What is charcoal coffee doing in a vinegar fish latte?

A Hangzhou shop called Iron Dog Coffee launched a West Lake Vinegar Fish latte priced at 28 yuan, or 19.5 yuan through group buying. The base is a Japanese charcoal-roasted latte, built on a Japanese dark roast coffee, with brown sugar for sweetness, apple cider vinegar for acidity, and small starch noodles shaped like fish to mimic tender fish texture. Reviews split sharply, and the shop says the drink is a genuine local flavor experiment rather than a prank.

West Lake Vinegar Fish is a traditional Hangzhou dish made mainly with West Lake grass carp, known for bright red color, tender meat, and sweet-sour taste; it topped a 1956 competition of 36 Hangzhou-style dishes. The coffee version packages the vinegar separately so drinkers can adjust it. Most customers drawn by the name find a sweet-sour latte with chewy noodles, not the actual dish.

When Hangzhou's famous dish West Lake Vinegar Fish collides with coffee, what kind of sparks will fly? A local shop called "Iron Dog Coffee" has launched a同名特调 (same-named special drink), using a Japanese charcoal-roasted latte as the base, adding brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and starchy small noodles shaped like fish, attempting to simulate the flavor of vinegar fish with a sweet-and-sour milky aroma and a tender, smooth texture. This drink, priced at 28 yuan, or 19.5 yuan via group buying, quickly went viral on social media, but reviews are polarized: some bluntly say, "First, apologize to the fish; second, apologize to the coffee; third, apologize to me," while others find it increasingly addictive the more they drink. The shop emphasizes that the original intention of the innovation is not a prank, but to explore a flavored coffee that both has local characteristics and tastes good, and they have packaged the apple cider vinegar separately for consumers to add freely.

West Lake Vinegar Fish is a traditional famous dish from Hangzhou, Zhejiang, made primarily with West Lake grass carp. The finished dish has a bright red color, tender fish meat, and a sweet-and-sour taste, with a unique flavor. In 1956, it topped the list in a competition of 36 Hangzhou-style dishes and was even served at state banquets alongside Moutai.

Now, in this era where "everything can be coffee+," a shop in Hangzhou called "Iron Dog Coffee" has launched a special drink named West Lake Vinegar Fish Coffee.

Once this special coffee was launched, it quickly went viral on major social platforms. Most people who first hear about West Lake Vinegar Fish Coffee are driven by curiosity to order and try it. It is reported that a single cup sells for 28 yuan, with a group-buy price of 19.5 yuan, which is not considered high.

However, friends who come for the vinegar fish flavor mostly feel a bit disappointed after receiving the drink, because this coffee has no direct connection to West Lake Vinegar Fish; it is essentially a latte mixed with small noodles shaped like fish and apple cider vinegar.

It is understood that this drink uses a Japanese charcoal-roasted latte as the base, adds brown sugar to increase sweetness, and uses apple cider vinegar to enhance acidity. In addition, to simulate the tender and smooth texture of fish meat, small noodles made from starch are added; to increase the richness of the coffee, light cream is also added.

After drinking this cup of "dark cuisine," how do people evaluate it? Social media is full of sharp comments about this set. "If you have pica, I suggest you try it." "Da Lang, get up and drink West Lake Vinegar Fish Coffee." Some netizens bluntly say: "First, apologize to the fish; second, apologize to the coffee; third, apologize to me."

A netizen recorded a complete review of challenging this dark drink: the first note is like being pranked into taking a bite of sweet-and-sour mixed noodles while drinking coffee, and swallowing it forcefully to avoid wasting food. The middle note, after two more sips, feels addictive, bewitched by the strange sweet-and-sour fox spirit. The aftertaste is only a cold coffee flavor, like a cruel attack on your taste buds by an abandoned lover.

On the other hand, some people say that although they had never thought apple cider vinegar could blend with coffee, at first it felt a bit strange because the sourness of the vinegar comes through, but after getting used to the taste of apple cider vinegar, it completely neutralizes the milky flavor of the latte, and the small noodles at the bottom provide a rich mouthfeel. They think the taste is not bad, and even more addictive.

It is worth mentioning that regarding the apple cider vinegar, considering that people have different levels of acceptance for coffee with vinegar, the shop has packaged the apple cider vinegar separately and suggests on the product ordering page that consumers first try the original flavor without vinegar, then try the version with vinegar.

In addition, according to the person in charge of "Iron Dog Coffee," "exploring local flavors" is their product innovation direction. The original intention of making "West Lake Vinegar Fish Coffee" is not a prank, but to explore a flavored coffee that is both delicious and has local characteristics. The shop hopes in this way to combine Hangzhou's traditional culture with modern coffee culture to create a unique delicious experience.

Source: Internet

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