About Kyoto Black

Hi, I'm Justin, owner & founder of Kyoto Black.  I am a cold brew fanatic and I created Kyoto Black because I believe Kyoto Style is the best way to cold brew coffee.  Kyoto Style coffees have better flavors, smoother textures and no sediment. Oddly enough, the style is mostly unknown, even though cold brew has exploded in popularity.  

My first experience drinking Kyoto Style cold brew was in 2011.  That cup was not great, but the experience of drinking it was so different that I had to pursue it.  Kyoto Style clearly had a lot of potential and I wanted to unlock it.  One year later I was brewing Kyoto Style coffee at home every single day.

I am constantly refining my technique, always pushing to make a smoother, stronger and sweeter cup of coffee.  That has always been the goal.  And it shows. Kyoto Black is perfectly balanced and strong enough to shine regardless of how its prepared.

My select blend of dark roasted Brazilian and medium roasted Guatemalan beans give you the best of both worlds.  It is strong, and sweet, thick, but smooth.  The flavors are familiar but you will swear my coffee is different.  And it is different.  

Kyoto Black is not just a cold brew, it is a full sensory experience.  I started making it as a hobby because I wanted to learn more about coffee through cold brewing.  In the process, I learned more than I could've imagined. 

What is Kyoto Style Cold Brew?

Typical cold brewed coffees are made by steeping coffee grounds in large vats of cold water for up to 24 hours.  This coffee slurry is then strained and filtered.  This process can yield good coffee, but there are problems with it.

Despite the filtering process, steeped cold brews tend to be murky with sediment. This is why many cold brews have muddled flavors or a flabby mouthfeel.  Not to mention, they also look cloudy and unappealing.  However, because this process is cheap, most companies are happy to use it.  Steeping allows them to produce cold brew in batches of over 1,000 liters at a time.

Kyoto Style cold brew on the other hand, is made in small batches, one drop at a time.  Kyoto Style is currently the only method for making drip cold brew; all other styles rely on steeping grounds.  This matters because drip coffees have cleaner, clearer flavors than steeped coffees. And since fresh water is constantly dripped on the grounds, the extraction is ideal.

I take Kyoto Style a step further.  Using my deep coffee expertise, I've been able to take the process to the next level. My way of doing things is very labor intensive, but the difference is well worth it ;)

 

Where can I find Kyoto Black?

 Our shop is located at:

1445 W Devon Ave, 

Chicago, IL 60660

We are open for limited hours 10am - 1pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

However, feel free to order from this website 24/7 and we will mail your order to you.  

 Click the interactive map below to see all of the locations in Chicago that carry Kyoto Black.  More to come!

 

 

Andersonville

Andale Market

Avondale

Pretty Cool Ice Cream

Metropolitan Brewing

Quality Time 

Tribecca's Sandwich Shop

Edgewater

Beard & Belly

Sauce & Bread Kitchen

Edge of Sweetness/Luciana's Kitchen

Metropolis Coffee Company

Gold Coast

Foxtrot - Maple

Lakeview

Foxtrot - Southport 

Foxtrot - Broadway & Diversey

The Crepe Shop

Lincoln Park

Pretty Cool Ice Cream

Foxtrot - Armitage

Loop & South Loop

Cindy's Rooftop

Foxtrot - Tribune Tower

Foxtrot - Willis Tower

North Center

L&M Fine Foods

Side Practice Coffee

Old Town

Foxtrot - Old Town

River North

Foxtrot - Hubbard

Foxtrot - Chicago (114 w Chicago Ave)

HiFi Fitness

Streeterville

Foxtrot - Streeterville

Ukrainian Village

Tuman's Tap & Grill

West Loop

Blind Barber

Soho House

Foxtrot - Green St.

Foxtrot - Lake St.

Wicker Park

Bangers & Lace

Foxtrot - Division

Foxtrot - Milwaukee & Damen

Wrigleyville

Foxtrot - Wrigleyville