“This coffee is too bitter, I can't drink it.” Many people are familiar with this remark. But in fact, how bitter coffee tastes depends largely on the choice of beans and the brewing method. As long as you choose the right direction, even people who fear bitterness can find a cup they enjoy. The core approach to choosing beans for those who fear bitterness: First, avoid dark-roasted beans. The darker the roast, the more charred [more…]

The word "dark roast" has turned many people away—the mere thought of it conjures up an image of a bitter, astringent cup of strong coffee. But if you ask people who truly understand coffee, they will most likely tell you: the bitterness of dark-roasted [more…]

If you were born before the millennium, your first impression of black coffee was probably a uniform bitterness—the only non-bitter coffee being Nescafé 2-in-1. This uniformly bitter coffee was actually caused by the dark-roasted coffee beans popular in the last century. Unlike today's favored light [more…]

The same bag of beans, hot-brewed, comes out bitter and astringent, but made into cold brew, it's clean, sweet, and delicious. This isn't an illusion—it's determined by the principles of extraction. Once you understand "why cold brew isn't bitter," you'll know what kind of beans to choose for summer, and you'll never have to worry about buying "cold bitter water" again. Where does coffee's bitterness come from? The bitterness in a cup of coffee mainly comes from [more…]

Many people are startled by the bitterness of their first espresso, wondering how such a small cup can be so bitter. In fact, bitterness is not all that espresso has to offer—behind it lies a rich aroma and a full-bodied mouthfeel. Starting from the characteristics of espresso, this article explores why it is bitter, where that bitterness comes from, and how SOE (Single Origin Espresso) is changing the stereotype that espresso is nothing but bitter. It will also explain the relationship between Americano and the espresso-based coffee system, helping coffee lovers gain a more comprehensive understanding of the differences between these two common coffees and their respective charms. [more…]

Introduction: Americano can be said to be a type of coffee that many consumers greatly enjoy. It is convenient, quick, and can rapidly satisfy most people's caffeine needs. At the same time, it consists of only two parts: water and espresso, making it a type of what we commonly call black coffee. Black coffee also reflects the quality of the coffee beans, so [more…]

"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…]

Newcomers often say that brewing coffee feels like a mystic art, and whether it tastes good or not is purely a matter of luck. But in Front Street Coffee's view, as long as you find the logic and patterns behind brewing, you'll discover that it's actually not that complicated at all—it's simply about finding a few key parameters and using hot water to fully extract the coffee grounds, ultimately getting a cup that tastes good. [more…]

Americano may have already become the mainstream choice in coffee shops, especially in summer—nothing beats the refreshing feeling of an iced Americano. Coffee has become a daily habit for many people; sometimes it's about savoring the slow moments of life, and other times it's to add a boost of mental energy to a weary life of day-night reversal. No [more…]

Introduction: Americano can be said to be a type of coffee that many consumers really enjoy. It's convenient, quick, and can rapidly satisfy most people's caffeine needs. At the same time, it consists of only two parts—water and espresso—making it a type of what we commonly call black coffee. Black coffee also reflects the quality of the coffee beans, so [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Everyone has different perceptions and preferences when it comes to the taste of coffee. Some friends think of coffee as that rich, fragrant, bitter brew, while others love coffee with a tangy acidity, and still others [more…]

I'm not sure if everyone remembers the first time they had a latte—many people probably have long since forgotten—but Front Street Coffee still remembers it vividly. The first glimpse of the delicate latte art was immediately eye-catching; a small sip revealed the faintly sweet aroma and hint of bitterness released by the crema, and by the second sip, the earlier intense bitterness had transformed into [more…]

"A sweet aftertaste that promotes salivation, with bitterness giving way to sweetness" is the highest praise people give to a good cup of tea, and in coffee tasting, people also often use the term "sweet aftertaste," usually referring to coffee having a pleasing mouthfeel. So what exactly kind of taste experience is it when you perceive a sweet aftertaste in coffee? And how does it differ from the sweetness of coffee? [more…]

Espresso refers to the concentrated liquid extracted using an espresso machine. In most cases, the espresso concentrate is not used for direct serving. Of course, sometimes some customers, for the sake of alertness and a strong taste, will order espresso; this situation is not common. Espresso concentrate is brewed at a 1:2 ratio, and its [more…]

Why are we so obsessed with brewing coffee to be sweet? Probably because sweetness can trigger dopamine release, making us feel pleasure! If you want to brew coffee sweet, you first need to understand coffee's sweetness. Coffee's sweetness does not exist independently; it stands out through the balance between acidity and bitterness. For example, light-roasted coffee [more…]

In coffee cupping, there is a scoring category called "Balance," but what it evaluates is not merely the harmony of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness! Rather, it scores the coordination among the coffee's acidity, sweetness, body, and aftertaste. Balance can be said to play the role of coordinator. [more…]

Nowadays, when tasting a cup of coffee, we are amazed by its bright, fruity acidity, and satisfied by its bitter-then-sweet, full-bodied taste. Traditional coffee smells fragrant but tastes bitter, which is hard to accept; even the sweet-and-sour light-roasted coffee is hard for some people to swallow. A customer saw Front [more…]

On various social platforms, we often come across scenes like this: a coffee enthusiast tilts their head back and downs a cup of espresso in one gulp, then after a brief frown, reveals an expression of intoxication as if they have tasted the most exquisite delicacy in the world. Many friends are infected by the enthusiast's emotions in the video, so after going to a café they will [more…]

The charm of dark roast coffee lies in its steady, full-bodied richness. Many people use "heavy" and "smooth" to describe it—this mouthfeel is not a one-dimensional bitterness, but a balance woven from caramel sweetness, bitterness, and an oily richness. Once you understand where the richness of dark roast beans comes from, drinking it becomes even more enjoyable. The foundation of richness [more…]

To talk about single-origin pour-over coffee beans with a mild balance of acidity and bitterness, we have to start with the actual taste in the cup. When buying beans for everyday use, you need to consider how quickly you'll drink them, how much to buy at a time, and whether your home mainly makes black coffee or milk coffee. The roast level of the beans determines the basic flavor, the origin and processing method bring differences in aroma, and the equipment you use will change the strength—so when choosing beans, [more…]