Introduction:Katsuyuki Tanaka, the owner of the renowned Japanese café Bear Pond Espresso, has launched an innovative coffee product — the EXPERIENCE coffee stick, which transforms traditional espresso into a chewable solid form. Resembling a chocolate bar in appearance, this product contains no cocoa whatsoever, being made solely from coffee beans, water, milk, and a small amount of sugar. Each stick contains 50mg of caffeine, delivering the intense flavor and unique mouthfeel experience of espresso. This article will delve into the creation concept, flavor characteristics, and actual eating experience of this innovative coffee stick.
For many coffee enthusiasts, the issue of liquid coffee being prone to spills is often a daily nuisance. Transforming coffee into a convenient, portable solid form would undoubtedly solve this common frustration. Katsuyuki Tanaka, the owner of the well-known Bear Pond Espresso in Tokyo, Japan, has developed a coffee stick called EXPERIENCE with his unique innovative thinking, opening up a new way to consume coffee.
This coffee product, which closely resembles a chocolate bar, is most notable for itscomplete absence of any cocoa ingredients. Its ingredients consist only of carefully selected coffee beans, pure water, milk, and a small amount of sugar, preserving the purity of the coffee flavor. Each coffee stick contains50 milligrams of caffeine, equivalent to the caffeine content of a standard shot of espresso, providing a significant energizing effect.
Upon unwrapping the somewhat rough packaging paper, what first hits you is the intense, concentrated aroma characteristic of espresso, with a faint hint of a unique smoky note also discernible. This flavor profile bears similarities to that of traditional liquid espresso, yet it is presented in a completely different manner.
Katsuyuki Tanaka, the owner of Bear Pond Espresso, particularly emphasizes that the mouthfeel experience of this coffee stick ismarkedly differentfrom that of typical chocolate bars. Many consumers are accustomed to the smooth and silky texture of chocolate, but when chewing this coffee stick, one can clearly feelthe granular texture of coffee grounds, offering a unique oral experience.
According to Tanaka, the inspiration for this innovative product came from a practical need. When a hotel chain proposed a collaboration to promote coffee culture, he faced a real challenge: coffee machines could not be easily moved to meeting venues, making it difficult to serve freshly brewed espresso to attendees. This challenge led him to consider how to present coffee in a more convenient form, eventually resulting in the creation of these edible coffee sticks.
As a barista who insists on his own style, Katsuyuki Tanaka’s career is filled with legendary stories. He once quit a high-paying job in the United States to establish his own café in Tokyo, Japan. He is known for not catering to popular tastes and staying true to his personal philosophy — even the widely popular dirty coffee drink was first created by him. This EXPERIENCE coffee stick also reflects his unconventional spirit of innovation.
In terms of production, this coffee stick is entirely handmade by Tanaka himself, which means the output isextremely limited. Currently, it can only be purchased at his Bear Pond Espresso café, priced at $6.25 per stick. Although the price may seem high, considering its handcrafted nature and unique flavor experience, it still holds considerable value for collection and tasting.
Compared to traditional coffee beverages that require professional machines and specific equipment, this solid coffee stick offers unparalleledconvenience. Its compact size makes it easy to carry — just pop it in your pocket and use it whenever needed, without worrying about spills or equipment limitations, providing a fresh new way for busy modern individuals to enjoy coffee.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
