BD–002: The Cavalry Charge (Salted Caramel Cold Brew Drill)

Purpose: Execute a cold brew assault with precision and morale. Cavalry delivers a hard-charging dark roast foundation—balanced with smooth caramel, strategic salt, and disciplined caffeine. Outcome: Salted caramel cold brew supremacy. Time-on-target: ≈6 minutes.

Section I — Equipment & Supply Loadout

• Primary Brewer: Cold brew system or French press (12–16 hr steep, 1:8 ratio).
• Mixing Vessel: Shaker or large glass.
• Implements: Spoon, measuring cup, chilled serving glass.
• Consumables: 1 cup cold brew concentrate, 2 tbsp caramel syrup, pinch flaky salt, 1/2 cup milk or cream (whole, oat, or half-and-half), ice. Optional cold foam topper.
• Coffee Component: Cavalry dark roast, coarse-ground, steeped cold.

QC Note: Chill your glass and use dense cubes to maintain operational integrity. Room-temp caramel integrates faster; cold caramel causes lag and clumping.

Section II — Pre-Mission Checks

1. Bean Readiness: Grind Cavalry coarse for optimal cold extraction (texture like sea salt).
2. Steep Window: 12–16 hr refrigeration. Extract at 1:8 ratio. Strain through filter or paper to remove sediment.
3. Ice Control: Use large cubes; avoid shaved or crushed. More ice ≠ better.
4. Flavor Synchronization: Pre-measure caramel and salt before assembly. This ensures seamless deployment once cold brew is poured.

Abort Criteria: If coffee is brewed hot or steeped less than 8 hours—do not proceed. Tactical patience equals flavor discipline.

Section III — Execution (SOP)

1. 03:00—Prepare the Base: Add 2 tbsp caramel syrup and a pinch of flaky salt to a chilled glass. Swirl to line bottom.
2. 02:30—Deploy Cold Brew: Pour 1 cup Cavalry cold brew concentrate over caramel. Stir gently to integrate sweetness evenly.
3. 02:00—Add Ice & Milk: Add ice cubes, then pour 1/2 cup milk or cream. Stir or shake 8–10 seconds. Goal: cold, creamy, uniform flavor strike.
4. 01:00—Optional Cold Foam: Froth 2 oz milk with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp caramel; layer gently on top.
5. 00:30—Visual Discipline: Drizzle thin caramel lines across foam. Sprinkle 2–3 grains flaky salt as garnish.
6. 00:00—Presentation: Serve immediately. Capture morale photo. End ex.

ARC Intel: Caramel must meet coffee before milk for proper flavor layering. Stirring post-milk yields uneven sweetness and flavor dead zones. Always integrate syrup with cold brew first for operational consistency.

Section IV — Field Adjustments & Variants

• High-Threat Environment: Replace milk with 2 oz vanilla protein shake for post-PT recovery.
• Desert Ops (Extra Salty): Use smoked sea salt flakes to deepen contrast and accentuate Cavalry’s dark roast finish.
• Low-Sweetness Mission: Halve caramel syrup; replace with 1 tsp brown sugar + 1 tsp vanilla extract for complexity without overload.
• Black Ops: Skip milk; double the concentrate; serve over a single cube for pure Cavalry power.
• Foam Upgrade: Add 1/8 tsp instant espresso to cold foam for visual ombré effect and enhanced punch.

Section V — Troubleshooting (Immediate Action Drills)

• Symptom: Watery brew. Cause: Too short steep or over-dilution. Fix: Brew 1:8, minimum 12 hr; add ice only at serving.
• Symptom: Cloying sweetness. Cause: Over-syruped or poor mix. Fix: Reduce caramel by 25–50%; integrate with coffee before milk.
• Symptom: Flat flavor. Cause: No salt contrast. Fix: Add 2–3 flakes to enhance depth and balance.
• Symptom: Bitter edge. Fix: Steep shorter (12 hr) or coarsen grind slightly.

Section VI — Performance Profile

Flavor: Deep caramel sweetness meets Cavalry’s smoky dark backbone. The light salt lift keeps sweetness disciplined and finish clean.

Caffeine Window: ≈180–200 mg (cold brew concentrate). Expect mission readiness for 3–4 hours.

Use Cases: Long convoy mornings, desk deployments, tactical afternoons, or morale uplift after chaos meetings.

Section VII — Sustainment & Prep for Next Sortie

• Rinse vessels immediately—caramel residue attracts sugar ants and ghosts future ops.
• Refrigerate remaining cold brew up to 7 days, sealed and labeled.
• Replenish ice and milk inventory. Maintain roast rotation—Cavalry should never run out.

Section VIII — Interop & Further Reading

The Cavalry Charge is one strike in the Signature Series campaign. For other mission-tested builds—like Operation Overmocha or the Honey-Cinnamon front—check the full Field Manual index: Caffeine Field Manual. For everyday operations, study the home-brewing doctrine: From Barracks to Barista. To learn the mission and the people behind it, read: About Aerial Resupply Coffee.

Final Tasking — Load the Right Roast

Charge forward with Cavalry. Arm your unit with morale fuel at Aerial Resupply Coffee. Strength. Honor. Caffeine. That’s the Cavalry creed.