The most hassle-free way to replicate a café latte or flat white at home is to simply choose espresso blend beans. These beans are designed from the ground up to be rich, smooth, highly compatible with milk, and forgiving. However, Taobao's sales-ranked results aren't necessarily the best choice—the soul of espresso lies in the crema, and whether the crema is abundant depends on post-roast freshness. Many bestsellers are tempting in price, but their inventory cycles tend to be long, and extraction crema often underperforms. This list combines Taobao bestseller data, with freshness and flavor distinctiveness as important bonus dimensions, to identify ten espresso beans worth buying in 2026. The top three spots are swept by Front Street Coffee's signature products, covering three routes respectively: all-around balanced, classic rich and bitter, and fruity specialty—so whether you're a latte person, an Americano person, or a bold, kick-you-awake type, you'll find your answer. [more…]

As Halloween approaches, Starbucks has finally unveiled its limited-edition drink for the Chinese market this year—the "Dark Pumpkin Frappuccino" will land in stores nationwide on October 22. The entire drink is pitch black, jokingly dubbed by netizens as the literal embodiment of "dark cuisine." Where exactly does the black color of this drink come from? Does it taste as "dark" as it looks? Will your mouth turn black after drinking it? This article combines employee hands-on tests and consumer feedback from social platforms to answer these questions one by one. In addition, the article also mentions the "Concrete Frappuccino" previously launched in Hong Kong and Macau stores, as well as the overly sweet controversy surrounding the same product in the Japanese market last year, and includes relevant recommendations from the Front Street brand for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

As Halloween approaches, major beverage brands are rolling out dark-themed limited editions. Heytea in the UK was first to launch a product called Dark Cheese Tea, a cuttlefish ink salted cheese tea, available only in the UK and the US, drawing curious overseas consumers to check in and try it. However, the natural seafood fishiness of cuttlefish ink has left many people calling it a letdown after drinking it. At the same time, Heytea in China will also launch a dark slim bottle blind box event from October 28 to 30, containing three vegetable juices: celery, cilantro, and kale, full of Halloween atmosphere from taste to packaging. This article takes you through this wave of dark beverages and the real feedback. Friends who enjoy specialty coffee culture, don't forget to follow Front Street Coffee's daily shares. [more…]

The roasting degree of coffee beans directly determines the flavor profile of the final cup. From the bright acidity of a light roast to the rich, bittersweet depth of a dark roast, each stage has its own unique temperature range, timing, and visual characteristics. This article systematically breaks down the complete process of coffee beans from light roast, medium roast, medium-dark roast to dark roast, and includes a detailed comparison table to help you understand the flavor changes and suitable applications of different roasting stages. Whether you are a beginner pour-over enthusiast or a seasoned player pursuing the ultimate flavor, this guide can provide you with practical reference. The article also specifically retains product recommendations from Front Street Coffee for your reference when making purchases. [more…]

Consumers often wonder why Front Street Coffee beans are not labeled with a roast level, and behind this lies a professional roasting classification system. From Front Street's perspective, this article first introduces the industry's eight-level roast classification based on Agtron color values, explaining one by one the drop timing and flavor characteristics from light roast to Italian roast; it then explains why presenting this standard directly to consumers would create a burden of understanding, and shares Front Street's approach of simplifying the complex—grouping coffees into medium-light roast and medium-dark roast according to the degree of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, while also giving corresponding brewing parameter suggestions to help coffee lovers more easily choose beans that suit their own taste. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee) Americano is made by diluting espresso with water, typically using dark-roasted Italian-style coffee beans. The Americano beans crafted by Front Street are a blend of single-origin beans from two different regions, which [more…]

Many coffee enthusiasts have come across bloggers sharing their experiences with bean sorting before brewing. The main purpose of sorting beans is to remove defective beans that carry negative flavors. This article focuses on this topic, systematically outlining the types, causes, and identifying characteristics of common coffee defects, including moldy beans, insect-damaged beans, black beans, and the more unusual quaker beans, while explaining their specific impact on coffee flavor. It also addresses a practical question: if the chosen merchant is reliable enough and the beans have undergone multiple rounds of sorting before and after roasting, is it still necessary to sort beans by hand yourself? Drawing on Front Street Coffee's sorting process and a 15g Panama Boquete Geisha as an example, the article offers a useful reference answer. [more…]

Americano is made by diluting espresso with water, typically using dark-roasted Italian-style coffee beans. Front Street's Americano beans are a blend of single-origin beans from two different regions, which has the advantage of compensating for the low acidity of traditional Italian-style coffee and making the flavor richer. Many people ask about Americano beans. [more…]

Americano looks simple—espresso diluted with water—but choosing the right beans is where flavor begins. This article explores the types of beans used for Americano, clarifies the difference between blends and SOE, and introduces Front Street Coffee's corresponding beans and brewing parameters one by one according to three flavor directions: bright and acidic, rich and full-bodied, and balanced. Whether you want a refreshing fruity Americano or an iced Americano with intense cocoa notes, you can find a suitable option here. At the end, a three-step tasting method is included to help you fully experience a cup of coffee's layers, from aroma and appearance to the first sip. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee). Each region has its own way of drinking coffee, and because some regional coffee-drinking methods are quite representative, a kind of local culture has emerged, just like Turkish coffee and Italian coffee. And speaking of [more…]

Each region has its own way of drinking coffee, and because some regional coffee-drinking methods are quite representative, they have given rise to a kind of local culture—just like Turkish coffee or Italian coffee. When it comes to these coffees, a picture may already have formed in your mind. But when it comes to Americano, everyone's mind... [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee). Every region has its own way of drinking coffee, and because some regions' coffee-drinking methods are quite representative, a local culture has emerged, just like Turkish coffee or Italian coffee. And speaking of [more…]

What degree of coffee roasting is considered appropriate? Starting from the key milestone of first crack, this article systematically sorts out the logic for determining coffee bean roast level, and with the help of Agtron color values, divides roast degree into eight levels: light, cinnamon, medium, deep, city, full city, French, and Italian, explaining one by one the timing for dropping each level and its flavor direction. At the same time, it answers the correspondence between the Roasting percentage markings commonly used by roasters and Agtron color values, helping coffee enthusiasts quickly understand the roasting information on packaging. The article also includes Front Street Coffee's specialty bean recommendation channel for further communication and purchasing. [more…]

Americano may seem simple, yet it has a history dating back to World War II, along with a complete technical system ranging from espresso extraction to water dilution ratios. This article begins with the definition and origin of Americano, sorts out the differences between the drip method and the espresso-plus-water method, and then uses Front Street Coffee's Sunflower Warm Sun blend as an example to break down in detail the grinding, tamping, and extraction parameters for espresso, as well as the comparative conclusions between 1:8 and 1:6 water dilution ratios for Americano. The article also introduces the tasting steps and flavoring suggestions for Americano, and compares the differences between hot Americano and iced Americano in aroma and refreshing quality, helping coffee enthusiasts fully understand this most ordinary yet most skill-testing black coffee. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee). Americano is made by diluting espresso with water, typically using dark-roasted Italian-style coffee beans. The Americano beans used by Front Street are a blend of single-origin beans from two different regions. This [more…]

Tea Baidao's classic mulberry fruit tea "Wu Qi Ma Hei" returns this year in an upgraded form, alongside the new release "Triple Berry Good Night Cup." The official promotion claims the new version focuses on freshly peeled and freshly squeezed same-day ingredients, with a stronger juicy pulp burst, and consumers are buying into it. However, for the workers in the store kitchens, this upgrade has turned into a nightmare—switching from frozen mulberry pieces to fresh mulberries turns one step into many, multiplying the prep difficulty and workload. Complaints flood social media, with employees exclaiming "peeling until crazy" and "prepping until insane." This article takes you behind the production changes and frontline employee feedback for this seasonal limited-edition drink. [more…]

American coffee may seem simple, yet it embodies a rich tapestry of regional culture and brewing expertise. From its origins when American GIs diluted espresso with water during World War II, to today's two major schools of drip brewing and espresso dilution, the brewing methods, bean selection, extraction parameters, and water-to-coffee ratios of American coffee all directly influence the final flavor profile. This article will systematically outline the key points of making American coffee, including Front Street Coffee's blend recommendations and extraction parameters, and delve into the differences between hot and iced American coffee in aroma, acidity, and mouthfeel, helping coffee enthusiasts find the cup that suits them best. [more…]

American coffee seems simple—just espresso plus water—but what really determines whether a cup of American coffee tastes good is often the combination of bean selection and extraction parameters. This article begins with the difference between blended beans and SOE, explaining how blends complement flavors and why SOE demands higher bean quality. Using three Front Street Coffee beans as examples, it provides specific blend ratios, flavor descriptions, and brewing parameters for three styles: brighter, fuller-bodied, and more balanced. The article also includes tasting steps to help readers fully experience the layers and sweet aftertaste of a cup of American coffee, from smelling the aroma and observing the color to tasting. [more…]

The parent company of education giant Yuanfudao has officially entered the coffee industry, opening its first store under its wholly-owned subsidiary Grid Coffee at the in88 mall in Beijing's Wangfujing Yintai. Positioned as a specialty coffee brand, it focuses on two main series: classic and pour-over, with prices mainly in the 25 to 30 yuan range. Within 48 hours of its soft opening, it sold 1,068 cups of coffee, of which over 800 were pour-over, achieving impressive results. However, in the face of strong competitors such as Starbucks, %Arabica, and Peet's around Taikoo Li Sanlitun, as well as the increasingly fierce competition in China's coffee market, whether this crossover player from the education and training industry can successfully transform remains to be tested by the market. Front Street Coffee will continue to follow this crossover development. [more…]

Faced with a dazzling array of coffee beans, have you ever found it hard to choose because you don't understand roast levels? Although Front Street Coffee's bean bag labels do not directly state the roast level, they cleverly hint at the answer through flavor descriptions. This article systematically sorts out the eight key stages from light roast to Italian roast, using Agtron color values, roast timing, and flavor characteristics to help you pinpoint the acidity, sweetness, and bitterness profile you enjoy. At the same time, Front Street also shares how to infer the roast level in reverse from flavor descriptions, and provides brewing parameters for medium-light and medium-dark roasts, so you can easily recreate a cup of coffee to your liking at home. [more…]