SUNDAY DRIVE

With people all around Aotearoa stepping up their coffee game, one NZ roaster has decided to meet coffee lovers at a hotspot that’s been growing in popularity for the past two years – home. Enter Everybird, a new specialty coffee designed to be enjoyed from the comfort of your own surroundings.

If you’re not fluent in barista, “specialty coffee” is coffee that’s been scored above 80 out of a possible 100 points by a certified Q Grader (coffee taster). Translation: It’s really, really good stuff.

Look at the corner of the pack, and you’ll see that Everybird is produced by specialty coffee veterans, Kōkako Organic Coffee Roasters. Kōkako (and now Everybird) pride themselves on producing coffee that comes from a fairer, more transparent supply chain. All their coffee is certified organic and Fairtrade, and they offset the carbon on every kilo they roast through the Fair Climate Fund.

While Kōkako has a firm footing in the hospitality industry, Everybird was designed specifically for supermarkets and specialty food grocers as a way to get more people around Aotearoa to choose Fairtrade, organic coffee.

Despite their specialty coffee credentials, Everybird takes a down-to-earth approach to the scene. “We don’t mind if you drink your coffee black or with milk, mylk or sugar. You don’t have to be Barry Barista or Harry Hardcore – this is specialty coffee, best enjoyed however you like it,” said the brand on their Instagram account recently.

The new brand launches with two crowd-pleasing blends, the bold and chocolateyEveryday Blend and Half-Caf, a supermarket first that packs a whole lot of flavour with only half the caffeine – ideal for 3pm slumps or anyone who wants a little boost but doesn’t fancy being up all night.

Everybird is available at loads of good supermarkets in the Canterbury region as well as online. Check out the new bird on the block and brew your very own specialty coffee at home.

On top of excellent service and stunning eats, Grater Goods does blooming good drinks. Pop into the Orbell Street eatery and sip on a mulled wine or hot buttered rum, the perfect accompaniment to a cold day. They’re a match made in plant-based heaven with a vegan charcuterie board or a burger. Feed your hunger and warm your soul at Grater Goods.

gratergoods.co.nz

Laughing Club has recreated legendary Lord Geoffery Reardon’s original recipes to exceptional quality, combining deep artesian water with an infusion of exotic botanicals. Committed to a top drop, the team uses traditional copper pot stills to triple distil in small batches to ensure an exquisitely smooth drink. “Laughing Club Gin, like drinking silk.” laughingclubgin.com

Summer might be over, but don’t let that stop you from sipping cocktails with a view over the city! With its ‘BROWN BUTTER’ cocktail, Seven Dining puts a new, rich twist on the classic Old Fashioned. Two types of bourbon, fat washed with both browned butter and peanut butter, bring out the warm, nutty flavours of winter with a note of Maraschino.

sevendining.co.nz

Sometimes it’s just as fun to look the part. Lyre’s Pink London Spirit is a premium non-alcoholic pink gin alternative, which has been impossibly crafted to capture the essence of a pink gin with distinct and contemporary flavours. Lyre’s spirits are not only inspired by the original flavours; they have their own distinction as a premium, non-alcoholic beverage. lyres.com