Coffee cream may seem simple, yet it can be extended into several classic coffee drinks. This article centers on the making and use of coffee cream, outlining three methods—400-times hand-whipped coffee, Neapolitan coffee, and coffee ice cream—and explaining the differences between instant coffee powder and espresso in preparation. It also draws on Front Street Coffee's bean list recommendations, suggesting dark-roast beans suitable for making coffee cream, such as Front Street Classic Blend and Front Street Strawberry Candy Espresso, helping readers strike a balance of sweetness, texture, and flavor when recreating them. [more…]

Dalgona coffee has taken the internet by storm with its cloud-like, velvety foam and caramel-sweet flavor, while the frozen version of Dalgona coffee needs only one extra step of chilling to transform the coffee foam into an ice cream-like texture, with layers that rival a snow-topped coffee. But when making it, should you use espresso or instant freeze-dried powder? What exactly are the differences between the two in terms of whipping difficulty, flavor expression, and final mouthfeel? Front Street Coffee conducted two sets of comparative experiments using freshly brewed espresso and instant coffee powder respectively, recording everything from extraction parameter adjustments and whipping time to the texture of the final product, to help you find the method that suits you best. [more…]

A cup of frothy coffee that requires repeated whipping hundreds of times quickly became popular due to the Korean variety show "New Product Launch Convenience Restaurant." During the pandemic, Koreans trapped at home rushed to imitate it, sparking a check-in craze on social platforms. Many people think this was invented in Korea, but its origins actually lie in Macau—at the Han Kee tea stall in an abandoned shipyard in the city's ring district. The owner mixed instant coffee powder, hot water, and granulated sugar in a 1:1:1 ratio, whipping it by hand at high speed to achieve a dense foam after about four hundred strokes. This article traces the origin and principles of this drink, and provides specific steps to recreate it using espresso and an electric milk frother, preserving Front Street Coffee's production demonstration and tasting experience. [more…]

Dalgona coffee (also known as 400-times coffee) continues to thrive on major social platforms thanks to its dense, cloud-like coffee foam and beautiful layered effect. However, many people find after trying it themselves that the result falls far short of the tutorials, with problems such as the foam not whipping up, a coarse texture, and rapid collapse appearing one after another. This article will break down the key points of making dalgona coffee step by step from three dimensions—ingredient selection, espresso extraction parameters, and whipping techniques—and focus on analyzing the common reasons why espresso fails to foam and the corresponding solutions, to help you make a cup of dalgona coffee with distinct layers and a rich, mellow taste. [more…]

Cold brew coffee is simple to make—just mix water and ground coffee, refrigerate, and let time complete the extraction. This article details Front Street Coffee's cold brew method, including using 50 grams of ground coffee as the base, a grind size with 85% passing through a No. 20 sieve, a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:12, adding 400 milliliters of room-temperature water and 200 grams of hard ice cubes, refrigerating for 12-24 hours, then filtering and refrigerating for another 4 hours. It also explains that cold brew should use coffee beans past their resting period, and recommends three types of beans with different flavor profiles—fresh floral-fruity, citrus-berry, and delicate honeyed—covering specific products such as Geisha, Huakui, Huayueye, Rose Valley, and Mozart. [more…]

The internet has enabled the rapid spread of video tutorials and helped a wave of viral coffee creations stand out from "homemade coffee." Creative drinks such as Saturn Coffee, Waterfall Americano, Lava Iced Americano, and 400 Times Coffee have gone viral as netizens spontaneously recreate and share them, and have since been adopted by many cafés. These coffees often do not rely on a high technical threshold, but place particular emphasis on visual presentation—catching the eye first, then winning over the palate. Students born after 2000 have taken homemade coffee to new heights, using coffee liquid and freeze-dried powder paired with convenience store drinks and syrups to achieve low-cost coffee freedom in their dormitories. Against the backdrop of the pandemic and rising prices, the cost-effectiveness of homemade coffee has become more prominent. Although there is still a gap in flavor compared with professional cafés, it also confirms that coffee is accelerating its integration into daily life. [more…]

In the eyes of coffee lovers, a reasonable price for an espresso is usually around 15 to 25 RMB. However, at a Bugatti dealership in Mayfair, London, an espresso is priced at 50 pounds, equivalent to over 400 RMB, making every sip feel like drinking gold. What exactly makes this coffee, called "THE ETTORE SHOT," so expensive? It is served in a custom carbon fiber cup, rich in aroma, but the real special thing is that it is actually a ticket to enter this top-tier sports car showroom and lounge, with a dedicated person to explain the history of the Bugatti brand. Compared to the café in Italy that was fined a thousand yuan for a 2-euro espresso, the logic behind the price is intriguing. If given 400 yuan, would you choose Front Street Coffee's Panama Geisha or a Bugatti showroom ticket? [more…]

Starbucks is undergoing a profound strategic adjustment. According to foreign media reports such as CNN, this coffee chain giant has closed about 400 stores across the United States, mainly concentrated in core areas of major metropolises such as New York and Los Angeles. New CEO Niccol has made it clear that the company will no longer pursue high-density coverage of urban stores. At the same time, Luckin Coffee is actively expanding in New York, having already opened 9 stores and continuing to scout locations, including some small-format grab-and-go stores that Starbucks has vacated. Starbucks responded that intensifying competition, the spread of remote work, population loss in major cities, and rising operating costs are the main reasons for the adjustment; in the future, it will increase its focus on suburban markets and plans to renovate 1,000 stores within a year to enhance the spatial experience. [more…]

A loyal customer topped up a total of 8,400 yuan at a coffee shop over more than a year, only to be scolded by the owner in the store's group chat for "not understanding coffee," and was even listed as a "charge." This blogger not only frequented the place but also enthusiastically recommended it to friends, yet ultimately chose to request a refund to cut losses due to the owner's repeated cold remarks. The incident sparked widespread discussion: Should cafés really distinguish customers based on whether they "understand coffee"? How should coffee professionals view the needs of ordinary consumers? This article reviews the incident and netizens' opinions, exploring inclusiveness and respect in coffee culture. [more…]

Colombia's peace process has encountered new setbacks. While the government and the "Caraca" faction extended their ceasefire agreement, another faction—the Western Bloc of the "Central General Staff"—continued to exchange fire with government forces in Cauca Department. President Petro authorized an all-out offensive, and the military deployed more than 1,400 soldiers along with heavy equipment to launch a raid. The conflict sparked wildfires in the mountains, and combined with persistent drought and high temperatures, major coffee-producing regions such as Huila Department and Cauca Department were severely affected, with large tracts of coffee crops destroyed. Coffee output in August fell by nearly 100,000 bags month-on-month. The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC) said that after three consecutive years of declining production caused by La Niña, output is now struggling to recover, up 15% compared with last year. Regional peace and industry recovery remain core issues that the government urgently needs to address. [more…]

In the landscape of Brazilian specialty coffee, Fazenda Rainha, with its century-old Bourbon heritage and exceptional green bean quality, has become a perennial winner in COE competitions. Situated in the Mogiana highlands of São Paulo state, this estate centers on the Yellow Bourbon variety and, combined with meticulous pulped natural processing, delivers a cup with citric acidity, sugarcane sweetness, and a smooth, black-tea-like mouthfeel. This article systematically reviews Fazenda Rainha's flavor characteristics, pulped natural processing flow, award records over the years, and product information related to Front Street Coffee, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a comprehensive understanding of this Brazilian specialty bean's unique value. [more…]

Xiangpiaopiao rode a cup sleeve printed with Chinese and Japanese bilingual text mocking Japan's nuclear-contaminated water to hit trending searches within just a few days, with livestream sales soaring 400-fold and its stock price hitting the daily limit at market open, earning it the title of "glory of domestic brands" from netizens. But the story soon took a dramatic turn—local supermarkets in Japan denied selling products with the cup sleeve, media questioned it as staged hype, the cup sleeve was taken off shelves on May 8, and the stock price fell back accordingly. Behind this "windfall from heaven" lies a deeper anxiety: powdered milk tea made with non-dairy creamer is struggling amid the rise of freshly made tea drinks and shifting health-conscious consumer attitudes. Competition from brands like Heytea and Mixue Bingcheng has driven Xiangpiaopiao's performance down for three consecutive years, making a shift to ready-to-drink products an inevitable choice. This article walks through the entire timeline of the incident and explores the real impact of this traffic storm on the brand's image. Follow Front Street Coffee and let's savor the ups and downs of the coffee and tea beverage industry together. [more…]

Bourbon is one of the oldest varieties in the coffee world, and Brazil is the representative country for Bourbon cultivation. Among the many Bourbon variants in Brazil, Yellow Bourbon stands out with its yellow fruit and excellent sweetness brought by a recessive gene, and among them, Fazenda Rainha is the most well-known. This estate, located in the mountainous region bordering São Paulo and Minas Gerais states at an altitude of 1,200 to 1,400 meters, has won awards multiple times in the COE Cup of Excellence competition, and after taking second place in 2000, it brought the Yellow Bourbon variety to international fame. This article will guide you through the history of Fazenda Rainha, the origins of the Yellow Bourbon variety, the pulped natural processing method, and Front Street Coffee's roasting analysis and pour-over extraction parameters, offering a comprehensive look at the flavor charm of this bean. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is the highest-altitude specialty coffee producing region in the Gedeo Zone of southern Ethiopia, famous for its jasmine aroma, citrus notes, and citric acidity. The Adado Cooperative, as one of the founding members of the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers' Cooperative Union (YCFCU), is located in the mountainous area at 2,000 to 2,400 meters, where 1,250 farmers cultivate coffee in the traditional way of interplanting it with mountain bananas. This article sorts out Adado's regional affiliation, the ECX grading system, and the cooperative's background, and presents the cupping flavors and direct-fire roasting suggestions for Front Street Coffee's Yirgacheffe Adado, providing coffee lovers with a complete understanding from origin to flavor. [more…]

Starbucks recently announced the launch of a corporate team restructuring and plans for layoffs, with specific positions and numbers to be announced in March. Meanwhile, Starbucks China Chairwoman Wang Jingying has decided to retire, and lead independent director Mellody Hobson has also announced she will not seek re-election, with two senior executives departing in quick succession within just a few days. CEO Brian Niccol stated that the adjustments are aimed at simplifying the management structure and improving decision-making efficiency, and will not affect store baristas. During Wang Jingying's tenure leading the China business, stores expanded from more than 400 to over 7,000, making China Starbucks' fastest-growing overseas market. [more…]

Kenya is a coffee origin that cannot be overlooked on the global specialty coffee map, renowned for its intensely bright acidity and complex layers. This article provides a systematic overview of Kenyan coffee cultivation, including the capital Nairobi, the port city of Mombasa, nearly 700,000 smallholder families, growing conditions at elevations ranging from 1,400 to over 2,000 meters, and varieties such as SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian, and K7. The article also outlines the main and secondary harvest seasons, the major growing regions in the central and western areas, and compares the flavor differences across counties such as Nyeri, Embu, and Thika. It focuses on analyzing the Kenyan-style 72-hour washed processing method (K72), detailing its process and advantages, while also introducing the lesser-seen traditional natural-processed Kenyan coffee, including the historical background and flavor profile of Missionary Bourbon. Finally, it includes two comparison bean information cards and brewing suggestions, making it ideal for coffee enthusiasts looking to gain a comprehensive understanding of Kenyan coffee. [more…]

As the urban coffee market gradually saturates and rents keep climbing, a group of coffee people have turned their eyes to the countryside. Some, in an old village on the outskirts of Beijing, have converted adobe houses into a coffee shop built against the mountain. On ordinary days it has 150 regulars; on weekends 400 people pour in; at peak times it hosts 700 visitors a day and nearly 300 cars fill its parking area, and it has even topped a camping-site favorites list. Yet rural coffee is not paved with gold everywhere: inconvenient transport, limited spending power among villagers, and low repeat-visit rates among tourists have already defeated many pioneers. Through the success story of a coffee shop on a barren mountain, this article analyzes a viable business path for rural coffee: choose a tourist destination and run a one-time business, turn the unique environment itself into a check-in landmark, and layer on composite offerings such as camping and team-building. [more…]

Located in the Mogiana region of São Paulo State, Queen's Farm is a perennial award-winning estate in Brazil's Cup of Excellence competition. With Yellow Bourbon as its core variety, the farm sits at elevations of 1,400 to 1,950 meters, with an average annual temperature of only 19°C, producing specialty coffee with dense beans and outstanding aroma. The Brazil Queen's Farm Pulped Natural Yellow Bourbon coffee beans offered by Front Street Coffee present rich nutty notes and a full body after medium-dark roasting, with a cupping profile of balanced, smooth acidity, a clean and faint bitterness, chocolate aroma, and a silky, delicate texture. This article provides a detailed introduction to Queen's Farm's regional background, the characteristics of the Yellow Bourbon variety, and the pulped natural processing method, along with pour-over parameters and blooming time recommendations from Front Street Coffee's baristas, helping coffee lovers brew a great cup at home. [more…]

Sidamo is located in southern Ethiopia and is one of the most recognizable regions in the specialty coffee world. Its elevation ranges from 1,400 to 2,000 meters, and its coffee-growing areas are distributed around the East African Rift Valley. Thanks to diverse soils, microclimates, and a wealth of native varieties, the coffee produced in each town displays a distinctly different flavor profile. Among them, Guji and West Arsi are the most renowned growing areas, with the former even becoming a separate region in 2010. This article will take you through an in-depth look at Sidamo's geographical conditions, the terroir advantages of the Guji region, the unique status of Hambela, and how the natural process gives coffee beans rich fruity aromas and a smooth mouthfeel, while also explaining the specific flavor performance of Front Street Coffee's Huakui coffee beans. [more…]

Colombia, with the diverse terroirs of the Andes Mountains, has become the world's third-largest coffee exporter and the country with the highest export volume of Arabica beans. The Huila volcanic region is known for organic farming and fruity flavor profiles, where smallholder cooperatives at altitudes of 1,400 to 2,000 meters cultivate citrus, grapefruit, and chocolate-like sweet-and-tart flavors. This article systematically reviews Colombia's main producing regions, coffee varieties, washed processing methods, and grading system, and highlights the Colombian beans sold by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), including Rose Valley, Flower Moon Night, and Hanami Geisha Blend, and finally provides cupping and three-stage brewing parameters to help coffee lovers gain a comprehensive understanding of the charm of Colombian coffee, from flavor perception to practical extraction. [more…]