What does “es in sich haben” mean in German?

A judge is about to score the cocoa tartlets and admits: this task looked simple, but “diese Aufgabe hat es wirklich in sich gehabt” — it was really tough. That’s what “es in sich haben” does: it signals that something is harder, stronger, or trickier than it seems. So when a German friend says a job, a recipe, or even a drink “hat es in sich,” expect more than meets the eye.

In the clip: “Auch wenn es nicht so scheint, aber diese Aufgabe hat es wirklich in sich gehabt” — “Even if it doesn’t look like it, this task was really no joke.” “es in sich haben” looks like “to have something inside it,” and that picture helps: there’s more packed in than you’d guess. It usually means harder or more intense than expected — and the subject changes with what you’re talking about. - “Die Wanderung hatte es in sich.” — “That hike was really tough.” - “Vorsicht, der Cocktail hat es in sich.” — “Careful, that cocktail is stronger than it tastes.” - “Sein letzter Satz hatte es in sich.” — “His last sentence really packed a punch.” In past tense you often hear “hat es in sich gehabt,” as the judge says here.