It's not often that coffee lovers will admit to liking a brewed drink as much as their beloved "Joe," but Crio Bru is turning heads in the coffee world. Crio Bru is a healthy and delicious brewed cocoa drink. It has the essence and health properties of dark chocolate and brews just like coffee. Crio Bru is made with one ingredient -- 100% pure, premium cocoa beans, which are roasted and milled to produce flavorful cocoa grounds.
Crio Bru delivers the same intense, complex flavors of the finest cocoa beans found in artisan dark chocolate. Crio Bru's three varieties -- Cavalla, Vega Real and Coca River -- have a taste uniquely their own. One may notice the coconut and cinnamon in Cavalla, or the strawberries and green tea in Vega Real, or the green banana and blackberries in Coca River. The most remarkable fact about the flavors in Crio Bru, as with any fine chocolate, is that they are found naturally in the cocoa bean itself!
Because Crio Bru is roasted and brewed, it has the consistency, roasted flavor and complexity of a fine coffee, yet because it is made with cocoa beans, its primary flavors are chocolaty. Just as with coffee, sweetener and creamer can be added to taste, or it can be drank black for a bittersweet, low-calorie hot drink.
Matt Caputo, awarded Utah's Best Food and Wine Educator by Salt Lake City Magazine, says, "Crio Bru is made by artisans whose knowledge and passion is unsurpassed in the small world of fine chocolate. Crafting savory aromas in the cup are so hauntingly deep and complex, after one taste any chocolate or coffee aficionado will forever include Crio Bru in their lives."
Coffee lovers are amazed at the complex aromatic and flavor notes found in Crio Bru and many are mixing their favorite roasts with Crio Bru to make their own Crio Mocha.
"The response to Crio Bru has been phenomenal," says Jon Fotheringham, Crio's C.E.O. "Often our customers will tell us that they ran out of their first bag in a day or two because they had to share it with their family and friends."
Because chocolate makers typically add milk, sugar, marshmallows, caramel, nuts and more to their chocolate, chocolate is seen as an unhealthy indulgence. Pure cocoa, in fact, is one of the most powerful, all-natural super foods.
Antioxidants -- Raw cocoa beans, by weight, have more antioxidants than almost any food in the world. Even after it has been roasted and brewed, Crio Bru has 150% more antioxidants than pure pomegranate juice.
Heart Healthy -- A recent study by the American Heart Association (i) demonstrates the beneficial effects of cocoa on blood pressure, insulin resistance, vascular and platelet function as well as being anti-inflammatory.
Low-Calorie -- With only 10 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams sugar, 0 milligrams sodium and 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per 4.25 oz. cup, as well as the fact that cocoa is an appetite suppressant, Crio Bru is a slimming "chocolate" drink.
Healthy Energy -- Crio Bru contains a natural stimulant called theobromine, which is gentle, long lasting and non-addictive. Theobromine gives you a "holistic high," making you feel focused, energized and on top of the world.
Because it's made from 100% pure cocoa, Crio Bru is "healthy chocolate."
"It's not often you come across a revolutionary, single-ingredient product made from an organic source," says Eric Durtschi, who created the drink. "But Crio Bru is exactly that. It will change how people think about chocolate," adding, "it's the ultimate healthy drink...and so, so good."
Crio is currently being sold in coffee shops and coffee aisles across Utah and is expanding into restaurants, coffee shops, hotels and offices nationwide. It can also be found on http://www.criobru.com.