Bride’s Guide: Creating a Gourmet Coffee Bar

An increasingly popular alternative to an open bar is a coffee bar. Not everyone drinks, after all, and guests will appreciate having a variety of non-alcoholic options.

Why not stick with the champagne toast and let your invitees enjoy other customizable beverages? Here are four tips for creating a gourmet coffee bar at your reception.

You don’t have to go for kopi luwak, which can cost as much as $100 a cup. If your guests know how it’s made, they might raise skeptical eyebrows or express animal welfare concerns.

However, if you think of coffee beans as wine grapes, you can immediately see how quality matters. It also helps to know your terminology:

• Specialty coffee:These gourmet beans are beholden to standards set by the Speciality Coffee Association (SCA). They use a 100-point scale, and brands must score at least 80 to win this prestigious designation.
• Third-wave coffee:This term refers to a specific subset of specialty coffee where the same small farm produces all the beans. They favor lighter roasts that let the flavors of origin shine.

In today’s world of unicorn frappuccinos, many of your guests prefer a cup beyond the basic black. Ensure you provide ample flavorings, including some sugar-free varieties for your guests with diabetes or who follow strict diets.

Think beyond the flavored creamers. You can include some, but many varieties are laden with sugar and artificial ingredients. Include some trusted standbys like cinnamon and chocolate shavings for those who prefer to stay additive-free.

Even with a sugary creamer, some of your invitees can’t get enough of the sweet stuff in their brew. However, many people today prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners like aspartame due to health fears, even though the FDA considers them safe.

Instead, include natural alternatives that won’t raise your guests’ glycemic indexes, such as stevia and monk fruit. Get creative! A banana adds a hint of sweetness and also provides nutrients like potassium and vitamin B-6.

What’s a gourmet cup of coffee without a heaping dollop of rich and satiny whipped cream? The right finishing touches make your gourmet coffee bar experience extra elegant.

What should you include besides whipped cream? Take a tip from your favorite specialty shop. Sprinkles like cinnamon and hazelnut add flavor, and rainbow-colored sugar crystals make things bright and festive.

A gourmet coffee bar is an ideal addition to your reception for many reasons. Create the perfect one with the four tips above.