The scoring criteria for coffee cupping. The cupping of coffee beans was initially to ensure whether the quality of the coffee beans that are about to enter the trade is qualified. With the passage of time, after the concept of specialty coffee was b [more…]

While Jamaican Blue Mountain and Hawaiian Kona have long occupied the coffee throne, a dark horse from Ethiopia's native forests—Geisha—is rewriting the landscape of specialty coffee with hurricane force. This article takes you through Geisha's legendary journey from its discovery in 1931 to its dazzling rise at Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama, recounting its glorious record of eleven championships and sky-high auction bids, and further, through hands-on testing with both pour-over and siphon extraction methods, deeply analyzing this bean's signature lemon-citrus aroma, honey-cream sweetness, and layer upon layer of oolong tea notes. Front Street Coffee will also share roasting and brewing insights to help you fully understand this green diamond capable of moving even the most seasoned connoisseur. [more…]