The Most Expensive Coffee! How to Make Aged Oak Barrel Fermented Coffee - Japanese Coffee Shop Recommendations
Once again, I'm astonished by the Japanese pursuit of coffee! They are willing to wait an hour for a single extraction of coffee, or even decades for the aging of coffee, just to taste a rich, full-bodied coffee with extremely high sweetness.
In Yao City, Osaka, Japan, there's a self-roasting coffee shop called "The Münch" that sells the most expensive coffee in all of Japan—the "Genso Sosaku" (Illusory Creation) low-temperature slow-aged coffee. How slow is the aging process? First, coffee beans that have been stored for 15-30 years are deeply roasted. Then, super-concentrated coffee is brewed using flannel filters. Afterward, inspired by winemaking techniques, the coffee is stored in dedicated wooden barrels and kept in a cold storage at -3 degrees Celsius for 20-30 years to mature. By this calculation, the youngest coffee in these barrels has already experienced 35 springs, summers, autumns, and winters.
- Shop owner Mr. Tanaka and his aged coffee made in June 1995 (Heisei 7)
Extraordinary Extraction Methods
The brewing method for aged coffee goes beyond our everyday understanding of coffee extraction. Typically, when we extract a pour-over coffee (using conventional methods), we use about 13-20g of coffee grounds with a coffee-to-water ratio (the ratio of coffee grounds weight to extracted coffee liquid weight) of approximately 1:13, with a total extraction time of about 2-3 minutes. For flannel-filtered coffee (using conventional methods), we use about 20-25g of coffee grounds with a ratio of approximately 1:10, also taking about 2-3 minutes. However, when Mr. Tanaka brews coffee for aging, he uses 100g of coffee grounds with a 1:1 coffee-to-water ratio, and the total extraction time lasts up to an hour...!!!
Pricing and Value
Is aged coffee expensive? Judging by age, 40ml sells for 100,000 yen (current exchange rate: approximately RMB 5,500), with a tasting portion at 2,000 yen (current exchange rate: approximately RMB 110). This seems... perhaps... reasonable. After all, time is money.
- The 40ml version
Flavor Profile
What does it taste like? According to reports (when our writer has the opportunity to visit and taste it, we promise to write a detailed experience article! We promise! We'll write about our experience in great detail, cross our hearts) this coffee is like noble rot white wine, leaving an endless fruity sweetness lingering on the palate. The aroma of aged coffee is very deep, but when the coffee enters the mouth, its unique fragrance instantly unfolds. Its fruity sweetness creates the illusion of drinking wine, and it's very sweet (the sweetness of the aftertaste).
- A tasting portion of just a few drops
Even for their regular coffee offerings, they primarily use flannel-filtered concentrated coffee extraction. Each cup requires approximately 45-100g of coffee grounds, and depending on the flavor profile presented by the coffee beans, the brewing ratio is approximately 1:1.5-1:2. When a cup of coffee extraction is complete, it often requires waiting 30-50 minutes, and the menu also indicates the extraction time for each coffee.
Unique Brewing Philosophy
Is it very strong? Yes, indeed it is very strong. The coffee has a syrup-like viscosity, and each cup is exceptionally rich and substantial. The owner says this brewing method was inspired when Mr. Tanaka, during his youth, accidentally tasted coffee from a famous shop in Ginza during a coffee training session. He then spent 8 years perfecting the taste he envisioned and vowed to make the best-tasting coffee in all of Japan. (While whether it's delicious is a personal experience, we believe that those who pursue coffee will have their unique side when brewing coffee.)
- This brewing amount is quite Dubai-like!
With such long coffee extraction times, customers must get very bored... Not at all! Friends who have visited told our writer that Mr. Tanaka is very talkative and extremely friendly and enthusiastic toward foreigners. The entire waiting process is never boring. He chats with customers about his stories and how he fulfilled his commitment to coffee.
A Search for Succession
During the conversation, Mr. Tanaka asked our writer's friend if they were interested in taking over the coffee shop. They were surprised by this seemingly joking question. Mr. Tanaka mentioned that his wife and son had passed away, and there was no one to inherit the coffee shop. One day when he can no longer work, the shop will have to close, which he feels very reluctant about. Perhaps everyone thinks Mr. Tanaka is joking, but maybe he genuinely hopes someone can inherit this craft, the art of making aged coffee.
The Origin of the Name
The shop's name comes from a limited edition, discontinued Münch motorcycle displayed inside. According to Mr. Tanaka, this motorcycle was manufactured in former East Germany (German Democratic Republic), with only one in all of Japan and only five in the world. It's also the world's first two-rotor motorcycle.
From this motorcycle, we can see that Mr. Tanaka was a motorcycle enthusiast in his youth. When talking with customers, Mr. Tanaka likes to take out photos from his younger days, recounting his life story. He also shares poems he has written, narrating the small details of life.
- Young Mr. Tanaka, quite handsome!
Coffee as Life's Expression
Every cup of coffee here tells the story of Mr. Tanaka's unrestrained and free life. From coffee brewing to the creation of aged coffee, Mr. Tanaka was not constrained by frameworks but accomplished what many dare not do. Perhaps many will say this is just a gimmick, but Mr. Tanaka dared to break through boundaries.
Like the unique Chinese stewed coffee created by a Shanghai gentleman, he did what others haven't done, dare not do, or wouldn't think of doing. This is true innovation! Rather than being limited by existing extraction methods and extraction theories.
Image source: Internet
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