How Ultrasonic Coffee Is Reinventing the Iced Espresso

Before me sits a chilled brown drink served in a thin, minimalist glass. At first glance, it is simply an iced cappuccino made with espresso and milk. It looks entirely ordinary. But the moment I pick it up and take a sip, I stop in surprise. ‘Is this really an iced cappuccino? Well… yes, it is, but…!’

How can I describe this depth of umami? Words like ‘creamy’ or ‘silky’ suddenly feel inadequate. The texture is unlike anything I have experienced before. The espresso and milk are no longer separate elements but have become a perfectly unified whole. That remarkable sensation remains from the first sip to the last. Even as the ice melts, there is none of the watery dilution usually associated with iced coffee. The experience feels almost dreamlike.

As I continue drinking, I notice a gentle sweetness. Hibiki Fujioka, who created the ‘ULTRA MILK FOAM’ and prepared the drink for me, explains: ‘We add a syrup made from espresso that would normally be discarded during our daily extraction adjustments, blended with palm sugar.’

It is a sustainable approach that gives new life to what would otherwise become waste. This philosophy runs through SAMAA_, the coffee shop that opened in Tokyo’s Sangenjaya district in October 2025. It represents what could be described as a fourth wave of coffee culture, building on the foundations laid by the third wave.

At the heart of this breakthrough is the UP100H, a device that uses ultrasonic vibrations to emulsify liquids at the molecular level. It is manufactured by the German company Hielscher Ultrasonics. Applied to espresso—rich in the natural oils extracted from coffee beans—and milk, the process transforms ingredients that would normally resist blending into a smooth, velvety liquid.

Why did Fujioka decide to use a machine originally developed for pharmaceutical manufacturing to make coffee?

‘While researching molecular gastronomy, I came across the potential of ultrasonic technology. Around the world, cutting-edge culinary techniques already make use of it. That inspired me to explore how it could be applied to coffee, and I began developing recipes.’

Fujioka, who describes himself as an ‘extractor’ of coffee and tea, draws inspiration from multiple disciplines. The result solves one of iced espresso’s long-standing problems—its tendency to become diluted—while bringing out the full potential of each ingredient.

Curious to learn more, I looked into ultrasonic coffee. In June 2024, researchers Shih-Hao Chiu of the University of Sydney, together with Francisco J. Trujillo and Nikunj Naliyadhara of the University of New South Wales, published a successful study on ultrasonic cold brew extraction.

Using a custom-built experimental device, they reduced the brewing time for cold brew from 24 hours to just three minutes while preserving a comparable flavour profile. Ultrasonic coffee, then, already existed within academic research. But when it comes to serving drinks in a café using a commercially available machine like the UP100H, SAMAA_ is positioning itself as a true innovator.

Ultrasonic emulsification can be applied to espresso on its own, milk on its own, or both together. Asked what creates such an exceptionally smooth texture, SAMAA_ founder Yūichi Murakami explains:

‘Traditionally, milk foam is made by shaking milk with ice or whipping it in a blender. With ultrasonic vibrations, we can process the milk without adding unnecessary elements such as water, allowing us to bring out its characteristics to the fullest. The process also creates tiny air bubbles known as nanobubbles, which contribute to the remarkably smooth texture. Espresso, meanwhile, retains all of its original flavour.’

Even the iced Americano—espresso diluted with water—has been reimagined. Freshly extracted espresso is immediately treated with ultrasonic vibrations to cool and emulsify it, preserving its aromatic intensity. It is completely different from the conventional method of pouring hot espresso over ice, which gradually waters the drink down. Here, the rich flavour remains intact until the final sip. Speaking about this innovation, Murakami continues:

‘Coffee is a field where craftsmanship is deeply respected. People compete to master established techniques while staying true to traditional methods. Our approach challenges that way of thinking. Our goal is to expand SAMAA_ around the world. We want coffee lovers to say, ‘When it comes to iced coffee, it’s SAMAA_.’ Because the ultrasonic machine is compact, even a small coffee stand can serve exactly the same quality. We see that as a tremendous opportunity.’

The UP100H costs roughly the same as a top-of-the-line coffee grinder. Some cafés may eventually decide to invest in one themselves. But SAMAA_ also benefits from the original recipes developed by Fujioka—recipes whose creativity cannot simply be copied. At SAMAA_, every milk-based iced espresso drink costs more than ¥1,000. It may seem expensive at first, but once you’ve finished the drink, the price feels justified. It reminds me of luxury perfume: although production costs are often said to account for only one to five percent of the retail price, the real value lies in the ideas, research and development behind the finished product. (In the case of perfume, elaborate packaging and branding costs are, of course, part of the equation as well.)

Tucked away in a renovated traditional house about a ten-minute walk from Sangenjaya Station on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi and Setagaya lines, SAMAA_ sits quietly in a peaceful residential neighbourhood. Still relatively unknown, it already stands out as one of this summer’s most exciting coffee destinations—and a place well worth visiting in search of flavours unlike any I have experienced before.