On February 7, ChaPanda launched a new bamboo-aroma oolong series. Among them, Bamboo-Aroma Kiwi uses Anxi Tieguanyin from Fujian as its tea base, paired with kiwi fruit pulp and wheatgrass. The official claim is that it uses kiwi from Zhouzhi County, Xi'an, highlighting selling points such as fresh fruit pulp, natural healthiness, and low calories to cut greasiness. However, after the new product launch, many consumers posted on social platforms reporting discomfort after drinking it, such as astringent mouthfeel, numb lips, and throat irritation. Some speculated that it was caused by unripe kiwi, while others suspected an allergic reaction. In response, ChaPanda has not yet made an official response. This article reviews the course of the incident, consumer feedback, and analysis of possible causes, and recommends related products from Front Street Coffee for coffee lovers. [more…]

Fruity coffee fruit flavors often present a natural sweet-and-sour aroma, making them one of the most prized qualities in specialty coffee. They are generally divided into stone fruits (peach, apricot, apple), citrus (orange, lemon, pomelo, sweet orange), and berries (raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, blackcurrant, cherry). Generally speaking, [more…]

The natural process lots from Ethiopia's Hambela Estate have always been known for their intense fermented character, but this Lot 105 presents a completely different style. Front Street Coffee's Ethiopia Hambela Estate St. Lion single-farm slow-dried Lot 105 comes from the highlands of the Guji region at 2,150 meters above sea level, carefully cultivated by local smallholder farmers. This review used 500 grams of green beans for roasting tests, ultimately achieving a weight loss rate of 12.2%. After 24 hours, cupping revealed rich layers of plumeria sweetness, citrus, kiwi, strawberry, and blueberry, with sweetness approaching that of peach and honey. The article documents in detail the bean sorting, roasting curve, brewing parameters, and flavor changes, making it suitable reading for coffee enthusiasts who want to gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of the Guji production region and new trends in natural processing. [more…]

The Sidamo region is one of the important representatives of Ethiopian specialty coffee, and the natural processing method adds rich fruity aromas and fermented sweetness. The Ardi G1 coffee beans introduced in this article come from the Guji region of Sidamo Province, at an average altitude of about 1,900 meters, and are produced jointly by 700 local smallholder families. They have received high scores from CoffeeReview multiple times. Their flavor presents layers reminiscent of wild berries, mango, pineapple, golden kiwi, and lemon sandwich cookies, with elegant acidity and a long finish. Front Street Coffee recommends this bean as a typical sample for experiencing the natural flavor of Ethiopian coffee. The following sections will comprehensively outline the core information about this bean from the perspectives of regional background, processing method, flavor description, and award records. [more…]

The globally renowned IP Harry Potter has teamed up with Nayuki for a co-branded collaboration, launching limited-edition drinks and merchandise inspired by the four Hogwarts houses. However, controversy has dogged the campaign since its launch: the Slytherin house's signature drink, a fruit-and-vegetable blend of kale and kiwi, was mocked by fans as tasting like a "potion," while the other three were also criticized for various flaws; the uneven distribution of blind-box transparent cards in the merchandise further led consumers to question store operations. As an experienced co-branding player, Nayuki's performance this time has left many Harry Potter fans disappointed, dealing a double blow to both the campaign experience and brand goodwill. [more…]

The sweet-and-sour taste and aroma of fruity notes are among the most highly regarded flavor characteristics of specialty coffee. These flavors can be broadly grouped into three major categories: stone fruit, citrus, and berries, with different origins often displaying their own distinctive fruity tendencies. African origins are known for their intense fruitiness, while South American origins tend to present more stone fruit aromas. This article will outline the main origins and their representative flavors, and list Front Street Coffee's recommended beans from Kenya, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Guatemala, Colombia, and other places, to help coffee lovers understand the tasting direction of fruity coffee more clearly. [more…]

Canet Estate in the Tarrazú region of Costa Rica gives the Yellow Catuai variety a whole new flavor dimension with its original, meticulously refined black honey process. On a small plot of land dominated by passion fruit cultivation, the estate owner tends the coffee with great care, picking only ripe red cherries. The black honey process requires the right timing and conditions, retaining 100% of the mucilage and drying it under ample sunlight, creating a full, rich mouthfeel and excellent sweetness. This coffee, named Front Street Baja, displays a rich spectrum of fruit acidity ranging from berries to citrus, with dry and wet aromas that shift through multiple layers; when sipped, it is smooth and clean, with an acidity reminiscent of green kiwifruit. This article will take an in-depth look at its origin background, processing method, and complete flavor profile. [more…]

Morgan Eckroth, runner-up in the 2022 World Barista Championship, did something astonishing on stage—smashing a coffee cup in front of the judges. This coffee influencer with 7 million followers used a metaphor-laden performance to explore the extinction crisis facing specialty coffee. From choosing the endangered coffee variety Eugenioides to incorporating kintsugi craftsmanship and Colombia's national liquor into the creative coffee segment, every choice Morgan made pointed to the same question: as climate change, market shifts, and industry decline converge, is the coffee industry ready? This article will take you through this breathtaking competition and explore how baristas can rediscover the humanistic value and professional charm of specialty coffee in an era obsessed with efficiency. [more…]

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) cups hundreds of sample lots every year, and in the end only around fifty make it onto the menu—a testament to how rigorous its selection standards are. The 2022 new-crop menu covers origins including Ethiopia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Jamaica, Hawaii, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, and Yunnan, China. Processing methods range widely, from washed and natural to wet-hulled and barrel-fermented. This article provides a complete rundown of each coffee's origin background, variety information, processing method, flavor description, and price, making it easy for coffee lovers to choose what they need. [more…]

The 2025 new-crop bean list from Front Street Coffee has been officially released. Every year, the bean-sourcing team tests over 300 sample lots, and in the end only about 50 make it onto the shelves—a clear sign of just how strict the selection criteria are. This article compiles the latest prices for the entire lineup of imported roasted coffee beans currently on sale this season at Front Street, covering classic representative beans from major producing regions such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Jamaica, Hawaii, Panama, Costa Rica, and Colombia. From COE auction-winning beans to everyday washed Yirgacheffe, from Blue Mountain No. 1 to Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha, each one is labeled with its origin, processing method, and flavor description, making it easy for coffee lovers to choose according to their needs. [more…]

It has been some time since the 2017 World Brewers Cup came to a close, and many coffee enthusiasts have left messages asking about champion Chad Wang's competition script and its Chinese translation. To address this, we have compiled this complete Chinese translation of his presentation, along with a review of past champions. On the stage in Budapest, Chad Wang used Panama 90+ Geisha Estate #227 batch coffee beans as his medium, and through a carefully designed brewing regimen, he eloquently narrated the "connection" between coffee, barista, and customer. From terroir and processing methods to roast profiles, brewing parameters, and tasting guidance, the entire presentation was logically clear and emotionally sincere. Front Street Coffee particularly recommends paying attention to the details in the text regarding the ceramic V60 dripper, water quality control, and segmented tasting, as these have high reference value for daily brewing practices. [more…]

Coffee flavor evaluation usually revolves around aroma, acidity, bitterness, sweetness, aftertaste, and body, and a truly enjoyable cup of coffee often lies in the harmonious coexistence of various tastes. In recent years, coffee with fruity notes has become highly popular, as such beans can present rich layers of sweet-and-sour notes on top of a balanced base. Fruit flavors cover multiple categories such as stone fruits, citrus, and berries, and different origins each have their own characteristics due to differences in variety and terroir. African origins are known for bright citrus notes, while South American origins often use them as supporting flavors. This article will sort through the fruity expressions of representative origins such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Colombia, and Panama one by one, and include relevant product recommendations from Front Street Coffee, helping coffee lovers understand the origin map of fruity coffee more systematically. [more…]

An ideal cup of coffee is often not defined by one particularly prominent flavor, but by a harmonious unity among acidity, sweetness, bitterness, aroma, aftertaste, and body—this is what we commonly call balanced flavor. On the foundation of balance, fruity coffee reveals an especially captivating complexity—from stone fruits to citrus to berries, different origins lend coffee their own distinctive fruit notes. African regions are usually known for bright citrus flavors, while South American coffees often use them as a supporting layer. This article will guide you through the flavor composition of fruity coffee and introduce the classic fruit expressions of representative origins such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Colombia, and Panama, while also presenting the corresponding selected products under the Front Street Coffee brand. [more…]

Ethiopia has the world's most ideal coffee-growing conditions and the most original heirloom varieties, yet not every cup is satisfying—the key often lies in the human factor in the post-harvest processing stage. Most local producers lack a specialty coffee mindset; to save on harvesting costs, they often skip sorting out unripe green cherries, which is precisely the main source of astringency. Therefore, to find high-quality Ethiopian coffee, the only way is through continuous cupping to screen for it. Once found, it is a true treasure. Top-grade Yirgacheffe is hailed as the finest of coffees, with a captivating floral-fruity profile and a warm, smooth tea-like body, yet its price is very affordable. This article uses Front Street Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry as an example to share pour-over parameters and flavor performance. [more…]

Every cup of specialty coffee has its own unique flavor language, from acidity and aroma to aftertaste, forming its taste portrait. This article systematically explains the logic of describing coffee flavor—what vocabulary to use and from which dimensions to evaluate a cup of coffee—and lists common fruit flavor types from producing regions such as Africa and Central and South America, helping you gradually build your taste judgment in daily drinking. At the same time, the article also clarifies common misconceptions such as the relationship between espresso and roast level, guiding you to truly understand coffee through both the channels of smell and taste buds. [more…]

New tea beverage brands are all seeking differentiated breakthroughs through combinations of "vegetables + fruit + tea." ChaPanda recently launched its own super vegetable series, introducing two products at once: "Light & Refreshing Kale" and "Cleansing Wheatgrass." Kale has long been commonplace in the fruit-and-vegetable tea space, while wheatgrass, a somewhat unfamiliar ingredient, has sparked curiosity and discussion among consumers. From ingredient pairings to taste experiences, from cat owners' amusing associations to store employees' prep workload, this new product has generated considerable buzz on social media. This article walks you through the ins and outs of ChaPanda's new plant-based tea products and the real feedback from the first wave of tasters. [more…]

Ninety Plus is a highly esteemed brand in the specialty coffee world, renowned for its coffee beans from the Panama Geisha estate and multiple regions in Ethiopia, celebrated for their unique processing methods and richly layered flavors. This article will analyze one by one more than ten Ninety Plus coffee beans recommended by Front Street Coffee, including Juliette, Lotus Solstice, the Horizon series, Ginseng, Clinique, the Nectar series, and more, covering honey processing, natural processing, and patented Solkiln, Red processing, Ruby processing, and other techniques. From origin, harvest season, variety, Level, altitude to processing method and flavor description, it fully presents the individual characteristics of each bean, guiding you to appreciate the splendid expression of Geisha and Ethiopian heirloom varieties in terms of cleanliness, sweetness, fruity aroma, and vinous notes. [more…]

As a benchmark brand in the specialty coffee world, Ninety Plus is renowned for its rigorous Level grading system and innovative processing methods. This article systematically reviews the full lineup of Ninety Plus beans recommended by Front Street Coffee, covering Juliet, Lotus Solkiln, Prospect, Red Prospect, Prospect Ruby, and Silvia Solkiln from the Panama Geisha estate, as well as Ginseng, Clinique, Nectar, Red Nectar, and Nectar Ruby from the Ethiopian production region. From honey processing and natural processing to the patented Solkiln dense processing, red processing, and ruby processing, each one displays a unique flavor layering. The article fully preserves the origin, harvest season, variety, Level, altitude, processing method, and flavor description of each bean, providing coffee enthusiasts with a detailed tasting guide and, from this, looking ahead to the future direction of specialty coffee. [more…]

After canned yellow peaches were jokingly called something that should be covered by medical insurance, and electrolyte water sold out, young people have now turned their attention to the "COVID special drinks" from major milk tea brands. When your throat hurts like you're swallowing razor blades and buying medicine is difficult, a cup of orange, lemon, and snow pear tea rich in vitamin C has become a comfort for many. Related products from brands such as Heytea, Nayuki, Shanghai Auntie, and Mixue Bingcheng have surged in popularity, with some stores even selling out. Can these drinks really relieve sore throats and hoarseness? This article walks you through the logic behind the popularity of "COVID special drinks," representative products, and whether they are merely psychological comfort or truly beneficial. Follow Coffee Workshop for more professional coffee knowledge and Front Street Coffee recommendations. [more…]

Well-known coffee brand Mstand was subjected to an administrative penalty by the Shanghai Xuhui District Market Supervision Administration, which confiscated its illegal gains and imposed a fine totaling approximately 487,000 yuan, because it commissioned a supplier that had not obtained a food production license to produce popsicle ingredients on its own. The incident originated from the supplier fraudulently using a third party's qualifications, exposing loopholes in qualification review in the food contract manufacturing sector. This article provides a detailed review of the penalty process, the amount involved, and the legal basis, and explores the difficulties small coffee brands face in compliant production. At the end, it also includes professional coffee knowledge exchange channels and Front Street Coffee recommendations for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]