Introduction:Luckin Coffee is set to launch its "Crazy Black Tea Latte" on November 24, but an internal employee's leaked preparation video has revealed that the drink still uses the controversial short-shot espresso as its base. This has sparked widespread consumer discussion, particularly regarding its overly diluted coffee flavor. This article will delve into the characteristics of short-shot espresso, consumer feedback and real-world experiences, and provide purchasing advice and alternative options to help you make a more suitable coffee choice.

Luckin’s upcoming new product, the "Crazy Black Tea Latte," has not yet officially hit the shelves, but it has already generated heated discussion after an internal employee posted a preparation video on social media. The video clearly shows that the new drink still uses the brand’s standard short-shot espresso as the coffee base, reigniting many customers’ dissatisfaction with this type of espresso.

Many customers have reported that the short-shot espresso extracts only about 20 milliliters of coffee liquid, which is noticeably less compared to other types of espresso. When mixed with tea, milk, or syrup, the coffee flavor is often greatly overshadowed, resulting in a drink that tastes as light as water and lacks the depth one would expect from coffee. Some coffee enthusiasts have even said that upon learning the new product uses a short-shot base, they immediately lost interest in trying it.

In fact, Luckin currently offers several types of espresso, including short-shot espresso, refined espresso, and gold award espresso.The short-shot espresso mainly extracts the first half of the coffee liquid.According to official information, its characteristic is a more pronounced sweetness, making it suitable for consumers who prefer fruity flavors. However, because it only extracts the first part, the total volume of extracted liquid is relatively small, which has become a core issue of criticism among many customers.

Especially when the short-shot espresso is used in tea-coffee products like the black tea latte—where it is combined with a large amount of tea, milk, or syrup—the already small amount of coffee liquid is even more diluted, causing the coffee flavor to be almost undetectable. Many consumers have said that they can’t taste any coffee aroma at all after drinking it, leading them to question, “Is this really a coffee beverage?”

To improve the taste, some customers have tried requesting a switch to refined espresso by leaving a note when ordering, hoping for a richer coffee experience. However, some consumers have reported that certain store staff declined such requests on the grounds of “not being able to alter the standard recipe,” resulting in a low success rate for such substitutions and significantly diminished customer satisfaction.

The news that the "Crazy Black Tea Latte" once again uses short-shot espresso as its base has left many regular customers deeply disappointed, with many expressing confusion over Luckin’s direction of adjustment. One customer bluntly stated that since several popular drinks have successively switched to a short-shot base, they have gradually reduced their purchase frequency. “Unless Luckin is willing to switch back from short-shot to refined espresso, I won’t consider it anymore.”

In response to widespread consumer feedback, many have also suggested that Luckin should consider offering more diverse choices—for example, allowing customers to choose their preferred type of coffee base, or at least providing an option to “add an extra shot of espresso”—to meet the varying flavor preferences of different groups. After all, everyone’s taste preferences differ, and while using short-shot espresso uniformly may have considerations related to cost or operational convenience, it also overlooks some consumers’ pursuit of authentic coffee flavor.

For customers who want to enjoy a tea-coffee beverage without sacrificing coffee flavor, experts recommend choosing products with a richer base or directly opting for traditional espresso-based drinks such as Americano or latte (confirming it uses a refined espresso base) to achieve a more balanced taste. Additionally, when placing an order, it doesn’t hurt to actively ask the barista if there are any alternative options—while it may not always be possible, there’s still a chance you might get a version more to your liking.

In summary, whether Luckin’s new product will be successful depends not only on its creativity and overall flavor profile, but also on how well it addresses consumers’ genuine needs regarding the coffee base. For coffee enthusiasts, understanding the extraction differences and flavor characteristics of various types of espresso is key to finding the cup that best suits you among the many options.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.