Whether you're just getting ready to set up a semi-automatic espresso machine at home or preparing to open a small coffee shop, choosing beans is an unavoidable step. Dark-roast blends are stable, tasty, and highly versatile—almost a safe bet for espresso-based drinks. Today we're going to talk about three blends from Front Street Coffee that are very suitable for cafés and home use. [more…]

Today's Front Street Tanzania Kilimanjaro coffee beans come from the Kilimanjaro volcanic region in northern Tanzania, at an altitude between 1,300 and 2,000 meters. Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak on the African continent. The fertile volcanic ash provides abundant nutrients for coffee cultivation, while the high-altitude environment creates [more…]

Light-roast coffee beans are not a category with a fixed flavor profile. Even when they are all labeled "light roast," the cup may present bright floral notes, or the sweetness of ripe fruit, or even a tea-like character with citrusy acidity. To judge whether a bean suits you, you can first look at its specific roast level within the light-roast range, and then decide how to brew it. [more…]

Latte, cappuccino, and flat white are almost always on the menu at coffee shops as the staple milk coffee categories. This article will help you clearly distinguish the differences between these three milk coffees. Since most people have more or less encountered these three milk coffees, here is a brief introduction to their origins. Modern latte and cappuccino [more…]

I believe that students who have gone through the intense preparation for the college entrance exam in their senior year of high school all know the fear of being overpowered by drowsiness every night. During the senior year, when every second counts, gaining even one more second to study can increase the chances of success. The refreshing and alertness-boosting effect of coffee has thus become the first choice for many students. So among the many choices of coffee beans, which coffees are [more…]

The essence of a latte is created together by coffee and milk. Milk brings sweetness, smoothness, and a soft aroma, while also muting the coffee's own acidity and subtle notes, so the roast level directly affects how present the coffee tastes in the finished cup. To make the coffee flavor stand out, look to a medium-dark roast; if you prefer a softer, sweeter taste, start with a medium roast; if [more…]

Coffee with rich crema usually feels more coating on the palate, and its aroma tends to linger a bit longer in the mouth. However, shiny coffee bean surfaces do not necessarily mean the brewed crema will be abundant. Roast level, bean freshness, blend composition, and extraction method all affect the crema in the cup. To find a suitable [more…]

Yunnan, as China's core coffee-producing region, has always been a topic of interest among coffee enthusiasts when it comes to the composition of its planted varieties. Currently, Yunnan coffee is not a single variety, but is mainly composed of three major categories: Typica, Bourbon, and Catimor. Among them, Catimor has become the main force due to its disease resistance and high yield, while Typica and Bourbon remain in localized areas such as Baoshan. Although these three varieties all belong to the Arabica species, they differ significantly in flavor, yield, and maintenance difficulty. This article will provide a detailed review of their origins, characteristics, and production area distribution, and explore the genetic connections between Yunnan small-bean coffee and famous varieties such as Blue Mountain and Kona. Front Street Coffee will also combine the current situation of the production area to interpret for you the flavor logic behind the varieties. [more…]

With the rise and popularity of the specialty coffee concept, emphasizing the flavor of origin—that is, the taste of the bean itself—has become a consensus, at least among some people. And after 2000, the third wave emphasized origin and light-roast flavors, and many single-origin coffees became increasingly well known. Among them, Kenyan coffee is known for its bright acidity. [more…]

Since the fifteenth century, coffee has served as a common beverage and a pick-me-up tonic. It was not until the rise of the third wave of specialty coffee that roasters began to favor lighter roast profiles, and the distinctive acidity and aroma in coffee won over one group of coffee drinkers after another. Many who have just come to appreciate [more…]

For coffee lovers, among the coffees they've tried, there's always at least one African coffee bean. Among them, the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee beans, originating from the birthplace of Arabica, are highly renowned for their excellent flavor and are much loved by many. In recent years, domestic specialty coffee has developed rapidly, and this coffee, which enjoys great fame in the international coffee circle, [more…]

In recent years, the domestic coffee industry has developed rapidly. Even when black swan events occurred and most industries were struggling, the domestic coffee market still maintained stable growth. So as an ordinary enthusiast, when faced with merchants' marketing claims, how should one evaluate a coffee bean? When drinking coffee and buying coffee beans, [more…]

With the entry of international freshly ground coffee brands such as Starbucks and Costa direct-operated stores into China, a coffee craze has risen in the country. Many businesses continuously make a big fuss over coffee beverages. In addition to the relatively expensive freshly ground coffee, affordable instant coffee and coffee drinks also have very high popularity. So what are the current mainstream co [more…]

The flavor code of coffee is often hidden in the land where it grows. From Brazil and Colombia in South America, to Costa Rica and Guatemala in Central America, to Jamaica Blue Mountain in the Caribbean, as well as Kenya and Ethiopia in Africa and Indonesia in Asia, each producing region gives coffee beans a unique personality. This article systematically sorts out the flavor characteristics and representative bean varieties of the world's major coffee producing regions, helping coffee lovers build a clear framework for understanding regional flavors. Whether you are a beginner just starting out or a seasoned connoisseur seeking to advance, this producing-region guide can provide practical reference for your purchasing and tasting. Front Street Coffee will also combine regional characteristics to recommend classic beans worth trying for you. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). The AeroPress is not just a passing fad; its appearance is quite unlike typical brewing equipment, and the company that invented this brewing device doesn't even have coffee equipment as its flagship product. [more…]

If there are any names that cannot be avoided in the Ethiopian specialty coffee scene in recent years, Front Street Coffee believes that Tamiru of Alo Coffee and Eliyas Dukamo of Elto Coffee must be among them. Whether in international competitions [more…]

With the growth of specialty coffee, the community of coffee drinkers has continued to expand, so a large number of coffee beans from different origins have begun flooding the coffee market. As a result, coffee enthusiasts are often at a loss when choosing coffee beans. New coffee enthusiasts who come to Front Street Coffee to taste coffee often ask how to choose high-quality specialty coffee. [more…]

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style). In January 2015, Starbucks in the United States began selling flat white and introduced different sizes; then in September, Starbucks in mainland China also saw flat [more…]

If you want a cup of espresso with the distinct character of its origin, SOE is a very straightforward choice. It doesn't rely on blending multiple beans to create a fixed flavor profile; instead, it lets the aroma of a single origin and a single batch come through in the extraction. Choosing by roast level helps you find a better match among fruity acidity, floral notes, caramel sweetness, and full-bodied richness. SOE usually refers to [more…]

Making espresso is an essential skill for every barista, and nearly every coffee shop serves espresso-based drinks. What we commonly call espresso drinks are a series of coffee beverages made with espresso as the base. Today, let's make the easiest milk coffee among espresso drinks—the iced latte. The iced latte may seem like a [more…]