Why −86°C Ice Cup Dirty Coffee Is the Hottest Specialty Coffee Trend Right Now
The first time I tried a Dirty coffee served in an ultra-low-temperature ice cup was back in 2023, at UNCLE SHU Coffee in Binjiang, Hangzhou. It was my first real encounter with that striking “hot-meets-cold” contrast, and the experience left a strong impression. Dirty coffee is something most coffee lovers in China are already familiar with. It’s fairly common in cafés across Asia, yet you’ll rarely find it in Europe or the U.S. At its core, a Dirty is simple: ice-cold milk topped with hot espresso. This collision of temperatures creates a dramatic, almost theatrical drinking experience that many people love. In recent years, however, a new trend has taken things to the extreme—using ice cups chilled to −86°C to make Dirty coffee. Compared with a traditional Dirty, which usually uses milk and a cup chilled to around 4°C, a −86°C ice cup paired with espresso at roughly 65–70°C creates a temperature difference of more than 150°C. This extreme contrast delivers a sharper, more int...