If you’ve ever examined a bag of locally roasted coffee, there’s a good chance you saw a list of flavor notes on the label — chocolate, cherry, peanut, vanilla, etc. No, this isn’t just marketing, though you may be more enticed to buy a bag of beans that promises notes of jasmine and lemon over one boasting notes of pipe tobacco or tomato (which can also be delicious!). Rather, these flavor notes are a testament to the coffee’s unique story in terms of origin, processing method, and roasting profile.
Another flavor note you might see on a bag of fresh-roasted coffee is black tea. While coffee and tea might typically be thought of as opposites (are you a “coffee person” or a “tea person”?), some creative consumers in South Korea realized that the two might not make a bad pairing, and thus ashotchu — espresso poured over sweetened iced tea — was born. The drink has been around for several years, but it really kicked off in the summer of 2024 when some larger South Korean coffee chains added it to their official menus.
The name “ashotchu” is an abbreviation for how you’d order the drink — iced tea with an extra shot — in Korean. Most commonly, ashotchu is made with a fruity tea, such as peach or lemon. Think of it as something like an Arnold Palmer, only with the addition of strong coffee. Both the tea and the fruity flavors complement the rich espresso, giving the drink a multi-layered complexity. And of course, using a caffeinated tea gives you an extra caffeine boost.
How to try out ashotchu
While most coffee shops in the United States may not have caught on to ashotchu just yet, if your favorite shop offers flavored iced tea, you can always ask them to top it with a shot of espresso. You may want to request that the tea be brewed with honey or that they add some simple syrup to ensure the right touch of sweetness. At home, it’s easy to make your own if you have an espresso maker — be it a cheaper stovetop variety, a fancy Breville machine, or even a top-quality Nespresso machine. Simply brew a strong cup of tea — bottled tea works as well— and, once it’s over ice and sweetened, add your espresso shot. Stir and enjoy!
To make things a little more interesting, experiment with different types of teas and sweetness levels. If possible, look at the flavor notes on your bag of beans and think about what teas might bring those flavors out naturally. If there are already lemon notes, try a citrusy tea. You could also try a blueberry tea, as blueberry and lemon are a classic combination. If your beans have “darker” flavors like chocolate or tree nuts, a berry tea might be an excellent choice.
And while an Earl Grey latte, or London fog, is typically Earl Grey tea with steamed milk, you can find recipes for a “dirty earl” online — a London fog with an espresso shot. So there’s no reason you can’t try this ashotchu-style, as the combination appears to be a winner.
