Do you consider yourself a coffee purist, or would you be happy to try these obscure concoctions? Photo / Getty
An orange mocha frappachino was once considered the height of blasphemy to coffee connoisseurs. Fast forward nearly two decades and things are still going haywire for the humble latte, perhaps more than ever before.
From mushrooms, to lumps of coal, foodies all over the world continue to reinvent, or ruin, the traditional brew. So we've round up the latest in weird coffee creations but, be warned, they're definitely not for everyone.
Tonic water espressos are the latest beverage to hit the Gram. Want to get in on this coffee Insta-swag? Add a dash of tonic water to your regular espresso and. If you're feeling fancy, garnish with a sprig of rosemary or orange peel.
The drink is gaining popularity in Brazil and Japan and, not surprisingly, has made its way to Melbourne.
As for the taste, it's said to resemble Coke with an extra kick.
You've likely heard the buzz about charcoal face marks. Now, as unpalatable as it sounds, charcoal lattes are fast becoming a favourite - particularly among the wellness blogger set.
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The moody looking beverage consists of hot milk and activated charcoal - a combination said to detoxify the body and aide in digestion - if you can stomach it in the first place.
For those keen to ease in to the trend, it can also be made by mixing an activated charcoal tablet in your usual coffee.
For thousands of year's medicinal mushrooms have been used in Chinese medicine and cooking, and now they are making their way into your latte!
Medicinal mushrooms are said to be highly potent, praised for their immune-boosting properties.
Rather than chopping and sautéing them to get the benefits, you could stir mushroom powder in to milk - but would you really want to?
How do you take your coffee? Two sugars, almond milk, an egg yolk?
Egg lattes have been delighting locals and tourists alike at Hanoi's Giang Café.
While the exact recipe remains a secret, you can make your own egg latte using coffee, condensed milk, sugar and egg yolk mixed together in a blender. Uh, sounds "eggcellent".
READ MORE:
• Chef reveals secret to perfect poached eggs
A favourite of actress and health guru Gwyneth Paltrow, turmeric lattes, or "golden milk", are another trend that's stemmed from health claims, in particular, healing and anti-inflammatory properties.
Made using almond milk, coconut sugar, turmeric and ginger, these amber coloured beverages have been making their way into niche cafes and eateries.
Modern medical studies have also found that cur cumin, found in turmeric, helps kill cancer cells.
They've been doing the rounds on Instagram for a while now, but it seems customers at Melbourne's vegan Matcha Mylkbar can't get enough of these bright blue lattes.
Containing ginger, lemon, coconut milk and blue algae powder, people are paying big bucks to get their hands on the trendy beverage - also purported as having powerful antioxidant properties.
Boasting a strong seaweed-type smell and a taste resembling sour milk, the lattes are far more Instagram-able than they are drinkable,
So is it goodbye trim latte, hello blue algae with extra activated charcoal? We'll let you be the judge.
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