The popularity of gourmet coffee allows us to obtain more detailed planting and production information of coffee beans. These information usually accompanies the sale of coffee beans and is printed on the label of the packaging bag! Bean varieties, p [more…]

We know that the grading method of coffee beans usually depends on the actual situation of the growing country, such as being divided according to the size of the coffee beans, like Kenyan coffee; being divided according to the altitude, like Blue Mo [more…]

Previously, we talked about the coffee grading in Ethiopia. Today, let's take a look at what the coffee grading in Kenya is like! After all, when we see Kenyan coffee, we will see things like AA and AB. What exactly do these refer to? What is AA TOP? [more…]

Every year, when the green coffee bean competition season arrives, the coffee community starts to get excited. Rubbing their hands in anticipation, they wait for the latest results, then immediately look for opportunities to taste the beans on the list. Besides classic regions like Ethiopia and Brazil, a new rising star region has emerged in recent years. Because of Panama's Geisha [more…]

Geisha coffee has swept the globe with its rich floral aroma and complex fruity acidity reminiscent of citrus and peach. Its delicate varietal characteristics and demanding growing conditions make it scarce and expensive. This article traces Geisha's journey from Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama to the world, and ultimately its introduction to Yunnan, China. It examines the starting point of Geisha cultivation in Yunnan, the lineage of its seed sources, and its varietal performance, while comparing how the terroir differences between Panama and Yunnan shape the flavors in the cup. The article also covers Front Street Coffee's cupping impressions of Yunnan Geisha, as well as the role of post-processing methods such as anaerobic fermentation in enhancing body. [more…]

Jamaica is the only country in the world with a government-level coffee regulatory body, the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB), which strictly defines the production regions, grades, and processing methods for Blue Mountain coffee. This article focuses on the CIB authorization system, outlining the green bean standards for Blue Mountain No. 1, the grading differences between Blue Mountain, High Mountain, and Jamaican coffee, and introduces major producers such as Wallenford, Mavis Bank, and CLYDESDALE. It also shares FrontStreet Coffee's pour-over methods for Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, including the coffee-to-water ratio, water temperature, grind size, and staged pouring techniques for V60, Kalita, and KONO drippers, along with extraction recommendations for French press, siphon, and AeroPress, and finally provides FrontStreet's flavor description of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. [more…]

Over the past year, fruit-and-vegetable drinks featuring kale and other vegetables have sparked a craze in the tea beverage scene, with major brands rushing to follow suit. Recently, Luckin Coffee's internal operations system appears to have revealed a similar move—employees spotted questions and ingredient names related to a "Kale Light-Body Fruit & Vegetable Tea" in the app's question bank and store materials lists, fueling speculation about whether Luckin is about to cross over into the fruit-and-vegetable tea track. However, this potential new product plan has not met with one-sided anticipation: store employees worry about freezer space running out, while consumers question whether the brand should first do a good job with its core coffee business. This article will sort out the ins and outs of the incident and present the voices from multiple sides. [more…]

Coffee is an imported product, and everyone drinks coffee for different reasons. Some people are enjoying a petty bourgeois lifestyle, some are dependent on caffeine, and others simply like the taste of coffee. Front Street is here to take stock of which coffee those who know coffee must drink. Pour-over coffee is undoubtedly the most popular coffee-making method in the world today. [more…]

Jamaica Blue Mountain is a legendary bean among island-type coffees, renowned worldwide for its smooth, delicate aroma and balanced, elegant taste, and its price has long remained among the highest of all bean varieties. This article will introduce it to you from multiple dimensions: the origins of the Typica variety and its bean shape characteristics, the grading standards of the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB), the stories of estates such as Amber and CLYDESDALE in the main Blue Mountain producing region, as well as the scientific storage methods for green beans and the appropriate roasting level. At the end of the article, we also include a recommendation for Front Street Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 — 158 yuan per bag, which can brew 6 cups, about 25 yuan per cup, offering outstanding value for money. [more…]

Coffee is an imported product. Some drink it for a touch of petty-bourgeois elegance, some rely on caffeine to stay alert, and some are purely captivated by its aroma. Today, with pour-over coffee all the rage, light-roast single-origin beans are best presented via pour-over. A basic pour-over setup—gooseneck kettle, dripper, filter paper, carafe, grinder, thermometer, and digital scale—can get you started for about 1,500 yuan, estimates Front Street Coffee. The beans used for pour-over are mostly outstanding single-origin coffees, and based on this Front Street Coffee has compiled ten popular beans for reference: from the white-floral and citrus notes of Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, to the legendary backstory of Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha, to the rum-barrel flavors of Honduras Sherry, the classic balance of Jamaica Blue Mountain, the hefty acidity of Kenya AA, the all-purpose character of Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon, the blueberry gummy candy notes of Costa Rica巨石 Estate, and the affordable way to taste Geisha—Flower Butterfly. [more…]

Faced with the dazzling array of coffee beans on the market, beginners just getting into pour-over often don't know where to start. In fact, as long as you grasp three core principles—confirming whether the roast date is fresh, choosing a self-roasting brand with stable quality, and locking in varieties based on flavor preferences—you can greatly reduce the odds of picking a dud. This article focuses on the Arabica species, first sorting out practical tips for buying coffee beans, then introducing one by one the flavor characteristics and representative products of eight common varieties including Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, Geisha, Ethiopian heirloom varieties, SL28/SL34, and Catimor, and combining them with Front Street Coffee's specific bean offerings to give applicable suggestions for pour-over and cold brew, helping readers quickly find the cup that suits their taste. [more…]

This article provides an in-depth introduction to the Geisha washed coffee from Rose Estate in the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala, covering the estate's century-long history, its COE award experience, and the flavor characteristics of the Geisha variety, while also systematically outlining Guatemala's eight major coffee regions, coffee varieties, and the washed processing method. It also shares Front Street Coffee's roasting approach and V60 brewing parameters for two beans, Huehuetenango and Flor de Guatemala, offering coffee enthusiasts a complete reference from origin to cup. [more…]

Many friends have messaged Front Street privately, asking Front Street to introduce some representative good coffee beans. Front Street thought about it, and the most representative coffees are the more distinctive coffee beans from each major producing region. For this reason, Front Street has recommended 10 coffee beans from different producing countries. 1. Front Street Coffee (FrontSt [more…]

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is hailed as a gem among specialty coffees, but the market is flooded with products labeled "Blue Mountain," making it hard to tell which are authentic. This article systematically sorts out Blue Mountain coffee's price references, historical origins, three major producing regions, and six key markers, explains in detail the grading standards of the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB) and the requirements for the No.1 grade, and introduces the characteristics and output patterns of well-known estates such as Clifton Farm, Wallenford, Mavis Bank, and CLYDESDALE. It also includes the pour-over parameters and flavor description of Front Street Coffee's washed Blue Mountain No.1, helping coffee enthusiasts identify authentic Blue Mountain and choose the right fresh, good beans. [more…]

Choosing a suitable single-origin coffee bean as a gift requires considering both the recipient's taste preferences and the quality and reputation of the bean's origin. For friends who are unfamiliar with coffee-growing regions, the dazzling array of choices often leaves them not knowing where to start. This article compiles a list of specialty coffee beans suitable for gifting, covering a variety of styles from light roast to dark roast, from bright fruity acidity to rich and full-bodied, and introduces representative beans from world-renowned regions such as Yirgacheffe, Kenya, Huakui, Golden Mandheling, and Geisha one by one. It also recommends Front Street Coffee, a brand known for stable quality and fresh roasting, helping you show both thoughtfulness and professionalism when giving gifts. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is a dazzling calling card of Ethiopian specialty coffee, and the sun-dried Red Cherry Project G1 pushes this fruity profile to the extreme. This article begins with the terroir of the producing region, then provides a complete overview of the Red Cherry Project's origins, operating mechanism, and quality requirements. It then focuses on Front Street Yirgacheffe Red Cherry G1, covering green bean analysis, roasting curves, and cupping records, and finally includes V60 pour-over parameter adjustments and flavor comparisons. Whether you are a beginner just getting into specialty coffee or an enthusiast wanting to understand the logic of sun-dried bean processing more deeply, you will gain a systematic understanding of this bean and practical brewing references from this article. [more…]

Blue Mountain coffee is hailed as a gem among specialty coffees, but are all products labeled "Blue Mountain" on the market truly authentic? What exactly makes genuine Jamaican Blue Mountain so expensive, and how does it taste? This article will systematically organize the complete body of knowledge on Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, from its historical origins, three major producing regions, varietal characteristics, grading standards, and processing methods to brewing parameters. At the same time, drawing on the sourcing and roasting experience of Front Street Coffee, it introduces the flavor differences between two beans—Blue Mountain No. 1 washed and natural—along with practical brewing recommendations, helping coffee enthusiasts build a clear understanding of Blue Mountain coffee. [more…]

In Papua New Guinea, the largest island nation in the South Pacific, a coffee often called "Little Blue Mountain" is produced—Bird of Paradise. It carries Blue Mountain lineage because Typica was introduced from Jamaica in 1931, and thanks to the volcanic soil of the Waghi Valley and a three-time washed fermentation process, it presents a cup profile that combines bright fruit acidity, floral and fruity aromas, and full body. Through multi-region comparison and cupping selection, Front Street Coffee has listed the AA-grade washed beans from Bird of Paradise Estate and offers brewing suggestions using a medium-dark roast and a Kono dripper. This article will outline Papua New Guinea's geographical environment, coffee history, producing region distribution, grading and naming rules, as well as the cultivation and processing details of Bird of Paradise Estate, to help coffee enthusiasts gain a comprehensive understanding of this "Little Blue Mountain." [more…]

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is hailed as the crème de la crème of coffee, but do you know why it is so expensive, how it is graded, and whether its taste leans more acidic or bitter? This article starts with the price of Blue Mountain coffee at FrontStreet Coffee to walk you through the genuine Blue Mountain certification mark, the distribution of its three major production regions, the characteristics of the Typica variety, and the grade differences between Blue Mountain No. 1, High Mountain coffee, and Jamaican coffee. It also analyzes how washed and natural processing methods affect flavor, and shares Front Street's brewing parameters and flavor descriptions for dark-roasted Blue Mountain beans. Whether you want to get your hands on Blue Mountain beans or simply want to understand the Blue Mountain system, this article will give you clear answers. [more…]

Blue Mountain coffee is almost the most recognizable name in the specialty coffee world, but not every product labeled "Blue Mountain" actually comes from the true Blue Mountain growing region. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article systematically sorts out the price positioning, historical origins, three major producing regions, varietal characteristics, and grading standards of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, and explains in detail the differences between the washed and natural processing methods of Blue Mountain No. 1. The article also includes Front Street's recommended brewing parameters and flavor descriptions, helping coffee enthusiasts not only learn about Blue Mountain but also brew a balanced and elegant cup of Blue Mountain coffee with their own hands. [more…]