Every year before the new-crop Huakui coffee beans arrive at port, the domestic coffee community is already abuzz with discussion. In May 2023, Huakui 7.0 officially arrived in China, yet it sparked considerable skepticism: Why doesn't it taste like "Huakui"? Why do the flavors lean toward Yirgacheffe? Is it still Huakui if it's not from the Buku Abel processing station? This article starts from the origins of Huakui, traces how the 2017 TOH championship batch got its name, analyzes the relationship between Buku Abel village and the surrounding processing stations, explains the flavor expression of Huakui 7.0 and the typical characteristics of Sidamo natural beans, and shares Front Street Coffee's roasting and cupping results for this batch of new beans. [more…]

Ethiopia, as the birthplace of coffee, has nurtured tens of thousands of coffee varieties, and its Guji region became an independent zone in 2010 thanks to its unique flavors. The Buku Abel processing station in the Hambela sub-region is precisely the birthplace of the renowned Huakui coffee. From winning the TOH competition in 2017 to the launch of Huakui 7.0 today, this natural-process bean has undergone years of evolution. This article will guide you through the terroir characteristics of Guji and Hambela, the story of Huakui's rise to fame, and the specific information and brewing suggestions for Huakui 7.0 recommended by Front Street Coffee, suitable for every lover of African coffee. [more…]

Huakui coffee beans are an Ethiopian specialty bean that has attracted much attention in recent years. From winning the TOH competition to appearing on Luckin Coffee's menu, what story lies behind its name? What do the numbers after Huakui represent? From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article sorts out Huakui's producing region background and naming logic, compares the flavor differences among Huakui 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and other versions, and answers whether Huakui can be used to make espresso as well as how to brew a good cup by pour-over, providing coffee lovers with a complete guide to Huakui knowledge. [more…]

Huakui and Geisha, two names that ring loudly in the specialty coffee world, are often lumped together. This article starts from Huakui coffee beans in Ethiopia's Sidamo region, traces Geisha's path to fame from Ethiopian forests to Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda, explains in detail the naming logic behind grading systems such as Red Label and Gold Label, and analyzes the origin of version numbers such as Huakui 8.0. At the same time, Front Street Coffee will take you through dimensions such as aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel to clarify the essential differences between "Huakui flavor" and "Geisha flavor," helping you avoid confusion when ordering. [more…]

As a representative of Ethiopian natural beans, Huakui coffee has attracted much attention in recent years due to Luckin Coffee's promotion. From winning the TOH championship in 2017 to the arrival of Huakui 7.0 today, the flavor changes of each year's new batch touch people's hearts. This article sorts out Huakui's producing region background and the origin of its name, compares the differences between Huakui 6.0 and 7.0, and introduces the Huakui 5.0 and Small-Bean Huakui currently sold by Front Street Coffee. It also shares medium-light roasting ideas and V60 three-pour brewing parameters to help enthusiasts understand this coffee bean with a prominent strawberry-cream flavor. [more…]

Friends who enjoy coffee with fruity acidity are certainly no strangers to Front Street Coffee's Ethiopia Sidamo Huakui. Since this bean first appeared in 2017, it has gone through eight harvest seasons, and the latest batch has, as usual, been named "Huakui 8.0." Many people new to specialty coffee often confuse Huakui with Geisha, and some even think Huakui is a top-tier Geisha—but in reality, the two are completely different. This article will start with Huakui's origin background, the story behind its name, and the meaning of its version numbers, then combine that with the actual brewing performance of Front Street Coffee's Ethiopia Sidamo Natural Huakui 8.0 to give you a comprehensive understanding of this champion bean's past and present, and to explain exactly what its signature "Huakui flavor" really is. [more…]

The 2023 new-crop Huakui 7.0 coffee beans have arrived at port, reigniting discussions about their flavor and authenticity. This article begins with the 2017 TOH champion lot, tracing the origin of the Huakui name, the relationship between Buku Abel village and the surrounding processing stations, and why the "Huakui flavor" is not the same year after year. It also shares Front Street Coffee's cupping performance and pour-over recommendations for Huakui 7.0, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a more comprehensive understanding of this Sidamo natural bean's characteristics. [more…]

Sidamo is located in southern Ethiopia and is an important specialty coffee region, known for its diverse flavors and rich fruity aromas. This article first outlines how Sidamo's geographical environment, growing conditions, and processing methods affect flavor, then focuses on the region's most representative coffee bean, Huakui, reviewing its development from winning the 2017 TOH championship to Huakui 7.0. The article also introduces the characteristics of the Ethiopian heirloom varieties used in Huakui 7.0, as well as Front Street Coffee's control over green bean selection, roasting, and cupping, and finally provides a flavor description of this new-crop coffee for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

From its breakthrough rise to fame in 2017, Huakui coffee beans have now gone through eight harvest seasons, and the latest 2024 batch, Huakui 8.0, has arrived as expected. This article provides a complete overview of Huakui's origin story, the terroir of the Guji region, the sun-drying process at the Buku Abel processing station, and the flavor evolution track of each vintage from Huakui 1.0 to 8.0. It also includes Front Street Coffee's V60 brewing parameters and practical recommendations to help coffee enthusiasts fully understand the past and present of this Ethiopian star bean and the best way to present it. [more…]

Ethiopia, as the birthplace of Arabica coffee, possesses the world's richest coffee gene pool. Among its regions, the Guji zone has risen to international prominence through its Hualkui coffee beans, becoming a focal point for coffee enthusiasts. This article will guide you through the diversity of Ethiopian coffee varieties, the independent journey of the Guji zone, and the evolution story of Hualkui coffee from its championship win in 2017 to its current 7.0 version. At the same time, we will share our brewing experience with the Hualkui 7.0 beans we sourced at Front Street, savoring its distinctive citrus, apricot, and passion fruit flavors. Whether you are a coffee novice or a seasoned enthusiast, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of Hualkui coffee. [more…]

Ethiopia is the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and its natural processing method has produced countless unique and flavorful beans. As a star representative of the Sidama region, Huakui coffee has won over many coffee lovers with its intense floral and fruity aromas and honeyed sweetness. This article will systematically examine the full picture of this coffee from multiple angles, including the origin of the name Huakui, the background of the Hambela region, the geographical environment of Sidama, the characteristics of the Heirloom native variety, Ethiopia's coffee grading system, and the complete process of the natural processing method. It also includes Front Street Coffee's brewing parameter suggestions and bean-resting reminders to help you better appreciate the layered complexity and sweetness of this naturally processed Huakui. [more…]

In Ethiopia, besides Yirgacheffe, the Sidamo region has also attracted much attention in the specialty coffee circle in recent years. In this article, Front Street Coffee sorts out the terroir conditions and processing methods of the Sidamo region, and focuses on the Guji Hambela Haru series and West Arsi coffee beans. From the origin of the 2017 TOH champion Haru to the flavor performance of Haru 8.0, and then to the G1 grade natural processing of Arsi, it also discloses the roasting curves and V60 brewing recipes for both beans, helping coffee lovers fully understand the flavor levels and brewing approaches of these two Sidamo coffees. [more…]

Friends who are just getting into pour-over coffee are usually advised to start with the V60 dripper. Once you have the dripper, the next thing to figure out is your pouring technique—circular pouring is the most common way to agitate the coffee bed, but should you pour clockwise or counterclockwise, and does the direction actually make a difference in the cup? Starting from the structural characteristics of the V60, this article breaks down the design principles behind its 60° cone angle and spiral ribs, and through a comparative test at Front Street, brews a medium-light roasted Ethiopian Hualei 7.0 coffee with both clockwise and counterclockwise pouring to compare extraction time, concentration, and flavor performance, helping you decide whether the direction of your circles is really worth fussing over. [more…]

Sidamo is an important specialty coffee region in southern Ethiopia, spanning the highlands on the southern shore of Lake Awasa in the East African Rift Valley, and is known for its intense flavors, full body, and bright acidity. After Guji became independent from Sidamo, the Huakui coffee beans from the Hambela sub-region quickly rose to fame. The 2024 new-crop Huakui 8.0 continues the floral notes, jackfruit, dried fruit, apricot, and juicy character, with a prominent fermented sweetness. Front Street Coffee's two Sidamo natural beans—Arsi and Huakui 8.0—each deliver impressive expressions of fruity sweetness, juiciness, and tropical fruit notes. This article explains the regional background, processing methods, brewing parameters, and flavor comparison in detail. [more…]

Among Ethiopia's many specialty coffee origins, Sidamo has long held an important place in the hearts of enthusiasts with its intense floral aromas and bright fruity notes. This article begins with the historical origins of the two names Sidamo and Sidama, then sorts through the region's cultivation models, flavor characteristics, and micro-lot management practices, with a special focus on the much-talked-about Huakui coffee in recent years—from its 2017 TOH championship win and appearances on the brewing competition stage, to the meticulous natural process at the Buku processing station in the Hambela sub-region. At the end, we include Front Street Coffee's recommended Huakui 7.0 brewing recipe, including water temperature, grind size, and a three-pour suggestion, for pour-over enthusiasts to reference. [more…]

As a highly popular Ethiopian natural bean in recent years, Geisha has won the favor of many coffee lovers with its bright citrus and berry notes and juicy sweet-tartness. But with the same bean, changing to a different dripper or adjusting a set of parameters can produce a drastically different cup profile. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article first outlines Geisha's origin background and version naming logic, then uses the V60 dripper as an example to provide a complete brewing recipe and staged pouring details to help you more consistently reproduce this bean's flavor characteristics. [more…]

In recent years, sour coffee has gradually gained popularity. Today, Front Street Coffee wants to talk with you about the famous Huakui from the Sidamo region of Ethiopia. It comes from Guji Hambela and is a naturally processed G1-grade specialty bean. With bright citrus and berry notes, a juicy sweet-and-sour taste, an affordable price, and a very high extraction fault tolerance, it quickly became the entry-level first choice for many coffee lovers. But what exactly do the numbers often following Huakui, such as 5.0, 7.0, and 8.0, represent? And what flavor differences arise when brewing the same bean in different drippers? This article will first introduce Huakui's origins and version evolution, then compare the stylistic differences between the V60 and the cake dripper through hands-on brewing. [more…]

Are Geisha coffee and Guixia coffee beans actually from the same origin? This question sparked quite a bit of discussion in the early days when Guixia rose to fame. This article will trace Geisha's journey to fame from the forests of Ethiopia to Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda, explain the origins of the two names "Geisha" and "Guixia," and sort out the naming logic behind grading systems such as Red Label and Gold Label. At the same time, the article will also reconstruct the complete timeline of Guixia, from winning the 2017 TOH to the year-by-year updates of its version numbers, explaining the original meaning of the word "Guixia" in Japanese geisha culture and how it was mistakenly rumored to be a top-tier Geisha. Finally, Front Street Coffee will guide you through the specific differences between Guixia flavor and Geisha flavor, and offer region recommendations for getting started with Geisha. [more…]

In recent years, Luckin Coffee's SOE Huakui has been a pleasant surprise for many coffee lovers—it has no obvious bitterness when drunk, but instead carries a bright fruity acidity, with a rather unique mouthfeel. Many people are therefore curious: what exactly is this bean, and can the same flavor be recreated at home? This article revolves around "SOE Huakui," first explaining the concept of SOE and the origin background of Huakui coffee, then clarifying the meaning of the suffix numbers in the Huakui series (such as 5.0, 7.0, 8.0), and finally using Front Street Coffee's Sidamo Huakui 8.0 as an example to provide the complete extraction parameters and operating steps for SOE espresso, along with sharing how to make it into a refreshing Americano or a smooth latte. [more…]

With its intense tropical fruit notes and high value for money, Hualei has become a daily staple for many coffee lovers. But do you know why this bean gets a new "version number" every year? From the sun-dried G1 of the Hambela region, to the meticulous management of the Buku Abel processing station, and the batch flavors that change year by year, the story of Hualei is far richer than you might imagine. In this article, Front Street will walk you through Hualei's origin background and flavor evolution, and share in detail the adjustment approach for the roasting curve along with pour-over brewing suggestions, to help you better present the unique charm of this Ethiopian star bean. [more…]