View source for Coffee milk

{{Short description|Drink made from coffee syrup and milk}}

{{About|the drink made by dissolving coffee-flavored syrup in milk|drinks involving milk and brewed coffee|milk coffee}}
{{Redirects here|Coffee syrup|liquids used in flavoring coffee|Coffee preparation#Flavored coffees}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Coffee milk
| image = Autocrat3.jpg
| type = [[Flavored milk]]
| course = 
| country = [[United States]]
| region = [[New England]]
| national_cuisine = [[Rhode Island]]
| creator = <!-- or | creators = -->
| year = 
| mintime = 
| maxtime = 
| served = 
| main_ingredient = Milk, coffee syrup
| minor_ingredient = 
| similar_dish = [[Chocolate milk]]
}}

'''Coffee milk''' is a [[drink]] made by mixing [[coffee]] syrup or extract with [[milk]], in a manner similar to [[chocolate milk]].<ref name="Shahidi Spanier Ho Braggins 2003" /> Since 1993, it has been the official [[List of U.S. state beverages|state drink]] of the [[United States|U.S.]] [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Rhode Island]].<ref name="ri">{{cite web |author=RI.gov |url=http://www.ri.gov/facts/factsfigures.php |title=State of Rhode Island website "Facts and Figures" |publisher=Ri.gov |access-date=2011-11-28 |archive-date=2020-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418105444/https://www.ri.gov/facts/factsfigures.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
While the precise origin of coffee milk is unclear, several sources trace it back to the 19th century [[Italian Americans|Italian immigrant population]] in [[Providence, Rhode Island]]. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, approximately 55,000 Italian immigrants traveled to Providence,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://rhodetour.org/items/show/64|title=Autocrat - A Swallow Will Tell You {{!}} Rhode Tour|website=Rhode Tour|language=en|access-date=2018-03-29|archive-date=2017-04-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421012045/http://rhodetour.org/items/show/64|url-status=live}}</ref> introducing their traditions and customs to Rhode Island; this included drinking sweetened coffee with milk, which is believed to have led to the creation of coffee milk.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/09/05/492278535/whats-in-that-coffee-cabinet-a-delicious-taste-of-rhode-island-history|title=What's In That Coffee Cabinet? A Delicious Taste Of Rhode Island History|work=[[NPR]]|access-date=2018-03-29|language=en}}</ref>

Coffee milk originated in American [[diner]]s and [[soda fountain]]s in the early 20th century. The first coffee syrup is thought to have been created by a soda fountain operator who sweetened leftover coffee grounds with milk and sugar to create a syrup, then mixed it into glasses of milk.<ref name=":0" /> In the 1930s, coffee milk was regularly served at [[Pharmacy (shop)|pharmacy]] [[lunch counter]]s, targeted toward children and youth as an alternative to the hot coffee served to their parents.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Lukas |first=Paul |date=2002-11-13 |title=The Big Flavors Of Little Rhode Island |language=en |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/13/dining/the-big-flavors-of-little-rhode-island.html |access-date=2018-07-23 |archive-date=2020-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117183736/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/13/dining/the-big-flavors-of-little-rhode-island.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Due to the popularity of the product, coffee syrup was eventually bottled and sold by merchants. The first merchant to bottle and sell coffee syrup was D. Abelsen & Son who created an Arabian Brand Coffee Syrup in Grant Mills, Cumberland, RI. The product was first documented in the 1926 Ice Cream Trade Journal published by Thomas D. Cutler. The syrup was advertised as “Our New Creation Arabian Brand Coffee Syrup for Ice Cream Topping, Milk Shakes, Iced Coffee, Etc.” D. Abelsen & Son set up production at their factory at 556 North Main Street in Providence, RI.

To honor the heritage of this local beverage which originated in RI's Blackstone Valley, Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, markets their own version of coffee syrup (in collaboration with Dave's Coffee).

Silmo Packing Company of [[New Bedford, Massachusetts]] began producing coffee syrup in 1932. And in 1938, [[Warwick, Rhode Island]]’s Eclipse Foods produced its own version. [[Lincoln, Rhode Island]]'s [[Autocrat, LLC|Autocrat Coffee]] began producing coffee syrup in the 1930s.  Coffee Time was produced by a [[New Hampshire]] based producer around the same time.  In 1963, Eclipse Foods and Coffee Time were purchased by Globe Extracts of [[Hauppage, New York]].  In the 1990s, Autocrat acquired Eclipse and Coffee Time, produced all three brands, and came to dominate the coffee syrup market.

Autocrat is claimed to be the most popular brand of coffee syrup in Rhode Island.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ri.gov/facts/factsfigures.php|title=RIGOV|last=RI.gov|website=www.ri.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-03-29}}</ref> Newer brands such as Dave's Coffee and Morning Glory offer coffee syrups with desired customer qualities, such as no [[high-fructose corn syrup]] or artificial colors.

In 1993, the [[Rhode Island General Assembly]] opted to change Rhode Island's state drink, with the two potential choices being coffee milk and [[Del's|Del's Lemonade]]. Coffee milk ultimately triumphed, and was officially named the state drink on July 29, 1993.<ref name=":1" />

== Coffee syrup ==
{{Multiple image
| header =
| align = right
| direction = 
| total_width = 250
| perrow = 1/2
| image1= Autocrat Coffee Syrup bottles.jpg
| caption1 = Bottles of coffee syrup
| image2= Coffee milk in a supermarket dairy case.jpg
| caption2 = Prepared coffee milk in a supermarket dairy case
| image3 = Coffee milk and coffee syrup.jpg
| caption3 = Prepared coffee milk next to coffee syrup
}}
Coffee syrup is a sweetened coffee concentrate and is a key ingredient in coffee milk.

Coffee syrup is produced by straining hot water and sugar through coffee grounds. It can also be prepared by preparing a large amount of hot coffee and then adding sugar to it afterward. A cold-process method for coffee syrup involves soaking pulverized coffee beans for some time and then adding sugar.<ref name=":1" />

Coffee syrup is often brewed at home, in a saucepan using coffee and sugar.

==Related foods==
A [[coffee cabinet]] is an [[ice cream]]-based [[milkshake]]-style beverage found almost exclusively in Rhode Island and southeastern [[Massachusetts]], consisting of coffee ice cream, coffee syrup, and milk.<ref name="cookbook">Smith, Peter W. (2003). ''New England Country Store Cookbook''. iUniverse. Retrieved 11 January 2014 from [https://books.google.com/books?id=5IEnJBtqfRsC].{{Self-published source|date=January 2014}}</ref>

In December 2013, the [[Narragansett Brewing Company]] partnered with Autocrat Coffee to market a limited edition "coffee milk [[stout]]".<ref name="Boston">{{cite news |author=Dzen, Gary |date=December 3, 2013 |title=Narragansett announces release of Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout |agency=[[Boston Globe]] |url=http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/blogs/99bottles/2013/12/narragansett_announces_release_of_autocrat_coffee_milk_stout.html |access-date=21 December 2013 |archive-date=24 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224134717/http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/blogs/99bottles/2013/12/narragansett_announces_release_of_autocrat_coffee_milk_stout.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="dietsch">Dietsch, Emily. (2013, December 16). [http://www.providenceonline.com/stories/Narragansett-Beer-Autocrat-Coffee-Milk-Stout-drink-alcohol-Providence-Monthly,10790 Drunk on Gansett Coffee Milk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224101749/http://www.providenceonline.com/stories/Narragansett-Beer-Autocrat-Coffee-Milk-Stout-drink-alcohol-Providence-Monthly%2C10790|date=2013-12-24}}. ''[[Providence Monthly]]''. Retrieved 21 December 2013.</ref><ref name="cbslocal">(2013, October 18). [http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/10/18/narragansett-beer-co-planning-autocrat-coffee-milk-stout/ Narragansett Beer Co. Planning Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222224932/http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/10/18/narragansett-beer-co-planning-autocrat-coffee-milk-stout/ |date=2013-12-22 }}. ''CBS Boston - Local''. Retrieved 21 December 2013.</ref>

In summer 2015, Warwick Ice Cream collaborated with Autocrat to produce coffee milk ice cream.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Soens |first=Darren |date=2015-07-31 |title=RI companies introduce coffee milk ice cream |language=en-US |work=[[WPRI-TV]] |url=http://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/ri-companies-introduce-coffee-milk-ice-cream/1044087724 |access-date=2018-03-29 |archive-date=2023-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231022014619/https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/ri-companies-introduce-coffee-milk-ice-cream/1044087724/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Coffee|Drink|Rhode Island}}
{{commons category|Coffee milk}}
* [[Camp Coffee]]
* [[Coffee sauce]]
* [[Egg cream]]
* [[Farmers Union Iced Coffee]]
* [[Iced coffee]]
* [[List of coffee beverages]]
* [[List of regional beverages of the United States]]

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="Shahidi Spanier Ho Braggins 2003">{{cite book | last1=Shahidi | first1=F. | last2=Spanier | first2=A.M. | last3=Ho | first3=C.T. | last4=Braggins | first4=T. | title=Quality of Fresh and Processed Foods | publisher=Springer US | series=Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology | year=2003 | isbn=978-0-306-48071-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q7fAp-arpEEC&pg=PA207 | access-date=August 17, 2017 | page=207}}</ref>

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==Further reading==
* {{cite book | publisher=Western Druggist | issue=v. 39 | year=1917 |title=Individuality at the Fountain| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=piVGAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA312 | page=312}}
* Brown, Seth (2007). [https://books.google.com/books?id=DdU9NHiX3OcC&pg=PA130 ''Rhode Island Curiosities'']. Globe Pequot. p.&nbsp;130. {{ISBN|0762743387}}

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[[Category:Flavored milk]]
[[Category:Italian-American culture in Providence, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Culture of Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Symbols of Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Cuisine of Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Cuisine of New England]]
[[Category:Coffee derivatives]]