For years, Seattle-based Alaska Airlines has been brewing and pouring Seattle-based Starbucks coffee on Alaska and Horizon Airlines flights.
But on or around December 1, 2023, the in-flight coffee will switch over to a custom roast from Portland-based Stumptown Coffee that’s a spinoff of Stumptown’s best-selling Holler Mountain.
Alaska says its custom Stumptown blend was specially crafted to be enjoyed at 30,000 feet, where tastebuds react differently. And that it was approved only after months of development and in-flight testing.
That’s how serious Alaska Airlines – and travelers – are about 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 airline said in a statement. “It’s exceptionally smooth and balanced, with 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” which is also offered on Alaska flights.
We’ll reserve judgment until we taste the coffee for ourselves. With and without those tiny Biscoff cookies.
Mushrooms are very ‘in’ right now. And certain types of mushrooms are said to be adaptogenic, providing a wide range of beneficial effects to our bodies.
Adding adaptogenic mushrooms to coffee is also very ‘in’ right now.
And Seattle-based start-up, Wunderground, says its coffee containing adaptogenic mushrooms can help balance stress and cortisol, improve focus, boost whole system immunity, and improve mood.
A new pop-up shop on Concourse C at SEA, Wunderground @ SEA Airport, is offering complimentary samples of all its mushroom coffees along with sales of their packaged coffee and tea products.
Wunderground is also offering discounts on their gift bundles and has shelves stocked with mushroom merch and mushroom-themed cupcakes from Seattle’s Cupcake Royale, which was also founded by Wunderground Founder & CEO Jody Hall.
“Most [people] wrinkle their nose at the idea of coffee with mushrooms,” Hall told Stuck at the Airport. “But when they try ours, they’re in love with how delicious it tastes, not to mention how it makes them feel better.”
During May, Wunderground will not only be providing complimentary samples of its mushroom coffee, but also giving 3 complimentary travel-sized packets of its instant coffees and tea to anyone who signs up for the mailing list.
We suggest pairing your complimentary mushroom coffee sample with a complimentary sample of chocolate from Seattle Chocolate, across the hall from Wunderground.
Mushroom Coffee at Your Airport?
Hall says Wunderground’s target audience is high stress, high performance’ people.
And airports are an ideal place to find those people.
So if Wunderground becomes a permanent fixiture at SEA, look for it to expand to other airports.
“I worked at Starbucks back in the early days, when we only had 4 markets,” said Hall. “Someone had the brilliant idea to put Starbucks at the airport and it paved the way to drive US market expansion. I see a similar path with Wunderground.”
The airport’s main terminal is named for Barbara Jordan (pictured above on the airport’s trading card. Jordan was the first Black woman elected to the Texas state senate and the first Black Texan in Congress.
If we miss something you love at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), please leave a note in the comments section below. And keep in mind that some of the amenities we mention may currently be unavailable due to health concerns. We’re confident they’ll be back.
And be sure to take a look at the other airports we’ve featured so far in the “5 Things We Love About...” series.
5 Things We Love About Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
1. The Live Music at AUS Airport
Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World” and that includes live music at the airport.
AUS’s Live Music in the Air series presents 31 (yes 31!) live music events a week in 7 airport venues.
During the annual SXSW festival there are bonus concerts at the airport. Once a year, there’s a Kid Band Week. There’s overhead music running all the time, courtesy of listener-support radio station KUTX (give a listen). And there’s an AUS Spotify playlist you can listen to as well.
The Live Music in the Air series is abbreviated for now, but we’re told when the full series comes back it will offer even more live music than before.
The only downside of all that live music at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)? You might have so much fun you’ll miss your plane.
We love all the art we’ve seen at AUS airport. But we especially enjoy Jill Bedgood’s “big hair” etchings found in some women’s restrooms at AUS. In some men’s rooms, you’ll find etchings of a variety of big hats.
Feel free to try them on. Everyone does.
3. Coffee Robots at AUS Airport
There are lots of places to get really great coffee at AUS airport.
But even before social-distancing was a thing, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport understood that sometimes it’s just fine if a robot, not a live person, hands you your coffee. In fact, it can be more fun.
Austin-based Briggo specialty coffee company has two robotic Coffee Haus units at AUS Airport, by Gate 12 and Gate 17.
Order on the app or at the machine and pick up your drink after you get a text from the coffee-making robot. The robots are on duty 24/7.
4. Great stuff to eat at AUS airport
Last year travelers ate 1,603,602 tacos at AUS airport.
The airport does a brisk business in brisket sandwiches and ice-cream as well.
Where to eat?
Some options at AUS include Amy’s Ice-Creams, Hut’s Hamburgers, Berry Austin, ippies and Hops, Earl Campbell’s Taco Truck, Salt Lick Barbecue and Tacodeli.
Brisket sandwich available at Austin-Bergstrom Int’l Airport
5. Outdoor patios at AUS
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) has outdoor patios at both the Barbara Jordan and South Terminals.
The 5,770-square-foot patio in the Barbara Jordan Terminal is on the mezzanine level between Gates 1-2 and, as a nice bonus, there’s an air-conditioned area.
Did we miss one of your favorite amenities at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport?
If so, leave a note in the comments section below and we’ll try to add it.
And be sure to take a look at some of the airports we’ve already featured in our “5 Things We Love About...” series. We’re adding more all the time.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is well-loved for its weekly schedule of live, local music and for the great array of local food outlets in the terminals.
Now AUS is getting a new “attraction” – a robotic coffee-making machine, courtesy of Austin-based Briggo.
The machine will be located across from Gate 8 and travelers will be able to order coffee, hot chocolate or Chai tea via an app or at the machine. App users will get a text when their order is ready to pick up.
Briggo says theirs is the first app-based, robotic, 24/7 specialty coffee system installed in an airport, although Orville the robot prepares and delivers coffee in the IT Experience Zone in Terminal 2 at Incheon International Airport in South Korea – photo below.
And many airports have Starbucks coffee shops where weary fliers can grab an espresso drink between flights.
Where – and when – did that trend start?
You guessed it: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where HMSHost and Starbucks Coffee Company just celebrated the 25th anniversary of not only the first airport Starbucks, but the first Starbucks licensed location, which opened in 1991.
