The content of defective beans directly affects coffee quality and grade classification. Taking Brazil as an example, the local system uses a "deduction method," grading based on the number of defective beans per 300 grams of main beans. In addition, coffee usually requires hand sorting during processing, and only by fully mastering the types and characteristics of defective beans can they be effectively removed. So exactly how many types of defective beans are there? This article will use illustrated explanations to introduce ten common defective beans one by one, including shell beans, stones, moldy beans, fermented beans, dead beans, immature beans, shell beans, insect-damaged beans, black beans, and cocoa beans, explaining their causes, appearance characteristics, and negative effects on coffee flavor, laying the foundation for subsequent learning about defective bean selection. [more…]

The coffee beans themselves are the biggest factor affecting coffee flavor. If you don't choose high-quality coffee beans, you won't be able to taste good coffee. Today, I'll share some practical tips for beginners on selecting and identifying coffee beans. Coffee bean brands suitable for beginners to learn about For inexperienced newcomers, the complicated cof [more…]

If you often drink pour-over coffee, Front Street believes you've probably seen friends who can tell washed and natural processed coffee apart at a glance, or with a single sip. Because they distinguish them so quickly, many friends are amazed and wonder how on earth they do it. Just yesterday, [more…]

Blue Mountain coffee is produced in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica at elevations between 910 and 1,700 meters. The variety is Typica, and it is known for its balanced acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, full and solid body, long-lasting sweet aftertaste, and absence of burnt bitterness. Because annual production is limited, authentic Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans in China usually sell for 150 to 400 yuan (100 to 200 grams), while products labeled "Blue Mountain flavor" or "Blue Mountain blend" are not true Blue Mountain coffee. This article systematically introduces the methods baristas use to identify authentic Blue Mountain No. 1 from perspectives such as the wooden barrel and certificate, bean size and uniformity, appearance characteristics, and raw bean color. It also compares the flavor performance of washed and natural processing methods and shares Front Street Coffee's brewing parameters and techniques to help enthusiasts build a clear identification framework. [more…]

(Top left) Among the thousands of different coffee varieties, it's inevitable that some beans have rather unusual names! Unlike most beans such as Bourbon and Typica, which have conventional names, these are like secret agents, each with their own code number. For example, varieties named with letters plus numbers. [more…]

The coffee beans we usually encounter have all been roasted. Roasting brings out the captivating aroma of coffee beans, and different roast levels give quite different impressions. In this issue, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) introduces several methods for identifying coffee roast levels. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is not a fixed roast flavor, but the name of a representative production area in Ethiopia's Sidama region. A bean bag with real reference value will usually go on to specify the particular production area, processing method, variety, or lot information. When judging, you can first observe the roast level, then cross-check the flavors in the cup against the clues on the label. [more…]

Previously, we talked about the coffee grading in Ethiopia. Today, let's take a look at what the coffee grading in Kenya is like! After all, when we see Kenyan coffee, we will see things like AA and AB. What exactly do these refer to? What is AA TOP? [more…]

African coffee beans are mostly characterized by floral and fruity flavors, forming a sharp contrast with the mellow, bitter, and spicy flavors of Asian coffee and the nutty, caramel flavors of American coffee. As a representative of African coffee, Kenyan coffee has a rich berry aroma, along with the acidic notes of dark plum juice and grapefruit; its acidity is full-bodied with a slight caramel taste; while Ethio [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee) The roast level of coffee beans determines the direction of the coffee's flavor. Many coffee shops label the roast level on the coffee beans they sell, such as light roast, medium roast, cinnamon roast, etc., which makes it easy for beginners [more…]

"Variety" is another consideration some friends use when selecting coffee beans, in addition to flavor and origin. Sidra, transliterated from "Sidra," also known as "Sydra" or "Bourbon Sidra." In Spanish, Sidra means "apple juice." [more…]

Every variety of coffee beans has different bean appearance (bean外貌) characteristics. In this article, Front Street will guide everyone through coffee bean appearance to identify coffee bean varieties, and what flavor characteristics do different coffee varieties have? ~| Typica (Typica) Typica originated in Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan. [more…]

Believe it or not, many coffee newbies have heard of Yirgacheffe coffee~ Nowadays, many coffee shops offer 1-2 types of Yirgacheffe coffee beans for making single-origin coffee. Yirgacheffe coffee origin: Yirgacheffe is actually a small town in Ethiopia, and as long as it is grown and produced in this town, [more…]

A cup of authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain doesn't have to take the intense, bitter route. Its allure often lies in the balance between soft acidity, delicate sweetness, clean aroma, and a smooth mouthfeel. When the roast level changes, the flavor focus of Blue Mountain shifts as well: a light roast is brighter, a medium roast is more rounded, and a dark roast is fuller-bodied. When the budget is limited, first [more…]

Mandheling is not the name of a region, place, port, or coffee variety. Its name actually comes from a mispronunciation of the Indonesian Mandailing ethnic group. During World War II, when Japan occupied Indonesia, a Japanese soldier drank a rich and mellow [more…]

The emergence of specialty coffee has not only drawn attention to coffee flavors, but the differences between varieties have also become a key point of discussion. As a major coffee species, Arabica is widely recognized as the representative of excellent coffee varieties, and its many sub-varieties, depending on different growing regions and processing methods, can exhibit [more…]

We know that coffee bean grading methods are usually based on the actual conditions of the growing country. Some are graded by bean size, such as Kenyan coffee; some by altitude, such as Blue Mountain coffee; and some by defect rate, such as Ethiopian coffee. As the gene pool of Arabica, Ethiopia has a wide variety of coffee varieties. [more…]

Although there are a great many varieties of coffee beans, when coffee beans on the market are classified by species, they can be divided into three types: Arabica, Robusta, and the relatively rare Liberica. If the numerous coffee beans are further classified by region, [more…]

The coffee cherries of most varieties turn red when ripe, but the Yellow Bourbon variety is known for its ripe cherries that are yellow, and Yellow Bourbon is regarded as a precious variety in Brazil. In recent years, this variety has been highly praised by coffee buyers and roasters, partly because of its unique and high-quality flavor. [more…]

In the world of specialty coffee, Jamaican Blue Mountain and Ethiopian Yirgacheffe stand as the ultimate representatives of two distinct styles. The former is renowned for its nutty and chocolatey notes and its balanced ratio of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, while the latter has won over countless palates with its jasmine florals and bright fruity acidity. Which one is better? Front Street Coffee believes that drinking coffee is an extremely subjective matter—rather than debating who comes out on top, it is better to analyze them one by one, from origin terroir, variety characteristics, to processing methods, and then make a judgment based on your own taste preferences. This article will guide you through a complete understanding of the unique qualities of these two coffees, covering producing region background, grade classification, variety differences, brewing parameters, and more. [more…]