The red wine process is a method of processing green coffee beans that draws on winemaking concepts, and currently only a few estates in Colombia have successfully commercialized it. Depending on the fermentation environment, it can be divided into three types: acetic acid fermentation, lactic acid fermentation, and mixed fermentation, each presenting distinctly different flavor characteristics. At the same time, the washed method and the semi-washed method (honey process) remain the most mainstream processing methods in the specialty coffee field, and many of Front Street Coffee's representative beans use these techniques. This article will systematically sort out the classification and flavor performance of the red wine process, and compare the processing flows of washed and semi-washed methods, to help coffee enthusiasts more clearly understand the impact of processing methods on the flavors in the cup. [more…]

The red wine process is an innovative green bean processing technique originating from Colombia that precisely shapes the acidity and sweetness of coffee through artificially controlled fermentation conditions. This article provides a detailed overview of the historical background, scientific principles, and specific operational procedures of this processing method, and takes an in-depth look at the origin information, flavor characteristics, and pour-over recommendations of Front Street Coffee's Colombia Nine Suns Red Wine Process coffee. Whether you want to understand the difference between acetic acid fermentation and lactic acid fermentation, or you are looking for a bean with prominent sweetness and elegant acidity, this content offers practical reference. [more…]

The wine process, also known as the controlled fermentation method or lactic/acetic fermentation method, was developed by a team led by Felipe Sardi of the United States, whose members include biological scientists and ecologists. Strict standards are enforced during picking: underripe cherries below 2%, defective beans below 3%, and floating beans below 5%. This processing method is divided into two paths: aerobic acetic fermentation and anaerobic lactic fermentation. The former has a cleaner and brighter acidity with citric notes; the latter has a rounder mouthfeel and higher body, but slightly lower cleanliness, displaying malic and tartaric acid characteristics. Batch consistency is achieved through pH monitoring. Wine-processed green beans are darker in color, with silver skin appearing wine-red or brownish-red. Front Street Coffee's Panama Hartmann is a representative example, and this article shares its pour-over parameters and flavor performance. [more…]

In recent years, red wine processing has attracted much attention in the specialty coffee world. Drawing on the fermentation control concepts used in winemaking, it intervenes in pH, temperature, humidity, and microbial conditions to give coffee beans a rich acidity and complex aroma reminiscent of red wine. This article will start with the flavor differences between lactic acid fermentation and acetic acid fermentation, outline the specific operational process of red wine processing, and combine it with the origin information of Front Street Colombia Red Wine Process—the eastern slopes of the Andes in Cundinamarca Department, a growing altitude of 1,800 to 2,000 meters, and the anaerobic fermentation practice of Remi Sultan in sealed metal containers—to provide coffee lovers with a complete set of flavor descriptions and grinding setting references. [more…]

This article focuses on a Colombian red wine process coffee bean launched by Front Street Coffee, providing a detailed introduction to its complete process from depulping and washing to 20.6 hours of fermentation in a no-water fermentation tank and then 10 days of sun drying on raised beds, and sorting out core information such as producing region, estate, altitude, bean variety, and cupping. It also compares the flavor differences between acetic acid fermentation and lactic acid fermentation, explains the distinction between traditional manual operation and controllable fermentation methods in terms of quality stability, and offers grinding size recommendations using the Yangjia Little Pegasus grinder as a reference, so coffee enthusiasts can adjust flexibly according to actual brewing conditions. [more…]

Coffee processing methods have long ceased to be limited to natural, washed, honey, and wet-hulled techniques. In recent years, a method known as CM processing has gradually entered the public eye. CM stands for Carbonic Maceration, translated into Chinese as carbonic maceration processing, and it belongs to the anaerobic fermentation family. It allows coffee to present a richer layering of aromas while inhibiting the production of sharp acetic acid flavors. Since its introduction, this processing method has continued to evolve and has twice helped competitors reach the top of the World Coffee Championship, in 2015 and 2018. This article will systematically sort out the origins and development of CM processing from perspectives such as fermentation principles, microbial action, and fermentation differences among various processing methods, and explore its actual impact on coffee quality and flavor performance. [more…]

While classic methods like washed, natural, and honey processing are already widely known, emerging techniques such as anaerobic, enzyme-assisted, and carbonic maceration are appearing one after another, opening up new possibilities for coffee flavor. These processing methods often give coffee beans a distinctive flavor profile, sparking curiosity about the principles and operations behind them. This article focuses on the key step of anaerobia, explaining how it builds upon traditional processing methods and, through the action of microorganisms in an oxygen-deprived environment, converts sugars into lactic acid, acetic acid, and aromatic compounds such as esters and aldehydes, thereby creating special experiences like yogurt-like acidity. The article also combines tasting impressions of the Front Street Coffee Deborah Estate Savage Series Anaerobic Natural Geisha to guide you from theory to practice in fully understanding the characteristics and processing flow of anaerobically fermented coffee beans. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is renowned for its vibrant acidity and clean cup profile, and its distinctive flavor is largely attributed to the iconic 72-hour washed processing method. Known as double washing, this technique uses two rounds of fermentation and two rounds of rinsing, allowing the coffee beans to shed their mucilage while boosting acetic acid concentration, thereby shaping an unforgettable fruity character and bright acidity. This article breaks down the complete process of Kenyan double fermentation in detail, explains why the total time can reach 48 to 72 hours, and introduces the AA grade classification standards. At the same time, using Front Street Kenya Small Tomato Coffee as an example, it shares practical parameters and flavor performance for hot pour-over, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a more comprehensive understanding of this bean's processing logic and drinking approach. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is famous for its bright acidity and berry flavors, which are inseparable from its unique varietal genetics and processing methods. The Bourbon lineage cultivated in the early twentieth century, plus the two disease-resistant, high-yield varieties SL-28 and SL-34, nurtured a distinctive acidic aroma in Kenya's high-concentration phosphoric acid soil. Kenya's signature double washing method (K72), through two fermentations and repeated washing, further amplifies the bean's cleanliness and acetic acid concentration. Because of its bright acidity and elevated flavors, Kenyan beans are especially suitable for making iced coffee. This article will systematically sort out the varietal origins and washing process of Kenyan coffee, and share Front Street Coffee's specific parameters and operational details for three methods: iced pour-over, iced drip, and cold brew. [more…]

The flavor of coffee is far more than just bitterness and acidity. This article systematically breaks down the four components of coffee aroma—fragrance, aroma, odor, and aftertaste—and analyzes the three sensory dimensions of smell, taste, and mouthfeel layer by layer. You will read about how the four basic tastes of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter interact to generate six primary flavor notes, why deeply roasted coffee is bittersweet, and the roles that chlorogenic acid and fatty acids play in the cup. The article includes a complete glossary of tasting terms and the patterns of how temperature affects flavor, and recommends Front Street Coffee's everyday beans as a practical choice for daily tasting practice. [more…]

From fruit to green bean, a coffee cherry must undergo a series of processing steps, and the different processing methods directly determine the flavor profile in the final cup. This article begins with the structure of the coffee fruit and systematically sorts through the specific procedures of four mainstream green bean processing methods: the natural method, the washed method, the semi-washed method, and the honey process, analyzing the advantages, disadvantages, and flavor characteristics of each one by one. Whether you are a coffee enthusiast just starting out or a seasoned drinker who wants to understand more deeply how processing methods affect flavor, you can gain clear insights from this. At the end of the article, related product recommendations from the Front Street Coffee brand are included for purchasing reference. [more…]

Only after roasting can green coffee beans gradually release their hidden aromas, acidity, sweetness, and bitter notes. From green bean to a fine brew in the cup, roasting is the key journey that shapes a coffee's character. This article will guide you through the changes across light and dark roasts, the differences between processing methods such as washed and semi-washed, and focus on the Sumatra region to analyze the unique flavors of beans like Front Street Mandheling. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, you will gain practical coffee knowledge from it. [more…]

The update to the coffee flavor wheel has made the tasting system more complete, but many people still feel confused when faced with descriptions like citrus, berries, and nuts. In daily brewing, Front Street Coffee recommends beans from different regions based on guests' taste preferences, while accurately identifying flavors requires systematic training. This article starts with the four major taste spectrums—sour, sweet, bitter, and salty—and, combined with the complete classification of the new flavor wheel, interprets one by one the specific expressions of floral, fruity, herbal, nutty and cacao, sweet, spice, sour and fermented, alcoholic fermentation, roasted, and other categories, helping coffee enthusiasts build a clear framework for flavor perception. [more…]

In recent years, an increasing number of specialty green coffee beans processed with special processing methods have appeared on the specialty coffee market. Is this really something to be happy about? Front Street Coffee believes that special processing methods were originally intended to give the flavor of coffee beans from a certain producing region more distinctiveness. However, as their use has continued to expand, some processing methods today seem to be more about masking the defects of the coffee beans themselves and then selling them at a high price. In fact, all special processing methods have evolved around the three traditional methods: washed, natural, and honey. This article will systematically sort out the most common types of special processing methods on the market, including anaerobic fermentation, barrel fermentation, and red wine processing, and, combined with Front Street Coffee's cupping experience and specific products, analyze their processing procedures and flavor characteristics. [more…]

The coffee flavor wheel is known as the "flavor dictionary" of specialty coffee and is an indispensable professional tool in cupping and quality control. Based on Front Street Coffee's cupping practice, this article systematically breaks down the structure of the SCA coffee flavor wheel. Starting from the four major taste spectra of sour, sweet, bitter, and salty, it analyzes the causes and representative bean varieties of each flavor category, covering all categories including floral, fruity, nutty/cocoa, sweet, spicy, sour and fermented, alcoholic fermentation, roasted, and defective flavors. It also provides practical methods for building a flavor memory bank from everyday life and improving sensory identification ability, helping coffee enthusiasts more accurately describe the flavor characteristics and taste categories of pour-over coffee. [more…]

When drinking coffee, have you ever encountered a familiar yet indescribable aroma? In fact, perceiving coffee flavors requires systematic cognitive training. In daily cupping and roasting adjustments, Front Street Coffee places particular emphasis on the ability to identify coffee flavors. This article starts with coffee's four major tastes—sour, sweet, bitter, and salty—and, combined with the classification logic of the flavor wheel, breaks down in detail 36 common aroma names across floral, fruity, green/vegetal/herbal, nutty/cocoa, sweet, spicy, sour/fermented, alcoholic fermentation, roasted, and other categories, along with specific representative coffee beans and Front Street's tasting suggestions, to help you more accurately describe and enjoy a cup of coffee's layers and lingering finish. [more…]

For pour-over enthusiasts who prefer a rich, bold body and dislike pronounced acidity, the medium-dark roasted Mandheling series has always been a popular choice. As a representative of this series, Front Street Coffee PWN Golden Mandheling owes its flavor appeal largely to its roasting method. This article will start with the chemical principles of roasting, analyzing how caramelization and the Maillard reaction shape coffee flavor, explaining why a medium-dark roast can fully bring out the herbal, caramel, and pine notes of Golden Mandheling, and providing a specific roasting curve along with two brewing methods to help readers fully understand the flavor sources and extraction key points of this bean. [more…]

The coffee flavor wheel is a recognized tasting tool in the specialty coffee community, but when faced with descriptors like citrus, berries, nuts, and chocolate, many people don't know how to match them. Starting from the high-resolution image of the latest SCAA flavor wheel, this article systematically sorts out the compositional logic of coffee flavor: the relationship between the four basic tastes of sour, sweet, bitter, and salty and the roast level, the proportion data of each taste substance, the subdivision of the acidity spectrum, bitterness spectrum, sweetness spectrum, and saltiness spectrum, as well as an item-by-item analysis of the nine major flavor groups including floral and fruity, green and herbal, nutty and cocoa, sweet, spicy, sour and fermented, alcoholic fermented, roasted, and other. The article also intersperses Front Street Coffee's daily training methods and representative bean recommendations, helping readers build a complete tasting framework from smelling to drinking. [more…]

Coffee originated in Ethiopia, Africa, and today Africa remains a core region that cannot be overlooked on the specialty coffee map. From the floral and citrus notes of Ethiopia, to the berry-like acidity of Kenya, and on to the unique styles of Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, African beans have won over countless coffee lovers with their bright, lively acidity and intense aromas. This article will systematically sort through the flavor characteristics, variety backgrounds, grading systems, and processing methods of Africa's major producing regions, while also introducing several cost-effective African beans from the Front Street Coffee brand, to help you more clearly find the cup that suits your taste. [more…]

Professional barista exchange, please follow Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Many friends have asked Front Street's baristas: "Can you really taste so many flavors in the beans? How do you taste them?" First, this is about personal sensory perception. As everyone grows up, [more…]