As coffee enthusiasts deepen their understanding of coffee, more and more people are paying attention to coffee bean processing methods. As a post-harvest processing method that has attracted much attention in recent years, anaerobic fermentation has brought more possibilities to coffee flavors. This article will analyze in detail the step-by-step processes and flavor and taste differences between anaerobic natural and anaerobic washed processing methods, and share Front Street Coffee's cupping and brewing experience. By comparing the characteristics of washed, natural, and anaerobic processing, it helps readers understand how different processing methods affect the final flavor of coffee. The two anaerobic natural beans, Huayueye and Monster Manor, launched by Front Street Coffee, will also be used as examples to demonstrate their unique charm. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, you can gain practical references for purchasing and tasting. [more…]

New-style tea beverage brands' attempts to cross over into the coffee track are encountering setbacks. Crow Coffee, invested in by the founder of Heytea, has closed its founding store in Shenzhen Tianli Central Plaza and put it up for rent, leaving the brand with only one store remaining in Dachong. Meanwhile, AOKKA Coffee, invested in by Nayuki, has also announced that it will close all of its Shenzhen stores by the end of August. Looking back at 2022, Heytea and Nayuki quickly entered the coffee market by investing in brands such as Seesaw, Minor Figures, KUDDO, and Monster Drowsy, but these invested brands now generally face the predicament of store closures and contraction. This article reviews the current store status of each brand and analyzes the challenges and industry competitive landscape faced by tea beverage brands crossing over into coffee. [more…]

Caturra is a highly economically valuable natural mutation within the Bourbon lineage. With advantages such as a small plant size, suitability for dense planting, and no need for shade, it has become an important pillar of coffee-growing regions in Central America. In this article, from the perspective of Front Street Coffee, we will sort out the historical origins and variety characteristics of Caturra, and use its Colombian passion fruit enzyme washed Purple Caturra as an example to introduce the Huila region, the processing methods and brewing suggestions of Finca Monteblanco, helping coffee lovers gain a comprehensive understanding of the unique charm of this variety. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee). A while ago, Front Street shared a guide on how to make cold brew coffee, and afterward many readers started asking in the comments how to choose beans for cold brew. So today, let's analyze and answer this question together. [more…]

Mandheling coffee is renowned for its rich, full-bodied flavor and is the top choice for many coffee enthusiasts venturing into dark-roasted beans. This article systematically organizes the complete knowledge system of Indonesian Mandheling coffee from multiple dimensions, including origin, the story behind its name, processing methods, and grading standards. Front Street Coffee will introduce four representative Mandheling coffees available in-store one by one—PWN Golden Mandheling, Lintong Mandheling, Tiger Mandheling, and Aged Mandheling—along with pour-over parameters and flavor comparisons, giving you a comprehensive understanding of this classic coffee that is "the ugliest yet the richest." [more…]

Although Costa Rica is often jokingly referred to as a homophone of "Godzilla," it is a pivotal specialty coffee-producing country in Central America. Since the first coffee seedling was introduced from Cuba in 1729, this country has been inextricably linked with coffee. High altitudes, microclimates, and fertile volcanic soil provide exceptional growing conditions for Arabica. From government tax incentives encouraging cultivation, to legislation limiting production to Arabica only, to institutions like ICAFE and CATIE promoting quality improvement, Costa Rica has pursued a path of quality supremacy in coffee. This article will guide you through its introduction history, the terroir differences of its eight major producing regions, its main cultivated varieties, and its altitude-based grading system, along with Front Street Coffee's brewing recommendations. [more…]

Mandheling coffee is one of the most recognizable representatives on Asia's coffee map, winning over many coffee lovers with its herbal, spicy notes and full-bodied mouthfeel. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article systematically reviews Mandheling's regional terroir, the origin of its name, the principles and steps of the wet-hulling process, and Indonesia's coffee grading standards, then introduces one by one the origin information and cupping flavors of four representative Mandheling coffees offered at Front Street: PWN Golden Mandheling, Lintong Mandheling, Tiger Mandheling, and Aged Mandheling. Finally, a unified set of brewing parameters and techniques is included to help readers gain a comprehensive understanding of the unique charm of Mandheling coffee. [more…]

Tattoos were once seen as a symbol of rebellion, but today they have become an important way for young people to express their beliefs and commemorate what matters to them. For baristas, wearing coffee cherries, portafilters, latte art patterns, or even the chemical formula for caffeine on their skin is both a display of personal aesthetics and a heartfelt declaration of devotion to the coffee craft. This article rounds up the tattoo themes most commonly seen on baristas, from classic equipment to creative combinations, and also addresses an intriguing question: does having more tattoos mean you make better coffee? The answer may be more rational than you'd imagine. [more…]

When coffee's invigorating effects meet the nourishing philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine, a new species called "wellness coffee" is quietly gaining popularity among young consumers. From the creative stalls at Ye Kaitai's herbal paste festival to the daily menus of cafes across the country, the crossover combination of Chinese medicine and coffee has frequently attracted attention. However, is this East-meets-West beverage truly a healthy choice, or does it merely provide psychological comfort? This article will examine the composition, market phenomena, potential risks, and other angles to give you a comprehensive understanding of the pros and cons of wellness coffee, and explore whether this innovative drink can continue to win consumers' favor. [more…]

Indonesian coffee beans are famous for their rich aroma and mellow taste, with a delightful sweet aftertaste, which has made many coffee lovers fall in love with the coffee beans from this region. Among them, Indonesian Mandheling is the most representative. Many people know that Mandheling has many different classifications, such as Front Street Coffee (Fr [more…]

Recently, Oatly, a giant in the oat milk industry, attempted to register the word "Barista" as a trademark in New Zealand, but encountered strong opposition from local food wholesaler Bidfood. Bidfood argued that the term has long been a generic name in the plant-based milk sector and should not be monopolized by any company. The New Zealand Intellectual Property Office ultimately supported Bidfood's position, determining that "Barista" is a descriptive term when used for dairy alternatives. This incident not only highlights the challenges of determining generic names in international trademark registration but also brings to mind similar cases in China, such as the trademark squatting of "Geisha Coffee." Where exactly is the boundary of trademark protection? What potential risks does the registration of generic names pose to the industry? This article will provide a detailed analysis for you. [more…]

During the holiday period, sales at tea beverage stores surged, but Guming employees were complaining bitterly about a pistachio milk cap. Since its launch in early September, this series has won customers' favor with its unique aroma, but in making the milk cap, the pistachio paste is thick and difficult to pour, and whipping takes more than 10 minutes, leaving many workers feeling overwhelmed during order surges and even calling it an "early shift nightmare." This article details employees' feedback on the production difficulties and includes related recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Indonesian coffee is famous for its rich aroma and full-bodied taste, with Mandheling being the most representative. Front Street Coffee stores offer a variety of Mandheling coffees, and the Golden Mandheling produced by PWN is especially well known. This article will comprehensively analyze the flavor characteristics of PWN Golden Mandheling from aspects such as the origin of its name, producing region and variety, and wet-hulling processing method, and share pour-over single-origin parameters suitable for coffee shops, including specific suggestions such as a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, a water temperature of 86-87°C, and segmented extraction with a KONO dripper, helping coffee enthusiasts and industry professionals gain a deeper understanding of this bean's charm and key brewing points. [more…]

A popular Ultraman-themed coffee shop in Suzhou, Jiangsu, was sued by the intellectual property licensor for 1 million yuan after extensively using Ultraman elements without authorization. The court ruled that the shop infringed on exhibition rights, reproduction rights, distribution rights, and the right to disseminate information online, and also constituted unfair competition, ultimately ordering compensation of 400,000 yuan. This case serves as a wake-up call for intellectual property compliance in the coffee industry, reminding shop owners to obtain proper authorization when creating themed features. [more…]

Chain coffee brands continue to enrich their bakery product lines. Luckin Coffee was recently reported to have installed ovens at a store in Shanghai, capable of heating light meals such as sandwiches. Once the news broke, consumers widely applauded and looked forward to a nationwide rollout; but frontline employees pushed back strongly, worried about cleaning burdens, service efficiency, and customized requests. Some level-headed voices pointed out that currently only special store formats such as flagship stores have the conditions for heating, and a nationwide rollout is still restricted by food processing qualifications. This article will walk you through the full picture of the incident and the voices from all sides. [more…]

Heytea continues to push hard in the fruit-and-vegetable tea segment, and is about to launch its autumn-winter new product, the "Hydrating Slimming Bottle," featuring cucumber as the star paired with kale and apple. As soon as the news came out, consumer anticipation and complaints from store staff emerged at the same time. The preparation of raw materials for fruit-and-vegetable tea is cumbersome, with a lengthy process of washing, cutting, blanching, and juicing. During peak hours, employees are run ragged, and some even joke that resignation letters are already being submitted. Whether this new product can balance consumer enthusiasm and employee burden is worth watching. Front Street Coffee continues to bring you the latest developments in the coffee and tea beverage industry. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's Rui Na Bing series has long been regarded by employees as the most difficult drinks to make, especially the Matcha Rui Na Bing, which will be completely discontinued after stores close on September 26. This news has left many Luckin staff breathing a sigh of relief, with voices of celebration everywhere on social media. However, some level-headed partners remind everyone not to celebrate too soon—next week Luckin will launch a brand-new collaboration campaign, and new items such as Raw Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago may be even more of a headache than Rui Na Bing. This article sorts out why Rui Na Bing became an employee nightmare, the specific timing of its discontinuation, and the operational challenges the new products may bring as they take over. Front Street Coffee is also paying attention to this change and providing coffee lovers with the latest interpretation. [more…]

A 500mL bottle of Dongpeng Special Drink contains as much as 66.5 grams of sugar, equivalent to eating about 15 sugar cubes. A third-party testing agency's evaluation of 12 functional drinks on the market shows that Dongpeng Special Drink far outpaces the others in sugar content, even surpassing carbonated beverages known for being high in sugar. In response to this result, Dongpeng said its formula has been approved by the state and recommended drinking only one bottle per day. High sugar intake is closely linked to obesity, chronic diseases, and even accelerated aging, yet the sugar in functional drinks is difficult to completely remove. When late-night overtime workers treat Dongpeng Special Drink as a "life-renewing elixir," do they realize they are being "stabbed in the back" by high sugar? This article will take an in-depth look at this test report and explore the high-sugar dilemma of functional drinks. [more…]

In recent years, zero-calorie sugar substitute products have been marketed with a health halo, becoming highly sought after by consumers who want sweetness without the calories. However, the World Health Organization's newly released guideline on non-sugar sweeteners has directly stripped away this filter—those non-nutritive non-sugar sweeteners not only fail to aid weight loss, but may actually increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. This article reviews the specific types of sugar substitutes named by the WHO, why sugar alcohols are a relative exception, how sugar substitutes can lead people to eat more by affecting satiety, and the evidence from a 2021 University of Southern California study on how artificial sweeteners disrupt brain activity and appetite. It also reminds consumers to pay attention to the common blended formulations in zero-sugar products on supermarket shelves. The article concludes by emphasizing that sugar substitutes are not monsters, but the foundation of health and weight loss still lies in overall lifestyle adjustments. [more…]

Mandheling coffee is deeply favored by coffee enthusiasts for its unique spice and herbal notes and its full-bodied mouthfeel. Front Street Coffee currently offers five Mandheling coffee beans in-store, among which Golden Mandheling is the most popular. This article will guide you through the origin of the name Indonesian Mandheling coffee, its producing regions, varietal differences, and the wet-hulling processing method, with a key comparison of the flavor characteristics and brewing parameters of PWN Golden Mandheling versus Lintong Mandheling. Whether you are a beginner just getting to know Mandheling or a seasoned coffee lover, you will find practical reference information here. [more…]