Bumble Coffee

Every now and then, I get this weird little feeling that we, as a society, have peaked in the food and drink department. Like, how many more ways can we remix a burger? Pasta has been around since forever, coffee’s been reinvented 932 times, and even wine’s getting weird with “natural” blends that taste like regret. Sure, Oreos and Mountain Dew are out here doing their chaotic flavor collabs…Sea Salt Bubblegum Taffy, anyone? but I’m talking about real food. The kind you find on a menu, not in a dare.

And then, just when I’m convinced the culinary world has officially run out of ideas… a curveball smacks me in the taste buds.

So there I am, waiting for the rest of my hiking group in Tanzania, killing time at the hotel restaurant. The staff, absolute angels, offer me a complimentary drink. Nice, right?

I start running the options in my head.
Coffee? Already had one. And let’s be honest, I was trying not to vibe too hard on caffeine before the hike.
Tea? Meh.
Juice? Maybe.
Screw it, hand me a menu. Let’s see what this place is working with.

I’m skimming through:
Latte. Cool.
Americano. Fine.
Flat White. Fancy.
Iced Coffee. Classic.
Bumble Coffee.
…Wait.

I blink.
I read it again.
Bumble Coffee = Iced Coffee + Orange Juice + Caramel Syrup.

I’m sorry, what?

Coffee and caramel? Sure.
OJ on its own? Love it.
All three together? That sounds…wrong? But also… kind of intriguing?

I mean, I’m already in Tanzania about to hike Mount Kilimanjaro—might as well give my tongue an adventure too.

Naturally, I Google it. Apparently, it’s also called Bumblebee Coffee, and it's been buzzing around Moscow and Brazil. People call it a summer coffee. Interesting.

The drink arrives. It’s this murky, amber-brown concoction that looks like orange juice and coffee are in a passive-aggressive relationship. The orange wants to shine, but the coffee's just dominating the vibe. The smell? Confusing. Intriguing. Slightly concerning.

Okay. Enough foreplay. Time to sip.

First thought: Sweet.
Second thought: Bitter.
Third thought: …do I like this?

I keep sipping. Conflicted. Curious. Mildly impressed. Maybe a little betrayed. By the time I’m ¾ of the way through and about to head out to hike Kili, I’ve made my decision.

I’m in.

Bumble Coffee? It slaps. But not in a “wake me up every morning” kind of way. More like a “let’s get weird on a Tuesday afternoon” kind of vibe. It’s a coffee experience, not a routine.

So yeah—just when I thought food and drink had nothing new to offer… a coffee-OJ mashup humbled me in the best way.