Beat the Heat: The Best Beijing Convenience Store Caffeine Fixes

Here in the serenity of the Beijinger office, we are on occasion known to throw all caution to the wind and drown ourselves in beer in order to escape the summer heat. However, overindulgence on the golden nectar can often take its toll on productivity, so this time, just for a change, we turned instead to the redemptive side of cooling beverages: coffee. Namely, convenience store coffee (because not all of us can afford to heed the call of the green and white Siren three times a day). Before we begin, you should be aware that many of these match or surpass their caffeine content with sugar, so if you want to get truly buzzed, your nearest Kuai Ke may just be your best bet.

Very Black Coffee (Japan) - RMB 16.50
An easy-drinking Americano with no additives to speak of, we couldn’t honestly grant ‘Very Black’ the blackest crown given that past the packaging, the drink itself has a generous pour of water. That being said, it does come packing a slightly fruity and pleasant aroma and is not burnt (this, you’ll find out later, is important).
Verdict: 8/10. A flavorful hit with a price that screams “this is safe!”

Georgia Americano Coffee (China) - RMB 8.80
Georgia’s entry starts off with an innocuous enough buttery smell before it explodes into an all-out popcorn experience once it hits your taste buds.
Verdict: 6/10. It may taste like the cinema in a coffee cup but nothing can beat that sweet, sweet price.

Beans & Roasters Caffé Latte (Japan) - RMB 25
With our expectations set high upon glancing at the assertive price tag, the free-fall back to the reality has been long and crushing. Closer to artificially sweet vanilla milk with a hint of coffee, this can had us shrugging our shoulders and methodically listing 100 better ways to spend RMB 25.
Verdict: 1/10. Two points for being the largest bottle of all, minus one point for the sugar comedown.

Say Coffee Cold Brew Coffee Americano (China) - RMB 18.80
The initial pour into the cup delivers a pleasant and deep color that is, however, quickly scratched by a taste that could only be achieved by using the same beans twice in a French press.
Verdict: 3/10. The beautiful anti-slip grip bottle design works for when you start to get the coffee shakes (which you won’t with this weakling).

Barista Rules (Korea) - RMB 15.80
One of the few milky beverages where the coffee flavor pulls through, Barista Rules cuts the sugar content and deftly parades as medium city roast.
Verdict: 7/10. We salute any cold coffee-milk mix that manages to deliver both the caffeine as well as the taste.

The Cloud Time Milk Coffee (China) - RMB 9
The fact that the only other beverage that this company sells is milk should have been enough of a red flag to steer clear of Cloud Time but so as to pay our respects to mother sugar, we had to squeeze it in. And sugary it is. Artificially sweetened to the point of starting to taste like caramel, this one at least looks presentable thanks to a neat glass bottle.
Verdict: 4/10. Too sweet to be cooling anything down, this one should only be consumed as a last-ditch effort afternoon pick-me-up.

UCC Black (Japan) - RMB 11.90
Somewhat similar to the first blend (Very Black), this canned rendition of an Americano passed simply as “drinkable.” Despite its overall watery texture, you are rewarded with some lingering hazelnut notes.
Verdict: 7/10. You won’t be disgusted but you might as well just throw in an extra RMB 5 and go for the Very Black coffee instead.

Never Coffee Bulletproof Cold Brew Coffee (China) - RMB 15.80
One of the most exciting coffees in the lineup, this neat triangular bottle is loaded with both a spoonful of butter – as per your usual bulletproof blend – as well a splash of coconut oil. The coconut notes are unmistakable and the creamy texture justifies all the fat inside the minimal design bottle. A tolerable sugar content also makes this one notable.
Verdict: 9/10. A smooth blend that will awaken your body-builder dreams, housed in a bottle designed to grace your Instagram feed. 

Photos: Uni You