What are the hottest drinks for Autumn in Siouxland? (Spoiler alert: Think ice cold coffees)

All of the roasting, flavoring and packaging is done out of a not-always-easy-to-find warehouse at 1301 Third St.

"Coffee King may be iconic to people in Sioux City but you either know where we're located or you don't," Stacy Orndorff said inside of a building that is  somewhat obscured by a bridge off Floyd Boulevard. "I want to change all that."

You see, Orndorff is the new owner -- or in her words, "the new Coffee Queen" -- of the venerable business.

Taking possession of the company in May 2023, Orndorff is no newcomer in business. She was the founder and CEO of Heartland Coffee & Nosh, a popular series of mobile food trucks that became ubiquitous around Siouxland.

"I sold a lot of coffee inside the food truck, became knowledgeable in what I liked and what my customers liked," she explained. "I've taken that know-how to Coffee King."

"The big difference is that I don't have to do it in food truck in freezing cold weather or on a hot summer day," Orndorff said with a smile. "That's a benefit of having a desk job."

To be fair, Orndorff's job entails much more than just sitting behind a desk. She also keeps tabs on industry trends when it comes to variety of beverages.

So, what will people be drinking this fall? Well, you guessed it. Pumpkin, pumpkin and more pumpkin.

"That's been a trend that has never gotten old," Orndorff said. "People want to add pumpkin spice, pumpkin sauce and, even, pumpkin pie spice to their hot beverages as soon the days get colder."

However, a bigger trend is to keep drinks cool.

"Younger people prefer their coffee cold as in cold brews and iced coffees," Orndorff explained. "It doesn't matter what time of year it is, but going cold are the rage these days."

In case you were wondering, a cold brew is often full-bodied, smooth, aromatic and, often served black over ice (though feel free to add a splash of cream or as syrup to sweeten it up).

Iced coffee is lighter, brighter with a medium body, depending on the type of the bean used.

According to Coffee King sales manager Shawn Donnelly, customers who want cold brews prefer them with plenty of cold foam.

Cold foam is a light and frothy milk-based topping typically served over cold brew, iced coffee or iced tea.

Unlike the hot steamed foam you'd find on a latte or cappuccino, cold foam is made by vigorously aerating milk using a blender, special frothing device, or a French press or by simply shaking milk in a jar.

"If you do it correctly, cold foam over a cold brew can be quite dramatic," Donnelly said.

But it isn't as stunning as a Lotus drink, which Orndorff said is taking the coffee industry by storm.

Already a big deal in metropolitan areas, Lotus is a plant-based energy drink that is naturally caffeinated with powerful plants like the lotus flower.

If you want a buzz but you're leery of some ingredients from more mainstream energy drinks, you might enjoy a Lotus instead.

"Especially a Lotus that is made with a caramel apple syrup," Donnelly said, showing off one of his creations.

"With greens and browns, that may be the perfect fall drink," Orndorff said, before admitting she only drinks sweet beverages as an afternoon treat.

"I'm afraid that the Coffee Queen usually drinks her coffee black," Orndorff said with a laugh.