There had only been beer, soda and water sales allowed by the Taste of Cincinnati organization.
“They usually don’t allow beverage vendors in there because that is how they make their money, through pop, beer and water sales,” said the Hamilton native and resident of the Artspace Lofts on High Street.
While Ramblin’ Roast is a coffee shop, it offers more than drip coffee and Americanos. McAdams said she loves to create new flavor combinations and profiles, and many of her flavors are Asian-inspired — she was just in the Asian Food Fest last month in Cincinnati — and even has a sweet corn latte.
“My fun really comes from doing really fun flavors,” she said. “I was living in the Virgin Islands and I was managing a coffee shop and wine bar and that was kind of my introduction to coffee in general and learning how to work an espresso machine and learning about the different roasts.”
But when she moved back to Hamilton, she wasn’t sure what to do. Then she discovered “ikigai,” the Japanese concept of finding joy and purpose through what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. In the center of that Venn diagram is what you are to do in life.
Her center was a mobile coffee business, which “sounded really fun.”
Credit: Provided
Credit: Provided
So in 2016, with just an old dresser and a credit card, she started at the Oxford Farmers Market. The trailer came three years later in 2019, with the help of her dad. Almost everything about that Ramblin’ Roast trailer, except the wood and essential equipment, was second hand.
After weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, McAdams persisted, serving coffee at music festivals and holding steady at a spot at the Oxford Farmers Market on Saturdays — except for this Saturday, when she’ll be in downtown Cincinnati.
Now with a second Ramblin’ Roast truck, a converted short school bus, for more Cincinnati-area events, the business is cruising along.
But as her business grows, her menu seems to do so, too, as she’s always experimenting.
“People told me it would never work, but my Honey Basil Cold Brew Latte and Rosemary Mocha Black Pepper Cold Brew Latte quickly became fan favorites,” she said. “I’ve made hundreds of recipes over the years. Some work, some don’t. I change up a new specialty flavor every Saturday at the Oxford Farmers Market, so we roll through about 36 different flavors a year.”
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