Monday, September 21 2026

Gummy Candy Sparkling Water Goes Viral on Social Platforms, Haidilao and Shanghai Auntie Rush to Replicate It

On a scorching summer day, a refreshing glass of sparkling water never fails to win over consumers. Recently, a drink called "Swimming Burger Sparkling Water" has rapidly gone viral on social media—simply drop a store-bought gummy burger and ice cubes into a glass, pour in sparkling water, and you'll see the gummy candy bobbing up and down in the glass. This drink originally came from a bartender's signature cocktail, and after going viral, beverage shop owners kept creating variations featuring gummy bears, goldfish, and more. Due to regional price differences, it sells for anywhere from just over ten yuan to more than thirty yuan, and brands like Haidilao, Auntea Jenny, and FamilyMart have all jumped on the bandwagon to recreate it. However, the gummy candy neither dissolves nor changes the drink's flavor—so is the core selling point of this beverage its taste or its emotional value? It's worth pondering. [more…]

Costa Rica Geisha Double Estate Comparison: Flavor Stories and Variety Characteristics of Little Candle and Mirazu

Geisha originated in Ethiopia, rose to prominence in Panama, and today the high-altitude volcanic regions of Costa Rica also produce Geisha with a distinctive character. Front Street Coffee is bringing two beans this time: a washed Geisha from La Candelilla Estate and a Geisha blend from Mirazu Estate. The former is known for its jasmine fragrance, citric acidity, and honey green tea finish, while the latter presents raisin sweetness, strawberry gummy, and nutty creamy notes. Both beans come from the Tarrazú region, yet each has its own charm due to differences in estate microclimate, variety composition, and processing method. The following sections will go through the estate backgrounds, variety origins, green bean processing methods, roasting curves, and brewing comparisons one by one, helping coffee lovers find the cup they prefer. [more…]

Why Is Costa Rican Geisha So Sweet? Key Brewing Tips for the Mirasu Blend

Geisha traveled from Ethiopia to the world, shining brightly in Panama before taking root in the high-altitude growing regions of Central America. Costa Rica, with Tarrazú's volcanic soil and large day-night temperature swings, has cultivated a Geisha coffee that boasts both sweetness and floral aromatics. In this comparison, Front Street Coffee pits La Candelilla Estate washed Geisha against Mirazu Estate raisin honey-processed Geisha blend, breaking down the flavor differences between the two beans step by step—from varietal composition and green bean processing to roast profiles and the V60 three-pour brewing method—to help coffee lovers find the cup that suits their taste better. [more…]

Coffee shop forced to change its logo due to trademark similarity; burger giant's lawsuit sparks debate over brand protection.

In today's increasingly fierce competition in the coffee industry, it is not easy for independent shops to establish a foothold with a unique trademark. Mano's, a coffee and burger shop in Melbourne that has been operating for many years, was recently forced to change its long-used red background with white text logo to white background with red text after Grill'd, a burger chain giant, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit. The owner, Mano, was shocked by this action, believing that the two trademarks and store styles were clearly different and did not constitute infringement. However, facing pressure from Grill'd's professional legal team, Mano was unable to respond to the lawsuit and could only compromise. Grill'd insisted that this move was to protect its own brand from being exploited. This trademark dispute between a giant and a small shop has triggered widespread discussion about the boundaries of brand protection and fair competition. [more…]

Shanghai Fengxian conducted a surprise inspection of five popular milk tea shops, all failed, and brands such as Yidian Dian, CoCo, and ChaBaiDao were named.

A trending topic about food safety in milk tea shops has sparked widespread concern: The Market Supervision Administration of Fengxian District, Shanghai, conducted surprise inspections of several well-known milk tea stores in Baolong Plaza, and the results showed that all five brands—Yidian Dian, ChaBaiDao, 7FenTian, CoCo, and XiongJi—had problems, involving incomplete health certificates, chaotic raw material management, and unsanitary operating environments. The incident quickly surpassed 500 million views, with netizens exclaiming, "I dare not drink it anymore." At the same time, the article also reviewed food safety cases in recent years involving Burger King, 85°C, IKEA, and others, reminding the food and beverage industry that it must strictly abide by operating standards. [more…]

Don't like bitter coffee? This strawberry candy-flavored espresso bean is worth a try

"This coffee is too bitter—I just can't drink it." If you've ever had this thought, it may not be that you dislike coffee—it's that you haven't found the right flavor. Traditional espresso beans mostly take a rich, intense route, with bitterness and roast character as the main notes. But Front Street Strawberry Candy coffee beans take a different path: fruity espresso. Its espresso smells [more…]

How to Choose Espresso Beans? From Espresso Base to Four Front Street Coffee Blend Recommendations

To make a delicious espresso at home, choosing the right beans is the first step. This article starts with the fundamental role of espresso, explaining how it determines the final flavor of drinks such as Americano, latte, and cappuccino, and offers guidance on selecting blended beans for home use in terms of cost-effectiveness, consistency, and flavor compatibility. It then introduces four Front Street Coffee espresso blends one by one: Classic Blend, Strawberry Candy Blend, Specialty Blend, and Commercial Blend, explaining their origin combinations, roast levels, flavor profiles, and suitable scenarios, helping coffee lovers find the right espresso beans based on taste preferences and budget. [more…]

Pour-over Coffee Brewing Techniques | How Important Is Blooming to Pour-over Coffee? How Much Water and How Long for Coffee Blooming? How to Judge the Blooming Process?

Blooming is an important step in brewing coffee, and there's a popular saying that "you can tell if a coffee will taste good just by looking at its bloom." So when people learn to brew coffee, they intentionally or unintentionally "perfect" a flawless "coffee burger." But if you understand the logic behind blooming, you'll discover that blooming is actually [more…]

Costa Rica Geisha Flavor Analysis: Brewing Parameters and Origin Story of the Mirazu Strawberry Candy Blend

Although Geisha coffee is famous for its connection to Panama, its varietal lineage entered Central America through Costa Rica. This article traces the spread of Geisha from Ethiopia to Costa Rica and then to Panama, and focuses on the Costa Rica Mirazu Estate Strawberry Candy Geisha blend introduced by Front Street Coffee. This blend is composed of 50% Geisha and 50% ET47, SL28, and MAICO, undergoes raisin honey processing, and presents jasmine floral aromas, raisin sweetness, and strawberry gummy candy flavors. The article explains in detail the estate's varietal background and processing methods, and includes Front Street's V60 pour-over parameters and brewing technique, providing a complete reference for coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

Costa Rican Geisha Flavor Coffee Bean Recommendation: Front Street Strawberry Candy Blend and Mirazu Estate Variety Analysis

If you want to taste Costa Rican Geisha flavors, Front Street Strawberry Candy coffee beans are a Geisha blend worth trying. They come from the Miramonte Estate in the Tarrazú region, a blend of four varieties—Geisha, ET47, SL28, and Maico—and are processed using the raisin honey method, presenting jasmine floral notes, raisin sweetness, and a strawberry gummy-like flavor. This article will comprehensively sort out the source of these beans' flavors, from the estate's background, the stories of the varieties, the processing method, and the roasting curve to the brewing parameters, giving you an understanding of why they can combine elegant aroma with full-bodied sweetness. [more…]

A Guide to Choosing Commercial Coffee Beans: Four Top Recommendations from Front Street Espresso Blend Series and Flavor Analysis

Friends who are planning to open a coffee shop often find themselves overwhelmed by the dazzling array of coffee beans on the market, unsure where to begin—and one careless move could mean spending a fortune on beans that just don't suit their taste. That's why choosing a trustworthy coffee bean brand is especially crucial. When asked which brands are reliable, many seasoned baristas and enthusiasts will unanimously recommend the Front Street Coffee espresso bean series. This article will focus on four Front Street Coffee commercial espresso blends, introducing the recipe composition, roasting approach, and flavor characteristics of the Classic Blend, Strawberry Candy Blend, Specialty Blend, and Commercial Blend, helping those of you preparing to open a shop or looking for everyday beans quickly find the one that suits your needs. [more…]

The Source of Sweetness in Cold Brew Beans: The Combination of Processing Method and Roast Level

The gentleness of cold brew lies in the low temperature: acidity is blunted, bitterness is weakened, and the bean's sweetness takes center stage. Cold-brewing Front Street Strawberry Candy, the sweet aroma of strawberry gummy candy soaks in the cold brew pitcher for over a dozen hours, yielding a pink fruit coffee with built-in sweetness; after cold brewing, the passion fruit notes of Sidra become much gentler in acidity, so even those who dislike acidity can enjoy it. [more…]

Tracing the Origins of Costa Rican Geisha and Its Blend Expression: Analyzing the Strawberry Candy Flavor of Mirazu Estate

The origin of Geisha's fame actually lies in Costa Rica, and the Panamanian variety was introduced from there. This article starts from the history of variety dissemination, compares the differences between Costa Rican and Panamanian Geisha, and focuses on the strawberry candy Geisha blend from Mirazu Estate launched by Front Street Coffee. The beans come from the Tarrazu region, at an altitude of 1700 meters, and are a half-and-half blend of four varieties: Geisha, ET47, SL28, and MAICO. They are processed as raisin honey and cup with jasmine floral notes, raisin sweetness, and strawberry gummy flavors. The article also outlines the background of each variety, processing details, and includes Front Street's V60 brewing parameters and technique for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

Ethiopia Guji Ana Sora Estate Enzyme Washed G1 Coffee Beans: Price, Flavor, and Estate Scale Analysis

Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, has always drawn the attention of coffee enthusiasts to its Sidamo and Guji regions. This article focuses on the enzyme-washed G1 coffee beans from the Guji Anna Sora estate, analyzing their price, flavor characteristics, and the estate's cultivation scale. The estate covers 250 hectares, of which 150 hectares are dedicated to coffee cultivation, with an additional 100 hectares expanded, and a washing station established relying on the water source of the Turo River. These beans present sweet floral notes, citrus gummy candy sweetness, delicate acidity of lemon and grapefruit, accompanied by a subtle black tea aroma, with a sweet, rich, and full-bodied mouthfeel. Currently, Front Street Coffee offers a roast-to-order service, with half a pound (227g) priced at 105 yuan. [more…]

An In-Depth Review of Chinese Coffee Bean Brands: Real-World Feedback and Buying Guide for Ten Popular Brands (Including Front Street Recommendations)

The market is flooded with coffee bean brands, from Italian-style blends to single-origin beans, from international giants to emerging local players—so which brand's coffee beans are really worth buying? This article first recommends two popular Italian-style coffee beans for coffee lovers—Front Street Dark Cocoa Blend and Front Street Strawberry Candy Espresso. The former pairs medium-dark roasted Yunnan small-bean coffee with Brazil Red Bourbon, offering a soft, balanced flavor of nuts, chocolate, and plum, suitable for Americanos and lattes; the latter blends beans from three major regions—Costa Rica, Colombia, and Ethiopia—with aromas of rose, citrus, grape, and dried blueberry, releasing a strawberry gummy candy flavor when milk is added. It then presents a top ten popularity ranking of coffee beans and ground coffee, detailing prices, review counts, and real user feedback one by one, helping you quickly find the one that suits your taste among the many brands. [more…]

Bialetti Moka Pot Buying Guide: Coffee Bean Pairing Tips and Authenticity Identification Key Points Explained

As a representative device for home espresso, the moka pot has specific requirements for coffee bean selection due to its extraction method. Starting from the historical origins and authentic features of the Bialetti moka pot, this article systematically outlines the roasting direction for coffee beans suitable for moka pots, and for the three flavor orientations of balanced, fruity, and nutty, respectively recommends products such as Front Street Classic Espresso Blend, Front Street Strawberry Candy, and Front Street Brazil Queen's Estate, while also providing practical advice on freshness management. Whether you are a beginner who has just acquired a moka pot or an advanced player hoping to improve the consistency of your brews, you can find actionable bean-selection ideas and identification methods here. [more…]

Espresso Bean Varieties | What Beans Should You Use for Espresso Extraction? High-Value Espresso Blend Coffee Bean Recommendations for Beginners

What coffee beans are suitable for an espresso machine? Espresso is just one of many coffee extraction methods. No matter what kind of coffee is used, as long as it is made with an espresso machine, it can be called espresso. As long as it tastes good, whether it is single-origin coffee or a blend, it [more…]

Specialty Coffee Shop Iced Americano Flavor Standard: A Guide to Water-to-Espresso Ratio, Espresso Extraction Parameters, and Blend Selection

To replicate a specialty coffee shop's iced americano at home, the key lies in understanding the essence of americano—espresso diluted with water. Starting from the Cambridge Dictionary definition, this article explains espresso extraction parameters, the golden water-to-espresso ratios for hot and iced americanos, and why blend beans are more suitable for making americano. Front Street Coffee uses 20g of grounds at a 1:2 ratio, 9 bar pressure, and a 25-30 second extraction yielding 40g of espresso as an initial reference; for iced americano, a 1:7 ratio is used, with 40g of espresso combined with 180g of ice and 100g of water. It also recommends Front Street Coffee's Strawberry Candy espresso beans, a blend of Costa Rican Tarrazú, Ethiopian, and Colombian beans, delivering a strawberry gummy-like sweet-tart flavor with dense crema. [more…]

McDonald's creates an abstract photo-op installation inside a subway station, and its 15-yuan freshly ground coffee breakfast combo draws attention

Recently, McDonald's set up a rather abstract "8 AM crowd" photo spot at Chaoyangmen Station on Beijing Subway Line 6, where giant hands holding a burger and a latte extend from a keyboard, sparking heated discussion among commuters. This installation is an event site created by McDonald's to promote its "15 yuan freshly ground coffee breakfast combo," located on the basement level of China Central Place. Since its official announcement on February 21, the combo has attracted many consumers to repurchase thanks to a discount of nearly 50%, and pop-up photo spots have been launched in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, and other places. This article will walk you through the details of this abstract installation, netizens' reactions, and the specific content and promotional layout of McCafe's breakfast campaign. [more…]