Creative Ways to Dress Up Free Drip Coffee at Church

With Easter just around the corner, many of us who are religious will find ourselves in church. And many churches these days offer some sort of free coffee. At my church, our coffee bar provides fresh drip coffee and hot water for tea. Nothing fancy, no espresso, no syrups, just the essentials. These are my lifehacks on how to get the most out of free coffee you may come across this Easter!

Utilize the Free Creamer

My church offers three creamers: powder creamer, half-n-half, and french vanilla creamer. When you want to dress up your black coffee, don't be ashamed to take two or three creamers for your coffee! That's why they're there! Most people at specialty coffee shops and cafes are ordering drinks that come with milk (whether that's a latte or a macchiato or something), so black coffee can be unimpressive or bitter.

Whether your church has flavored creamers or just milk, even just adding a splash with help cut the bitterness of black coffee.

Tips for the best experience with your creamer:

• If you have access to the little single-serve creamer cups, give it a good shake before you pour it in your coffee! This will create a little bit of froth that will change the texture of your drink into something smoother.

• Add a little at first. You can always add more later, but you can't take your cream out of your coffee after you've poured it in!

• Remember: Half-n-half (the most common creamer option) will be creamier than the milk in your latte, so you won't need as much!

  
  

Experiment with the Sugars

While cream will cut the bitterness, some people still want a little sweetness to their coffee. That's where sugar comes in! My church has both sugar and stevia packets, and they both have their unique tastes and uses!

Stevia is much, much sweeter than regular sugar, so if I'm in the mood for a sweet treat, I'll opt for stevia. Stevia also usually dissolves much easier in hot coffee, not changing the feel of the drink.

Sugar, on the other hand, will make your drink a little thicker and give it a more subtle sweetness. It doesn't mask the coffee flavor as much, which is what makes it my go-to sweetener at church!

Some ideas for your sugars:

• Mix and match: you can put both stevia and sugar and whatever other sweetener you have in one cup! Find the combinations that you like best!

• If you're new to the world of dressing up your coffee, start small. One packet of sugar can go a long way!

Sneak in Your Own Mix-Ins

Sometimes when I know that I'm going to blessed with free coffee I come prepared! Some easy to bring additions to your coffee include:

• Chocolate shavings or chips (for a nice little something for your coffee!)

• A couple pumps of syrup from home (that way you KNOW you'll like the flavor!)

• Brown sugar or raw sugar crystals (these will melt and make a delicious and cozy flavor in your hot coffee!)

• Mini marshmallows

  
  

I like to put my mix-ins into my personal to-go cup of coffee at home and then top her off with coffee when I get to church! That way I have the flavor that I want, and it will last longer in my own cup.

Conclusion

Free drip coffee at church doesn’t have to be plain or boring. With a few simple tricks from above, you can dress up your coffee in no time! I hope that the next time you received free coffee, it's still hot and not burnt!

Cheers to you!