Three new ways to love La Minita Peaberry
When summer rolls around, there’s one thing on our minds: coffee. OK, coffee is always on the brain here at Caribou Coffee®, but to us, sipping an iced coffee on a sunny day is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
And that’s exactly why we came up with three new iced coffee beverages for summer 2026, based on our bestselling, fan-favorite La Minita Peaberry coffee: Cold Press, Crafted Press and Lemonade Shandy. Each one highlights La Minita’s unique flavor in its own special way — even blending it with lemonade! — so you can expand your coffee horizons at the pool, the office and on your next weekend getaway.
What is La Minita Peaberry?
La Minita Peaberry is a special, limited-edition coffee that pops up on our shelves every summer. It’s made with the incredibly precious and rare peaberries, which are extra flavorful and vibrant. Ours come from Hacienda La Minita in Costa Rica; we’ve partnered with them for more than 30 years, and Caribou Coffee employees often visit the farm to immerse themselves in coffee and culture. (If you want to take a deep dive into all things peaberries, we’ve got you!)
La Minita Peaberry has become a fan favorite because it gives at-home BOUristas like you a chance to experience different flavor facets depending on brewing methods. “Hot brewing helps bring out the natural brightness present in the coffee and unlocks most, if not all, of the flavors tucked away inside the bean,” explains Brian Aliffi, Head of Coffee Operations at Caribou Coffee. When you brew La Minita Peaberry hot — Aliffi recommends brewing in a traditional drip coffee machine or pour-over style — you’ll taste notes of fresh cherry. On the flip side, cold brewing pulls more sweetness from the bean, including syrupy maraschino cherry and cocoa notes.
Why does La Minita Peaberry taste so good in the summertime?
There’s a reason why La Minita Peaberry shows up just as the weather warms up. According to Aliffi, coffee from Central America is harvested near the beginning of the year, and the cleaning and sorting process takes time. “They’re arriving as the summer gets started,” he says. “We’re featuring this coffee during its peak freshness and flavorfulness.” Not to mention, those cherry notes feel like summer in your cup.
What are the new La Minita Peaberry offerings?
Like we said above, we’re giving you even more ways to enjoy La Minita Peaberry with three cool new twists on the now-classic coffee. Each one is cold brewed using our go-to process for smooth, delightful flavor.
“It goes without saying that La Minita Peaberry is near and dear to our hearts here at Caribou,” says Lindsey Palmer, Culinary R&D Manager at Caribou Coffee. When coming up with the three new drinks, Palmer and her team made sure to highlight the unique and delicious flavor of La Minita Peaberry, “not mask it.” This took a little trial and error; for example, using the cold-pressed coffee in a standard Crafted Press formulation meant that the signature La Minita flavor “took a back seat” and wasn’t as prominent as the team hoped. So they tried again! When they paired it with creamy, nutty oatmilk, the tart cherry notes really sang, and it ended up landing on the summer menu as the La Minita Peaberry Crafted Press. “This a great option for people who love oatmilk as well as Crafted Press fans,” says Palmer.
La Minita Peaberry purists will love the classic Cold Brew, which brings out those sweet, candied cherry and chocolate notes.
As for the Lemonade Shandy, don’t knock it ‘til you try it! This beverage pairs La Minita Peaberry with a zesty splash of lemonade. “Shandy beverages have become quite popular in the beverage space over the past several years,” Palmer explains. Cold-pressed La Minita Peaberry has a raw cane sugar note that works really well with tart lemonade, for a drink that Palmer describes as “refreshing and delicious.”
Like the summer itself, La Minita Peaberry won’t be around forever. Both the coffee beans and the three iced beverages are here for a good time, not a long time, so grab your sunglasses and SPF and head to a ‘Bou near you for the sip of summer.