Chill Out: What’s Behind the Rise of Canned Cold Coffee?

Canned coffee has been trending around the world for decades – most prominently in Japan – and has gradually made its way onto Australian supermarket, servo and even cafe shelves. Some are locally brewed, others are imported. While nothing will ever replace the experience of a truly well-crafted cafe coffee, the grab-and-go caffeine fix is finding a foothold in our daily routines. But how did we get here? And how does canned coffee differ from the barista-made kind?

When it comes to canned coffee, things are (predictably) black or white. Black varieties tend to be less punchy than, say, an iced long black, and more akin to a chilled filter brew. They come in a range of intensities or “strengths” depending on the maker’s brewing ratio.

White options combine either espresso or slow-brewed coffee with dairy or alternative milks. Again, they’re not the same as an iced latte you’d get from a barista because they use a different coffee-water-milk balance, yielding a taste that’s more delicate and expansive.

One thing canned coffee definitely has going for it is convenience. Most brands are shelf-stable and don’t require refrigeration (though they’re best consumed chilled). They store easily, and travel well. There are stacks of gadgets for brewing fresh coffee when you’re away from home, but nothing’s easier than just kicking back and cracking open a cold one from the esky.

Japan is a country famous for its coffee culture, and is understandably recognised as the country which created canned coffee, with products dating back to 1969. It’s also the land of the konbini, known for convenience and efficiency, so it tracks that Japan would be ahead of the trend on this one.

Nights out in Japan often reach a crucial point where you have to make the call to catch the last train home, or stay out until tomorrow’s first train. More often than not, opting for the latter necessitates a trip to the konbini or the vending machine for a “Bossu”.

Bossu (aka Suntory BOSS Coffee) is the most iconic canned brew of them all. Ubiquitous across Japan, it’s also slowly making its way into Australia’s coffee-drinking culture.

Suntory BOSS Coffee is brewed using a special “flash brew process”, where coffee is extracted with hot water to draw maximum flavour from the beans, and then chilled down in just seconds to lock in the taste. The initial brew is more akin to a pour-over – a far more popular coffee-making method in Japan than the European espresso-style.

In the interest of journalism (and to sate my own personal curiosity), I – an avid coffee drinker – picked up a can and had a little taste test. Suntory BOSS Coffee’s flash brew method delivers a high-quality, nuanced flavour that’s smooth, but with a noticeable kick. It isn’t quite the same as an order from my local cafe, but that’s not what it’s going for anyway – it does the job best as an afternoon pick-me-up, second coffee of the day, for when you’re short on time, or when you need to get things done.

With its popularity overseas, and a rising focus on quality convenience products in Australia, expect to see canned coffee become more readily available. Local roasters are already putting their own spin on the trend – like spiking tonic water with a shot of espresso – to secure new market territory.

Well-made coffee from a barista who really knows their beans will always have my heart. But canned coffee has earned its place in my daily rotation, and a spot in my fridge. It’s not about replacing one with the other: it’s about enjoying both for what they are.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Suntory BOSS Coffee.