Until I had kids I was never a coffee drinker. It was too strong without anything in it, or when I would get it all doctored up, say a frappuccino from a Starbucks like place, it was too sweet, even for me. When my wife had our son. I tried lots of things to stay awake, without going to coffee. I stuck with caffeine, but did it through diet soda, which isn't great for you. I tried Red Bull, and I still to this day think it is disgusting. I did the whole energy drink thing, and that made me too wiry, then I would inevitably crash.

Then my dad showed me how he would make coffee, for a person like me. I tend to like my hot drinks sweet, but not overly sweet. I also do not use real sugar because that sends me through the roof. He made me a brew one day, put about a tablespoon of heavy cream in it, and a packet of Splenda. I loved it. From that moment on, that was how I drank coffee for the first year of my son's life. I then decided I wanted to try different things, different drinks. I had cappuccinos, lattes, flat whites, mocha, I tried them all. I have liked most of them, there are a few that are not my favorites, but still, I consider myself a coffee drinker now. I have one cup every morning, then I usually have one in the afternoon when my wife is done with work. We have a cup and play cards. Yes I know, we are adorable.

Prior to the pandemic, my dad and I would go out once a week to new coffee places in town and try stuff out. We have found some really good places here in Saint Louis. Mokabes is great, so is Hartford. We also both really enjoy Stone Spiral and The Mud House. My dad's favorite spot so far has been Sump, and I really, really enjoy Shaw's. We just recently decided, maybe a few weeks ago, that we feel safe to go enjoy a cup of coffee together as long as the spot has an outside seating area, and we both mask up. We have had some good coffee too.

Today we went out, my kids have the day off school, a teacher development day which makes no sense to me since they are virtually learning, but whatever, and found a place called Living Room Cafe and Diner in a smaller part of Maplewood here in Saint Louis. Neither of us had been, they mentioned how the outside is the only place to sit, masks are required and the menu looked interesting. We got there and ordered, and I ordered something I would have deemed garbage eight years ago. My dad got a really good tasting decaf cold brew, I opened his cup and took a drink, no mixing of germs. What I got was pretty strange though. They call it the "Sunrise". This was a cold brew, but the bottom half had orange juice in it. Now, I was hesitant, but what sold me was what it said on the menu under the drink. It was short, sweet and simple. It read, "trust us, it is good". I was still a little confused, and kind of regretting my order, but what the hell I figured. I took my first drink and told my dad all I could taste was the coffee, which was really great on its own. He told me to mix it up, that all the orange juice was in the middle and at the bottom. I grabbed myself a disposable knife, stirred it and tasted again. It was amazing! I kid you not. It was really, really good. My dad did not want to try because he is not a fan of sweet coffee at all, but man did I love it. The orange juice brought out a sweetness that I really liked, and it gave an added citrus flavor that I never knew I was missing in my coffee. I was in coffee heaven drinking this drink. I wanted to chug it, but I took sips here and there, to really savor it, all the while saying to me dad, "this shouldn't work, but damn if it isn't delicious".

I am so glad that I decided to get the drink. The coffee at this spot was already tasty, but adding the citrus, that took it over the top. I got home a little bit ago and told my wife that it was the best coffee drink I have ever had. I do not recommend drinking it hot. I cannot imagine what hot orange juice tastes like. But if you have some cold brew, or you go buy some at a real coffee shop, not Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, and add some orange juice and ice, I bet you will enjoy it as much as I did. I am usually not a "frankenfood" guy, but this was so very delicious. I will definitely go get this again, and I am going to try and make it at home. For not being an orange juice guy, I hardly ever drink it, this was revelatory for me.

The "Sunrise" is now my favorite coffee drink I have ever had. Seriously people, go try one out, it will change you. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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