I Tried ‘Smart Coffee’ that Comes in a Pouch…and I’m No Einstein, but Is This the Future of Coffee?

If you’re like me, you imbibe coffee in any and all forms, so long as it makes your eyes open up a little wider and your fingers type a little faster. Folgers, Starbucks, that coffee cart guy in front of the office…My caffeine intake is as indiscriminate as my pizza intake (don’t "at" me, pizza snobs). So when I was pitched a new instant "smart coffee" that comes in a pouch and contains nootropics (a very buzzy word for a group of memory- and focus-enhancing compounds, aka the most 2019 thing ever ) from Brooklyn-based startup Alpha Wave , I had to give them a shot (no pun intended). First, let me reiterate that this is instant coffee (albeit organic and sourced from Colombian Arabica plants, for anyone who cares). The coffee powder comes in a ready-to-mix brown paper packet about twice the size of a Splenda that you pour into whatever caffeine-consumption container you have at your disposal. It looks like cocoa powder, and can be poured into either cold water and given a good stir (for those who prefer the iced coffee variety), or boiling water (for those who hate summer). For my cold brew version (I know it’s not cold brew), I added a splash of coconut creamer and a dash of cinnamon (yep, I’m a big chai tea fan). I was all like "hey, this is super easy." While the taste takes a little getting used to (it’s still got a bit of that acidic bitter taste that comes with hot coffee that’s trying to disguise itself as cold), I had no major qualms. Disclaimer: I didn’t try the hot version, so no word on whether the heat does something funky to the taste (though, I doubt it). Another disclaimer: I’ve given at-home iced coffee […]

Click here to view full article