Long Beach coffee powerhouse CoffeeDrunk—now four locations deep—has collaborated with Ambitious Ales—serving up some of the city’s finest brews for six years straight—to, well, get you actually drunk. In a tipsy ode to 7-Eleven’s annual Free Slurpee celebration each July 11, the pair have concocted a boozy coffee slushy that will premiere—you guessed it—Friday, July 11.
“CoffeeDrunk has always been about the spirit of collaboration and creativity,” co-owner Matthew Church said. “That is Long Beach—and it’s become an integral part of our business, built in a city that thrives on community. Our partnerships reflect that. They’ve helped shape our identity here at home and have become part of how we grow. As we expand into new markets like Phoenix, it’s even more important to carry that same spirit with us—sharing both Long Beach and CoffeeDrunk culture, and forming new relationships that are just as local and meaningful.”
And Matthew has the receipts. A recent collaboration with Gemmae Bake Shop. Or working with Chef Johnathan of Bar Becky on a summer seasonal menu. A popup with Got Your Back. Or a signature drink with local legend Phil Manansala from the band Of Mice & Men. CoffeeDrunk gets local collaborations right.
Matthew’s wife, Breezy, created the libation-meets-dessert off of the shop’s famed Instigator drink. Melding maple and brown sugar with good ol’ coffee, the slushy version is definitely Instigator-y. But it’s also far more creamy, a tad bit sweeter, and rather refreshing on excessively hot days. And how is it made boozey? Basically adding a neutral alcohol with boiling some dextrose and sugar—or what can be called an uncarbonated hard seltzer.
What is CoffeeDrunk?
CoffeeDrunk may have launched during the chaos of the pandemic, but for owners Breezy and Matthew Church, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. What began with a single shop has grown into three Long Beach locations—with Phoenix now in soft-opening mode—thanks to a mix of savvy branding, community connection, and sheer grit.
Their journey started with Breezy, a Long Beach coffee veteran, and Matt, a mechanical engineer who went from flirting at a coffee counter to building one with his wife. After signing their lease in mid-2019, the couple weathered COVID delays and zero customer base. But through it all, CoffeeDrunk endured—evolving from a pandemic gamble into a thriving local staple.
And what is Ambitious Ales?
Ambitious Ales opened its doors in 2019 in the heart of Long Beach’s Bixby Knolls neighborhood. Born from the collective vision of five friends—head brewer Garrett Carroll, lead brewer Jon Cuthbert, operations man Jerome De Leon, general manager Russell Feldt, and its two other owners, Danny Karpinski and Juan Carrillo—they transitioned their passion for homebrewing into a full-scale operation. What started as a backyard brewing project quickly matured into one of Long Beach’s most thoughtful and community-driven beer brands.
Located inside a converted auto shop off Atlantic Avenue, Ambitious Ales brought with it a fresh, experimental edge to the city’s craft beer scene—balancing traditional styles with playful and unexpected ingredients, from fruited saisons to miso stouts. But beyond the beer, the brewery has become a cultural anchor in Bixby Knolls: hosting neighborhood events, local pop-ups, and artist collaborations that reflect the diversity and creativity of its surroundings.
Their name says it all—ambitious not only in brewing but in building a community space where locals feel equally welcome grabbing a pint or sharing ideas.
Ambitious Ales is located at 4019 Atlantic Ave. They will be serving their boozy Instigator collaboration with CoffeeDrunk on July 11.
