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July 10, 2015
The Making of SARUTAHIKO COFFEE's Signature "Murasaki" Coffee
SARUTAHIKO COFFEE
Toyota Harrier and Sarutahiko Coffee Challenge: A Sensory Coffee Experience
The Making of "Purple" Signature Coffee (Part 1)
It’s been a while since the term "Third Wave" started circulating among coffee lovers, but are you familiar with the genre of "Signature Coffee"? The "TOYOTA HARRIER CAFE" is now taking on the challenge ofHarrier Premium "Style MAUVE"expressing the sophisticated color "purple" and its world through signature coffee. And the person chosen as the collaborator for this menu development is Mr. Asano Otsuka, the owner of "Sarutahiko Coffee," now known as the leading figure of "Third Wave" in Japan.
Text by Akari MatsuuraPhotographs by Koki Kamiya
First, Pursue Deliciousness
Signature coffee. Simply put, this genre refers to "original beverages with added ingredients other than coffee (creative coffee)." It is formally called signature beverages and is a theme presented in global competitions such as barista championships in the coffee industry.
For the Toyota Harrier Cafe, Mr. Otsuka has devised two original menus. Both combine surprising ingredients to create a magnificent "purple" (mauve color) and achieve astonishing flavors. What kind of dedication and trial-and-error went into the process from the project's inception to the completion of the signature coffee?
—When you first heard "create a signature coffee," what were your thoughts?
I found the concept of expressing the world of "Style MAUVE" through coffee to be novel and interesting, but honestly, I felt a great sense of responsibility. Signature coffee is, in a way, a "sanctuary" for us, so I knew that a half-hearted approach wouldn't suffice. Depending on how we did it, our seniors might say, "What is that guy doing?"
Nevertheless, I was very happy to be asked, and I also felt that if it landed in the direction we envisioned, it could be an opportunity to express how seriously we apply our minds to pursuing taste.
The Sengawa store features a approximately 10-meter long counter on the first floor. Opened in February 2015, the 60-tsubo store also houses a full-scale roasting studio, allowing visitors to enjoy freshly roasted specialty coffee.
—What was the primary point of focus in its development?
It might sound obvious, but we prioritized "deliciousness." Of course, the image is based on the world of Style MAUVE, and the theme of "purple" is a given, but if it's not delicious for the drinker, they won't come back, right? To be more critical, not everyone who visits will necessarily be a coffee lover. We must also consider that some may have never even heard of Third Wave, specialty coffee, let alone the name Sarutahiko Coffee. Therefore, I tried to clear my mind as much as possible and focus first and foremost on "pursuing deliciousness" and "making the customer in front of me happy."
—When you heard "purple," what did you imagine?
I actually test-drove the Style MAUVE, and the color that came to mind was "black closest to purple." Coffee is often described as "black," but within that, I could sense nuances of purple. Some beans have characteristics like blueberry acidity, so I vaguely had the idea that it might be possible to express it using blueberries. This time, rather than a direct approach, it called for a nuanced flavor. I felt that a subtle sense of luxury was required.
Ingredients used in the two signature coffees (Left: Blueberry with Soda Water; Right: Acai Cafe au Lait). Pay attention to the use of mint and lime, not just berries and acai.
—Please tell us about the development process for the signature coffee "Style MAUVE."
The base of this signature coffee is an original blend, primarily from Kenya and Colombia, prepared as a cold brew for the summer, to express the gorgeous yet chic world of the Harrier. We've added this fruity, sweet, and wonderfully aromatic beverage, which is hard to believe is coffee, as a special menu item for coffee lovers to enjoy as is.
The color and flavor change moment by moment as the ratio of coffee to other ingredients is adjusted.
The first cup of Style MAUVE is a signature coffee with a refreshing taste, made by mixing concentrated cold brew coffee with blueberry juice and soda water. The acidity of the high-quality coffee connects with the refreshing acidity of the blueberries, evolving into a superior sweetness. Adding a small amount of kokuto (black sugar) gently envelops the slightly sharp acidity, adding depth to the sweetness.
We expressed the Harrier's subtle coolness with the freshness of mint, and to enhance that freshness with foam, we finished it with carbonated water made with hard water. The lime squeezed at the end adds complexity to the sweetness and freshness. By expanding the vertical sweetness horizontally with lime and mint, we create a deep aftertaste. All these elements combine to evoke the Harrier's lustrous elegance, its strength as an SUV, and its mysterious duality.
The other drink was created with the theme of "exotic sweetness in the passenger seat," imagining the ideal woman who would suit the Harrier's passenger seat. Adding acai juice and milk to the concentrated Harrier blend creates an exotic sweetness from the acai, reminiscent of spiced chocolate or cafe mocha. A touch of lime at the end provides a subtle accent, creating contrast in the overall mild flavor. This is a drink that even those who don't usually like coffee or small children can enjoy.
In the workshop, trial and error were pushed to the limit in pursuit of "deliciousness."
—Why did you focus on iced coffee?
Simply put, when I thought about what kind of drink I'd want to drink on a hot day, I thought of the cold brew coffee we serve at the store. We call cold brew coffee "cold brew," and since Sarutahiko Coffee has high-quality cold brew coffee that we can confidently serve, I had an intuition that if we built the flavor based on that, we could probably achieve a good result even with some experimentation.
The Making of "Purple" Signature Coffee (Part 2)
SARUTAHIKO COFFEE
Toyota Harrier and Sarutahiko Coffee Challenge: A Sensory Coffee Experience
The Making of "Purple" Signature Coffee (Part 2)
Unlocking New Charms of Coffee
—What do you gain from collaborations with companies like this?
"There have been many failures, not just successes. Both are essential for the growth of the store in terms of accumulating personal experience," says Mr. Otsuka, reflecting on the past four years.
When we first started four years ago, naturally, almost everyone, including myself, had little knowledge or experience. Looking back now, I wonder why we struggled with certain things; we have countless stories of failure. But with each collaboration, every staff member becomes very skilled. As this experience steadily accumulates for the staff, we can grow further. And I believe the store can also move to the next phase.
—What commonalities do you see between cars and coffee?
Cars like the Harrier can provide special moments for their drivers, stimulating the senses, evoking a sense of elegance, and sharing moving experiences. In essence, the coffee we offer our customers is similar. It might sound a bit presumptuous, but I feel a very close spirit in the way that craftsmen and technicians "create things with sincere dedication."
—Having worked on "signature coffee," what would you like to pursue with Sarutahiko Coffee in the future?
Through this project, I've once again felt the importance of drawing out and conveying new charms of coffee. It's about constantly catching up with what customers want from their perspective, and more directly, sharing the delightful, pleasant, fun, and exciting sensory experiences of drinking coffee with more people. What we at Sarutahiko Coffee want to focus on now is precisely that "sharing of sensory experiences."
＜Two Original Menus Offered at TOYOTA HARRIER CAFE＞
Sparkling "Style MAUVE"
"Blueberry and Soda Coffee"
The Harrier blend is fused with blueberry juice, blended with kokuto (black sugar) in a blender. Inspired by the acidity of Kenyan beans, it features the sweet and refreshing taste of berries and the sophisticated acidity of coffee as its core. Adding the sweetness of kokuto and the zest of lime creates a more three-dimensional and deep body. The hard water carbonated water poured in at the end accentuates the coffee's clean acidity while the sparkling bubbles spread a sense of refreshment with each sip.
This cup offers a new frontier for coffee, with the sweet and refreshing acidity characteristic of berries, the elegant acidity of high-quality beans, and a delightful sweetness and aroma that create a pleasant aftertaste. It is elegant yet not overly refined. Mild yet not too mild. Impactful yet subtly elegant. It allows you to experience the duality of the Harrier through a unique approach.
Au Lait "Style MAUVE"
"Acai Cafe au Lait"
This drink was created with the image of the ideal woman who would suit the Harrier's passenger seat. Fused with the concentrated Harrier blend are acai juice, milk, and a somewhat surprising ingredient: lime zest. The initial impression is reminiscent of cafe mocha, which then evolves into nuances of spiced chocolate due to the exotic sweetness of the thick acai fruit.
The lime zest added at the end subtly creates a complex aftertaste in the overall mild flavor, while also providing a refreshing finish. Its gentle mouthfeel reflects Mr. Otsuka's desire for even those who dislike coffee or small children to enjoy it. This is a signature coffee unique to Sarutahiko Coffee, bringing a new phase to coffee-based iced drinks.
Original "Style MAUVE"
"Cold Brew Coffee"
The base for the signature coffee appearing at the TOYOTA HARRIER CAFE is an original Harrier blend extracted using cold brew. This is an original coffee blended with beans from Colombia and Kenya to match the image of the Harrier.
For coffee lovers, we recommend trying this cold brew as is first. The blend, which balances the elegant acidity of Kenyan beans with the bitterness of Colombian beans for depth, allows you to enjoy its fruity sweetness and the splendid aroma that fills your mouth.
※The following event has concluded.
TOYOTA HARRIER CAFE
＜Roppongi Hills Grand Roof Plaza Venue＞
Location: 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: Wednesday, June 24 - Sunday, June 28
Hours: 11:00 - 21:00 (Wednesday, June 24: 18:00 -)
Official Website: http://toyota.jp/harrier/cp/harriercafe2015/
Asano OTSUKA
Born in Tokyo in 1981. Began attending theater school at age 15, working as an actor while also holding part-time jobs. At 25, he started working at the charcoal-roasted coffee shop "Nanbanya" in Shimotakaido. Six months later, he obtained his Coffee Meister qualification. In June 2011, he opened "Sarutahiko Coffee" in Ebisu, Tokyo. Last year, he supervised the new series of Coca-Cola's canned coffee "Georgia European." In February of this year, he opened his second store, "Sarutahiko Coffee Atelier Sengawa," in his hometown of Sengawa, Chofu City. http://sarutahiko.co