Today Front Street is going to talk about a rather niche pour-over device—the Anki-style dripper. It comes from the well-known Yamanaka lacquerware woodworking factory in the Kaga region of Japan and is made entirely of wood, which stands in sharp contrast to the ceramic, resin, glass, or metal drippers commonly seen on the market. Will coffee brewed with a wooden dripper take on a woody aroma? How does it differ from the V60 in use? How should dark-roasted coffee beans be brewed with this dripper? This article will start from Front Street's actual experience and answer these questions one by one, while also sharing the details to note when maintaining this dripper, as well as its slightly imperfect but harmless handmade traces. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: FrontStreet Coffee. Sun-dried processed coffee beans are naturally dried inside the fruit pulp, so the weather conditions affect the quality of the coffee beans. Front Street uses sun-dried coffee beans and two other traditional processing [more…]

If you've been following our activity notifications over the past couple of days, you might have noticed that both of Front Street's stores on Taobao and Tmall have just launched a washed-process Hacienda La Esmeralda Diamond Mountain. And so some friends are quite curious: "They're both Diamond Mountain—what's the difference between this washed-process one and the sun-dried one that was listed before? And then [more…]

If you've been following the event notifications over the past couple of days, you may have noticed that Front Street has launched a washed-process Emerald Estate · Diamond Mountain at both of its stores on 🍑Bao and Tian🐱. Then some friends got very curious: "They're both Diamond Mountain—what's the difference between this washed-process one and the sun-dried one that was listed before? And then [more…]

Faced with a dazzling array of coffee beans, how can you quickly tell whether they are sun-dried or washed? In fact, as long as you grasp the basic processes of the two processing methods, and then combine them with the color of green beans, the silver skin of roasted beans, and the performance in the cup, you can easily distinguish them. The sun-dried method has a long history and relies on natural drying, so sugars easily seep into the bean surface; the washed method uses water tank screening and soaking to give coffee a cleaner tone. This article will start from the processing steps and compare one by one the differences between sun-dried and washed in green beans, roasted beans, and flavor, and use Front Street Yirgacheffe Sun-Dried Red Cherry and Washed Gudingding as examples to provide specific brewing comparisons, helping you quickly establish a basis for judgment in daily tasting. [more…]

The processing method of coffee beans largely determines the flavor direction of the final cup, and natural sun-drying, as the oldest green bean processing technique, is still widely adopted by many producing regions around the world today. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article systematically reviews the complete sun-drying process—from fruit picking and screening, natural drying, to depulping and hulling, and storage—and provides an in-depth analysis of the advantages and limitations of this processing method. At the same time, the article will also introduce two representative sun-dried coffee beans: Ethiopian Huakui and Panama Elida Estate Sun-Dried Typica, helping readers gain a more comprehensive understanding of how sun-drying gives coffee a rich fermented character, full sweetness, and abundant layers. [more…]

Natural processing is the oldest method of green coffee processing. With its vivid fruity notes and fermented wine-like aromas, it is now being revisited by more and more producing regions. This article provides a complete overview of the natural method's processing flow, including fresh cherry harvesting and sorting, sun-drying, hulling and mucilage removal, and warehousing for export. It also objectively analyzes its cost advantages and quality risks, and explains why natural beans have such intense, layered flavors. At the end, Front Street Coffee selects two representative natural coffees—Ethiopia Hachira and Panama Elida Estate Natural Typica—for your purchasing reference. [more…]

Located in Hafursa Village, about eight kilometers west of Yirgacheffe town, it sits on slopes between 1,900 and 2,200 meters above sea level. The local processing station has 12 standard fermentation tanks and more than 160 coded drying bed frames, allowing precise tracking of processing progress. High-altitude berries, after washing, present a distinct lemon note, bright and high-pitched with a delicate texture. However, traditional African beds dry too quickly under bright sun and ventilation, which is actually unfavorable for flavor development. This article explores in depth the agronomic principles of the semi-shaded slow drying method and how it extends the drying period to 16–30 days, thereby preserving more complete contents and bringing a completely different flavor and aftertaste experience. Front Street Coffee recommends this Hafursa slow-dried washed G1, which is worth savoring. [more…]

Mandheling coffee is traditionally known for its wet-hulled process, but under Indonesia's humid climate conditions, a sun-dried Mandheling has surprisingly emerged. The Wahana Estate on the shores of Lake Toba in Sumatra, after repeated trials, finally succeeded in creating Asia's first sun-dried Mandheling by combining sun-drying with mechanical drying. This article will guide you through the geographical environment of the Wahana Estate, the evolution of its processing methods, and the cupping flavors and brewing parameters of Front Street's Wahana sun-dried Mandheling, so you can experience the unique charm of this distinctive Mandheling. [more…]

In recent years, freeze-dried coffee has been gaining strong momentum and has become a popular category in the instant coffee sector. However, Front Street Coffee has noticed that many consumers hold considerable misconceptions about freeze-dried coffee—some mistake freshly ground coffee powder for freeze-dried coffee and brew it directly, while others believe that the quality of freeze-dried coffee is already on par with freshly ground coffee. These misunderstandings arise partly because the appearance of freeze-dried coffee blocks does bear some resemblance to freshly ground coffee powder, and partly because merchants often promote it as "comparable to fresh ground," further blurring the line between the two. In fact, freeze-dried coffee and freshly ground coffee belong to completely different product categories and have no basis for direct comparison at all. This article will start from the production process to clarify the essence of freeze-dried coffee and explore the differences in shelf life between coffee powder and instant coffee. [more…]

In recent years, freeze-dried coffee, with its appearance and promotional campaigns, has led many consumers to mistakenly believe it can be mentioned in the same breath as freshly ground coffee—even giving rise to the blunder of brewing freshly ground coffee powder as if it were freeze-dried coffee. So what exactly is freeze-dried coffee? What are the essential differences between it and traditional instant coffee in terms of production processes? And is it truly comparable to freshly ground coffee? This article, from the perspective of Front Street, systematically sorts out the definition of freeze-dried coffee, its production process, and its differences from traditional instant coffee, helping coffee enthusiasts clarify the concepts and take a rational view of the relationship between freeze-dried coffee and freshly ground coffee. [more…]

Freeze-dried coffee has become a new favorite in the coffee market in recent years, but many people are not clear about the real difference between it and traditional instant coffee. From the perspective of Front Street, this article sorts out the origin of instant coffee and its two core production processes—spray drying and freeze drying—analyzes why freeze-dried coffee can better preserve flavor, and how it breaks away from the stereotype of instant coffee. At the same time, the article also discusses the impact of raw material upgrades and packaging innovation on the popularity of freeze-dried coffee, helping readers fully understand the development context of this category and the reasons behind its market heat. [more…]

Natural and honey processing are often labeled as "sweet," but the two actually emphasize different aspects in terms of flavor expression and the source of sweetness. Starting from the processing method, this article sorts out the differences between the fruity fermented aroma of natural coffee and the full-bodied sweetness of honey processing, traces the rise of honey processing in Costa Rica, and analyzes the classification logic behind black honey, red honey, yellow honey, and others. At the same time, the article will answer the common question of "which is sweeter, honey processing or natural processing," explain how variety, altitude, ripeness, and processing method jointly affect coffee sweetness, and provide specific bean recommendations from the Front Street brand for friends who prefer different flavor profiles. [more…]

The natural process, as the name suggests, is to spread the harvested coffee cherries flat on the ground (on dedicated drying nets or patios) and use direct sunlight (for about 2-3 weeks) to remove moisture from the coffee fruit until the moisture content reaches the target level, after which machines are used to remove the dried husk to obtain the green coffee beans we want. Natural process [more…]

The processing method of green coffee beans directly determines the flavor direction of the final cup. From the oldest sun-drying to the washing process invented by the Dutch in the 18th century, and then to the semi-dry processing in between, each method has left a unique mark on the coffee beans. Sun-drying gives the beans complex fruity notes and fermented sweetness, while washing brings clean and bright acidity and the true taste of the producing region. Honey processing and pulped natural methods, while retaining a little mucilage, create a flavor spectrum between the two. In addition, locally adapted innovative processes such as Indonesia's wet-hulling method have also added distinctive regional characteristics to the coffee world. This article will take Front Street Coffee's cupping experience as an example to break down the principles, steps, and flavor performance of these processing methods one by one. [more…]

Instant coffee was once synonymous with Nescafé, Maxwell House, and Old Town, and sat at the bottom of the coffee snobbery chain. But today, new brands like Saturnbird, Yongpu, and Sumidagawa have given instant coffee a makeover, selling it as freeze-dried coffee at 4 to 7 times the price of traditional instant. Though it still falls under the instant coffee category, what exactly makes freeze-dried coffee so expensive? What is the essential difference between its production process and that of traditional instant coffee? Why did freeze-dried coffee, which rose to prominence in 2018, manage to tear open a gap in the instant coffee category and quickly grow into a market worth over 1 billion yuan? This article breaks down the logic behind the popularity of this cup of freeze-dried coffee from three dimensions: craft, brand, and market. [more…]

From harvesting to becoming green beans that can be stored long-term, coffee cherries must undergo processing. The core of processing lies in removing the outer skin and pulp to extract the seeds—typically, 5 kilograms of coffee cherries yield only 1 kilogram of green beans. The mainstream methods fall into three categories: the dry method (natural), the washed method, and the semi-washed method. The natural method is low-cost but depends on weather and is prone to mixing in defective beans; the washed method delivers stable quality but demands strict fermentation management. Different processing methods directly affect the appearance, moisture content, and final flavor of green beans. This article systematically reviews the procedures for natural, washed, and honey processing, and retains Front Street Coffee's recommendations and product information on specialty bean processing techniques, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of green bean processing. [more…]

The natural process, as the oldest method of coffee processing, can be traced back to the method used by Arabs in the 11th century. This natural drying technique requires no large amount of water and is low in cost, making it widely popular in water-scarce regions. However, the natural process also faces challenges such as contamination by impurities, uneven drying, and mold and rot. This article will break down the four steps of the natural process in detail—removing floating beans, sun drying, observation, and removing the husk—and analyze its positive and negative effects on coffee bean quality. At the same time, we will also explore how the natural process amplifies the coffee's own flavors, bringing a rich body and sweetness, and include Front Street Coffee's pour-over brewing suggestions to help enthusiasts better experience the charm of naturally processed beans. [more…]

The sun-dried process, as the name suggests, uses the sun to dry the red coffee cherries under the sun for a week, sometimes adjusting the length of time depending on the situation. Once the fruit skin and pulp have been dried into a dark color, a hulling machine is used to remove the skin and pulp, and finally the defective beans are picked out and it's all done. The benefits of the sun-dried process [more…]

The natural process is arguably one of the oldest methods in coffee processing, and its core lies in using sunlight and air to dry the coffee fruit naturally. The entire process relies relatively little on labor and equipment, yet it demands extremely high attention to detail. From the initial sorting after the fruit is harvested, to the weeks-long drying and raking, and finally to hulling and grading, every step directly affects the final quality of the coffee beans. This article will break down the complete steps of the natural process in detail, analyze the impact of the degree of drying on the beans, and introduce how this method is applied in major producing regions around the world, while also recommending several Front Street naturally processed coffee beans worth trying. [more…]