For a limited run, we are very excited to introduce a new lineup of menu items available exclusively at our cafes that contain cascara. We worked with Helsar de Zarcero in Costa Rica, a quality-focused micro-mill, to bring it in.

Whole coffee cherry.

What is Cascara?

“Cáscara” is Spanish for ‘husk’ or ‘skin,’ and refers to the dried skins of coffee cherry. Normally, the whole coffee cherry is processed in order to obtain the seed of the fruit, and the skins are discarded or re-used for compost. To process it, the pulped skins are collected after the seeds (or beans) have been removed, and carefully dried for export. Cascara is still fairly new in the specialty world, and is usually not found served in cafes.

What does it taste like? 

Cascara is found somewhere in the intersection between coffee and tea — even though it comes from the coffee plant, the drink does not taste anything like coffee, as it is the dried fruit portion of the coffee cherry. The most common way to consume it is to steep it with hot water as a tea, and it is typically described as having a sweet, fruity taste with notes of rose hip, hibiscus, and red currant.

Does it have caffeine?

YES! Cascara has 111.4 mg/L, compared to a broad range of about 400-800 mg/L in normal, brewed coffee.

Where is it from?

We worked with Helsar de Zarcero, which is a quality-focused micro-mill located in Costa Rica. They worked together with a research team from the University of Costa Rica to develop a process that would yield great results. Phil & Sebastian has worked with closely with the Helsar Mill — you may remember coffees from producers such as Ricardo Perez, Miguel Rojas, Filipe Rodriguez, and Manuel “Macho” Arce.

How is Phil & Sebastian serving it? 

For a limited time, we are offering 3 cascara-based menu at our cafe locations (Mission, Chinook and Marda Loop):

Cascara Tea 

With notes of rose hip, mulled apple cider, raisins, and red currant — it is steeped with hot water to create a traditional fruit tea:

Cascara Tea

Cascara Tea Latte

Notes of cereal milk, malty Ovaltine, rose hip, and ginger bread — this version of a tea latte has cascara infused into milk as it's being steamed.

Cascara Tea Latte

Cascara Donut

And, last but not least, the most creative way you can try cascara is with our cascara donut. It’s a freshly-baked donut made in-house, and dusted with cascara sugar.

Cascara Donut

This is something new and unique that we are introducing exclusively to our cafe locations — if you’re in Calgary, please come in to check it out!