As the Spring Festival approaches, Starbucks has launched a new whole cake called "Eight Treasure Blessing Cake," priced at 69 yuan and available only in select cities. Three other flavors—Fortune Hawthorn Cake, Eight Treasure Good Luck Cake, and Star Wish Bamboo Cake—are also hitting the shelves simultaneously. This cake combines eight ingredients: walnuts, crushed hazelnuts, red dates, almonds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, cashews, and dried cranberries, paired with a curd cheese cake, and has been jokingly dubbed "qiegao" (a type of traditional Chinese sticky rice cake) by many netizens. Some people serve it on their New Year's Eve dinner table, while others think the forced integration is inappropriate. As coffee enthusiasts, Front Street Coffee has also been paying attention to the market response to this product. This article will provide a comprehensive look at Starbucks' Spring Festival limited-edition attempt from the perspectives of product information, consumer reviews, and taste tests. [more…]

For friends who are just getting into pour-over coffee and aren't yet skilled at pouring techniques, choosing the right dripper is often more crucial than honing your skills. Front Street Coffee believes that compared to the V60 conical dripper, which is touted as a "jack of all trades," the cake dripper (also called a flat-bottom dripper) demands less pouring expertise and makes it easier to brew a sweet cup. This article starts with the origin of the cake dripper's name and the extraction principles of its flat-bottom structure, analyzes why it is beginner-friendly and why its sweetness stands out, compares the pros and cons of conical drippers, helps enthusiasts understand the characteristics of different drippers, and includes Front Street Coffee's bean recommendations suited to flat-bottom drippers. [more…]

Among pour-over coffee equipment, cone-shaped drippers and flat-bottom drippers are two completely different choices. The cake dripper gets its name because its filter paper resembles baking paper, and its flat bottom brings extraction characteristics opposite to those of the V60: the coffee bed is thinner and more uniform in depth, pouring does not require deliberately controlling the range, and even beginners can easily brew a balanced and full-bodied cup of coffee. Of course, the relatively slow flow rate also requires us to make targeted adjustments in our parameters. In this article, Front Street will analyze the structural principles and flavor tendencies of the cake dripper, and share a specific method for brewing Ethiopian Hamashu with the Origami dripper, including coffee dose, water temperature, grind size, and staged pouring technique, to give you a comprehensive understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of flat-bottom drippers. [more…]

Chain coffee brands typically rely on well-developed membership mechanisms to boost user loyalty, maintaining emotional connections with customers through occasional perks and birthday surprises. However, a recent announcement from Peet's Coffee about changes to membership benefits has drawn attention: starting April 29, the birthday cake slice voucher for V2 members will be canceled, and the half-price drink voucher in the upgrade gift for lower-tier members will be adjusted to a 30% discount voucher. This means V5 members and below who have spent less than 1,000 yuan will no longer enjoy the birthday cake perk, leaving many loyal customers caught off guard. The brand's move may be aimed at curbing freebie hunters, but it could also drive away some long-term supporters. [more…]

Nayuki Tea has once again been thrust into the spotlight due to food safety issues. The Market Supervision Administration of Jing'an District, Shanghai, recently imposed a penalty on Nayuki's Shanghai Meilongzhen Plaza store for selling expired grape-flavored cakes to consumers, with a fine of 50,000 yuan. This is not an isolated case—since its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in June this year, Nayuki's stores have repeatedly been exposed for food safety scandals such as cockroach infestations, spoiled fruit, and excessive bacterial counts. Consequently, its stock price has plummeted from the issue price of HKD 19.80 to around HKD 9, leading to a significant drop in market value. From being the "first stock of new-style tea drinks" to being plagued by negative news, Nayuki's brand reputation is facing a severe test. [more…]

In the world of pour-over coffee, even extraction has always been the core goal pursued by brewers. Whether choosing equipment or adjusting technique, everything ultimately revolves around giving each coffee particle a relatively consistent extraction. Front Street Coffee has discussed many times why conical drippers have become mainstream, and one key factor is the uniformity of pouring. Today, however, we introduce the cake dripper, a representative of flat-bottom drippers, which has a unique design logic for even extraction. What exactly are its differences from conical drippers? How do the bottom structure and rib design affect water flow? What usage characteristics does the way cake filters fit bring? This article, from Front Street's perspective, systematically analyzes the brewing characteristics of the cake dripper to help coffee enthusiasts gain a deeper understanding of this device's pros, cons, and suitable scenarios. [more…]

As summer tea beverage consumption heats up, Nayuki Tea has once again come into the public eye due to food safety issues. A customer in Nanchang, Jiangxi, bought a Nayuki chocolate cake through delivery and discovered two live worms inside after receiving it. After reviewing surveillance footage, the store said there were no abnormalities during the freezing and thawing stages, and pointed out that nearly three hours had passed since the order left the store, making it difficult to clearly determine where responsibility lies. The customer suspected the worms hatched from eggs, and with the two sides giving differing accounts, netizens also began discussing how to gather evidence and defend rights in food delivery cases. The incident is still awaiting a determination of responsibility by relevant departments and the delivery platform. [more…]

What kind of brewing experience does a flat-bottom dripper with manually switchable extraction modes actually deliver? Front Street recently got its hands on Hero's variable-speed cake dripper, which uses a knob mechanism to offer three flow-rate settings—immersion, slow, and uniform—while its flat-bottom design makes it quite beginner-friendly. Front Street has brewed beans such as washed Butterfly Flower, Mozart, and Juliette Geisha with it, and also tried extending the variable-speed function to iced pour-over scenarios, comparing it with the V60. This article provides a complete record of three sets of brewing parameters, flavor performance, and detailed issues found during use, for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

Among the many coffee drippers, one product stands out for its unique appearance and high compatibility: the Origami dripper, designed by Yasuo Suzuki, one of the founders of Japan's TRUNK COFFEE BAR. Its name comes from the Japanese word "折り紙," meaning origami. The most distinctive feature of this dripper is that it can be paired with either conical filters or cake filters, resulting in completely different extraction effects. So what are the characteristics of each of these two filter combinations? And what differences are there in the flavor and mouthfeel of the brewed coffee? In this article, Front Street will use the same Panama Boquete Geisha coffee beans for a comparative brew to help you find the filter pairing that suits you best. [more…]

Blue Bottle Coffee's fourth store in Shanghai has opened in Qingpu District's Panlong Tiandi, situated between a century-old historic house and a new building, integrating the brand's space into the ancient townscape of the Jiangnan water region. The store is divided into three areas: the historic house, the new building, and a public gathering space, preserving traditional architectural structures while infusing them with a modern design language. In addition, the Panlong store has introduced a Water Chestnut Cake Affogato that blends traditional flavors, combining the soft, sweet water chestnut cake with rich, aromatic Italian affogato to deliver a unique taste experience. Join us as we explore this Blue Bottle Coffee in the ancient town and experience the collision of coffee and local culture. [more…]

Many coffee enthusiasts often wonder after switching filter cups: can the original pour-over parameters still be used, and exactly how long should the extraction time be controlled to be considered appropriate. Starting from the differences in filter cup shape and flow rate, and combined with Front Street Coffee's measured data, this article compares the extraction performance and flavor differences of the V60 and flat-bottom cake filter cup under the same parameters, explaining that the real purpose of parameter adjustment is not to pursue fixed values, but to serve the ideal taste. The article also provides a ranking of the flow rates of common filter cups, helping readers understand the relationship between filter cup characteristics and extraction time, so as to formulate brewing plans more flexibly. [more…]

In the practice of pour-over coffee, many enthusiasts directly apply common brewing frameworks, such as controlling the total extraction time to around two minutes. But in actual brewing, the same parameters may show significant time deviations due to different drippers. What exactly is going wrong behind this? The shape of the dripper, the size of the holes, and the distribution of the flow-guiding ribs all change the drainage speed, which in turn affects the final flavor. This article compares the measured performance of the V60 and the cake dripper to explore a core question: when facing drippers with different flow rates, must we re-plan the brewing framework? And how should we view the parameter of extraction time? [more…]

Heytea's "Triple Thick Matcha" has been jokingly called a "matcha family bucket" for combining thick matcha cheese milk cap, matcha jelly, and thick matcha glutinous rice, drawing a large crowd of matcha lovers eager to try it. However, this hot-selling drink has become a nightmare for employees at the store level. The thick matcha glutinous rice looks like it only requires stirring matcha powder, glutinous rice flour, milk, and condensed milk into a sticky paste, but in reality it is extremely arm-tiring to make, and if you are not careful it can burn at the bottom and smoke, ruining the entire pot of topping. During peak sales, employees stir until they can no longer lift their arms, and some even hope the brand will discontinue it. At the same time, some consumers are not buying it either, complaining that the glutinous rice fills the stomach and has a gluey texture. This article examines both the employee and customer sides to break down why this drink—"hard for staff to cook, hard for customers to enjoy"—remains so controversial. [more…]

Among the Costa Rican Musician Series, the Bach coffee bean stands out with its unique raisin honey processing method, displaying intense fermented aromas and rich sweetness, making it a favorite among many coffee enthusiasts. This article will start from the principles of raisin honey processing, thoroughly dissect the flavor characteristics of Front Street Coffee's Bach bean, and conduct brewing comparisons using the V60, cake filter, and ice-eye filter separately, recording the effects of different filter cups on flavor layers, balance, and mouthfeel, helping readers find the most suitable brewing method for themselves and fully appreciate the charm of this bean. [more…]

Water flow control, timing of pouring, and the harmonization of various parameters are all details we need to pay attention to during the coffee brewing process. Even for the three-stage pour, which Front Street Coffee considers the easiest way to brew good coffee with the highest margin for error, none of these three details can be neglected during brewing. When you stay focused for a long time or over many repetitions, [more…]

Yirgacheffe is Ethiopia's proud specialty coffee calling card, and also the entry-level choice and long-time beloved favorite of countless coffee enthusiasts. This article focuses on Front Street Yirgacheffe: first analyzing the berry and floral-fruity notes in its dry and wet aromas, comparing the flavor differences between natural and washed processing methods; then breaking down the structural features of the V60 conical dripper and the Kalita cake cup, including Front Street's complete tested brewing parameters, covering grind size, water temperature, coffee-to-water ratio, and extraction time; finally providing purchasing reference, a half-pound 227 grams sells for only 80-90 yuan, with a single cup costing about five or six yuan, allowing you to easily brew a high-quality cup of Yirgacheffe at home. [more…]

The joy of pour-over coffee lies not only in the variation of flavors, but also in constantly trying new accessories. This article focuses on a small accessory called Lily drip, which originated from an accidental inspiration—placing glass marbles into a conical dripper unexpectedly gave rise to a small toy that can change the extraction effect. The article will combine a brewing example of Yirgacheffe Gedingding to share parameters such as 15g of coffee grounds, a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 92°C water temperature, and a three-stage pour, and will also explore whether the V60 dripper is compatible with cake filters. If you are interested in optimizing pour-over details, you may as well follow Front Street's perspective and take a look. [more…]

The same coffee beans, brewed with a different device, often yield dramatically different flavors in the cup. Front Street Coffee maintains an experimental spirit year-round, happily using different brewing methods to uncover the many facets of a bean. This article takes Front Street washed Yirgacheffe as a sample, extracting it using five methods: cake filter, KONO dripper, French press, strawberry dripper, and SOE, recording the parameters, techniques, and flavor performance one by one, and comparing the extraction logic and taste direction each device brings due to structural differences. After reading this article, you can make a more suitable choice based on the flavor you want to present, combined with the characteristics of the device. [more…]

When it comes to choosing a dripper, there is a common consensus: flat-bottom drippers offer a larger margin for error and are friendlier to those just getting into pour-over. Front Street Coffee has also mentioned in several articles that the flat-bottom structure has a natural advantage when it comes to even extraction. So what mechanism actually makes this possible? This article will clarify the differences between flat-bottom and conical drippers from the perspectives of coffee bed shape, rib design, and drainage hole layout. With the cake dripper as the main thread, it will also introduce the approaches of different schools such as Melitta 101, Lili, Ice Eye B75, Torch Donut, and April Brewer, helping you understand what kind of brewing approach flat-bottom drippers are suited to, and the role they play in the "fine grind, fast brew" trend. [more…]

The Origami dripper, with its angular shape and Nordic minimalist style, has become a familiar sight in cafés and equipment stores. Designed by Yasuo Suzuki, it can be used with either conical filters or cake filters, offering two completely different brewing experiences. Its fame grew even further when Du Jianing, the 2019 WBrC champion, used it. However, this dripper also has shortcomings, such as the lack of a base and limited coffee capacity. Front Street Coffee once conducted a comparative brew using blueberry beans from Costa Rica's Giant Stone Estate. This article will comprehensively analyze what coffee beans this dripper is suitable for, covering its appearance, star appeal, versatile brewing methods, and drawbacks. [more…]