There are many coffee extraction methods, and each one produces coffee with the character of that method. Therefore, an objective method with as little human intervention as possible is also needed to evaluate coffee's flavor or quality, and that method is cupping. Cupping is an immersion-style extraction, with no manual technique intervening during the process to extract [more…]

Because American soldiers during World War II were not used to the extremely strong small cups of coffee local to Europe, they asked the shops to add hot water to dilute it, imitating the taste and flavor of American drip coffee. And because this cup of coffee was widely popular among American soldiers, it was named Americano "America [more…]

From bean to cup, a coffee must still go through grinding and extraction. When it comes to the crema performance of a Bialetti moka pot, your everyday bean buying needs to take into account how fast you drink it, how much to buy at a time, and whether your home mainly makes black coffee or milk coffee. First confirm the equipment you commonly use and the taste you like, then compare specific bean options; the actual process will be [more…]

When it comes to espresso beans with a relatively rich crema, we should start with the actual taste in the cup. When buying beans for daily use, you need to consider how quickly you'll drink them, how much to buy at a time, 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 concentration. Therefore, when choosing beans [more…]

Arabica is not a single, monotonous variety; it has many sub-varieties, and each one performs differently in espresso extraction. Understanding the flavor characteristics of different Arabica varieties in espresso gives you a deeper basis for judging SOE bean selection. Typica is an old-school Arabica variety with a clean, pure flavor, [more…]

As in various other industries, there are quite a few professional terms in coffee as well. We can understand so-called professional terms as a condensed expression of complex concepts. They can not only improve the efficiency of our communication, but also increase the precision of communication and reduce the chance of communication barriers arising. However, because most [more…]

Cost-effective and great-tasting coffee beans are best approached by gradually building your judgment through tasting experience. When buying beans for everyday use, you need to consider how quickly you'll drink them, how much to buy at once, and whether you'll mainly make black coffee or milk coffee at home. The flavor words on the packaging can offer clues, but they can't replace the actual drinking experience—whether the acidity is gentle, whether the sweetness lingers, and whether the [more…]

The moka pot isn't only for blend beans—using single-origin estate beans for moka pot extraction lets you experience another side of regional flavors in espresso form. Flavors that are soft and bright in pour-over become more concentrated and thicker under the moka pot's pressure extraction, making them even more recognizable. Central and South American estate beans perform smoothly in the moka pot [more…]

The pour-over performance of SOE coffee beans isn't something you can master just by memorizing a few names. When buying beans day to day, you need to consider how quickly you'll drink them, how much to buy at once, and whether your household mainly drinks black coffee or milk coffee. What's truly worth referencing is the sweet-to-sour ratio on the palate, the body's thickness or thinness, and the lingering finish as the coffee cools—then, combined with your brewing habits, make your choice. [more…]

Espresso is dominated by blends, but every coffee-producing region leaves its own distinctive stylistic stamp on espresso. Understanding the flavor characteristics different regions bring to espresso lets you, whether choosing a single-origin espresso or a blend, find the beans that suit your taste with greater direction. Brazil holds a pivotal place in the world of espresso. [more…]

Arabica is a large family with many varieties under its umbrella—Typica, SL28, Geisha, Caturra, and others, each with its own temperament. When making espresso, variety differences are directly reflected in the cup. Understanding how a few representative varieties perform in espresso gives you one more dimension when choosing beans. Typica is one of the ancient [more…]

The drinking scenario is the first question to settle when choosing beans: is this day going to start with black coffee, or will it be enjoyed with milk? Will it be slowly brewed by pour-over, or does the machine need to deliver it right away? When the scenario changes, the suitable roast level, flavor intensity, and brewing method change along with it. Espresso is all about the dynamic balance among dose, grind size, liquid weight, and time. The firm [more…]

Three fates of the same bean: in pour-over it reveals aroma and clarity, on an espresso machine it competes on strength and sweetness, and in a moka pot it negotiates pressure, heat, and the coffee bed. Since the differences in performance are so obvious, you cannot choose beans without considering the brewing device, and the parameters must also be adjusted according to the roast level. The taste of a cup of pour-over comes from the origin, the [more…]

From pour-over to espresso machine to moka pot, the same coffee beans perform differently—aroma and clarity are pour-over's strengths, intensity and sweetness are amplified by the espresso machine, while pressure, heat, and the coffee bed are the moka pot's challenges. Don't choose beans in isolation from your equipment, and adjust parameters according to the roast level. The moka pot's structure determines its extraction method [more…]

The choice of origin for cold brew coffee determines whether the cup leans toward fresh fruit juice or rich cocoa. The long-steep cold water extraction method makes origin flavors express themselves differently than in hot brewing, and some origins perform better in cold brew. For fruity cold brew, Ethiopian origins are a good choice. Huakui natural beans made as cold brew, hot [more…]

The emergence of coffee machines has made people's lives more convenient. Through word of mouth and mutual recommendations, coffee machines can now be found in homes, offices, and commercial settings, and their functions, styles, and brewing methods have continuously been improved and evolved. From the birth of the world's first coffee machine in 1818, to [more…]

SOE usually refers to espresso made from coffee beans of a single origin or a single batch. It doesn't belong to just one type of drink; what truly affects its performance is whether the beans are roasted light or dark: the lighter the roast, the more readily the aromas unfold toward floral, fruity notes and bright acidity; as the roast deepens, sweetness, body, and cocoa notes gradually take over. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). The biggest characteristic of espresso is—it's strong! Most espresso has a concentration ranging from 7% to 12%, meaning its water content is 88%-93%. Drip [more…]

Do you know what the differences are between Latte, Cappuccino, and Mocha? Standing in front of the café's ordering counter, have you ever had this question but not dared to ask it out loud, so you just ordered one at random, or always ordered the same [more…]

As the saying goes, a good horse deserves a good saddle, and good tea belongs in a fine jar. As the main vessel for holding coffee, the impact of different cup designs on tasting has gradually drawn people's attention. Some coffee shops even spend lavishly on a set of coffee cups dedicated to serving, in order to create a dual experience for the eyes and the palate. Just like wine, cups [more…]