The last regional park installment of the ongoing collaboration with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy launches at end of September with a Public Tasting Event
PITTSBURGH – SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 – The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and Commonplace Coffee today announced the launch of the Emerald View Park Blend, the last regional park release in the limited series celebrating Pittsburgh’s parks.
Each blend in the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Series highlighted one of the City’s five regional parks: Frick Park, Schenley Park, Highland Park, Riverview Park, and now, Emerald View Park.
The Conservancy and Commonplace Coffee kicked off their partnership in fall 2020 with the launch of the Frick Park Blend, followed by the Schenley Park Blend in early 2021, the Riverview Park Blend last fall, and the Highland Park Blend this spring. The Emerald View Park Blend is an eight-week release that will run from the end of September through early-November.
“In addition to the many trails, playgrounds, ballparks and picnic areas Emerald View Park has to offer, it provides a breathtaking view of Pittsburgh’s skyline for so many residents and visitors of the city,” Alana Wenk, director of philanthropy and public engagement, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, explained. “This year marks 15 years since Emerald View Park was named a regional park, so the timing was perfect to launch this blend and commemorate the milestone.”
From its depression-era sandstone steps and walls, wooded hillsides, and surprise vistas, the 257-acre Emerald View Park serves as a staple for residents in Mount Washington and the surrounding Pittsburgh area. The space includes The Grand View Scenic Byway and three beloved parks: Grandview, Olympia and Mount Washington.
Reminiscent of the three parks that combine Emerald View Park, the blend is comprised of three different coffees from El Salvador, Ethiopia, and Guatemala. Vicky Harris, head roaster, Commonplace Coffee, said combining these three blends created the unique flavor they were looking for to accurately represent the park.
“I focused on a blend that prioritizes a smooth coffee with malic acidity and notes of chocolate,” Harris explained. “El Aguacatal from El Salvador has been a recurring coffee in our lineup – the coffee is incredibly chocolaty and served as the perfect starting point for this blend. I then added Bookkisa from Ethiopia, which undergoes a tedious drying protocol resulting in a bright and clean cup that is uncommon in natural processed coffees. Lastly, I added Ceiba from Guatemala to round out the blend, a staple offering that provides the malic acidity I was looking for, reminiscent of a granny smith apple.”
Commonplace Coffee will host an Emerald View Park Blend tasting at its Squirrel Hill location on Wednesday, September 28 at 11 a.m. to celebrate the end of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy regional park series. This tasting is free and open to the public.
Lauren Young, marketing and communications director, Commonplace Coffee, said the collaboration started as a way for Commonplace Coffee to engage with its community during the early days of the pandemic and evolved into a staple part of the brand’s program.
“Our partnership with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy began more than two and a half years ago and it’s hard to believe that we’re at the end of this collaborative blend series,” Young said. “It has informed how we partner with local nonprofits and support our community on a broad scale and we look forward to finding additional ways to continue supporting the amazing work the Conservancy does for the City of Pittsburgh.”
The custom blend is sold at commonplacecoffee.com and at Commonplace Coffee locations in 12oz. bags priced at $19.25. Commonplace will continue to donate 25% of profits from sales of the custom blends directly to the nonprofit.
To purchase a bag of the Emerald View Park Blend, visit commonplacecoffee.com/coffees or visit a Commonplace Coffee location. To learn more about opportunities to support the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, visit pittsburghparks.org.
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About Commonplace Coffee:
Founded in 2003, Commonplace Coffee is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with six community-based coffeehouses in Western Pennsylvania. The flagship coffeehouse as well as an additional cafe and bakery are located in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The remaining five locations as well as the roastery/headquarters are in Pittsburgh. Commonplace offers handcrafted coffee and pastries in an atmosphere that builds and fosters the neighborhoods it serves. Commonplace also provides cafe consultations, wholesale coffee, equipment, service, and training to a diverse cross-section of businesses looking to create or build their coffee program.
About Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy:
Recently celebrating its 25th year, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy was founded in December 1996 by a group of citizens concerned with the deteriorating conditions of Pittsburgh’s historic city parks. A non-profit organization, the Parks Conservancy works closely with the City of Pittsburgh under an official public-private partnership agreement to restore and improve the city’s park system to its full potential. To date, the Parks Conservancy has raised more than $130 million and completed 22 major park improvement projects. The Parks Conservancy works with thousands of volunteers, hosts hundreds of events, and provides programming for more than 7,500 children annually.
