Japanese Man Invents Coffee That Is Made From Garlic

A lot of people just think of coffee as their go-to drink but because of the caffeine content, there are those that want or have to sacrifice their love for coffee. Sure there’s decaf but sometimes, it’s not even enough. What if there’s an alternative?

That’s exactly what 74-year-old Yokitomo Shimotai came up with – a coffee that isn’t even made from coffee beans. What’s interesting about Shimotai’s invention is the fact that his coffee is made from garlic! And it’s fascinating when you know the story of how he ended up discovering that garlic can also be used to make the well-loved beverage.

Shimotai, who owned a coffee shop, said that his garlic coffee is perfect for those who love coffee but worry about caffeine content.

The drink was launched in January and its accidental discovery was a result of a kitchen disaster.

30 years ago, Shimotai was cooking and waiting tables at his café. While cooking steak with garlic, he ended up burning it. He then mashed the burnt garlic using a spoon and mixed it with hot water. He was surprised that when he took a sip, the mixture tasted bitter – coffee bitter.

After retiring, Shimotai did all his research about coffee garlic and hoped to make a product out of it.

Five years ago, and after years of trying and failing, he was able to create the final drink.

In 2015, Shimotai registered a patent for his garlic-coffee making method and he also opened a workshop in Iwate Prefecture. The method involves roasting a garlic in an electric furnace, mashing and dripping it.

You might wonder about the smell since it’s garlic. Shimotai claimed that his garlic coffee does smell like roasted garlic but don’t worry because once you get past that, you will get to taste actual coffee. As for the bad breath, Shimotai assures that it doesn’t cause it since the garlic has been thoroughly grilled.

Does it sound interesting to you? Would you try garlic coffee?