Alaska Airlines serves up Stumptown Coffee
The custom roast will be available exclusively on all Alaska flights by December 1
Stumptown Coffee Roasters is introducing a new custom coffee blend that’s specially crafted to be enjoyed up in the air for Alaska Airlines.
From Autumn, and then on every flight by December 1, passengers will be able to enjoy the organic medium-dark brew. Passengers can sip Stumptown in the airline’s Portland and JFK Lounges which will serve Stumptown's Holler Mountain for brewed coffee and Hair Bender in handcrafted espresso beverages. Trapper Creek will also be available as a decaf option.
“Like travel, coffee has a remarkable way of bringing people together. I can’t wait for our guests and employees to enjoy a cup of Stumptown when they fly with us,” said Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci in a recent statement.
Stumptown’s Holler Mountain is the company’s best-selling, certified organic coffee. Alaska’s medium-dark blend uses the same clean and sweet base as Holler Mountain, but with a primary focus on a roast that mellows acidity and introduces “just enough toastiness to please a wide range of palates.”
The blend has aromatic notes of toasted marshmallows, browned butter and toffee with delicate hints of citrus and cherry. Additionally, Stumptown dialed in this roast to be delicious when served black or with the addition of creamer or oat milk (also coming to Alaska flights December 1).
“We wanted a crowd pleaser—something that would delight folks who enjoy milder coffees and also speak to guests who enjoy medium-bodied roasts,” said Stumptown President Laura Szeliga.
After selecting the signature coffee, Alaska conducted extensive brewing tests both on the ground and in the air, to understand how it tasted both in the air and on the ground, and ensure the roast worked with all types of brewing machines on Alaska and Horizon aircraft.
More than 200 pots of coffee were brewed for the development of this project.
The airline tested over 20 variables, including changes in grind, dose, filter paper and filter-pack dimensions. Multiple flight tests and blind customer surveys were conducted to ensure the taste tests met what was expected from a cup of Stumptown coffee on the ground.
The airline also taste-tested the coffee with Alaska’s inflight milk and Biscoff cookie to ensure both paired well with the coffee selected.
