Gin Barrel-Aged Cold Brew Is Starbucks Reserve Roastery’s Latest Experiment

Welcome back to Eater News, a semi-regular round-up of mini news bites. Have info to share? Email intel to seattle@eater.com.

• Things are not all good for Tully’s Coffee, which has closed a number of Seattle stores temporarily due to a lack of coffee. It’s not even clear whether Michael Avenatti, currently in the national spotlight due to his representation of porn star Stormy Daniels in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, is still the owner of the company.
• Next month, Woodinville-based Locust Cider, which opened a Ballard taproom recently, is slated to open another expansion in Fort Worth, Texas, where co-founders Patrick and Jason Spears hail from.
• Massive Asian grocer H Mart, whose downtown expansion seems to be proceeding despite years of delays, could also be negotiating a Capitol Hill location.
• There’s a listing for a $180,000 Pioneer Square restaurant/bar opportunity shared by a tipster, though it’s not clear which space, significantly remodeled in 2013, is up for grabs.
• For a limited time, Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room on Capitol Hill is serving an exclusive gin barrel-aged cold brew. It’s a non-alcoholic take on a gin and tonic featuring coffee concentrate made from Rwandan beans aged in Seattle’s Big Gin barrels, ice, lime bitters, tonic, and a garnish of lime.
• Everett’s inspired Hawaiian restaurant Kama’aina Grindz is closed after five years “due to unforeseen circumstances,” according to a Facebook post shared by a tipster. Owner Dean Shinagawa left the door open for a comeback, though, with the note, “Who knows, maybe one day there could be a KG2.”