"Boss, please extract the coffee a bit longer—I want a stronger cup." Front Street Coffee believes this is a scenario many friends working in coffee shops often encounter. Some customers, wanting a more intense cup of coffee, occasionally make this request to the shop. It's not hard to understand, because in most [more…]

From an extraction perspective, whether a cup of espresso tastes good first depends on the choice of coffee beans, then on the flavor and strength of the espresso, and finally on details such as the ratio of accompanying ingredients and temperature. Among these, making the espresso itself troubles many home baristas because various unexpected situations can arise. For example, from [more…]

Today a friend was discussing a very interesting question: how to brew "wine-red" coffee. That's right—the wine-red refers to the color of the coffee liquid, because the friend who brought up this topic found that wine-red coffee seems to taste better than coffee of other colors, so they started this discussion. [more…]

Honestly, making an iced Americano is a very simple thing—we just need to pour the extracted espresso into prepared ice water, and the iced Americano is done. But, just like the view Front Street Coffee has always shared, making it is simple, but making it well is relatively difficult. Iced Americano [more…]

Using a moka pot is very simple, but the brewing process can still sometimes result in bitterness, excessive strength, or insufficient flavor. Today we're sharing some tips for using a moka pot, hoping to help moka pot enthusiasts make delicious espresso-style black coffee at home. Let's think through everything from bean selection and brewing to tasting. 1. During use [more…]

When making coffee, the coffee-to-water ratio is the first brewing factor we need to determine. So what is the standard coffee-to-water ratio? The answer is: the golden ratio is 1:18, meaning every 1g of coffee corresponds to 18ml of water. This ratio was derived by the American Coffee Association through surveys and extensive practice. But [more…]

Iced coffee isn't just about pouring hot coffee over ice. The ice lowers the serving temperature and also dilutes the concentration somewhat, making the aroma appear brighter or softer, so the roast level of the beans directly influences the direction of the final cup. If you enjoy a juicy character, floral notes, and a light mouthfeel, look to light roasts; if you want something sweet, smooth, and easy to drink, medium roasts are more [more…]

(Comparison of Arabica and Robusta) Generally speaking, Arabica is mainly used for the currently popular single-origin/specialty coffees, while Robusta is mostly used for instant coffee. This is not to say that Robusta is necessarily inferior to Arabica; it simply reflects the main uses of the two coffee varieties in the market. However, no [more…]

Friends often tell Front Street Coffee that they've just bought a new coffee machine but don't know how to dial in a standard espresso. They don't know how much coffee grounds to use, how much liquid weight to extract, or how long it should take. And even if they follow popular extraction formulas like "use 18g of grounds to extract 36ml of coffee liquid," what they end up with [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat public account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Those who have read Front Street's popular science articles may have noticed that Front Street rarely specifies exact extraction times the way it does when explaining pour-over coffee, because espresso extraction is about more than just [more…]

When it comes to coffee beans with clear sweetness, you have to start with the actual taste in the cup. For everyday bean buying, you need to consider how fast you'll drink them, how much to buy at once, and whether you mainly make black coffee or milk coffee at home. The roast level of the beans determines the basic taste, the origin and processing method bring aroma differences, and the equipment you use will change the strength, so when choosing beans you need to take all [more…]

For beginners, choosing an espresso blend starts with what actually ends up in the cup. When buying beans for everyday use, you need to consider how quickly you'll go through them, how much to buy at once, and whether you'll mainly be making black coffee or milk-based drinks at home. The roast level of the beans determines the basic taste, the origin and processing method bring differences in aroma, and the equipment you use will change the strength—so when picking beans, you need to [more…]

Before writing this article, Front Street asked several coffee professionals/enthusiasts: "Under normal circumstances, when making cold brew coffee, if you use the same water, coffee beans, amount of coffee grounds, brewing container, and brewing time, how would you increase the extraction concentration of the coffee?" I believe everyone, like the interviewees, would [more…]

Some coffee beans attract people with gimmicks, while others prove their strength over time. Front Street Coffee's specialty blend belongs to the latter—Front Street stores have used it for nearly a decade, and most of the Americanos and espresso lattes served every day are made with it. Being able to stay consistent under high-frequency output is itself a reflection of real strength. The core bean used in stores is [more…]

Customer: "Boss, I'd like a coffee with some nice latte art!" Front Street: Okay, would you like a latte, a flat white, or a cappuccino? Customer: "An americano!" Front Street: ... Latte art, to be precise, should be called "Latte Art," which translates to "latte art" (milk art). [more…]

From bean to cup, a coffee must still go through grinding and extraction. When choosing coffee beans suited for espresso extraction, your daily buying decisions should take into account how quickly you'll drink them, how much to buy at a time, and whether your household mainly makes black coffee or milk-based coffee. First confirm your usual equipment and preferred taste, then compare specific bean options—the actual process will be smoother that way. [more…]

“Why can't my latte produce a beautiful pattern? Why is it that when others casually wiggle the milk pitcher, they can make a heart or leaf with lines! But when I wiggle, it always just looks like a blob… Is there something wrong with my hands?” No! Maybe it's your pitcher-holding posture that's wrong~ What is the principle behind latte art? Why can wiggling produce a pattern? Espresso [more…]

American-style black coffee may seem like nothing more than coffee liquid plus water, but in practice it very easily reveals differences in bean style. The roast level affects the direction of the aroma, the sweet-to-sour ratio, the body, and the suitable strength. If you want something clean and bright, you can look to a light roast; if you prefer something round and easy to drink, a medium roast is easier to adapt to; and if you like cocoa, nuts, and a full [more…]

Low-caffeine pour-over coffee should start with how it actually tastes in the cup. When buying beans day to day, you need to consider how fast you'll drink them, how much to buy at once, and whether you mainly make black coffee or milk coffee at home. The roast level of the coffee beans determines the basic taste, the origin and processing method bring aroma differences, and the equipment you use will change the strength, so when choosing beans you need to take all of this [more…]

If you want acidity that doesn't overpower, a smooth entry, and a sweet finish, you can start by looking at the roast level when choosing beans. Roasting time changes the acidity, caramelized aromas, and body of coffee, and the same region can show completely different characteristics under light, medium, and dark roasts. For ordinary coffee consumers, start by roast [more…]