Alaska Airlines rolls out new inflight coffee blend in switch to Stumptown from Starbucks
Wake up and smell the coffee.
Alaska Airlines is launching a new blend of coffee with Portland, Oregon-based Stumptown Coffee Roasters. The carrier hopes this will change flyers' minds about airplane coffee, which is known for often tasting too watery and bland.
"We wanted a crowd pleaser — something that would delight folks who enjoy milder coffees and also speak to guests who enjoy medium-bodied roasts," Stumptown President Laura Szeliga said in a statement.
The coffee will be available on all Alaska flights starting Dec. 1.
Alaska and Stumptown carefully curated the coffee so the high altitudes don't negatively affect the taste. Flying 30,000 feet in the air affects the taste of food and drinks, mostly because the high air pressure causes a loss in the perception of flavors. As a result, the high altitude can often cause coffee to taste bland.
The Seattle-based carrier's new blend is based on Stumptown's Holler Mountain coffee, a medium-dark roast. However, to accommodate the high altitudes, Alaska's new custom blend mellows out the roast's acidity and has notes of toasted marshmallow, brown butter and toffee, along with hints of citrus and cherry.
Passengers can either order the new blend as is or with milk. For those who don't do dairy in their coffee, Alaska is also now serving oat milk on board.
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Alaska and Stumptown say they went through an extensive process in crafting the new blend — on the ground and in the air. The two also brewed more than 200 pots of coffee; tested the grind, dose, filter paper and filter-pack dimensions; conducted blind surveys with flyers and taste tests; and carried out taste tests pairing the coffee with Alaska's inflight milk and Biscoff cookies.
Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci lauded the new coffee in a statement announcing the carrier's switch.
"Having flown millions of miles fueled by countless cups of coffee, Stumptown stands out as first class," Minicucci said. "Like travel, coffee has a remarkable way of bringing people together. I can't wait for our guests and employees to enjoy a cup of Stumptown when they fly with us."
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The shift to Stumptown will take Alaska from one Pacific Northwest coffee brewer to another. The airline has served Starbucks coffee on board for more than a decade, something that will end with the switch.
"We are grateful to our friends at Starbucks and proud to have served their coffee onboard our flights for years," Alaska said in a statement to The Oregonian newspaper. "With that said, we are always looking for ways to bring new in-flight food and beverage offerings to our guests."
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