[PDX] Mystery Ingredient

[fierydrunk]

Does anyone drink the mochas at Stumptown (or the Fresh Pot)? They use an extra syrup ion them that "makes" it. Someone showed me from afar the bottle and it looked familiar--like an Indian grocery syrup container with a black label with red writing. They didn't say what it was, however. They put it in an unmarked container and it resembles caramel, but I can't be sure.

Does anyone have any idea what this flavoring is? I have narrowed everything else down for making them at home!

[whippy]

i asked duane once and he told me they used hershey's, i think. i must've given him a funny look, cause he said: "it's what i grew up with." (i'm not a hershey's fan. )

they put in two separate syrups?

what sorta syrup do you buy at the indian grocery?

[fierydrunk]

They ain't using Hersheys---I think that is their stock response. If they are, they are definitely adding this other mystery syrup too. I asked a girl once when she had to go to the fridge for more and I saw the container (like I said, a familiar looking smallish container with a black w/red curly-looking writing sticker)--she said they also added "that" but would not tell me what it was. I have seen the Fresh Pot baristas put something resembling caramel in after the cocoa. Fresh Pot uses Da Vinci choc syrup.

I may have to go on another spy mission. I have tried using Hersheys and Ghiradelli and neither have had that Stumptown mocha taste...I use Hairbender beans too and have a great home machine.

[Fritz Brenner]

I feel silly, because at the last job I had, we started serving Stumptown coffee and part of that process is that all the employees must take an unpaid, three hour coffee course at the Stumptown roastery. I can't remember anything about mochas... basically we did hands-on latte and capp. stuff, and then were told the variations on those themes. However, I feel like I would remember if it were something really different. At the restaurant I was working at, we only made a thick syrup from sweetened cocoa powder and hot water, then added the espresso and steamed milk.

[ladybugseattle]

The bottle description sounds something like a Dilettante Chocolate package design http://www.dilettante.com/store/products.aspx?cat=16

[fierydrunk]

Ladybug!!!! You RULE! That is exactly the bottle. The Semisweet chocolate one. I feel like I have won a serious game of poker. HAHAHAHAHAHA! I love Stumptown but damn that sort of secrecy when I pony up $11.50 every two and a half weeks for their beans. I think they do a bit of a combo of adding some of that with a mixture of (quite possibly) Hershey's cocoa/hot water.

I am into the test kitchen---I will let you know by the week's end.

[ladybugseattle]

You're welcome. Dilettante is all over Seattle. One caveat: the stuff has a high butterfat content thats separated out into droplets floating on my coffee on me before. This however may only be my bastardized technique of microwaving my milk for mocha lattes. When my Rancilio Sylvia cleans her own steam wand I might bother, otherwise with two not-so-fussy bachelors using her the machine is just disgusting.

[fierydrunk]

I bought a bottle of the semi-sweet Dilletante and it is great, but I am thinking the regular sweet may be better for me as the semi-sweet just ain't sweet enough. It does do the floaty nastyness on the ol' mocha, I just keep stirring a lot to avoid it.

I too have a Rancho Silvia and it is just this side of disgusting. Thanks for reminding me to give her a cleaning!