A new viral coffee shop, 7 Brew, has recently expanded into Minnesota, opening four relatively new locations in Bemidji, St. Cloud, Moorhead, and Vadnais Heights. What sets 7 Brew apart from its competitors is its extravagant add-ins, a wide-ranging menu, and the ability to fully customize any drink you would like. The question is, is 7 Brew just another company that sells coffees, teas, and “fun drinks”, or a new trend that will reshape the competition completely?.
Previously, 7 Brew has had multiple locations open in the East and South portions of the United States. Now, with its ever-increasing growth on social media, they are expanding into different parts of the country, including the Midwest. I wanted to see if 7 Brew drinks can compete with big corporate chains such as Starbucks and Dunkin, and if Social Media influencers are right to be obsessed.
After viewing other people’s reviews on TikTok and getting a grasp of the menu, I ordered two small drinks, each ranging from 4 to 6 dollars based on the customization. I ordered a 7 Fizz, with strawberry, pineapple, coconut, and cream, and an iced cookie butter latte with toasted marshmallow, caramel, and cold foam. One thing I appreciated was the difference in hospitality and the ordering process in comparison to other big chain coffee shops. About seven workers were standing outside, ready and happy to take your order from your car, and my drinks were out in about 5 minutes.
After tasting these two drinks, I understood the hype immediately. The 7 Fizz, with strawberry, pineapple, coconut, and cream, tasted like a sweet strawberry pina colada, but carbonated. However, I felt the coconut flavoring overpowered the others, and if you don’t like extremely sweet drinks, 7 Brew probably isn’t the place for you. As a seldom coffee drinker, I was pleasantly surprised by their iced cookie butter latte with toasted marshmallow, caramel, and cold foam. This drink was also extremely sweet, and I wish it had more marshmallow and less caramel, but overall, I was happy.
My biggest negative was the drive. Vadnais Heights is normally about 25 minutes away from Benilde-St. Margaret’s, but with heavy traffic, it took about 45 minutes. The way back through Saint Paul into the suburbs was even worse during rush hour, with traffic being at a standstill and taking over an hour. So, although the drinks were yummy, I don’t know if I could put myself through the unbearable drive again.
Overall, I understand the love surrounding 7 Brew, but I think I would only go if they open more locations. I have heard other people were very unhappy with their drinks, some complaining they were unbearably sweet and the coffee flavor was bland, but these two drinks did not fit into that category. I have also heard that the line on the weekends wraps around the building, making the wait for these drinks not worth it. I personally had a pleasant experience, but I think the 7 Brew experience is very hit or miss. If you live near Vadnais Heights, I would recommend trying 7 Brew to experience the unique flavors, but if you live far, I would probably skip it.