I don’t know why I sound so angry about not knowing what flash brew is, considering up until last month I was making instant coffee the night before and then drinking it cold in the morning.
My standards are…embarrassing.
But, in recent weeks I’ve become a bit more selective about how I consume my caffeine. Occasionally I will still do the ol’ night-before instant fix, but that’s purely because I hate mornings and I’m too lazy to get out of bed to make a fresh one. Convenience is key, team.
As someone who loves a good cold brew (I mainly order them when I’m out to lunch so people think I’m cultured, and to hide the fact that I drink day-old coffee at home), the idea of a flash brew piqued my interest.
Because Australia’s so far away from the rest of the world, it’s unsurprising that we’re late to the game when it comes to the latest Japanese trend. Granted, Japan is about 400 years ahead of every other country on earth, so us Aussies shouldn’t feel too bad, but it still stings.
It’s like when my pal Hana asked us if we’d heard this ‘cool new song’, Uptown Funk, a literal year after it was released.
Australia is the Hana of countries.
So, what exactly is flash brew?
Well, according to Suntory BOSS Coffee’s website (who, to clarify, are the OG flash brew providers so they know what they’re talking about), it’s essentially a traditional Japanese method used to create an authentic cold coffee brew.
But, unlike a run-of-the-mill cold brew where the coffee beans never actually touch hot water, flash brew is prepared with hot water and then chilled immediately. That way, you get the taste that only a hot coffee can produce, but, y’know, cold.
The way the universe intended it.
If you seem dubious about this process, might I remind you that it’s been around since its inception in 1992, and the Japanese pros have been working to perfect it ever since.
What sorta person would I be if I was explaining to others what flash brew is if I’d never tried one myself? In fact, I’ve tried exactly two varieties – the Suntory BOSS Iced Long Black and Iced Latte.
I’ll tell you this much for nothing, they absolutely shit all over my 12-hour-old instant coffees and now I’m worried I’ve wasted years of my life drinking what is essentially piss. It’s deadset 500 times better, minimum.
The particular ones I drank varied in cals (from 5 to a little over 50) and you can (finally) pick ’em up right here in Australia.
Keep an eye out for Suntory BOSS Coffee vending machines popping up around Melbs and Sydney.
