The Rise and Fall of Intelligentsia’s Instant Espresso Bar w/ Bailey Manson [Intelligentsia]

In this episode of Coffee Think Tank, Bailey Manson, Director of Innovation at Intelligentsia Coffee, shares the story of the Illumination Bar in Pasadena—a bold experiment that replaced traditional espresso machines with freeze‑dried instant coffee for all espresso‑based drinks.Launched during the pandemic in 2020, this radical service model lasted until January 2025 before evolving again.We discuss how Bailey and his team convinced themselves to pursue such a crazy idea, the tools and workflow required to serve coffee this way, how baristas and customers reacted, and why the bar just replaced the freeze‑dried setup with an innovative—but more classic—espresso workflow.What You’ll Learn How COVID‑19 and a lease renewal created the perfect opportunity for Intelligentsia to test a radical new service model The detailed workflow for making espresso drinks with freeze‑dried instant coffee (and the specialized equipment needed) Why customers often couldn’t tell the difference between freeze‑dried and traditional espresso in milk‑based drinks How Intelligentsia made instant coffee work as a viable alternative to espresso for years The economic and operational challenges of maintaining an instant‑based program Why customer reviews eventually pushed a return to traditional espresso equipment How the Illumination Bar still serves as a testing ground for innovative service modelsChapters 00:00  Introduction to the Illumination Bar 02:59  Bailey's Coffee Journey and Role at Intelligentsia 05:48  The Concept Behind the Illumination Bar 09:01  Challenges and Innovations in Coffee Preparation 11:54  The Unique Workflow and Equipment Used 14:54  Customer Reactions and Market Acceptance 18:03  The Science of Freeze‑Dried Coffee 21:06  Final Thoughts on Innovation in Coffee 29:02  Innovations in Coffee Equipment 31:46  The Unique Experience of the Illumination Bar 34:51  Adapting to Customer Feedback 38:01  The Challenges of Freeze‑Dried Coffee 50:55  The Evolution of Service Models 54:13  Future Trends in Specialty CoffeeWhere to Find Bailey Manson Follow Intelligentsia Coffee on Instagram: @intelligentsiacoffeeMentioned in the Episode Swift Coffee (freeze‑dried coffee producer) Curtis Corinth (water dispenser for instant espresso) La Marzocco KB90 (espresso machine) Wally (automated milk steamer) Flare 58x (manual espresso maker) X‑Bloom (brewing equipment)