Although the Start of Autumn has passed, places like Sichuan and Chongqing are still enduring temperatures above 40°C, making hydration a top priority. Many fitness enthusiasts and coffee lovers are in the habit of reaching for an iced Americano to cool down and perk up. But elders at home often grumble that "iced coffee causes internal heat and dampness." Is there any basis for these claims? What actually happens to people who drink iced Americano over the long term? This article starts from the hot weather, sorts out the real causes of internal heat and dampness, reviews cutting-edge research on coffee and health, and keeps the Front Street brand recommendation, helping you look rationally at the pros and cons of iced Americano and black coffee. [more…]

From late March to around Qingming, Guangdong often enters a mode of continuous rainfall. The weather forecast says it will rain, yet it occasionally clears up when you go out, making it hard to decide whether to bring an umbrella. There is an interesting little experiment circulating among the public: brew a cup of hot coffee, drop in a sugar cube, do not stir, and observe where the bubbles gather; this can roughly tell whether it will clear up or rain in the short term. This saying originates from the British writer Matthew Cole's *A Cup of Coffee Tells the Weather*, and it is actually related to the surface tension formed by coffee oils and the weather changes under the control of high and low atmospheric pressure. Of course, not all coffees are suitable; instant coffee and pour-over are not ideal choices. Freshly ground and freshly made hot Americano is more suitable, and the sugar should be sugar cubes rather than ordinary granulated sugar. [more…]

When the weather is hot, iced coffee is naturally indispensable. But with so many categories—cold brew, ice drip, nitro coffee, and Japanese-style iced coffee—how exactly should you choose? Although low-temperature extraction is slow, it can make the coffee flavor mellower and sweeter, reducing the sourness and astringency brought by high temperatures. Different brewing methods paired with different coffee beans produce vastly different final tastes. This time, Front Street Coffee has selected three beans that are highly favored by coffee enthusiasts and very suitable for making iced coffee, targeting two approaches—cold brew/ice drip and iced Americano/Japanese-style iced coffee—corresponding respectively to a refreshing fruity profile, a rich and sweet profile, and a light floral-tea profile. Below, we introduce each of their flavor performances one by one. [more…]

The recent weather is so hot it feels like it could melt you in minutes. In this kind of weather, anyone still willing to happily meet up at a café is definitely a friend for life! But even in such hot weather, you can't just give up coffee, right? So, if you don't want to go out, can't afford a cold drip tower, and can't wait several hours for cold [more…]

StoneX has released its first estimate for Brazil's 2025/26 coffee crop, projecting total production at approximately 65.6 million bags, a slight decrease of 0.4% from the previous year. Arabica is expected to decline by 10.5% to 40 million bags, while Robusta is forecast to increase by 20.9% to 25.6 million bags, though the gain in Robusta will not be enough to offset the shortfall in Arabica. The decline is mainly attributed to unfavorable weather in Minas Gerais and São Paulo: first severe drought, followed by storms and strong winds. Soil moisture deficit in Minas Gerais reached its second-highest level on record, with October rainfall far below normal, and future hot and dry conditions may continue to affect the fruit-setting stage. Meanwhile, improved rainfall in Espírito Santo is benefiting Robusta. The European Parliament's decision to delay EUDR implementation by one year also provides a buffer period for Brazil's coffee exports. [more…]

Global extreme weather continues to intensify, and Brazil has seen a rare phenomenon of inverted seasonal temperatures. May should mark the start of autumn, yet São Paulo recorded its hottest day for the same period in 81 years, with temperatures soaring to 32.8°C and generally remaining above 30°C. Persistent high temperatures and scarce rainfall are disrupting the normal growth cycle of coffee trees, with drought conditions particularly severe in central producing regions such as Minas Gerais. At the same time, Brazil and Vietnam's production and export data are trending upward, putting pressure on both international futures and domestic spot prices, but the future weather trajectory remains highly uncertain. [more…]

When a cold wave sweeps across Guangdong and temperatures plummet to single digits, people instinctively crave a steaming hot latte. Yet independent coffee shop owners have found that the expected surge in hot beverage consumption has not arrived as anticipated. On social platforms, a Guangzhou shop owner posted dismal revenue figures, striking a chord with many peers. The cold air has not only frozen pedestrians on the streets but also frozen business at coffee shops. Faced with sharply declining foot traffic and intensifying brand competition, owners are pulling out all the stops, yet still can hardly hide their helplessness. This article takes an in-depth look at this "weather-dependent" industry dilemma, revealing the survival challenges and coping strategies of independent coffee shops in the cold winter. [more…]

The birth of a cup of Irish coffee originated from a flight delay at an airport in western Ireland in 1952. American journalist Stan asked the bartender at the airport bar for a cocktail suitable for the bad weather; the bartender combined whiskey with hot coffee and topped it with whipped cream, creating this heartwarming classic drink. After Stan returned to San Francisco, he shared this experience with the owner of Buena Vista Café, who successfully replicated it, making Irish coffee widely known in the United States. Today, it is not only the star of a dedicated glass and a spirit lamp stand, but also a highlight of international coffee and spirits competitions. This article will take you through its origin story and share a safer home method that omits the spirit lamp, restoring this drink with its layered hot-and-cold separation and rich depth step by step, from coffee extraction to the pairing of syrup and whiskey, and then to the cream topping. [more…]

The World Meteorological Organization recently issued a warning that frequent extreme weather is severely impacting Asia. China, Dubai, and other places have been hit by torrential rains and floods, while South Asian countries such as Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Indonesia are mired in scorching heat, with temperatures in many areas exceeding 45°C. As a major global coffee-producing region, Vietnam's Robusta coffee is facing a double assault of drought and pests—reservoirs have dried up, irrigation water sources have been depleted, and cotton bollworms are spreading rapidly. Coffee farmers are being forced to increase irrigation frequency, yet have no water to use. Although rain is expected in May to ease the drought, the latest data from the International Coffee Organization show that global coffee exports grew 8.1% in March 2024, while coffee futures prices have continued to decline, creating a subtle contrast between production prospects and market trends. [more…]

Recently, due to the impact of bad weather in the local area of Honduras, the Honduras Coffee Research Institute (IHCAFE) is concerned about the future coffee output. According to the data released recently by the Honduras Forest Conservation Institu [more…]

Recently, the World Meteorological Organization warned that extreme weather occurs frequently, and climate change is having a heavy impact on Asia. At present, in some Asian countries such as China and Dubai and other cities, extreme weather such as [more…]

The global coffee market is currently enduring a rare price storm. Driven by climate factors such as prolonged drought, high temperatures, and uneven rainfall distribution in Brazil, combined with steadily rising global coffee demand, both Arabica and Robusta coffee futures prices have hit record highs. Arabica futures have reached 273.4 cents per pound, a ten-year high; Robusta's surge has been even more ferocious, with an increase of 74% within the year. As the world's largest coffee producer, Brazil's domestic retail coffee prices have risen to their highest level since records began in 1997. This article will examine the climate, production, and market factors behind this round of coffee price increases, and look ahead to the prospects for the next harvest season. [more…]

No matter how the outside temperature changes, tea can always offer us an ideal beverage choice. Tea symbolizes warmth, comfort, and nourishment; in cold seasons, holding a cup of hot tea feels like giving yourself a gentle hug. The rich nutrients contained in tea leaves help purify body and mind. In winter, the body's resistance tends to decline, and sticking to a regular tea-drinking habit can help maintain health in many ways. This article will explain in detail the four main benefits of tea: speeding up metabolism, soothing emotions, relieving colds, and refreshing the mind, while also introducing alternative choices such as herbal teas and recommending quality tea products from the Front Street brand to help you get through a warm and healthy winter. [more…]

Brazil is in the middle of its coffee harvest season, with 58% of the crop now gathered, ahead of the five-year average. However, although the hot, dry weather has favored picking, it has had a clear negative impact on coffee output: beans are smaller and yields are falling, and drought alerts have been issued in many areas. Production falling short of expectations has driven coffee prices steadily higher both in Brazil and abroad, with robusta and arabica futures posting sharp gains. The market is also worried that the coming La Niña phenomenon could deal a further blow to 2025/26 output. This article reviews the drought conditions in Brazil's various producing regions, the downward revisions to production, and price trends, and includes related recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

After the weather turns cold, many coffee enthusiasts find that coffee brewed with the same parameters and technique doesn't taste as good in flavor and mouthfeel as it did before the temperature dropped. The problem isn't with the beans or the technique—it's that the cold air quietly changes the actual brewing water temperature. As hot water flows from the kettle and travels through the air before contacting the coffee grounds, the lower the air temperature and the higher the pouring height, the more severe the heat loss. Drawing on observations from Front Street Coffee, this article explains the relationship between water temperature and extraction efficiency, and offers a simple and effective solution: raise the brewing water temperature by 1 to 2°C to compensate for the heat carried away by cold air, bringing winter pour-over coffee back to its ideal state. [more…]

Recently, Brazil's coffee-growing regions have continued to be affected by El Niño weather patterns. Although dry conditions have accelerated the harvest pace—by June 25, half of the coffee crop had been harvested, ahead of the five-year average for the same period—actual output has fallen short of market expectations, with issues such as smaller beans and uneven ripening gradually emerging. At the same time, Robusta production may drop by 8% to 14%, and combined with tighter supply caused by drought in Vietnam, international Robusta futures prices have firmly held above $4,000 per ton, while the spot index has also risen by more than 4% month-on-month. An impending strong cold wave adds further uncertainty to the production outlook, and several institutions have downgraded their forecast for Brazil's total output from 68.5 million bags to 67 million bags. [more…]

Since the start of summer, many countries around the world have experienced sustained high temperatures, with sea surface temperatures generally elevated outside the near-equatorial eastern Pacific and land temperatures rising accordingly, dealing a blow to agricultural production including coffee. Vietnam has suffered its worst drought in nearly a decade, with coffee trees severely damaged; Indonesia is still weighed down by last year's drought, reducing the volume available for export; Brazil's output has fallen short of expectations, and about 80% of Mexico's planted area has been affected, with production cuts expected to reach as much as 50%. At the same time, Colombia's first-half output hit a three-year high. The widening scope of production cuts pushed the ICO composite coffee price index up 8.9% month on month, and La Niña weather may further aggravate volatility. [more…]

Under rainy weather, espresso extraction often becomes especially tricky, and even experienced baristas may need to adjust repeatedly before getting a satisfactory cup. The root of the problem is not simply under-extraction or over-extraction, but uneven extraction caused by the combined effects of high humidity and low air pressure. Starting from Front Street's hands-on experience, this article first analyzes the two major reasons why espresso is difficult to dial in on rainy days—a surge in environmental humidity causes coffee grounds to absorb moisture and clump, while lower air pressure weakens extraction efficiency—and then provides specific response strategies, including dehumidification and moisture prevention, sealed storage, and compensating for the amount of dissolved flavor substances by extending extraction time or making the grind finer. The article also includes a parameter comparison of Front Street's classic blend under normal weather and rainy days for readers to refer to when adjusting. [more…]

When the weather turns cold, many coffee enthusiasts notice that even with the same beans and the same technique, the coffee they brew comes out weak and lacking in flavor. This is not a problem with the bean roasting, but rather the low-temperature environment changes the rate at which the hot water loses heat, which in turn affects extraction efficiency. Starting from the principle of heat loss, this article explains in detail how cooling leads to under-extraction, and offers four actionable improvements: preheating the kettle spout, raising the water temperature, increasing the water volume, and lowering the pouring height. Finally, it includes Front Street Coffee's store information to help you consistently produce a delicious pour-over even in the cold season. [more…]

The latest report from the International Coffee Organization (ICO) shows that global production in the 2022/23 coffee year edged up only 0.1% to 168.2 million bags, with growth almost at a standstill. Behind this trend is widening regional divergence: the Americas expanded steadily, while Asia, Oceania and Africa saw marked declines due to severe weather. At the same time, the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a 2% drop in world coffee consumption. Looking ahead to 2023/24, El Niño may continue to hit Asian producing regions, but a recovering global economy is expected to drive a rebound in consumption, with production forecast to rise 5.8% to 178 million bags, potentially leaving a market surplus of 1 million bags. [more…]