Pumpkin Spice – It’s More Than a Latte

It’s a wonderful time of year for coffee magnates large and small. Customers pack their stores daily, paying any price for the succulent taste of the latest pumpkin-spice latte. Autumn has a way of telling people it’s not only okay, but necessary, to bask in the enticing, savory flavor of pumpkin spice.

But why do fancy coffee drinks get all the love? We enjoy a good latte, too, but pumpkin spice can do so much more.

The Pumpkin Beer Craze

Craft beer’s boon continues to swell, and as seasons change, breweries try to find their signature brew to accompany its devotees. When fall arrives, so do the pumpkin beers and the droves of people looking to imbibe. Right here in Bremer’s home of West Michigan, people clamor for New Holland Brewing’s Ichabod the moment they can get their hands on it, and that’s just one of hundreds of pumpkin beers available locally, nationally and internationally.

Pumpkin Spice Beer - New Holland

Just like the pumpkin-spice latte has become associated with changing leaves, so too has the pumpkin beer.

Not everyone who likes coffee likes beer, and vice versa, and yet lines are out the door to get both, so what’s the correlation? Pumpkin spice, of course.

Pumpkin Spice Makes (Almost) Anything Better

The human senses are powerful. A familiar sound or scent conjures memories and moods, sometimes inexplicably. Pumpkin spice is quintessential to leaves changing, a crispness in the air and all things autumn. The power of the spice comes from its incomparable blend: nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.

Those four spices alone will entice, but when combined, they’re irresistible. That’s why we’re seeing people add pumpkin spice to yogurt, oatmeal and pancakes.

Energy bars now have a hint of pumpkin. Spiced nuts tout the pumpkin. Flavored butter, whipped cream and other condiments have joined the craze. We’ve even seen people creating delicious pumpkin ravioli dishes or using the spice to roast vegetables.

Browse the aisles at your local grocery store and you will see scores of products that either feature pumpkin spice or include pumpkin spice in some quantity.

Yes, pumpkin spice makes for a tasty latte. But it also deserves recognition for everything else it enhances. How do you use pumpkin spice? 

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Bremer Ingredients on a Winery Tour

Have you ever toured a winery? If so, you’ve learned fascinating facts about how grapes are chosen, how they’re converted into wine, where distinct flavors originate and anything else you may have wondered (or never known to wonder) about wine.

With the increase in wineries being established around Michigan, we’ve been graced with the opportunity to send our ingredients to wineries in Northern Michigan, Southwest Michigan and between. For our ingredients, it’s less of a tour and more of a fundamental, functional need, but it’s exciting nonetheless.

Essentially, a winery ferments fruit, then blends and ages the juices. Depending on the specific properties of each individual wine (and whether or not the winery also bottles or stores its products), winemakers have very unique needs when it comes to authentic ingredients. That’s where it gets exciting for us.

Essential Ingredients for Wine Makers

We’re seeing an increase in orders for granulated Michigan sugar and food-grade chemicals, as wineries need these ingredients to craft their products. Available on pallets and in bagged quantities, we’re able to serve big and small winemakers on an as-needed basis.

Wine Preservatives

Preservatives like citric acids, tartaric acids, sodium bicarbonate, potassium sorbate and others are needed for both the production and bottling of wines, keeping them fresh and adding flavor where applicable.

In an industry as robust as winemaking, and with a product category that has such devoted followers, it’s nice to know our ingredients play a prominent role. We enjoy sending them off to wineries around Michigan and look forward to sampling the finish products.

Are you a winery or craft wine maker looking for authentic ingredients? Let us know how we can help you.