This summer, the South Korean coffee scene has been swept by a new trend: “Ashotchu,” a drink that combines iced tea with a shot of espresso. Popular coffee chains such as Mega MGC Coffee, Paik’s Coffee, and Compose Coffee have all added Ashotchu to their menus in response to the enthusiastic demand from customers.
A Twosome Place, another popular chain, introduced Ashotchu at the end of June and sold over 900,000 cups in just two months, marking it as the fastest-selling item in the brand’s history. Meanwhile, EDIYA Coffee launched a “Zero Sugar Ashotchu,” and the bakery chain Tous Les Jours joined in with a large-sized version of the drink to attract younger customers.
Ashotchu is a unique blend of iced tea, often with fruity flavors like peach or lemon, paired with a shot of espresso. Unlike a traditional Americano, Ashotchu started gaining attention on social media around 2018 as a custom order rather than a standard menu item. This summer, it has exploded in popularity, aligning with the “modisumer” trend—a combination of “modify” and “consumer”—where people like to put their own spin on existing products.
Initially, many café owners were skeptical about the appeal of Ashotchu, wondering who would want to drink it. However, the drink quickly gained traction, with many praising the balance between the bitter espresso and the sweet iced tea, resulting in a refreshing beverage with a clean finish. Now, many cafes are seeing increased demand for Ashotchu and are considering making it a permanent fixture on their menus. Variations like “Amangchu,” which uses mango iced tea, are also starting to pop up.
Of course, Ashotchu has its detractors. Some critics call it “the worst combination, ruining both coffee and iced tea” or describe it as “a strange concoction with mismatched flavors.” But there’s a method to this unusual blend.
Coffee aficionados often note that certain varieties of coffee have fruity notes, such as lemon, apple, or orange, due to the natural acidity developed during the roasting process. These fruity characteristics are especially prized in premium coffees like Ethiopia Sidamo and Ethiopia Yirgacheffe. By mixing fruit-flavored iced tea with coffee, Ashotchu enhances these fruity notes, creating a more layered and complex flavor profile.
This concept of blending coffee with fruit flavors isn’t entirely new. In the U.S. and Brazil, “orange espresso,” which mixes orange juice with espresso, is a popular morning drink. A similar version in Korea could be called “Oshotchu.” Fans of orange espresso say that the combination of caffeine and the acidity of orange juice is both energizing and refreshing, thanks to the natural sugars in the juice. In Italy, there’s the “Espresso Romano,” made with a slice of lemon or a dash of lemon juice added to espresso—a tradition that dates back to Rome shortly after World War II.
Despite Ashotchu’s rapid rise, major coffee chains like Starbucks have yet to add it as a regular menu item. An industry insider explained, “Many people see it as a fun drink to try once rather than something they’d order regularly, so we’re cautious about making it a permanent offering.”
