There are many coffee extraction methods, and each one produces coffee with the character of that method. Therefore, an objective method with as little human intervention as possible is also needed to evaluate coffee's flavor or quality, and that method is cupping. Cupping is an immersion-style extraction, with no manual technique intervening during the process to extract [more…]

Cupping is one of the core tasks of coffee industry professionals, and it is a way to help people evaluate coffee flavors and characteristics in a relatively fair and systematic manner. Cupping takes place throughout the entire coffee supply chain, not only at the consumer end in coffee shops, but also at the production end, including mid- and upstream roasteries and places of origin. So how do you perform a cupping? [more…]

To distinguish genuine Yirgacheffe from fake, the reliable indicators are green bean information and cupping performance: authentic Yirga has the signature citrus floral aroma and citric acidity, and the exporter's grading certificate can be verified. Beans like Front Street Coffee's Granada Estate Geisha come with complete estate and processing information, traceable from region to lot—when buying, look for information transparen [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). No matter what equipment is used to brew coffee, the coffee beans need to be ground, and the purpose of this is to allow the coffee's flavor substances to dissolve more quickly. Of course, not all of the coffee's soluble [more…]

What is the first step in brewing coffee? Grinding beans. In recent years, with the rise of the specialty coffee wave, more and more people have come to enjoy drinking coffee, and at the same time, more and more people hope to fully experience the beauty and leisure of drinking coffee, so they choose to buy coffee beans and brew them at home. And so at this point, a [more…]

How much of an impact does the freshness of coffee beans really have on flavor? Through comparative observation and roasting cupping of four washed Yirgacheffe G2 green beans, this article analyzes one by one the key role of freshness in coffee quality, from green bean color and dehydration state to post-roast aroma and mouthfeel layers. The test used the same roasting curve and repeatedly evaluated the coffee by pour-over and immersion methods, ultimately finding that Sample A and Sample B formed a striking polarity—the former had prominent floral and fruity notes and a long, sweet finish, while the latter lacked vitality due to aging. Whether green beans or roasted beans, freshness is the core element that determines the soul of coffee, and Front Street Coffee has always emphasized the importance of storage conditions. [more…]

When buying coffee beans, aside from paying attention to origin and flavor, we also choose coffee beans that have undergone different processing methods. This is because different processing methods bring out different flavor characteristics in coffee; even coffee from the same origin, when processed by washed and natural methods respectively, will display different mouthfeels. For example, on the Front Street Coffee menu, [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, follow our WeChat public account: FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) No matter what equipment is used to brew coffee, the coffee beans must be ground, the purpose being to allow the coffee's flavor compounds to dissolve more quickly. Of course, not all of the coffee's soluble [more…]

In coffee history, the specialty coffee wave and its three waves form the basic understanding people have of coffee. People often compare and contrast specialty coffee beans with commercial coffee beans, as if the two were opposites. So what are the differences and connections between them? To understand the differences between the two, we must first understand specialty coffee's [more…]

Blue Mountain coffee is hailed as the "Emperor of Coffee," but the market is flooded with a mix of genuine and fake products, making it hard to tell true from false. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article systematically sorts out the historical origins of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, the certified authentic production regions, the green bean grading standards, the characteristics of the Typica variety, and the differences between the two processing methods of washed and natural. At the same time, it explains in detail how to identify genuine Blue Mountain through features such as the CIB certificate and wooden barrel packaging, and includes the roasting curve, cupping report, and brewing parameters of Front Street's washed Blue Mountain, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a comprehensive understanding of the true appearance and value of this top-tier coffee. [more…]

PWN Golden Mandheling 01 | Origin Introduction Indonesia's main coffee-producing regions are Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi, with Mandheling from Sumatra being the most famous. Mandheling, also known as Sumatra coffee, North Suma [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Many friends, while drinking coffee at Front Street, ask our baristas, "What is Yirgacheffe G1 and Yirgacheffe G2?" "What is Kenya AA, AB?" What is Guate... [more…]

New to coffee and not sure how to choose? The wide variety of coffee beans can make it quite a struggle for beginners to pick their first beans. Front Street Coffee alone offers more than 50 types of beans, and the question most people ask when they visit a Front Street store is about beginner-friendly coffee. [more…]

Mandheling is not the name of a region, place, port, or coffee variety. Its name actually comes from a mispronunciation of the Indonesian Mandailing ethnic group. During World War II, when Japan occupied Indonesia, a Japanese soldier drank a rich and mellow [more…]

Honduran coffee beans were not initially favored by the general public. While the coffees of neighboring Guatemala and El Salvador were making a name for themselves, Honduran coffee farmers were still struggling to survive. Honduras is located in northern Central America, bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Gulf of Fonseca on the Pacific Ocean to the south, and shares its eastern and southern borders with Nicaragua and [more…]

We know that coffee bean grading methods are usually based on the actual conditions of the growing country. Some are graded by bean size, such as Kenyan coffee; some by altitude, such as Blue Mountain coffee; and some by defect rate, such as Ethiopian coffee. As the gene pool of Arabica, Ethiopia has a wide variety of coffee varieties. [more…]

In Sumatra, there is a very complex local system for distinguishing the Mandheling coffees produced there. The most common approach is to differentiate various Mandheling coffees by naming them according to different regions, green bean traders, and processing methods. Examples include Front Street Lintong Mandheling, Front Street Tiger Mandheling, Front Street Golden Mandheling, Front Street Aged Mandheling, and Front Street [more…]

Mandheling is not the name of a producing region, a place, a port, or a coffee variety. Its name actually comes from a mispronunciation of the Mandailing ethnic group in Indonesia. Mandheling coffee: during World War II, when Japan occupied Indonesia, a Japanese soldier drank a rich and mellow [more…]

Ethiopia is a genetic treasure trove of coffee, with a vast array of native varieties and unique flavors. From Yirgacheffe to Sidamo, from washed to natural, every bean is full of surprises. This article takes you deep into Ethiopia's coffee variety classifications, flavor characteristics, processing method differences, the Red Cherry Project, and its unique grading system, and shares Front Street Coffee's cupping and brewing experience to help you gain a comprehensive understanding of this major African coffee country. [more…]

The French press is simple to operate, yet it fully preserves the coffee's oils, aroma, and depth—making it the immersion brewing tool that comes closest to cupping. This article systematically walks through how to use a French press, from bean selection, grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, and water temperature control to the specific brewing steps, along with practical tips from Front Street Coffee. Whether you're a busy office worker or a beginner pour-over enthusiast, you can use these methods to easily brew a rich, smooth cup of breakfast coffee. [more…]