Many friends who are just getting into pour-over coffee, in order to save money, often skip tools like electronic scales and thermometers, and instead use spoons they already have at home to estimate their coffee dose. But spoons vary in size and depth, and the roast level of the coffee beans also affects density, so there is no uniform answer to how many grams a single spoon holds. This time, Front Street Coffee specifically gathered four common types of spoons—a porcelain soup spoon, a small stainless steel spoon, a cupping spoon, and a promotional bean scoop—and separately weighed light roast, medium-light roast, medium-dark roast, and dark roast coffee beans before and after grinding, compiling a complete set of data, and teaching you how to convert, based on roast level, the number of scoops needed for close to 15 grams of coffee, so that even without an electronic scale you can still roughly control your coffee dose. [more…]

In coffee brewing, the choice of measuring tools may seem like a minor matter, yet it directly affects consistency in the cup. A measuring spoon is convenient, but it measures volume rather than weight; due to differences in variety, cultivation, and roasting, the same level spoonful of different coffee beans may scoop out 9g or 11g, an error large enough to change the direction of the flavor. Front Street Coffee once conducted an experiment with Geisha Village Red Label Geisha: with water volume and other parameters unchanged, adjusting the dose by just 1g produced noticeable differences in concentration and extraction yield. This article will use experimental data to explain why electronic scales have become the first choice of coffee shops, and to show why measurement accuracy must be even higher under pressurized espresso extraction. [more…]

When you pick up a cup of hot coffee, do you casually blow on it to cool it, sip it with a coffee spoon, or alternate between a pastry in one hand and coffee in the other? These seemingly natural actions may be stepping right into the no-go zones of coffee etiquette. This article starts with details such as holding the cup, adding sugar, stirring, blowing to cool, and eating pastries, to sort out a proper way to enjoy coffee, and also discusses how to accommodate coffee lovers' habits when hosting guests at home or being a guest. The second half turns its gaze to flavor itself: from the bitterness of the first sip, to repeatedly searching for that cup of coffee that intoxicates you, and then to customizing a personal coffee step by step in a coffee shop, including options such as hot or iced, decaf, ESPRESSO dose, syrup, milk type, and personalized requests, with recommendations from Front Street Coffee attached. [more…]

Drinking coffee may seem simple, but to truly savor the essence of a specialty coffee, everything from the way you hold the cup to the timing of adding sugar has its own finer points. This article systematically organizes the seven basic techniques for coffee tasting, including holding the cup, adding sugar, using a coffee spoon, cooling methods, using the cup and saucer, pairing with snacks, and the rhythm of drinking, and further breaks down the five-step process for drinking coffee correctly, teaching you how to cleanse your palate with ice water, appreciate the original flavor of black coffee while it's hot, and then gradually add sugar and milk, so as to experience the layered changes in coffee's flavor. Whether you are a beginner just getting into specialty coffee or an enthusiast looking to improve your tasting skills, these details can help you enjoy every cup of coffee more professionally. [more…]

Cupping, as a method of coffee evaluation with minimal human intervention, has now moved from a professional tool for green coffee traders to a broader community of coffee enthusiasts. Compiled by Front Street Coffee, this article systematically outlines the equipment needed to host a cupping session at home or in a shop, the operational taboos that must be observed, and the complete steps from smelling the dry aroma, pouring water and smelling the wet aroma, breaking and skimming the crust, to tasting and scoring. The article also provides standardized extraction parameters, such as 11 to 12 grams of coffee, a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:18.18, a water temperature of 94 degrees Celsius, and a 4-minute steeping time, helping readers reduce variable interference during practice, more objectively perceive the true flavor expression of a coffee, and compare it with the taste of everyday pour-over. [more…]

The world of coffee is rich and diverse, from bold, rich mocha to refreshing coconut flavors, each with its own unique brewing method and drinking culture. This article systematically reviews ten common coffee drinks from around the world, detailing their flavor characteristics and preparation steps, and delves into coffee drinking etiquette, the use of cups and spoons, ways to add sugar, and tips for tasting a good cup of coffee. Whether you are a beginner enthusiast or a seasoned coffee lover, you will find practical knowledge and inspiration here. Front Street Coffee has always been committed to promoting specialty coffee culture, and we hope this article helps you enjoy every cup of coffee more professionally. [more…]

Can you brew coffee grounds directly? How should you drink coffee after grinding the beans? Starting from the daily inquiries received by Front Street Coffee baristas, this article systematically introduces the types of American drip coffee makers, capacity specifications, water and coffee grounds standards, and the complete operating steps. The content covers the history of American coffee, its differences from espresso, how to make iced Americano, and recommendations for choosing coffee beans suitable for American coffee makers. Whether you are a coffee beginner or an enthusiast hoping to easily brew a pot of good coffee at home, this guide can help you get started quickly and master the essentials of using an American drip coffee maker. [more…]

Coffee cupping is a scientific method for evaluating coffee quality, using a standardized process to systematically assess a coffee's aroma, acidity, bitterness, sweetness, and off-flavors. Cupping not only helps consumers choose coffee that suits their taste, but can also be used to compare the merits of coffee beans roasted in different ways or from different origins. This article will provide a complete introduction to the definition, purpose, required equipment, and detailed operating steps of cupping, while also explaining the classification of green coffee beans and roasted beans. In addition, the article also recommends related products from Front Street Coffee, offering a practical reference for coffee enthusiasts. Whether you are a coffee enthusiast who has just gotten started or a professional hoping to refine your tasting skills, this cupping guide will provide you with a clear operational framework. [more…]

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…]

Customers who frequently come to Front Street Coffee sometimes ask the baristas if there's a lazy-person coffee machine suitable for home use, preferably at a reasonable price. Well then... let's get to know the American drip coffee maker! The American drip coffee maker (Drip Coffee Maker) is currently one of the more commonly used [more…]

Cupping is a common method used in the coffee industry to evaluate bean quality, but why not use pour-over instead? This question takes us back to the origins of cupping. Cupping originated in the 1980s in the American coffee trade; in order to quickly, conveniently, and with minimal human intervention test large batches of coffee beans, immersion extraction came into being. Today cupping is widely used in competitions, appraisal, and research. This article will introduce in detail the standard parameters and complete process of cupping, including grinding, pouring water, breaking the crust, skimming, and tasting, and will also explain the definition of triangle cupping and how it differs from regular cupping. Front Street Coffee will also share a method for easily doing cupping at home to help you improve your tasting ability. [more…]

For anyone who wants to easily enjoy a hot Americano at home, a drip coffee maker is the first choice for many beginners. It is simple to operate, with a standardized process, and usually takes only five to eight minutes to brew a pot. Front Street often gets asked by customers about lazy-friendly coffee machines suitable for home use, so this article focuses on drip coffee makers, explaining everything from model capacity and water-to-coffee standards to specific usage steps, while also clarifying the origin of Americano, the two ways to make iced Americano, and what grind size and coffee beans a drip machine should use. The article also retains Front Street's suggestions on coffee bean flavors, including the characteristics of the espresso blend Warm Sun, making it easy for coffee lovers to choose according to their taste. [more…]

Want to easily make a cup of hot Americano at home without being put off by complicated brewing steps? A drip coffee maker may be the most effortless choice for beginners. It is intuitive to operate and follows a standard process, and brewing a pot usually takes only five to eight minutes. This article will systematically explain the correct use of a drip coffee maker from the aspects of model capacity, water standards, coffee powder dosage, and usage steps. It will also explain the difference between it and an espresso machine in making Americano, the suitable grind size, and several compatible coffee beans recommended by Front Street Coffee, helping you consistently recreate a smooth cup of hot or iced Americano at home. [more…]

Coffee has long become part of urban daily life, but the seemingly simple actions of holding a cup, adding sugar, and using a spoon each follow their own set of rules. At the same time, when walking into a café and facing terms like Espresso, Latte, and Macchiato on the menu, many enthusiasts often feel confused. This article systematically sorts out the etiquette details of coffee tasting and the proper use of cups and saucers, and explains one by one the meanings of common English terms in cafés, helping you calmly enjoy a good cup of coffee on any occasion. In addition, the article also specifically reminds readers of practical knowledge closely related to health, such as drinking on an empty stomach, intake before exercise, and daily consumption, and recommends related products from Front Street Coffee, making it suitable for everyone who takes coffee seriously to read carefully. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee). Customers who often come to Front Street for coffee sometimes ask the baristas whether there is a lazy-person coffee machine suitable for home use, preferably at a reasonable price. Well then… let's take a look at the American drip coffee maker! [more…]

Want to make a beautifully layered, richly flavored Dirty coffee, but always end up with the embarrassing situation where the espresso shoots straight into the milk and turns into an iced latte? In fact, the key factors affecting the layering effect are not complicated, mainly including the distance between the espresso outlet and the milk surface, the temperature and concentration of the milk itself, and the extraction quality of the espresso. This article will analyze the common causes of layering failure one by one from these three perspectives, and give specific and feasible adjustment methods, including various operational solutions for shortening the distance, suggestions for using iced milk and a chilled cup, and how to judge whether the espresso concentration meets the standard through extraction time and grind size. At the same time, it will also recommend the types of coffee beans suitable for making Dirty and the specific flavor performance of Front Street Coffee's classic Italian blend, helping coffee lovers consistently produce a cup of Dirty with clear layers and harmonious taste. [more…]

Also from the Hambela area of the Guji region in Ethiopia, how do the two processing methods—natural and washed—bring about completely different flavor expressions in Huakui? This article systematically compares Front Street Natural Huakui and Front Street Washed Huakui, from origin background, green bean appearance, cupping data, to pour-over recommendations. The natural version wins with its explosive aromas of passion fruit, strawberry, and jackfruit, while the washed version stands out for its clean mouthfeel with green tea, green mandarin, and a black tea finish. Although the cupping scores differ, each style has its own followers and suits coffee lovers with different preferences. [more…]

Cupping is the primary step for verifying coffee quality after roasting. By standardizing grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, water temperature, and steep time, it objectively reveals a bean's truest flavors. This article systematically outlines the purpose of cupping, the required equipment, and standard parameters, walks step by step through the complete process of pouring, smelling, breaking the crust, and slurping, and takes an in-depth look at the eight scoring categories on the CoE cupping form and how they differ from the SCA scoring system. It also compiles common descriptive terms from the flavor wheel and includes a high-resolution 2023 flavor wheel wallpaper resource, making it a handy reference for coffee enthusiasts and professionals alike. [more…]

To easily enjoy a good cup of coffee at home, a American drip coffee maker is a highly cost-effective choice. It is simple to operate, has a standard process, and brewing a pot takes only 5 to 8 minutes. Based on the experience of Front Street Coffee, this article sorts out single-origin beans suitable for American coffee makers for coffee lovers, including Huakui, Mozart, Bird of Paradise, Queen's Estate, and Butterfly, and explains in detail the water amount, coffee dose, grind size, and the complete steps for using a drip coffee maker, helping you quickly master the method for consistently producing good coffee at home, while also answering common questions about making iced American coffee and adjusting the grind size. [more…]