Ethiopia, as Africa's largest coffee-producing country and the widely recognized birthplace of coffee, is deeply favored by enthusiasts for its distinctive floral and citrus flavor notes. When it comes to the representative of Ethiopian natural-process beans, many people immediately think of "Huakui." This naturally processed coffee from the Buku Abel washing station in the Guji Hambela region rose to fame after winning the natural-process category at the 2017 TOH green bean competition. So what exactly is the TOH competition? And what kind of organization is AFCA, its organizer? This article will walk you through the membership structure of the African Fine Coffees Association, the competition format and tiers of the TOH, and how the event helps African coffee-producing countries improve quality and expand international trade. [more…]

Aricha is a highly recognizable representative of natural-process coffee from the Yirgacheffe region, noted for its honeyed fruit aromatics and "fruit bomb"-like complexity. Starting from the growing environment, variety origins, and TOH competition background, this article reviews the cupping performance and flavor characteristics of natural Aricha and compares it with the washed process. At the same time, Front Street Coffee, drawing on a medium-light roast approach, provides V60 three-pour brewing parameters along with recommendations for grind size, water temperature, and coffee-to-water ratio, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a more complete understanding of this bean's style and brewing direction. [more…]

Ethiopia, as Africa's largest coffee-producing country and the birthplace of coffee, is renowned worldwide for its coffee's floral and citrus notes, thanks to its exceptional natural conditions. When it comes to the representative of Ethiopian natural-process beans, many people first think of "Floral Queen." This coffee, from the Buku Abel processing station in the Guji Hambela region, rose to fame after winning the 2017 TOH green bean competition. What exactly is the TOH competition? How does it differ from the COE Cup of Excellence? How does the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) organize this grand event? This article will give you a comprehensive understanding of the TOH Harvest Season Flavor Competition—its origins and development—as well as the rise to fame of Floral Queen coffee. It will also introduce the flavor profile of Floral Queen 8.0, currently available at Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Africa, as the core region of the coffee-growing belt, has nurtured many high-quality coffee-producing countries, among which Ethiopia is widely recognized as the birthplace of coffee. The African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA), established in 2000, launched the Taste of Harvest (TOH) competition, whose format is similar to that of the Cup of Excellence (COE) and is divided into national competitions and the Africa regional final. In 2024, the Ethiopia TOH competition was held in Addis Ababa, with a total of 75 companies and 212 Arabica coffee entries participating. This article will introduce in detail the origin backgrounds and processing details of the natural group champion Testi Trading Plc, the washed group champion Eseham Trading plc, and the honey process group champion Yihonal Trading plc, and will also include relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Since winning the TOH championship in 2017, Huakui coffee has become an indispensable everyday choice for lovers of fruity coffee. From the perspective of Front Street, this article traces the origin of the name Huakui and the logic behind its version iterations, explains in detail its roasting orientation and flavor characteristics, and systematically presents the specific parameters and flavor performance of five extraction methods—V60, Clever Cup, French press, AeroPress, and cold brew—to help coffee enthusiasts fully master the brewing essentials of this Ethiopian natural bean. [more…]

Front Street Huakui coffee, as a classic staple for fruit-flavor enthusiasts, has been with us for eight years. But what exactly qualifies a bean to be called "Huakui"? Why does it get a new version number every year? And to fully unlock this bean's berry and creamy qualities, what brewing techniques should you master? This article will trace Huakui's origins and definition from the ground up, explain Front Street Huakui's flavor characteristics in detail, and introduce five extraction methods one by one—V60, Clever Cup, French Press, AeroPress, and cold brew—to help you consistently recreate that full, juicy Huakui flavor at home. [more…]

The results of the 26th Best of Panama (BOP) green bean competition in 2022 have been announced. The champion of the Washed Geisha category was won by Aurora Estate, while the crown in the Natural Geisha category went to Guarumo Estate under the Hartmann family. Front Street Coffee had already acquired the 2022 harvest Guarumo Estate Natural Geisha coffee beans before the competition. This article will take you into a deeper understanding of the estate's historical origins, cultivation philosophy, and the flavor performance and brewing suggestions of this champion-level Geisha. From the Hartmann family's story of European immigration, to Guarumo Estate's impressive results in the BOP competition for two consecutive years, and then to Front Street Coffee's light-roast strategy and pour-over parameters, this article will help you understand the complete picture of this charming Natural Geisha. [more…]

Brazil, as the world's largest coffee-producing country, accounts for more than one-third of global output, and its coffee beans are known for a clean, sweet profile with nutty and cocoa notes. This article takes the pulped natural processed beans from Fazenda Floresta in Minas Gerais as an example to detail the flavor performance at each stage from light roast to dark roast, and, combined with Front Street Coffee's roasting recommendations, analyzes the acidity, body, and sweet aftertaste characteristics of Brazilian beans under different roast levels. It also introduces the promotional work of the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association, the distribution of major producing regions, and the evolution of varieties, helping coffee enthusiasts choose a suitable roast level and brewing method according to their taste preferences. [more…]

The champion of the Washed Geisha group at the 26th Panama BOP competition in 2022 was won by Guarumo Estate, a mini estate purchased in 2013 by the third-generation manager of the Hartmann family, covering only four hectares, yet demonstrating astonishing strength for many consecutive years. The 2022 new-crop sun-dried Geisha obtained by Front Street Coffee, though not the competition batch, likewise carries the estate's high-altitude terroir and light-roast craftsmanship. This article will guide you through the historical origins of Guarumo Estate and the Hartmann family's coffee lineage, and provide a detailed breakdown of this champion bean's flavor performance and brewing parameters, from grind size and water temperature to the three-stage pouring technique, fully presenting its layers of mango, pineapple, white floral fragrance, and malt-fermented sweetness. [more…]

As the world's largest coffee producer, Brazil has both large-scale commercial beans and COE-led specialty coffee. Front Street Coffee currently offers only two Brazilian beans, because Brazilian coffee has a stable but relatively one-dimensional flavor, which is closely related to the country's highly mechanized production. This article will walk you through the producing regions, variety characteristics, and processing method differences of Front Street's two coffees—the Brazil Cerrado everyday drinking bean and the Queen's Estate—as well as Brazil's unique three-tier grading system. From Sul de Minas to Mogiana, from Red Bourbon to Yellow Bourbon, from semi-washed to fine sun-dried, let's explore together Brazil's journey from being synonymous with "inferior beans" to quality standardization, along with Front Street's brewing suggestions and flavor descriptions. [more…]

Front Street recently acquired a Geisha coffee bean from Elida Estate in Panama, processed using the NATURAL-ASD anaerobic fermentation low-temperature slow sun-drying method—the same process used for this year's Panama BOP champion Geisha in the processing category. After the beans were properly rested, we tested brewing with a hollow filter cup, Ice Eye filter cup, cake filter cup, and diamond filter cup, standardizing the parameters to 15 grams of coffee, medium-fine grind, 90°C water temperature, and a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, recording the extraction time and flavor performance for each filter cup. Elida Estate is renowned for its sun-dried processing, and this ASD Geisha shines in fermentation aroma, juicy mouthfeel, and layered tea-like notes. Below, we share four specific brewing recipes and comparison results for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is a region beloved by many coffee enthusiasts, but the two processing methods—washed and natural—call for different brewing parameters. This article takes Front Street's washed Giddingding Cooperative and natural Red Cherry lots as its starting point, breaking down key variables such as grind size, dripper selection, water temperature range, and coffee-to-water ratio in detail, along with step-by-step instructions for making cold brew at home. Whether you want to highlight the bright acidity and floral notes of washed beans, or amplify the full-bodied sweetness and juicy character of natural beans, you'll find a corresponding brewing approach here. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is the starting point for countless coffee lovers discovering specialty coffee, and Front Street Coffee's Yirgacheffe is the introductory choice through which many people first realized that coffee has rich flavors beyond bitterness. This article begins with the evolution of production methods in the region, sorting out the vastly different flavor expressions that washed and natural processing bring to Yirgacheffe, and provides complete pour-over approaches for two beans—Front Street washed Yirgacheffe Gutingding Cooperative and Front Street natural Yirgacheffe Aletaland Red Cherry—including the logic behind setting grind size, dripper selection, water temperature range, and coffee-to-water ratio, helping you brew a bright and clean or full and sweet Yirgacheffe at home. [more…]

Yirgacheffe coffees from the same region can take on completely different flavor directions depending on the processing method. On Front Street Coffee's bean list, the Gutingding Cooperative is a washed lot, while Red Cherry is a natural lot, and the two each have their own distinctive characteristics in aroma, acidity, mouthfeel, and aftertaste. This article will systematically sort out the differences between natural and washed Yirgacheffe, from the principles of processing methods and the background of the Red Cherry project to cupping performance and V60 three-pour brewing parameters, and will share the standard pour-over extraction approach used in Front Street Coffee shops, helping coffee enthusiasts more clearly understand the flavor personalities and brewing key points of these two beans. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is one of Ethiopia's most iconic coffee regions, and its washed and natural beans each have their own strengths in flavor expression. This article will start with key parameters such as grind size, dripper selection, water temperature, and coffee-to-water ratio to break down in detail the brewing approach for two beans from Front Street Coffee: the washed Gedingding Cooperative and the natural Red Cherry, and will also include the complete steps for making cold brew coffee at home. Whether you want to highlight bright acidity or full-bodied sweetness, you can find corresponding parameter recommendations here, allowing every cup of Yirgacheffe to showcase its refined and captivating flavor layers. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is a name impossible to avoid in the world of specialty coffee, and Aricha, as the 2019 African TOH Natural Group champion, pushes the floral and fruity character of this producing region to the extreme. This article begins with Aricha's origin background, heirloom varietal characteristics, and the prestige of the TOH competition, then moves on to Front Street Coffee's roasting approach and brewing recommendations, helping you see clearly why this bean is called a "fruit bomb." If you are looking for a daily staple that combines fermented winey aromatics, ripe fruit sweetness, and a juicy mouthfeel, you may want to follow Front Street Coffee's cupping notes and V60 three-pour method to fully extract Aricha's flavors together. [more…]

Brazil firmly holds the top spot in global coffee production, offering both large-volume commercial beans and COE specialty beans. Front Street Coffee currently carries only two Brazilian beans—Cerrado Red Bourbon and Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon—representing the classic styles of the South Minas and Mogiana regions, respectively. This article approaches the topic from producing regions, varieties, and processing methods, explaining in detail the differences between semi-washed and fine natural processing, and systematically sorting out Brazil's unique NY grading system, including three dimensions: defect rate, screen size, and cup quality. It helps enthusiasts understand Brazil's journey from being synonymous with "inferior beans" to quality standardization, and also includes Front Street's brewing parameters and flavor descriptions. [more…]

90+ Drima Zede is a top-tier natural coffee crafted by Ninety Plus Coffee in Ethiopia's Sidama region, with a name that means "the best way" in the local dialect. It blends complex flavors of florals, nectarine, tropical fruit, and creamy [more…]

As the world's largest coffee producer, Brazil's two major specialty regions, Cerrado and South Minas, nurture coffee beans with prominent nutty and chocolate notes thanks to their unique terroir. This article systematically reviews the history of coffee cultivation and variety evolution in Brazil, deeply analyzes the originality of the pulped natural process, and takes two Brazilian beans sourced by Front Street Coffee—Queen Mogiana Estate Yellow Bourbon and Cerrado Red Bourbon—as examples to fully present the practical process from green bean analysis, roasting curves, to cupping flavors and brewing parameters, providing coffee enthusiasts with a reference guide that combines both knowledge and operational value. [more…]

The Yirgacheffe region has long been famous for its bright floral and fruity notes, and Aricha is one of its most notable lots. This natural-process bean from the Adorsi processing station won first place in the natural category at the 2019 Africa TOH competition, with a cupping score as high as 91 points. Front Street Coffee uses a medium-light roast, striving to present its fermented wine aroma, ripe fruit sweetness, and creamy smooth finish. This article will guide you through Aricha's origin background, the history of the TOH competition, and share Front Street's roasting curve and V60 three-pour brewing parameters, helping you recreate this "fruit bomb"'s enchanting flavor at home. [more…]