Dunedin based Arjun Haszard originally developed Harpoon cold brew for bar tenders to use along with Quick Brown Fox Coffee Liqueur (his main product) when making espresso martinis . He soon realised that the product had a wider appeal when his flat mate kept stealing his test batches for her morning cuppa.

But what is cold brew coffee? Simply put it is “coffee that’s been extracted with cold water” says Haszard. The major difference with this is the flavours this methods produce, which tend to be sweeter and toastier with gentle bitterness and acidity. It can be a lengthy process to get the desired result though with extraction time being anywhere between three and 24 hours.

The Harpoon blend is 100% fair trade with a mix of Colombian, Sumatran and PNG beans. The final product is produced through 18 hours of full immersion cold brewing.

Harpoon is a little different to other cold brew coffees though. Most are made as a ‘ready to drink’ beverage but Harpoon is a concentrate and should be mixed 1 part to 4 parts milk or water. It can also be made into coffee soda, used in cooking or as an addition to a cocktail.

The name ‘Harpoon’ is drawn from Moby Dick. “Fitting because it’s cold and dark like the depths of the ocean” says Haszard. “The Harpoon is the tool which has a specific purpose: to bring back an elusive prize” he adds.

At the moment, Harpoon is available through limited stockists in Dunedin but can also be purchased through the online store for a reasonable $20 per bottle.