The 2022 Alishan Estate Coffee Elite Exchange Competition and Green Bean Matchmaking Evaluation was held on May 11. Competing beans were divided into four groups by processing method: washed, natural, honey, and Geisha. Participants had to submit parchment and green beans, which the organizers uniformly roasted, and then 15 CQI-certified Q-Graders conducted sensory evaluations using the SCA cupping form. Only beans scoring 80 or above could participate in the auction. In the auction the next day, the special prize in the natural group, Zouzhuyuan Coffee Beans, started bidding at NT$60,000 and soared all the way to NT$520,000/5kg, won by the Lion Group, setting a new record for Taiwanese coffee bean auctions. Notably, these beans were not of the Geisha variety, yet they fetched a top-tier Geisha price, while the special prize in the Geisha group was only NT$320,000. This article takes you through the ins and outs of this sky-high bidding and analyzes the industrial logic behind the rise of Taiwan's local coffee. [more…]

Recently, a café inside Xi'an Weiyang Lake Zoo introduced a special service — while drinking coffee, customers can also have a 10-minute close encounter with a lion cub just over a month old. This package starts at 268 yuan, which has sparked considerable attention and a check-in craze among netizens, but some have also raised safety concerns. On February 10, zoo staff confirmed that the program was launched during the Spring Festival, and visitors could interact with the lion cub under the supervision of professional keepers. However, as the incident gained traction, the Xi'an Wildlife Protection Station intervened to inspect and halted the close-contact interactions between visitors and the lion, and the online lion-petting packages have also been taken down. This article will walk you through the whole story and the responses from all parties. [more…]

Recently, an accident occurred during a lion interaction with visitors at a café inside a wildlife park in Thailand. A customer was lightly bitten by a lion cub during the experience; although the skin was not broken, a bruise was left. The incident has raised concerns about safety at animal-themed cafés. This article will recount what happened, how the shop handled it, and the visitor's subsequent medical treatment, while also introducing coffee industry-related information channels, including brand information for Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Sidamo is a long-renowned specialty coffee region in southern Ethiopia, and the Lion King natural bean is a quintessential representation of its diverse flavors. This article systematically reviews the complete profile of Front Street Coffee's Sidamo Lion King coffee, from regional terroir, variety characteristics, natural processing flow, green bean appearance, roasting curve to brewing parameters. You will learn about the background of the Guji region and the Sirsa cooperative, how the natural method imparts floral and fruity aromas to the coffee, and why this bean is suitable for light-medium roasting and presentation via V60 pour-over. Whether you are looking to purchase this bean or wish to gain a deeper understanding of the style of Ethiopian natural coffee, this article provides detailed reference. [more…]

Sacred Lion coffee beans have attracted considerable attention from coffee enthusiasts in recent years. Which estate do these beans actually come from? And what makes them so special? The answer points to Ethiopia's Hambela estate, specifically lot 121 produced by the single farm Benti Nenqua. The estate belongs to METAD, and after Aman Adinew, who once held a key position at a Fortune 500 company, took over the family business, he introduced corporate management and SCAA quality standards, equipping it with a farm, processing plant, and coffee laboratory. Green bean traders named it "Sacred Lion" and specifically noted the SLD single-layer slow drying process to distinguish it from other natural Ethiopian beans. The cupping profile presents tropical fruit, citrus, stone fruit, strawberry jam, and a blueberry finish. This article will provide a complete introduction to this micro-lot's origin background, processing method, and flavor characteristics, while retaining relevant recommendations for the Front Street Coffee brand. [more…]

Sidamo, as a long-renowned specialty coffee region in southern Ethiopia, nurtures richly layered coffee flavors thanks to its diverse terrain and fertile volcanic soil. This article focuses on the Sidamo Lion King Natural G1 lot launched by Front Street Coffee, analyzing it one by one from the region's background and cooperative source, to the natural processing flow, green bean characteristics, roasting curve design, and pour-over parameters. This coffee has a profile close to floral and tropical fruit notes, with a smooth and balanced mouthfeel, and lively, ever-changing layers, making it suitable for coffee lovers who enjoy bright acidity and clean flavors to explore in depth. [more…]

The Sidamo production region is located in southern Ethiopia, adjacent to the Great Rift Valley. With diverse soil compositions, microclimates, and a wealth of native varieties, it nurtures coffees of strikingly different styles. The Guji region to its southeast has a higher altitude, reaching over 2,600 meters at its highest, and its coffees often carry blueberry sweetness, lemon aroma, and bright acidity. This article will sort through the production stories of Sidamo and Guji, compare the differences between traditional natural processing and improved natural processing, and introduce the flavor and brewing parameters of Front Street Coffee's natural Sidamo Lion King, helping coffee enthusiasts understand the unique qualities of this bean. [more…]

Ethiopia is the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and its southern Sidamo and Guji regions are famous for their rich and diverse flavors. This article systematically reviews Ethiopia's geography, climate, administrative divisions, and coffee cultivation models, with a focus on analyzing the characteristics of the natural process in the Sidamo region, as well as the blueberry sweetness, citric acidity, and full berry aroma of the Lion King coffee beans from the Guji region. It also compares the differences between traditional natural process and improved natural process, and introduces the flavor performance of washed Sidamo. Front Street recommends this Lion King natural bean, brewed with 90°C water and a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, to showcase its bright acidity and floral, fruity, honey-like aroma. [more…]

Ceylon black tea is renowned worldwide, but the market is full of mixed quality, so how can you ensure you're buying the authentic product? Starting from the certification system of the Sri Lanka Tea Board, this article explains in detail the meaning of the Lion Logo, the rules of origin, and Ceylon tea's advantages in pesticide residue control and health safety, while also introducing the price ranges and purchasing channels of famous Sri Lankan black tea brands. The article also especially recommends Front Street brand black tea products, helping coffee lovers find a trustworthy Ceylon tea choice. [more…]

Ceylon black tea is renowned worldwide for its unique flavor and quality, but the market is full of mixed offerings, and how to identify authentic Ceylon tea has become a concern for many tea lovers. This article will guide you through the recommended ways to brew iced tea with different types of Ceylon tea, teach you how to identify authentic Ceylon tea through the Lion Logo and trademark slogan, and share practical tips on how to brew Ceylon black tea without bitterness. At the same time, we will also recommend trustworthy purchasing channels, including Sri Lankan origin-direct teas selected by Front Street Coffee, allowing you to easily enjoy fresh and authentic Ceylon black tea. [more…]

Ethiopia, as the birthplace of coffee, has seen a continuous emergence of high-quality lots in emerging producing regions such as Guji in recent years. This article focuses on the single-layer sun-dried slow-drying Lot 121 produced by a single farm in St. Lion Village of Front Street Hambela Estate, offering an in-depth analysis of this rare processing method known as SLD—where only a single layer of coffee cherries is spread on raised beds, the drying period is strictly controlled at around 18 days, and the fruit is allowed to fully ferment through the most perfect convection environment, thereby imparting fuller sweetness and body to the coffee beans. The article also examines why Ethiopia's smallholder-dominated production system makes single-farm traceability difficult to achieve, how Hambela Estate owner Aman adheres to quality at extremely high cost, and compares the subtle flavor differences between the Guji region and Yirgacheffe. [more…]

The natural process lots from Ethiopia's Hambela Estate have always been known for their intense fermented character, but this Lot 105 presents a completely different style. Front Street Coffee's Ethiopia Hambela Estate St. Lion single-farm slow-dried Lot 105 comes from the highlands of the Guji region at 2,150 meters above sea level, carefully cultivated by local smallholder farmers. This review used 500 grams of green beans for roasting tests, ultimately achieving a weight loss rate of 12.2%. After 24 hours, cupping revealed rich layers of plumeria sweetness, citrus, kiwi, strawberry, and blueberry, with sweetness approaching that of peach and honey. The article documents in detail the bean sorting, roasting curve, brewing parameters, and flavor changes, making it suitable reading for coffee enthusiasts who want to gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of the Guji production region and new trends in natural processing. [more…]

Ceylon tea is not a single category; black tea, white tea, green tea, and oolong tea all actually originate from the same Camellia sinensis plant, diverging into their own styles solely due to different processing methods. Sri Lanka's tea regions are divided by altitude into three major types: high-grown, mid-grown, and low-grown. The differences in temperature, rainfall, and soil at different elevations give the tea leaves distinctly different aromas and tastes. High-grown tea is known for its rich aroma and golden liquor; mid-grown tea has a full flavor and is suitable for blending; low-grown tea is mellow and robust. When purchasing, look for the lion logo to avoid adulterated tea. This article will systematically sort out the flavor characteristics of production areas at each elevation and introduce trustworthy pure Ceylon tea brands, including teakruthi recommended by Front Street Coffee. [more…]

In the cold winter season, Starbucks launched a drink called "Toffee Roasted Sweet Potato Flavored Tea Latte," which sparked a rush among many roasted sweet potato lovers to check in. However, many consumers found after drinking it that this tea latte contained neither sweet potato chunks, nor sweet potato powder or sweet potato flavored syrup; the so-called "roasted sweet potato flavor" was only a similar sweet aroma blended from oat milk, black tea, and toffee syrup. Some even pointed out that the drink was not a new product, but a repackaged version of a secret menu item from last year. With Starbucks collaborating with Xiaohongshu, perhaps "Little Sweet Potato" is the real "sweet potato" element in this drink. This article will sort out the truth about the drink's recipe and consumer reactions for you. [more…]

Sri Lanka, as a major tea-producing country in the world, has tea gardens widely distributed across the central highlands and southern regions, employing contour planting methods and relying on a large manual picking workforce. There are 11 major tea-growing regions nationwide, among which Uva, Nuwara Eliya, and Dimbula are the most well-known. Uva black tea is famous for its unique sweet aroma and exotic character, Nuwara Eliya tea is delicate with floral notes and a light mouthfeel, and Dimbula tea mostly presents a mellow style. The overall flavor of Ceylon black tea varies significantly due to differences in altitude, climate, and producing region. Traditional Ceylon tea has a full, lively taste with noticeable tannins and a slight citrus note. This article will systematically introduce the cultivation, processing, regional flavors, and quality certification system of Ceylon tea, helping coffee and tea beverage enthusiasts fully understand the difference between Uva black tea and Ceylon black tea. Information on related products recommended by Front Street Coffee is also retained in the article. [more…]

What kind of sparks fly when a well-known domestic pharmaceutical company starts selling milk tea? In mid-August this year, North China Pharmaceutical's tea beverage brand opened its first store in Shijiazhuang, marketed with "healthy water," "Five Elements secret formula," and "pure natural, zero additives," with basic drinks priced at only 7 yuan. Even more surprising, during the soft opening, customers could enjoy a comprehensive smart health checkup, with a robot testing 70 indicators across ten major systems and recommending corresponding drinks based on the results. First-day revenue was nearly 8,000 yuan, and business has remained so booming since then that takeout has been shut down. The brand has already begun preparing franchise materials and plans to officially open franchising next year, while franchise stores will also take on the distribution function for Huawei Health functional foods. So how exactly does this move work? Let's take a closer look. [more…]

Latte art is a skill that many coffee lovers both love and hate. From steaming your first pitcher of milk foam, to pouring清晰 patterns, to casually sketching shapes, behind it all are countless failures and hours of practice. Some people find the feel after just two or three tries, while others practice for a long time and still can't pour a complete heart. This article takes you through those hilarious failed attempts, and also discusses what latte art really means: it's not just a pattern, but the reward that comes from persistence. Is there a quick way to master it? Of course there is, but the prerequisite is being willing to put in the effort. Front Street Coffee walks with you, moving steadily forward on the path of passion. [more…]

India is an important gateway for coffee's introduction to Asia. It not only produces high-yielding Robusta but also gives rise to the uniquely flavored Monsooned coffee, with its output consistently ranking among the top in the world. In this article, Front Street will take you on an in-depth look at India's geography and climate, the distribution characteristics of its four major coffee states, and the main coffee varieties grown locally. From Tamil Nadu to Kerala, from Kent to S795, we will sort through India's coffee-growing code one by one, and analyze why Robusta dominates here, as well as how farmers boost their income by intercropping spice trees. [more…]

To master swan latte art, you must first understand its connection to the leaf pattern—the two are completely identical in the pour-in, design starting point, and even backward swaying steps, with the only difference appearing in the finishing stage. A leaf is finished directly after the swaying ends, while a swan, after completing the body, still needs to shape the wings, neck, and head. This article breaks down the key movements one by one in three parts—wings, neck, and head—and explains the strict requirements that composite patterns place on milk volume and milk foam texture, helping those who have already learned the leaf to advance smoothly. [more…]

The worldwide fame of Blue Mountain coffee is inseparable from the establishment and strict control of the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB). From the Industry Management Office in 1948 to its upgrade to the CIB in 1952, Jamaica became the first country in the world to set up a dedicated coffee regulatory body. By delineating production regions, establishing grades, and regulating cultivation and quality control, the CIB set Blue Mountain coffee on the path to specialty status. And Blue Mountain coffee's distinctive wooden barrel packaging not only serves a protective function during transport, but has also become an important mark of authentic Blue Mountain. This article will walk you through the various pieces of information on Blue Mountain coffee barrels one by one, including the CIB certification label, grade numbers, estate name, weight markings, ICO number, and estate logo, and bring you the latest arrival news of Front Street Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee. [more…]