Indonesia recently erupted in large-scale worker demonstrations, with thousands of workers gathering in Jakarta to demand that the new government raise the minimum wage and abolish the Job Creation Law. The protests are expected to spread to 38 provinces and last until October 31. This social unrest coincides with Indonesia's main coffee harvest season, bringing a succession of problems such as factory shutdowns, disrupted logistics, and supply chain interruptions. Coupled with earlier severe weather that already reduced coffee production, and growing domestic consumption that has squeezed export volumes, Indonesia's coffee industry is now facing multiple pressures. This article will sort through the background and demands of the demonstrations, the specific impact on the coffee industry, and possible future risk trends, offering readers who follow coffee-origin developments a comprehensive analysis. [more…]

On July 25, the Kenyan Parliament unanimously voted to delete all 65 clauses of the 2024 Finance Bill, yet failed to quell the escalating wave of public protests. From the clashes triggered by tax increases in June to the dissolution of the cabinet and the opposition party's entry into government, which sparked even greater discontent, the demonstrations have spread to Nairobi, Mombasa, and other places, affecting the tourism and coffee industries. As an important coffee-producing country in Africa, Kenya has seen coffee processing plants shut down and exports blocked, casting a grim outlook on the industry's development. Front Street Coffee continues to monitor developments in the producing areas and brings you in-depth analysis. [more…]

In recent years, Indonesia's coffee industry has faced severe challenges under the dual pressures of climate change and farm pests and diseases. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service predicts that Indonesia's coffee exports will decline by 32% year-on-year in 2023/24. Previously, excessive rainfall disrupted coffee fruit development, leading to a sharp reduction in yield; now, high temperatures and drought are accelerating the spread of pests and diseases, restricting tree growth and further causing coffee supply shortages. Faced with this situation, the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI) continues to seek solutions through agricultural research, including the introduction of the disease-resistant and high-yielding Komasti Arabica variety. In 2022, ICCRI partnered with the World Coffee Research Institute to establish a demonstration plot in West Java to showcase the variety's performance to local farmers. Front Street Coffee is paying attention to this important development in Indonesia's coffee industry, and this article will review the research and development background, current promotion status, and future potential of the Komasti variety. [more…]

After Kenyan President Ruto withdrew the Finance Bill 2024, the wave of public protests did not subside, and demonstrations broke out again in many places on July 16. This social unrest triggered by tax increases has already had a substantial impact on Kenya's coffee industry: shrinking cultivation area, shutdowns at processing plants, and export delays, leaving the industry's prospects full of uncertainty. This article reviews the sequence of events and examines the chain effects of political instability on coffee production and trade. [more…]

Many people don't know where to start after getting black tea. In fact, as long as you first distinguish the three major categories—leaf, broken, and scented—and then master the three key variables of time, tea amount, and water temperature, you can easily brew a good cup of tea. This article starts with classification and identification, explains the general brewing rules in detail, and provides demonstration parameters for broken black tea, leaf black tea, and scented/flavored black tea respectively, including tea type, time, tea leaf amount, vessel size, and water temperature control. Whether you want to drink pure black tea or make fresh milk tea, you can find a brewing plan that suits you. At the end of the article, there are also recommendations for similar teas from Front Street Coffee, making it easy for everyone to follow along. [more…]

In the daily preparation of espresso, many seemingly insignificant operational details often determine the success or failure of the final flavor. This article systematically outlines four easily overlooked extraction pitfalls: not flushing water to cool down before attaching the portafilter, not knocking out the puck promptly after extraction, forgetting to clean the dispersion screen, and leaving the portafilter locked in the group head for extended periods. These habits not only affect the taste of the coffee but may also shorten the lifespan of the equipment. Drawing on Front Street Coffee's practical recommendations, the article provides corresponding correct practices and standard demonstrations to help coffee enthusiasts develop proper operating procedures and improve the consistency and quality of every cup of espresso. [more…]

In the Golden Cup extraction theory, extraction yield and concentration are the two core metrics for assessing the flavor state of coffee. However, coffee that falls within the ideal range is not necessarily delicious, and coffee outside the range is not necessarily undrinkable—the key lies in how to use these two values to help adjust the brewing plan. From the perspective of Front Street, this article first clarifies the basic definitions and ideal ranges of extraction yield and concentration, then explains in detail how to use two sets of concentration measuring tools, and finally uses the Santa Vini anaerobic natural beans as an example to fully demonstrate the entire process from weighing the liquid weight to plugging it into the formula to calculate the extraction yield. [more…]

The French press is easy to operate and affordable, making it the top choice for many coffee novices entering the world of specialty coffee. However, behind the seemingly simple immersion extraction, there are actually many subtleties hidden, such as grind size, water temperature, and coffee-to-water ratio. This article will trace the historical origins of the French press, clarify its extraction principles, and provide a detailed analysis of the key points for brewing clean, rich coffee with a French press. At the same time, Front Street Coffee will use an Ethiopian Hualei natural-process bean as an example to demonstrate the entire process from parameter setting to pouring and pressing, helping you easily master the correct way to use a French press. [more…]

For users of semi-automatic espresso machines, the portafilter is an indispensable accessory in daily operation. Portafilters on the market broadly fall into two types: the bottomed portafilter, which is closed at the bottom and fitted with spouts, and the bottomless portafilter, which is completely open and allows direct observation of the bottom of the filter basket. Front Street Coffee's stores currently use the latter. The two types have their own strengths and weaknesses in extraction performance. This article will start from the structural differences, sort out in detail the respective advantages and disadvantages of bottomed and bottomless portafilters, and, using Front Street Coffee's classic blend coffee beans, give a complete demonstration of the operating procedure and parameter settings for extracting espresso with a bottomless portafilter, helping coffee enthusiasts more intuitively understand the practical value of the bottomless portafilter in observing flow rate, judging channeling, and adjusting extraction plans. [more…]

Starbucks recently implemented a $1 billion restructuring plan, closing hundreds of underperforming company-operated stores in North America, which triggered a wave of mass layoffs. In front of the global headquarters in Seattle's SoDo district, baristas and union members gathered to protest, holding up signs to express strong dissatisfaction with the company's decisions. Laid-off employees said they only learned of their job losses through prerecorded phone calls and social media, without being offered any opportunity to transfer. Union data shows that 59 unionized stores across the United States were permanently closed in this round of adjustments, with 369 people in Washington State facing permanent layoffs. Meanwhile, New York City regulators also pointed out that Starbucks is suspected of violating labor laws. This labor conflict is continuing to escalate, and the union stated that if their demands are not addressed, they do not rule out expanding actions or even going on strike. [more…]

The 4:6 brewing method was created by粕谷哲, the 2016 World Brewers Cup champion, and its core idea is to let everyone brew good coffee easily. This method splits the total water volume into five pours: the first 40% determines the flavor direction, and the latter 60% shapes the mouthfeel and strength. By adjusting the water volume of each pour, you can change the coffee's sweet-acid balance and body. In this article, Front Street will break down the pour proportions of the 4:6 method in detail, explain the principles behind extraction yield changes, and provide complete brewing parameters. At the same time, we will use Front Street Ethiopia Hachira beans for a hands-on demonstration to help coffee lovers deeply understand the essence of extraction and easily brew a delicious pour-over coffee. [more…]

With its unique appearance resembling chemical apparatus, the siphon pot carries a retro and mysterious style among many coffee brewing devices. For coffee professionals, the focus always remains on its operation method and the final flavor performance. This article will start with the structure and extraction principle of the siphon pot, explain in detail the choice of heat source and filter material, then use 18 grams of powder, a 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio, and 88°C water temperature as parameters to demonstrate the complete brewing process of siphon coffee step by step, and attach coffee bean recommendations suitable for siphon pots, including several classic single-origin coffees on the Front Street Coffee bean list, helping coffee lovers stably produce a cup of siphon coffee with rich aroma and mellow taste at home. [more…]

The Golden Cup extraction system is a quality reference framework widely recognized in the global coffee industry, and its core lies in controlling the concentration and extraction yield of the coffee liquid within a specific range. Compiled by FrontStreet Coffee, this article systematically reviews the origins of the Golden Cup standard and the differences in national standards, explains in detail the formulas for extraction yield and concentration, and uses a VST refractometer and a brewing example with Ethiopia Huakui 4.0 to demonstrate how to measure concentration and calculate extraction yield. At the same time, the article also discusses the influence of the pour-over coffee grounds-to-water ratio on flavor, gives a recommended ratio of 1:15 suitable for most bean varieties, and helps coffee enthusiasts build a quantifiable approach to brewing adjustments. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee). Drip bag coffee requires no complicated tools, nor does it demand particular pouring techniques, timing, or ratios. There's no need for the rigorous control that pour-over demands—just ensure sufficiently boiling hot water and a suitable ratio. Convenience is the appeal of drip bag coffee. [more…]

The recent weather is so hot it feels like it could melt you in minutes. In this kind of weather, anyone still willing to happily meet up at a café is definitely a friend for life! But even in such hot weather, you can't just give up coffee, right? So, if you don't want to go out, can't afford a cold drip tower, and can't wait several hours for cold [more…]

In recent years, SOE coffee has gradually become a popular option on café menus. SOE refers to espresso made from single-origin beans. This article will help you clarify the essential differences between SOE and blend beans: blends emphasize the complementary balance of multiple beans and a rich crema, making them very beginner-friendly; SOE amplifies the personality of beans from a single origin, with more pronounced floral notes and fruity acidity, and is also more difficult to extract. The article will also compare the pros and cons of the two, recommend several Front Street SOE beans worth trying, and, using Mozart SOE as an example, fully share espresso extraction parameters and operating steps, teaching you to make an SOE espresso that can be drunk straight as well as transformed into an Americano or latte. [more…]

The AeroPress looks strikingly like an oversized syringe; at first glance, it is hard to imagine that it is actually a professional coffee brewing tool, and even more surprising is that a dedicated competitive event has developed around it. What exactly makes this device so unique? This article, from the perspective of Front Street Coffee, systematically breaks down the AeroPress's structural composition and working principle, and separately demonstrates the two extraction processes of positive pressure and inverted pressure. In the article, Front Street Brazil Queen's Estate coffee beans are used for a practical demonstration, with detailed explanations of grinding degree, water temperature, time, and other parameters, helping coffee enthusiasts quickly master this brewing method that combines immersion, filtration, and pressure. [more…]

Large-scale protests erupted in multiple parts of Indonesia against the amendment to the Regional Election Law, and the situation in front of the Indonesian parliament building in Jakarta briefly spiraled out of control, with more than 300 people arrested. This political turmoil comes just as Indonesia's coffee industry faces severe challenges—exports from the Sumatra production region plunged by more than 50% year on year, and compounded by high global robusta prices and the Red Sea crisis, Indonesia's coffee market remains sluggish. The protests have affected union participation and obstructed logistics, and industry insiders are generally pessimistic about the outlook for the coffee industry. This article will sort out the ins and outs of the incident and its deep impact on the coffee industry. [more…]

To easily make a cup of rich, full-bodied coffee at home, the French press is an essential entry-level tool. By fully immersing the coffee and separating it with a metal filter, it retains almost all the extractable flavor compounds, resulting in a fuller mouthfeel than paper-filter pour-over. This article first systematically outlines the principles and characteristics of six common brewing devices: the drip brewer, American electric coffee maker, French press, siphon, moka pot, and espresso machine. Then, using a light-to-medium roasted Yirgacheffe from a high-altitude Ethiopian region as an example, it provides specific French press parameters for Front Street Coffee beans, along with water-pouring and stirring techniques, and describes the floral notes, citrus acidity, creamy sucrose sweetness, and black tea finish presented in the final cup. [more…]

Blue Mountain coffee, produced in Jamaica's legally designated region, has long been regarded as a treasure among coffees. Some readers have asked whether Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans can be used to make moka pot coffee. The answer is yes, but only on the condition that you choose an authentic bag of Blue Mountain. This article will systematically sort out the purchasing and identification of Blue Mountain coffee, the CIB certification system, the grading standards, and the quota history, and will demonstrate brewing Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 using two methods: pour-over and moka pot. Finally, it will present the complete process of making a moka pot Blue Mountain Americano and a Blue Mountain Latte, helping coffee lovers enjoy authentic Blue Mountain flavor at home. [more…]