Coffee syrup is a beverage additive typically found in Rhode Island. Made of three ingredients (water and sugar strained through coffee grounds), this syrup is used in other local cuisine such as coffee milk and coffee cabinets. History Originally produced in the 1930s in corner drug stores, coffee syrup was targeted towards children, while their parents drank hot coffee. Due to the popularity of this product, coffee syrup was bottled and sold by merchants. In 1993 coffee syrup was competing against Del's Lemonade (another local drink) and won the title of official drink of Rhode Island. Timeline *1895: Brownell & Field Coffee Company was founded by Frank O. Field. The name changed to Autocrat Coffee, and Autocrat Coffee began manufacturing coffee syrup in the 1930s. *1930: Coffee milk was first introduced to Rhode Island. *1932: Silmo Packing company, New Bedford, Massachusetts began a version called "coffee syrup" under their company's name. *1938: Eclipse of Warwick also made their own version of coffee syrup. They had a slogan to go along with it, "You'll smack your lips if it's Eclipse." *1940: Autocrat of Lincoln, Rhode Island began to make a mixture of corn syrup and coffee extract. They also had a slogan which was, "A swallow will tell you." *1991: The companies Autocrat and Eclipse were rivals in the coffee syrup business, but this ended in 1991 when Autocrat bought out Eclipse. *2013: In December 2013, the Narragansett Beer company marketed a limited edition stout beer brewed with Autocrat Coffee syrup.
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