By Rachel Ratliff

I'm a native Portlander. I was born and raised in this fair city full of seeming contradictions. A city where tech startups coexist with urban farming, where cars give way to bikes, and where coffee reigns supreme. Coffee has been a part of my life from my earliest memories. My father is a purist. He would grind beans every morning by hand with an old imported Honduran coffee grinder, which he would then brew via French press. The sound of the whistling kettle and the smell of brewing coffee grounds doubled as my alarm clock. He would drink coffee all day, and in the afternoon I would find his half cold mug sitting in the microwave from when he reheated it last. My mother, also a coffee lover, still adds a little skim milk to hers, but she has always kept it simple and stayed away from any artificial sweeteners.

I've carried this love of coffee with me into my adulthood and professional life, but I'm always on the go. Before I found RISE Nitro Cold Brew, it was hard for me to find a delicious coffee beverage that lived up to my exacting standards while being ready-to-drink and easily portable. My favorite RISE flavor is the OG: RISE Original Black Nitro Cold Brew Coffee. Instead of having to painstakingly labor over making coffee each morning like my father, I can now run out the door with my can of RISE coffee knowing that the brewers have put the time and care in for me. I love how cool and refreshing it is. I don't have to worry about heating, or reheating (or even leaving a mug in the microwave)— RISE is designed to be enjoyed cold. I flick the tab open and instantly anticipate the smooth, natural, and creamy texture of the nitro cold-brewed coffee bubbles bringing my senses alive. Whether I'm heading to yoga in the Pearl, riding my bike across the Burnside Bridge to sit in the Finnish sauna at Loyly, or hiking through Forest Park, RISE Original Black is my loyal friend. And when I'm going for a long workout along the Esplanade, RISE Original Black helps me feel energized the entire time.

On a day when I'm looking for a little something extra, I reach for RISE Blood Orange Nitro Cold Brew, which is a blend of citrus and black coffee. If you haven't tried citrus in coffee, you are missing out! The Italians have been doing it for years, so I'm thrilled that RISE introduced it into my life. If you're worried about the added citrus, don't be. Turns out, the citrus flavor comes from organic, non-GMO blood orange juice and orange extract. I may have gotten my love of coffee from my dad, but when I add something, like my mom I prefer to keep things simple with no artificial junk. And that simple splash of citrus in the RISE Blood Orange coffee is just right. It may seem contradictory, but like Portland, it just works!

It's great to come from a legacy of coffee drinkers and fulfilling to find my own favorite way to experience it through RISE Nitro Cold Brew Coffee. The convenience and flavor can't be beaten, and in a city full of passionate coffee consumers, RISE literally rises to the top (ha!).