Coffee dozing  

Remember cramming for exams in college? Many students who tried to pull all-nighters in order to prepare for a test the next day might have turned to coffee to stimulate their cognitions. Whether coffee keeps one awake or not might be open to debate, but now Counting Sheep Coffee, Vancouver, British Columbia, offers special coffee blends designed to do just the opposite. The coffee is brewed to relax and naturally sedate a person to peaceful slumber. It uses organic valerian root, which is an herbal sedative, to provide a relaxing beverage that leads to quiet slumber, the company says. Counting Sheep Coffee is available in two blends: the original Bedtime Blend/40 Winks and Lights Out!, which contains a bit more of the herb and a bolder flavor.

Rum cakes  

What is the perfect rum cake? Silvato Bros. Bakery thinks it has found it with the launch of Gosling’s Dark ‘n Stormy Rum Cakes. The cakes marry the crisp taste of ginger with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, the Silvato Bros. Bakery says. “The Gosling family is excited to have our name associated with these authentic Gosling’s Rum Cakes,” said Malcolm Gosling, president of Gosling’s exports in Bermuda, in a statement.“
This is an obvious labor of love for Marc and his team … a delicious, culinary delight in every bite.” The 4.75-ounce cakes are available as original or chocolate and served in triangular boxes. Each cake is hand-soaked in a proprietary mixture of the Dark ‘n Stormy product before it is vacuum-packed in order to maintain the island tastes obtained by the bakery, the company says.

Beer brats  

 Saint Arnold Brewing Co. partnered with Smithfield-Farmland to introduce Saint Arnold Amber Ale Bratwurst and Saint Arnold Santo Bratwurst for the Texas market. Saint Arnold Executive Chief Ryan Savoie worked directly with Farmland to find the best bratwurst recipe to enhance the flavor of the meat. The Saint Arnold Beer Brats are composed of USDA-inspected cuts of domestic pork and two of the company’s most popular beers, which are shipped fresh from Texas, the company says. Saint Arnold Amber Ale features a rich, malty body with a pleasant caramel character, producing an all-around flavorful brat, the company says. The brewery’s Santo embodies the concept of a black Kölsch, featuring a dark malt flavor and resulting in a brat with a hint of roast. 

Nothing but net

In anticipation of the March Madness college basketball playoffs, Muscle Milk worked to empower future basketball stars through the Muscle Milk Beat30 Challenge. In February and early March, the brand hosted a nationwide three-point contest with events in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and the Bay Area. The top two winners from each market earned a trip to the Bay Area for an exclusive basketball shooting experience with Golden State Warriors shooting guard Stephen Curry. Curry also hosted the final competition in his team’s hometown of Oakland, where the winner received a personal shooting clinic with him.

Toasting the winners

G.H. Mumm is taking the reins at the Kentucky Derby as the official Champagne sponsor of the May 2, 2015, horse race. As part of the sponsorship, the brand of Pernod Ricard USA will host the G.H. Mumm Winner’s Circle, which will be created as part of the ongoing construction of the track’s $4.2 million Winner’s Circle Suites and Courtyard, which will be located directly beneath Churchill Downs’ famed Twin Spires. In addition, G.H. Mumm will be an integral part of key moments during the Kentucky Derby Day celebration, including a spirited sabering of the Cordon Rouge for the pre-race “G.H. Mumm Toast to the Kentucky Derby.” Throughout the rest of the year, G.H. Mumm also will be a featured part of victory celebrations following stakes races and other major events at the track.

Chivalry and charity

Anheuser-Busch import brand Stella Artois is giving new meaning to the phrase, “buy a lady a drink.” Every day, women around the world spend a combined 200 million hours collecting clean water for their families, according to the brand. To highlight the global water crisis and provide solutions to help put a stop to these water-collecting journeys, Stella Artois launched Buy a Lady a Drink, its first global social impact campaign, in partnership with Water.org and its co-founders Matt Damon and Gary White. As part of this effort, Stella Artois made a donation of $1.2 million to Water.org and now is inviting consumers to join the cause by purchasing limited-edition chalices. One chalice will help Water.org provide five years of clean water to one person in the developing world.

Little victories

Kids juice brand Robinson’s Fruit Shoot is partnering with Tough Mudder to introduce obstacle courses for children aged 7-12. The Fruit Shoot Mini Mudder events will be hosted alongside Tough Mudder and Mudderella events across the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland this year, with expansion to additional regions and event formats planned for 2016 and 2017. Each course will run about a mile long and consist of of four laps around a loop featuring new obstacles designed for children, including the Tunnel of Terror, Gooey Shoes, Secret Agent Squeeze and Mount Mud. Select Walmart stores near the event sites also will feature a mini version of the obstacle course. The events are untimed and instead are designed to encourage children to focus on trying new things, building friendships and working as a team. At the finish line, racers will be deemed “Fruit Shoot Mini Mudders” with an official headband and a Fruit Shoot beverage.

Cheers to 100 years

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta is hosting a special exhibit in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Coca-Cola bottle. Now through Oct. 4, “The Coca-Cola Bottle: An American Icon at 100” will provide visitors the opportunity to view original design illustrations, historical artifacts, and a century of experimentation with the Coca-Cola bottle, which has become one of the world’s most recognized icons since its inception in 1915, according to the brand. Since then, the bottle has enticed multiple generations and billions of people worldwide and also inspired numerous artists. To recognize this, the exhibit also will feature more than 15 works of art by Andy Warhol and more than 40 photographs inspired by or featuring the bottle.