The Dippin' Dots Frozen Coffee Treat Everyone Is Talking About

Beloved frozen snack of amusement parks and baseball games, Dippin' Dots were invented in 1988 by microbiologist Curt Jones using cryogenic technology to create a fun, futuristic alternative to traditional ice cream (via Dippin' Dots). Now that the first generation of kids introduced to Dippin' Dots are all grown-up, the founder has decided to branch out into a flavor that is distinctly more adult than the original beaded sweet treat.

Vender Market Watch reported on Jones' new company, 40 Below Joe, which uses the same technology as Dippin' Dots to create flash-frozen, coffee-based treats that are entirely vegan and gluten-free. The company currently has 150 retail locations within the United States to sell the new offering, and it is also available in a few theme and water parks across the country.

Can't find a 40 Below Joe location near you? The 40 Below Joe website has an online store, where you can purchase packs of the six different flavor blends they offer (including a plain coffee flavored House Blend, Salted Caramel, and French Vanilla, among others) and a 12-pack of assorted Grab-N-Go Cups.

In 2018, 40 Below Joe was launched by Jones after he officially left Dippin' Dots in 2015, according to a profile published by Feast Magazine. 

Jones told the outlet he formulated this belief after hearing that many coffee drinks begin to oxidize and decline in quality quickly after they are made. He hypothesized that, by freezing espresso at 320 degrees below zero, he would be able to "lock in" the purest, freshest flavor coffee has to offer, and retain that optimum coffee taste for an extended period of time. After some tests, Jones found that, if stored correctly, his cryogenically frozen coffee could be kept for years without seeing any noticeable decline in quality.

There may be something to this, as the same belief about rapid quality decline is held by many baristas, and even espoused by the tech company behind snapchilled coffee. It's worth noting you'll pay a pretty penny for this technology; a 28-serving four-pack costs $64.99 online. But you can enjoy the coffee and creamer beads hot or cold.