice crisp mouth feel. The peach candies look cute but are a relatively unnecessary edition--they're soggy by the time you finish the drink and not really worth eating. Overall, a nice drink!

4 out of 5 Stars.

SCOOOT! Energy Sparkler

Meant to tie in with the upcoming Fourth of July, this drink has a blend of peach and pomegranate flavors that are topped with some whipped cream and then a layer of blue raspberry cold foam. The result looks patriotic and is quite tasty. I'm not sure it is necessary to have whipped cream and foam in terms of flavor as both are light and (obviously) dairy. They mix together well with the energy drink, however, balancing out the fruity acidity. To be honest, I didn't sense any raspberry in the cold foam and while it looks cool in terms of optics, the whipped cream and foam just blended together to make the aforementioned blend of taste with the energy drink. This drink looks cool but the flavor isn't anything to write home about. Still, a solid option if you want something that is visually snazzy to sip upon.

3 out of 5 stars.

Today was National Coffee Day

Today was National Coffee Day. I learned this from the news and I celebrated by doing what I always do: I drank some coffee. I had some coffee in the morning with breakfast, I had a bit in the afternoon, and I just finished drinking a bit this evening. I am a fan of coffee, as you all know, so I appreciate having a day here in America celebrating the beverage. I will drink fancy brew at a coffee shop or cheap gas station sludge because I'm not picky. I basically like any plain black coffee besides Maxwell House--that stuff is just nasty. Happy National Coffee Day to all of you who are lovers of coffee. It is good stuff. Now we await the International Coffee Day on October 3rd!

My Thoughts on that, "Prime," Energy Drink

There is an energy drink known as, "Prime." It is popular with the youth thanks to internet, "Influencers," KSI (I do not know who they are as I am old), and Logan Paul (I do know who he is and he's annoying). It has zero sugar but is full of caffeine to the degree the FDA has been petitioned to investigate the beverage. The issue is not exactly the caffeine content (about the same as two cups of coffee) so much as if this drink is being marketed to kids. The bottle clearly says you should be 18 or older to ingest this much caffeine, but nobody is gonna card you for an energy drink, obviously (besides in the old days when Four Loko had booze with caffeine, and that made lots of folks sick). 

There is some controversy, but I was curious if this drink even tasted any good. After all, I've tried Red Bull and that is awful. The only energy drink that ever tasted okay to me was perhaps Amp, and that seems to be mostly discontinued. I, therefore, sampled the Prime fruit punch flavor, and it was alright. It tasted like a diet fruit punch with some carbonation. The bubbles helped it, "Pop," a bit more than it otherwise would have. I wasn't retching from the drink but was far from impressed. As for the caffeine content, I am pretty much always drinking hot coffee or iced coffee regardless of the time of day, so I didn't notice myself feeling any extra awake or jittery. That said, someone who doesn't drink much coffee or caffeinated beverages and drinks down a whole bottle of Prime in a short sitting might feel some ill side effects. Your mileage may vary regarding flavor, feeling hyper, and so forth, in other words. Without the influencer cachet I doubt this energy drink would get much hype, so hats off for managing to get press--good and bad. In terms of actual quality, however, I'd rate Prime's fruit punch flavor 2 out of 5 stars. I'm in no rush to try any other flavors either.

"Cupid," by FIFTY FIFTY is a Really Catchy Song

I was at Dunkin' Donuts a couple weeks ago and heard a strangely catchy song on their in-store radio staion. I looked it up and found it was titled, "Cupid," by the K-Pop group FIFTY FIFTY. Then I heard it on the radio a bit before I heard it more and more often. My son would watch a Youtube clip and I'd hear it. The funny thing is, I didn't get tired of hearing it. It is an incredibly sugary pop song, but something about it is quite catchy. The ditty has become a Worldwide hit. I've heard the version in English but know the iteration that is entirely in Korean is popular as well. Here's the, "Twin," version I like:

Even though I keep hearing it quite a lot I continue to enjoy the tune. I've listened to a bit of other K-Pop like the group Stray Kids, and there is a lot of catchy stuff out there--I've only scratched the surface, mind you. I will explore other songs by FIFTY FIFTY and hope to enjoy those too!

Starbucks is Expanding Their Olive Oil-Infused Drinks to More Cities

Some months ago Starbucks began trying out olive oil-infused coffees in various locations. Called Oleato drinks, the reception seemed mixed. There were folks who dug it, some found it gross, and a number of people bluntly said the drinks gave them awful diarrhea. I guess there was enough positive feedback, however, because Starbucks is expanding Oleato's availability. That said, I'm unsure how interested I would be in drinks with a spoonful of olive oil or cold foam infused with the stuff. Nowadays I just drink my coffee black and drink a lot of blonde roast or cold brew as that gives me less heartburn than the darker blends. Perhaps because I keep it simple because I just don't have a desire for a spoonful of olive oil to be stirred into my beverage. Plus, the idea of suddenly crapping my pants shortly after enjoying my drink is less than appealing as well. If folks like it (the taste of olive oil-infused coffee, not pooping themselves) then more power to them. I'm good with an iced blonde roast Americano minus any Oleato for now, however.

It is 4/20 and That's Become Known for Specific Things

Today is a popular holiday for smoking cannabis. It also is a big day for cold brew coffee but that gets a bit less hype. More and more states have Cheeba legalized for medical use or just outright recreational purposes. I myself don't do, "The weed," but am fine with folks using it if they are responsible/careful. I mean, Missouri is swimming in cash from how it legalized the stuff so hopefully that can benefit the state in some fashion. Anyways, have a happy 4/20, and enjoy the picture above. It is of a children's shirt we found at a resale shop and features the patron saint of 4/20, Snoop Dogg.

I Tried Cascara Soda and I'm Not Really a Fan

I was at Whole Foods the other day because I needed to return a ripped backpack from Amazon and they do returns there. Over in the drink section, I noticed something called cascara soda for sale. Apparently, it is a beverage made from the cherries of coffee trees (that tastes nothing like coffee). It can be made into a tea or carbonated and become a soda of sorts. I tried some cascara soda and I did not hate it or especially like it. I like my soda to be quite sweet and my coffee to be black. I also drink tea with zero sweeteners. I like club soda with a flavor, but no sugar is my preference in that case as well. I like things quite sweet or lacking any sugar, I don't generally enjoy an in-between. Well, cascara soda is exactly in between tea and pop. 

It is a bit sweet and has a slight tea flavor mixed with the carbonation. It is not terrible, but I find the mix of an ever-so-vague sugary taste and the carbonated tea flavor bothersome. It either needs to lack the sweetness full stop or be a true soda, I'd say. This half-step between soda and tea is just cloying and bugs me. My tastebuds weren't delighted or disgusted they were annoyed. Should you like sweetened tea mixed with carbonation then I'd imagine cascara soda is perfect for you. I don't plan to drink it again anytime soon, however.

If You're Ever in Washington, Missouri You Should Visit These Two Places...

I've been over to Washington, Missouri on a number of occasions as my wife has some family living out that direction. With that in mind, I wanted to write about two places I enjoy stopping at any time we get over to Washington. I now present them alphabetically...

Aces & Eagles Disc Golf, Darts, Bar & Arcade + Comics & Gaming Supplies!

As the name of this location indicates, they've got a ton of fun stuff going on. Aces and Eagles is a store for disc golf and darts. It is an arcade. It has food and drink. There are comic books for sale, people play trading card games there, and basically, if there is something fun to do Aces and Eagles may very well have it for you to engage in! The staff are all incredibly nice so whether you want to play some arcade games, hang out with friends, eat a bit of grub, or do all of that, Aces and Eagles has you covered! Check out their website here.

underGROUNDS Espresso Bar

underGROUNDS actually had one location literally underground but moved to a nearby and more spacious spot which is quite lovely and spacious. They have a ton of cool coffee options here as well as a full menu of delicious hot food plus baked good (the snickerdoodle with some bourbon flavor is legit awesome). If you need a caffeine fix or some yummy breakfast while you're in Washington make sure to stop here. Explore the site for underGROUNDS at this link.

I Enjoyed the New Scooter's Coffee in Ellisville!

A new coffee drive-through location just opened in Ellisville. Part of the Scooter's Coffee franchise, I've had the chance to swing by a couple times now and really like it! There are hot drinks, cold drinks, blended beverages, and food! I really liked the candy bar flavors you can put in coffees and having a cup of just black coffee tastes lovely too. I've sampled the bacon burrito as well as the cinnamon roll and those were pleasing to my tastebuds too. If you live near Ellisville or any Scooter's Coffee location I'd encourage you to give them a try!