Coffee milk
Encyclopedia
Drink
A drink, or beverage, is a liquid which is specifically prepared for human consumption. In addition to fulfilling a basic human need, beverages form part of the culture of human society.-Water:...
similar to chocolate milk
Chocolate milk
Chocolate milk is a sweetened, usually cold, cocoa-flavored milk drink. It is created when chocolate syrup is mixed with milk . It can be purchased pre-mixed or made at home with either cocoa powder and a sweetener , or with melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, or chocolate milk mix...
; however, instead of chocolate syrup, coffee syrup
Coffee syrup
Coffee syrup is a beverage additive typically found in Rhode Island. Made of three ingredients , this syrup is used in other local cuisine such as coffee milk and coffee cabinets....
is used. It is the official state drink of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in the United States of America.
History
Coffee milk was introduced to Rhode Island sometime in the early 1930s. It came about from creative diner and drugstore operators trying to attract new customers with creative drinks. One of these operators, the identity of whom has been lost to history, sweetened leftover coffee grounds with milk and sugar. This created a molassesMolasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
-like extract that became popular. Coffee milk became a favorite among Rhode Islanders and created a demand for this coffee syrup. The demand was so great that, in 1993, it beat out Del's Lemonade as the official drink of Rhode Island.
Availability
In northeastern parts of the U.S. region of New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, it can be found in the dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
case of stores right next to other flavored milks such as chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
, strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
and vanilla
Vanilla
Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
, and is often found on the beverage menus of diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
s throughout the area.
The drink is difficult to find outside of the New England region, however, and travelers requesting it are often mistakenly served coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
with milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
. One well-known brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
of coffee syrup is "Autocrat", which also produces the Eclipse and CoffeeTime brands of coffee syrups, is based in Lincoln, Rhode Island
Lincoln, Rhode Island
Lincoln is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 21,105 at the 2010 census. Lincoln is located in northeastern Rhode Island, north of Providence....
.
Coffee milk is on tap in the dining halls of Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
and the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
, confounding many of the students from outside the state.
Recently, the syrup became available as far south as Florida, but under different packaging. It is branded as "Coffee Time" syrup - still made by Autocrat in Rhode Island.
Timeline
- The 1930s. Coffee milk was introduced to Rhode Island.
- 1932. The Silmo Packing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts, began marketing a more refined version, called "coffee syrup," under the Silmo name.
- 1938. Eclipse of Warwick began marketing a more refined version of what was being made and called it "coffee syrup." Their slogan was, "You'll smack your lips if it's Eclipse."
- The 1940s. Autocrat of Lincoln began making their own mixture of corn syrup and coffee extract. The slogan that Autocrat coined was, "A swallow will tell you." Both companies, Autocrat and Eclipse, would vie for the coffee syrup business for almost fifty years afterwards.
- 1991. The rivalry between Autocrat and Eclipse ended with Autocrat buying the Eclipse brand name and secret formula. Both labels came to be produced by Autocrat and made available in stores.
- 1993. After much political debate, the Rhode Island State Legislature proclaimed coffee milk "The Official State Drink of Rhode Island" on July 29, 1993. The Providence Journal-Bulletin newspaper covered the story.
- 2010. Uncle Matty's Company released their own "Uncle Matty's Coffee Syrup". Its a Rhode Island company based in East Providence, Rhode IslandEast Providence, Rhode IslandEast Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 47,037 at the 2010 census, making it the fifth largest city in the state.-Geography:East Providence is located at ....
. Uncle Matty's is available from their website and available at Whole Foods MarketWhole Foods MarketWhole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
and many other grocery stores.