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…]

Walk into any chain coffee shop, and just the Americano alone can give you a case of choice paralysis—regular ice, less ice, no ice, and even the secret-menu full ice. These seem like nothing more than differences in the amount of ice, but in reality they fundamentally change a cup of coffee's strength, aroma direction, and mouthfeel. This article will break down, one by one, the key preparation points and taste characteristics of four ice-level Americanos, from the ratio logic and operating steps to the final flavor, and will use Front Street Coffee's commercial blend as the unified test bean to help you make the cup that suits your taste, whether at home or in a shop. [more…]

When drinking iced Americano, have you ever noticed that the ice cubes at coffee shops always seem to melt more slowly than the ones at home? From equipment differences to ice cube shape, and even the actual amount used, every detail affects the taste and staying power of cold coffee. Starting from the role of ice cubes, this article analyzes the differences between commercial ice machines and household refrigerators, explains why coffee shops tend to use smaller, more uniformly shaped ice cubes, and also shares the reasons Front Street Coffee insists on using refrigerator ice along with actual comparison tests. If you want your iced pour-over to cool down properly without being overly diluted, the answer you're looking for may be here. [more…]

Every spring and summer, iced coffee becomes many people's go-to daily choice, and "exactly how much ice to add" is always the trickiest part of home brewing. Ice in coffee isn't just a cooling tool—it also affects aroma retention and how long the chill lasts. This article covers three main categories—espresso, pour-over, and cold brew and ice drip—and, combined with the characteristics of coffee beans at different roast levels, provides specific ice ratios and practical tips. It also explains how the texture, size, and freezing method of ice affect the final taste, helping you make a cup of iced coffee at home with just the right strength, flavor, and chill. [more…]

Whether iced coffee tastes good often hinges on the step of adding ice. Ice is not just a cooling tool; it also locks in aroma and maintains a cold mouthfeel. How much ice to add, what kind of ice to choose, and how to ratio different coffees—these questions trouble many enthusiasts. Drawing on Front Street Coffee's practical experience, this article first explains the three major functions of ice in coffee, then analyzes the differences between solid and hollow ice, and between large and small ice, and finally provides specific ice-adding plans for iced Americano, iced latte, iced pour-over, and cold brew/ice drip, helping you make consistently delicious iced coffee at home. [more…]

When drinking iced coffee, have you ever agonized over how much ice to add and how to add it properly? In fact, ice in iced coffee is far more than just a way to cool things down—it also plays multiple roles, such as locking in aroma, maintaining a low temperature, and balancing concentration. Starting from the principles behind how ice works, this article breaks down in detail the differences between solid ice and hollow ice, the advantages of refrozen ice, and, for different categories such as iced Americano, iced latte, iced pour-over, and cold brew and ice drip, provides specific ice-to-coffee ratios and Front Street brand recommendations to help you make a cup of iced coffee at home that isn't watered down and has plenty of aroma. [more…]

As temperatures climb, iced coffee becomes a daily choice for many, but the key to a delicious cup of iced coffee lies in precisely controlling the amount of ice used. Ice in coffee not only handles the cooling task, but also locks in aroma and slows the rise in temperature, making the refreshing taste last longer. However, different extraction methods and coffee beans of different roast levels have vastly different ice needs. This article starts from the role and quality requirements of ice, combines the specific scenarios of espresso, pour-over coffee, and cold brew ice drip, and analyzes in detail the logic for adjusting ice ratios. Using beans such as Front Street Classic Blend, Grana Geisha SOE, and Fruit Ding Ding as examples, it provides actionable home ice solutions to help you easily make a cup of iced coffee with just the right strength, flavor, and chill. [more…]

When making iced pour-over coffee in summer, the most agonizing decision is often not which beans to choose, but exactly how much ice to throw in. Too little ice and the coffee turns lukewarm; too much and it becomes thin as water. A slight deviation in ratio and it's easy to mess up. This article focuses on the two core functions of ice in iced pour-over—cooling and dilution—breaks down the reasonable ratio range among coffee grounds, water, and ice, and shares a comparative experiment about old ice versus young ice. The experiment uses 15 grams of Emerald Estate Green Label Geisha with a Hario V60 dripper, revealing through actual testing how freezing time affects ice hardness and melting speed. If you also want to consistently make a cup of iced pour-over at home with moderate strength and lasting chill, the following content is worth reading to the end. [more…]

When drinking iced coffee in summer, it tends to become diluted toward the end, so some people have thought of using stainless steel ice cubes instead of traditional ice. Are these reusable metal ice cubes really suitable for coffee? Front Street conducted an actual comparison test, analyzing the structure of stainless steel ice cubes, their cooling speed, and their impact on flavor. The results show that although stainless steel ice cubes have the advantage of not melting, their cooling effect is far inferior to homemade ice cubes, especially performing poorly in the ice pour-over step. The article also shares a pour-over plan using a mix of the two types of ice cubes, and explores why coffee shops rarely use stainless steel ice cubes. [more…]

Molly Tea recently launched its seasonal limited-edition "Exotic Guava Series," and the two new drinks—"Jasmine Cream Guava" and "Jasmine Guava Milk Skin"—quickly attracted a large number of consumers eager to try them, thanks to the pretty pink appeal of red-fleshed guava. However, not long after they hit the shelves, feedback flooding social platforms unexpectedly converged on one focal point—too much ice. Many customers found that even when they chose "less ice," the drink shrank by more than half after the ice was scooped out; some even fished thirty-five ice cubes out of a single less-ice drink. What exactly is going on here? And what secrets lie behind the ice standards at tea beverage shops? As an observer deeply engaged in coffee and beverage culture, Front Street Coffee is also paying attention to this phenomenon. [more…]

Iced pour-over coffee needs rapid cooling, but ordinary ice cubes melt and dilute the coffee's strength. Some friends suggested using non-melting stainless steel ice cubes, but that attempt failed; then someone else recommended dry ice, which cools quickly and doesn't cause dilution. Dry ice can indeed chill coffee rapidly without turning into water, but when it sublimates it releases carbon dioxide, which dissolves into the coffee and turns a cup of iced pour-over into carbonated coffee—essentially deviating from what's wanted. This article provides a detailed analysis of dry ice's physical properties, its everyday uses, and why it's unsuitable for making pour-over coffee, along with Front Street Coffee's key points from their dry ice experiments and a recommended bean list. [more…]

When you order an iced Americano with no ice at a coffee shop, what often arrives is lukewarm or even warm, yet an iced latte with no ice is still cold. This difference leaves many coffee lovers puzzled. Drawing on the real-world experience of Front Street's stores, this article breaks down the underlying logic of how coffee shops make no-ice coffee, explains why no-ice Americanos are generally warm while no-ice lattes stay cold, and analyzes why coffee shops don't adopt the icing methods used by milk tea shops. Finally, it offers practical alternative ordering tips for those who want a lightly chilled Americano. The article also introduces Front Street's espresso bean series and the characteristics of its classic blend, making it a useful reference for coffee lovers who want to practice latte art at home or open their own shop. [more…]

Although autumn has arrived, the summer heat lingers, and iced pour-over coffee remains a favorite for many enthusiasts. But should the ice be added before brewing or after? And once brewing is complete, should the unmelted ice be filtered out? These details directly affect the strength and flavor profile of the final cup. This article will start with bean selection, then use Front Street Coffee's brewing examples to analyze how adding ice at different stages affects the coffee's taste, and discuss the pros and cons of ice filtering, helping you consistently make a cup of iced pour-over that is both refreshing and rich, whether at home or in a café. [more…]

On a scorching summer day, iced pour-over coffee has become a popular choice in cafés thanks to its refreshing, mellow taste. There are many ways to make iced pour-over, with common methods including placing ice cubes in the lower server first, pouring hot coffee over ice, and the ice-bath cooling method that has become popular in recent years. Different approaches preserve the coffee's flavor to varying degrees, and their ease of operation differs greatly as well. This article takes Front Street Coffee's Emerald Estate Green Label Geisha as an example, using three methods—adding ice directly, pouring over ice, and ice-bath cooling—to brew the same beans, and provides a detailed comparison from the brewing process and cooling efficiency to the final flavor performance, to help you find the summer iced coffee method that suits you best. [more…]

Luckin's cold drinks do not offer a "no ice" option, and the problem of excessive ice has repeatedly trended on social media. To get a drink that suits their taste, consumers have begun to "report" the exact number of ice cubes in the remarks section, and even make various demands about the shape and temperature of the ice, leaving store employees utterly exhausted. From "less ice, 10–12 cubes" to "two little heart-shaped ice cubes," and even "no ice but with a frosty feel," these bizarre remarks not only reflect consumers' obsession with ice levels but also push Luckin's workers into a dilemma where "whatever they do is wrong." This article compiles a large number of real order remarks, presenting this tug-of-war over ice cubes. [more…]

I wonder if any of you have ever ordered an "iced Americano without ice" at a coffee shop. If you have, then Front Street believes you were most likely puzzled by the coffee that was served. Why? Because the iced Americano without ice made by the vast majority of coffee shops differs somewhat from what you'd imagine. Regarding iced Americano without ice, what you'd imagine is [more…]

In the preparation of iced pour-over coffee, should the ice be placed into the server in advance, or added only after brewing is complete? This question appears to concern only the order of operations, yet it may affect the cooling speed of the coffee liquid, the retention of aroma, and the final concentration. Front Street Coffee used a washed Geisha from Colombia's Finca La Divisa as a sample, and by controlling the coffee-to-water-to-ice ratio, grind size, water temperature, and brewing technique, conducted a comparative tasting of the two methods—"ice first" and "ice after"—while recording temperature and flavor changes at different time points. The experiment attempted to answer: does the order of adding ice truly produce a perceivable difference, or is it merely an illusion caused by the time gap? [more…]

Starbucks recently announced that it will change the type of ice used in cold drinks, switching from traditional large cubes to smaller, crunchier ice. The company says this move is partly to cater to the growing habit of consumers eating the ice, improving the drinking experience, and partly because the new ice machines use less water, which helps the environment. However, this adjustment has also sparked heated discussion online, with some cheering "ice-eating freedom" and others worrying that the ice will melt too quickly and affect the drink's flavor. Previously, Starbucks charged extra for drinks with no ice, which caused consumer dissatisfaction. This article will review the background of the event, the official response, and various viewpoints, and include Front Street Coffee's professional information channels. [more…]

On a hot summer day, a glass of iced coffee is a favorite for many, but ordinary ice cubes melt and dilute the coffee into a bland, watery drink. How can you enjoy the chill without sacrificing the rich flavor of the coffee? The answer is coffee ice cubes. In this article, Front Street Coffee will explain in detail how to make coffee ice cubes, including the different approaches for basic coffee ice cubes, cold brew coffee ice cubes, espresso ice cubes, and milk coffee ice cubes, and will also answer whether cold brew and iced coffee really need coffee ice cubes. With just a little advance preparation, every iced drink can keep its rich, full-bodied taste. [more…]

Starbucks recently announced that it will change the type of ice used in its cold drinks. The new ice is smaller and crunchier, and the official explanation is mainly to cater to the growing number of consumers who have a habit of eating ice. However, this decision has also sparked polarized reactions: some are cheering that they can finally chew ice to their heart's content, while others worry that the ice will melt too quickly and dilute the flavor of the drinks. Notably, Starbucks had previously been criticized for charging extra for water-free/ice-free drinks, and now whether changing the ice is effectively reducing the amount of ice has also become a focus of discussion. This article will sort out the ins and outs of Starbucks' ice change, the official response, and netizen feedback, while also bringing coffee lovers relevant news about Front Street Coffee. [more…]