Specialty coffee has grown up, in that the people are growing up. Many of the early adopters to the third wave are in their 30s and 40s (even 50s), with families and kids and phantom back aches. For those of that ilk with children, you’ve probably heard of Laika, or at least seen some of their work. The stop-motion animation studio is responsible for such films as Missing Link, the supremely under-appreciated Kubo and the Two Strings, ParaNorman, and of course, Coraline.
And now, the world of specialty coffee and watching the same movie with your kid for six months straight are colliding, with Stumptown Coffee Roasters releasing a limited edition Coraline Cold Brew.
For those unfamiliar with the movie, Coraline is the tail of a young girl who moves to a new house, where she discovers a secret door to a magical other world where not everything is as it seems. Written by Neil Gaiman and starring Dakota Fanning as Coraline, a remastered 3D version of the film is set to his theaters next month in honor of the 15-year anniversary. And what better way to celebrate than with cold brew?
Teaming up with Laika, fellow Portland-based Stumptown drew inspiration for the new RTD beverage from “fantastic garden” scene, “a whimsical and surreal world beyond her wildest dreams.”
“Our friends at LAIKA are kindred spirits with similar core values as Stumptown Coffee. We believe in being the best in our crafts, pushing the limits when it comes to what we create and we both love our home base of Portland, Oregon,” said Hanna Boone, creative director for Stumptown Coffee. “Being able to collaborate to celebrate the continued success of Coraline has been a creative dream and we are excited to have it come to life in our cafes and cans all over the country.”
Along with the limited edition cans, which will be available in grocery stores nationwide while supplies last, folks in Portland, New York, and Pasadena can immerse themselves even further in the caffeinated world of Coraline, with select Stumptown cafes will be hosting Coraline art galleries featuring concept art and ephemera from the film. There will also be a Coraline-inspired menu, with items like the Coraline Coconut Cream Cold Brew, made of coconut cream, cold brew, and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes. And if that’s not enough, Laika and Stumptown are collaborating on a line of Coraline and coffee merch, including mugs, totes, and stickers, all of which will be available at participating Stumptown cafes and online.
Honestly, the collab makes sense. Coraline would be 26 by now, and there is absolutely no way she hasn’t spent a good majority of those years in a moody cafe, most likely as a barista. She’s a poster child for the cold brew generation, now quite literally. For more information, visit the official websites for Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Laika.
And if anyone at Stumptown could ask the folks at Laika why their characters have to lose an eye all the time. It’s freaking my kids out.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
