I Tried Chewable Coffee and Here’s What Happened
Confession time: I’m a bit of coffee addict. Okay, more than a bit. I’ve probably had a morning cup every day since I worked as a barista in college. But as someone prone to hitting the snooze button one (or five) too many times in the AM, my morning can be a bit hectic and rushed. Recently, I heard about an innovative new way to get my daily dose: chewable coffee. Could this be the solution to a stress-free + fully caffeinated morning? I decided to give it a try.
But first things first: WTF is chewable coffee? Funny you should ask. The innovative new way to take in a cup of joe was created by Nootrobox. The packs come with four small cubes of coffee-flavored gummies, and a box of 20 packs will set you back $53. Two cubes are packed with 100mg of caffeine, which is equivalent to one cup of coffee. The cubes come in three flavors: mocha, latte and pure drip.
Initially, when I heard about chewable coffee I was hesitant but intrigued. Two cubes and I’m good to go? Would it work? Could it be too good to be true? There was only one way to find out.
I tried chewable coffee for the first time on a Monday morning when I was in desperate need of a cup. Usually, I duck into the coffee shop next to my bus stop (shout out to Lava Java in SF) to grab a cup to sip on during my morning commute. But instead, I set my alarm five minutes later and just opened up a pack on the bus.
My first reaction: It is definitely not lacking in flavor. The pure drip flavor cubes are coated in sugar, so at first bite it’s sweet, but then gets progressively bitter at the end. The texture is a lot like a Sour Patch Kid and, not going to lie, it was a little bit weird for me.
But foreignness aside, once I got into the office I could feel the caffeine. I ate two cubes to start and then one cube a little later in the morning and damn, I was buzzin’. Let’s just say my Monday morning emails were probably a little more enthusiastic than normal.
The next day, I did it all over again. To be honest though, I had to sort of force myself to go through with it — not because it wasn’t effective, but because I missed the ritual of my morning cup. Sure, the cubes were a quick caffeine hit, but I realized I missed going into my local coffee shop and saying hello to the baristas, then sipping on something while I scrolled through the morning’s news. Scarfing down two cubes just didn’t offer up the same sort of satisfaction. On day three of my cube challenge, I caved. I ducked into Lava Java, said hello to Annie (the shop’s owner) and walked out with a medium cup of Kona roast.
While the cubes weren’t for me, I wouldn’t rule them out for everyone. If coffee is more of a necessity for you than a ritual, you should definitely order yourself a pack. In fact, I’m going to keep my extras in case of caffeine emergencies. Afternoon meeting with no time for a Starbucks run? A couple of cubes and you’re good to go. A crazy hectic morning with no time for a chat with Annie? Done and done.
Chewable coffee won’t replace my morning coffee habit entirely, but these compact packs will definitely have a permanent place in my handbag from now on.
Have you ever tried chewable coffee? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @BritandCo.
