Tai Er Suan Cai Yu Opens a Coffee Shop?! How Does Their Signature Ice-Blog Suan Cai Latte Taste?

Ice Blog Sour Cabbage Latte, Sour Cabbage Fish Coffee Jelly, Opening Sour and Refreshing Iced Americano, Wasabi Shrimp Cappuccino, Beat Your Ex Ice Jelly Cold Brew, Boneless Chicken Feet Macchiato... Just reading these specialty coffee names made my stomach ache with worry.

A few days ago, Tai Er (yes, the restaurant brand famous for its sour cabbage fish) posted "Sour cabbage fish coffee, have you tried it?" and the post went viral in coffee groups.

Tai Er announced: Tai Er Coffee Company opens today! The world's first sour cabbage fish version of coffee! Using a completely new sour and refreshing approach, incorporating coffee into sour cabbage fish cooking techniques to create signature specialty coffees: "Ice Blog Sour Cabbage Latte" and "Sour Cabbage Fish Coffee Jelly."

Since they claim to incorporate sour cabbage fish cooking techniques, how could it be just about adding sour cabbage? The "grinding" of the coffee beans must also use the technique of chopping ingredients, holding double blades, and starting chop chop chop chop chop. Honestly, that technique takes real skill; otherwise you really cannot chop it well.

After watching it, the writer tried this "bean grinding" technique at home and then got caught by my old father, who stared at me while I cleaned up the coffee beans and coffee particles that had flown into the stove, under the stove, into the dishwashing rack, and onto the floor. The persistent writer also tried the cucumber slapping technique. Not bad, quite evenly crushed. Everyone else should not try it. Really.

The scene at the time was probably like this: the small dots are coffee grounds, the big dots are coffee beans. Use your imagination.

Chrysanthemum Petals and Spicy Twists

Another signature of this brand's sour cabbage fish is the addition of chrysanthemum petals, which are said to help clear heat and reduce internal inflammation, so paired with coffee it should do the same (probably). Thus even the Americano could not escape the chrysanthemum petal treatment, matched with whole chili peppers: "Opening Sour and Refreshing Iced Americano" looks very appetizing.

Coffee and Snack Fusion

Herbal tea shops have tea eggs, coffee shops have fried onion rings, so how could a sour cabbage fish brand's coffee shop go without snacks? They even combine coffee and snacks into one, creating "Wasabi Shrimp Cappuccino," "Beat Your Ex Ice Jelly Cold Brew," and "Boneless Chicken Feet Macchiato."

It doesn't matter if you can't finish the coffee. The leftovers can be turned into drip coffee bags, so you can drink while walking, very stylish. Just be careful the straw doesn't poke through the bag, which is a lesson learned from past experiences at convenience stores packing sodas and spilling them all over yourself.

An April Fool's Day Surprise

Of course, these specialty coffees were never actually for sale (though the drip coffee bags could be a real thing ). It was just an April Fool's Day joke. Why not put them on sale? Because "we don't want you to suffer."

Hahaha. Although it was a joke, the drip coffee bags really could work. And netizens played along remarkably well. You act, I cooperate, nobody calls anyone out.

The Aftermath and a Reality Check

Although Tai Er was only joking, it inspired plenty of coffee lovers eager to give it a try, so the sour cabbage sellers happily shipped out their products.

As for how it tastes? Probably just as one netizen put it in the comments: after drinking it, I had an epiphany and suddenly understood everything. It makes you want to recommend it to everyone.

Just kidding. Sour cabbage and milk cannot be consumed together, because milk is an alkaline food while sour cabbage is acidic, and eating them together might send you running to the bathroom. If you really want to try something, the drip coffee bags are genuinely good, and this way of packaging is very scientific.

Credits and More Information

Image source: Tai Er Official Account | Soul Artist, the writer

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If the Tai Er stunt left you craving a cold, fruit-forward coffee that actually tastes good, cold brew is the way to go. FrontStreet Strawberry Candy Geisha Blend joins a Panamanian Geisha with a honey-processed Costa Rican coffee: the first contributes delicate rose and orange notes, the second a grape, dried blueberry, and strawberry-candy sweetness. Cold-brewed, it is bright and sweet, and left to settle a little it takes on a wine-like character.

For a bolder tropical profile, FrontStreet Sun-Dried Huakui from Ethiopia is the classic choice, showing magnolia, creamy strawberry, dried mango, guava, and black tea when brewed cold. If you want juice-like intensity, FrontStreet Kenya Cherry Tomato delivers cherry tomato, snow pear, black plum, and dark plum notes, with low bitterness and full acidity that stays refreshing over ice.