The highly anticipated Blue Bottle Coffee has finally confirmed the opening date of its first store in mainland China—February 25, 2022. This store is located in a two-story Western-style house near the Suzhou Creek in Shanghai, formerly the dormitory of the Yutong Flour Mill, and is a protected immovable cultural relic in Shanghai. Blue Bottle Coffee is renowned for its fresh roasting, grinding to order, and precise brewing, and is hailed as the "textbook" of the specialty coffee world. To enter the mainland market, the brand has established the Pengpu Roastery in Shanghai, with its global technical team providing on-site guidance to ensure that the output meets global standards. As Front Street Coffee, which also focuses on quality, we are likewise following this grand event closely. [more…]

Blue Bottle Coffee's first Shanghai store recently officially opened by the Suzhou Creek in Jing'an District, housed in a historic building originally built in 1926—the former senior staff dormitory of the Yutong Flour Mill. On opening day, long lines formed outside the store, with some customers waiting up to 7 hours to get in. This chain brand, known for pour-over coffee and its preference for renovating old buildings, offers a relatively concise menu featuring rare items such as Gibraltar, filtered café au lait, and New Orleans-style iced coffee. The first floor of the store has a modern style, while the second floor has a vintage style, and displays a 60-year-old FAEMA espresso machine. This article takes you on a virtual visit to this highly anticipated new coffee shop. [more…]

Blue Bottle Coffee's third store in mainland China is confirmed to open in Zhangyuan, Jing'an District, Shanghai. This follows its first store opened in February this year in the former Yutong Flour Mill dormitory, marking another site chosen within a historic building. From the shikumen architectural complex of Zhangyuan to century-old machiya townhouses in Kyoto, Japan, Blue Bottle Coffee has consistently woven the brand deeply into local culture—not only does the store space echo the architectural fabric, but the menu also incorporates traditional local flavors. This article explores the heritage conservation philosophy behind the choice of the three store locations, and how Blue Bottle Coffee awakens urban memory through space and taste. Also, stay tuned to Front Street Coffee for more specialty coffee news. [more…]

Since Blue Bottle Coffee opened its first mainland China store in early 2022 at the former site of the Shanghai Yutong Flour Mill, it has successively set up three locations in Jing'an Kerry Centre and Zhangyuan. Curiously, this brand, known for its minimalist boutique approach, has not stepped outside Jing'an District for over a year, and has even been jokingly said to have "not even left Shanghai." This article reviews the current store distribution of Blue Bottle Coffee, analyzes the customer base logic and brand tone behind its site selection strategy, and also brings rumors about the possible location of a fourth store in Qingpu's Panlong Tiandi or Pudong's Qiantan. In addition, we continue to recommend boutique bean news from Front Street Coffee, providing coffee enthusiasts with a more comprehensive industry perspective. [more…]

Blue Bottle Coffee's third store in mainland China has officially opened in Zhangyuan, Shanghai, continuing its location choice in Jing'an District. The new store is based on the Shikumen architectural style, blending weathered brick walls, original wooden lattice doors and windows, and outdoor alley spaces. In addition to continuing the localized design, the Zhangyuan store also offers a fusion of Chinese and Western "scallion oil waffle," limited-edition blend coffee beans, woven merchandise, and debuts honey sea salt latte and caramel jujube cake. A vintage Oji cold drip coffee maker on the bar counter becomes a highlight. Since Blue Bottle Coffee entered the mainland China market in February this year, its store opening pace has been steady, and the brand expects future expansion in China to be faster than in other international markets it has entered. [more…]

Blue Bottle Coffee's first mainland China store—Shanghai Yutong Store—went from a phenomenon-level check-in spot with seven-hour queues on opening day to announcing a temporary closure in response to epidemic prevention and control measures. What was the process like? This article reviews the changes in customer flow since the store opened, adjustments to epidemic prevention measures, and the development of Shanghai's current round of the epidemic. As a brand widely regarded as the "textbook" example in the specialty coffee field, Blue Bottle's temporary farewell this time has left many coffee lovers feeling regretful. In the face of the epidemic, health always comes first, and we will continue to follow updates on its reopening. [more…]

Geisha coffee has repeatedly won championships in competitions, and the superiority of its variety is beyond doubt. Front Street Panama Geisha is certainly a top choice, but Costa Rica's Little Candle Estate can also bring surprises. This Front Street Costa Rica Geisha coffee offers outstanding value for money, comes from a CoE award-winning estate, and is jointly run by nine siblings of the Sanchez family. The estate is located in the Tarrazu region, at an altitude of 1,400 to 1,650 meters, and is known for traditional fermentation and an environmentally friendly water treatment system, producing multiple batches of Geisha each year. In terms of flavor, it presents aromas of almond, plum, citrus, sweet flowers, and berries, with rich acidity and a long finish. This article will guide you through the estate's history, processing methods, and share Front Street's brewing plan and flavor experience. [more…]

Today, Front Street Coffee would like to share with you a Costa Rican coffee from the Western Valley: a Sachimo variety bean with red honey processing. This bean is produced by the Alchimia Estate and processed at the Cerro San Luis micro-mill, at an altitude of about 1,550 meters. As one of the two mother varieties of disease-resistant coffee worldwide, Sachimo has considerable production in both Costa Rica and Brazil, and its flavor heritage comes from Villa Sarchi. Red honey processing retains about 75% of the mucilage, giving the coffee higher sweetness and caramel notes. This article will provide a complete breakdown of this bean's flavor performance and brewing approach from the perspectives of the mill's background, the principles of honey processing, the traceability of the green bean variety, roast profile design, and pour-over parameter recommendations, for the reference of coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

There is no unified quantitative standard for coffee grinding, so enthusiasts often use everyday ingredients as analogies to quickly convey the concept of particle size. Common reference points like fine granulated sugar, coarse granulated sugar, sea salt, fine salt, and flour each correspond to different brewing methods and roast levels. This article goes through the particle size characteristics and suitable scenarios for each of these analogous grinds one by one: fine granulated sugar is mostly used for light-roast pour-over, coarse granulated sugar suits medium-dark roast beans, sea salt-like texture is suitable for immersion extraction methods like the French press, fine salt-like texture serves the fast-paced extraction of the moka pot, and flour-like texture is divided into two categories: espresso and Turkish coffee. The grind size described by each analogy is a range, not a single fixed value, and understanding this point helps with more flexible grind adjustment. [more…]

Bought Starbucks coffee beans but feel puzzled by the grinder settings? Grind size directly determines the success or failure of a cup of coffee. This article uses common everyday items like fine granulated sugar, coarse granulated sugar, sea salt, fine salt, and flour as analogies to help you quickly find the right grind size for pour-over, French press, moka pot, and espresso machine. Beans of different roast levels have different densities, so the same extraction method requires different grinds. Front Street Coffee will guide you through understanding the particle size range corresponding to each grind state, and why light-roasted beans need a finer grind while dark-roasted beans need a coarser grind, so you no longer have to agonize over grind size. [more…]

Geisha coffee, with its winning streak in competitions, has long been regarded as the cream of the crop in specialty coffee. Front Street Panama Geisha is certainly the current benchmark, but other countries also have noteworthy options, and Front Street Costa Rica Geisha is a standout representative with excellent value for money. This article focuses on Costa Rica's La Candelilla Estate, introducing the family background of this CoE award-winning estate, the development path of its micro-processing mill, its fermentation and environmentally friendly processing methods, as well as the specific brewing parameters and flavor performance of Front Street Costa Rica Geisha. It also includes a flavor description of Front Street Strawberry Candy Blend, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a comprehensive understanding of this bean's origins and its presentation in the cup. [more…]

Hand grinders have become the top choice for many coffee enthusiasts getting started, thanks to their portability, affordable price, and the sense of involvement they bring during brewing. But with so many models on the market, how do you choose? This article tests six popular hand grinders—including the Hario Skerton, Mini Mill, Acrylic, and Canister, as well as the OE Lido 2 and Porlex JP-30—analyzing each one in terms of practicality, design, and grinding performance. The article also mentions related recommendations from the Front Street Coffee brand and compares the trade-offs with electric grinders. Whether you're carrying one for travel or upgrading your home setup, you'll be able to find an option that suits you. [more…]

Front Street Coffee has previously compared the differences among coffees from various Kenyan regions using the same processing method; this time, we turn our attention to Costa Rica. Also using natural processing, how much will the flavors differ among coffees from three major regions—Tarrazú, the Western Valley, and the Central Valley? This article will compare three beans—from the Pirong Processing Plant, Genesis, and Black Soul—one by one, from bean background, green bean appearance, and roasting curves to cupping and pour-over performance. If you haven't yet tried Costa Rican specialty coffee, you might start with the classic Front Street Tarrazú washed Caturra and savor its soft aroma of sweet orange, nuts, and chocolate. [more…]

The Orange County region in Costa Rica's Western Valley has long been renowned for its delicate flavors, and the micro-lots produced by the Elsa processing plant are among the finest. This article focuses on the single variety Villa Sarchi cultivated at the Hernán Solís farm, a variety originating from a natural mutation of ancient Bourbon that has long adapted to the high-altitude climate of Orange County. The farm is located in the Llano Bonito area at an altitude of 1,600 to 1,700 meters, and together with the rigorous post-processing procedures of the Elsa washing plant, it has produced a coffee that combines bright acidity, a solid body, and excellent balance. From dry and wet aromas to cupping performance at different roast levels, and then to Front Street Coffee's recommendation, this article will provide a complete analysis of this bean's flavor profile and multifaceted character. [more…]

Costa Rica is the first country in Central America to cultivate coffee. Over two centuries, its volcanic terroir and microclimates have nurtured world-class quality. This article takes you into the San Román processing plant in the Tarrazú region to understand how its washed process shapes a thick, full-bodied sweetness reminiscent of bitter-sweet chocolate and butterscotch, along with a restrained wine-like acidity. It also shares Front Street Coffee's manual brewing parameters and provides an overview of Costa Rica's seven major coffee regions and the industry at large. Whether you want to understand the processing plant revolution or are looking for your next everyday daily brew, this article has you covered. [more…]

The Copán region of Honduras is renowned for its chocolate-toned profile blended with honey-caramel sweetness, and the San Vicente processing plant is a frequent winner at the Cup of Excellence. The Pacas coffee beans cupped by Front Street Coffee this time come from smallholder Edgardo Tinoco near the San Vicente processing plant; after washed processing, they present a rich layering of black cherry, dark chocolate cake, almond and caramel. This article will sort through information on the Honduran growing region, the background of the San Vicente processing plant, the characteristics of the Pacas variety and the washed processing flow, and share Front Street's roasting records, cupping reports and V60 staged pouring insights, helping coffee lovers fully understand this bean's flavor thread and brewing key points from origin to cup. [more…]

The Boma washing station in Kericho, Kenya, is located in a mountainous area at an altitude of 1,700 to 1,800 meters, belongs to the Kipkellion Cooperative, and has more than 600 farmer members. The SL28, SL34, and Batian varieties grown here, after a unique dry fermentation washed process, display a complex flavor profile of lemon, cranberry, caramel, and green tea. This Kenyan Cranberry coffee bean from Front Street Coffee, AB grade, presents in cupping a bright acidity of cherry tomato, plum, and lemon, with the sweetness of honey and berries interwoven and a full body. This article will guide you through the terroir conditions, processing flow, and variety characteristics of the Boma washing station, and share the brewing parameters and staged extraction suggestions given by Front Street Coffee's roaster for this bean. [more…]

Costa Rica's La Loma estate belongs to the Don Mayo Micro Mill family and has over twenty years of operating history, serving as an important symbol of the family's coffee legacy. The estate is located in Leon Cortes Llano Bonito in the Tarrazú region at an altitude of 1,950 meters, and in 2019 it won ninth place in the COE with a score of 88.66. Its coffee is processed using the honey method, with the variety being Gesha. In the cupping, it presents rich layers of honey, cherry, milk chocolate, vanilla, cocoa, blackberry, molasses, candy, pomelo, and black cherry, while the acidity is expressed as sweet orange and tartaric acid, with an elegant, syrupy, and balanced mouthfeel. This article will take you through the background story of this estate and the flavor characteristics of this bean. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is Ethiopia's most iconic specialty coffee region, and domestic coffee enthusiasts have long been familiar with it. This time we're going to talk about a washed Yirgacheffe G1 that has its own专属专属 name—Blue Nile. This bean was created through a collaboration between the American company Royal Coffee and Ethiopia's Keffe Mill processing station, and its name comes from the Blue Nile, the river in Ethiopia that eventually flows into the Nile. As a high-grade designation within Yirgacheffe, G1 represents the superior quality of specialty coffee. Coffee Review gave it a high score of 94 points. Next, Front Street Coffee will walk everyone through this bean's packaging, green bean condition, and the flavor performance after pour-over brewing. [more…]

Blue Bottle founder James Freeman and Global Head of Innovation and R&D Benjamin Brewer arrived in Shanghai ahead of schedule and, on the second floor of Blue Bottle's first domestic store, shared the special menu for Blue Bottle Studio Shanghai with coffee lovers. From an opening of extremely light-roast Sumatra "white coffee," to a long drink simulating cupping, a short drink brewed with a flannel dripper, a shaken milk au lait, and then a digestif combining Fenjiu with naturally processed Ethiopian coffee, the entire tasting was paired with vinyl records selected by James, making it nothing short of a multisensory coffee experience. In addition, there was an Espresso 1950 not on the official menu, made with a 1950s FAEMA lever machine, adding a retro Italian touch to the event. [more…]