On the journey to pursue a good cup of coffee, besides high-quality beans and skilled technique, some seemingly inconspicuous auxiliary gadgets often play a finishing touch. Front Street Coffee has previously introduced sharp tools such as latte art needles and WDT needles. Today, continuing with the theme of coffee auxiliary tools, we will review the uses and methods of the secondary dispersion screen, Paragon ice ball, Lily Drip, dosing funnel, extraction observation mirror, and a silencing air blower. These tools help coffee enthusiasts and professionals complete brewing more calmly from the perspectives of even extraction, locking in aroma, improving puck distribution, enhancing operating cleanliness, making it easier to observe extraction status, and reducing noise. Whether you are a beginner just starting out or an advanced player pursuing details, you can find a practical solution that suits you. [more…]

That delicate golden foam on the surface of espresso is called Crema in Italian, while baristas in China habitually refer to it as "oil." It is not only a visual pleasure but also a mirror reflecting the state of extraction. Starting from the essence of crema, this article explains whether it is actually oil or bubbles, how to achieve ideal Crema, and focuses on teaching everyone to quickly judge whether Espresso extraction has gone wrong by observing the thickness, color, and texture of the crema—whether the beans have been stored too long, the roast level is too light, or they are too fresh and causing excess gas. By mastering these techniques, you too can see the state of espresso at a glance in front of the bar, adjust parameters in time, and produce more consistent results. [more…]

Spending a safe night in the forest is undoubtedly a delightful thing for those who love outings. A company in Sweden specializes in building treehouse coffee cabins for its customers, among which one named Mirrorcube stands out. The exterior of this treehouse hotel is made of mirrored glass material, blending it seamlessly with the surrounding forest and providing excellent camouflage. For coffee lovers, such a forest coffee lodging experience is both novel and full of natural atmosphere; paired with a cup of Front Street Coffee, one can enjoy a unique coffee moment in the tranquil forest. This article will introduce you to the creative design and exterior highlights of this distinctive treehouse coffee hotel. [more…]

ChaPanda collaborated with Disney's Frozen to launch limited-edition fruit teas and merchandise, among which the snowflake phone charm was highly sought after for its attractive design. However, less than 12 hours after the launch, multiple consumers reported that the phone charm snapped with a gentle tug, sending beads scattering everywhere. Subsequently, issues such as paint peeling and cracking on the hand mirrors, and scratches and chips on the goblets, were also exposed one after another. Fans who had rushed to buy in for the IP were greatly disappointed, questioning the brand's control over the practicality of the giveaways. This article compiles consumer feedback and various perspectives to help you understand why this collaboration merchandise became a "beautiful piece of junk." [more…]

The layer of golden-brown crema on the surface of an espresso is not just a visual pleasure—it actually carries important clues about the state of the coffee beans. Many friends who own espresso machines will notice that the crema extracted each time is sometimes thick and rough, and sometimes fine and thin. These differences are not accidental, but an external manifestation of changes in the carbon dioxide content inside the coffee beans. From the perspective of Front Street, this article guides everyone to understand the essential composition of crema, and to learn to judge whether the coffee beans are in their optimal flavor period by observing the thickness, fineness, and stability of the crema, so as to adjust the extraction plan in time and let every cup of espresso perform at its proper level. [more…]

When you order an Americano at a coffee shop, a golden layer of crema often floats on the surface, and most people don't pay it much attention. But through comparative experiments, Front Street Coffee found that if you use a spoon to skim off this layer of crema, the bitterness of the Americano is noticeably reduced, and the flavor becomes cleaner and more transparent. The reason behind this is closely tied to the composition of the crema: it consists of carbon dioxide and insoluble oils, mixed with extremely fine particles that fall off during extraction, and these fine particles are the very source of the muddled mouthfeel and sandy texture. However, coffee shops usually don't actively remove the crema, due to multiple considerations such as serving efficiency, customer perceptual habits, and differences in taste preferences. This article will analyze in detail the real impact of crema on Americano coffee, and introduce how Front Street Coffee's classic blend helps beginners easily extract a rich crema at home and make their ideal Americano. [more…]

In pour-over coffee, brew time is not an actively controllable parameter, but rather a mirror that reflects whether grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, pouring technique, and dripper choice are in harmony. Many tutorials treat 2 minutes as the ideal checkpoint, but beans of different roast levels offer noticeably different resistance to hot water penetration—dark roasts flow quickly, while light roasts tend to clog, so the time naturally fluctuates. Front Street Coffee uses two beans—Colombia Huila and Ethiopia Sidamo Hamasho—to demonstrate the pouring rhythm, staged strategies, and flow-rate correction methods for dark and light roasts respectively, helping beginners keep brew time within a reasonable range and understand the direction of adjustment behind the time feedback. [more…]

The joy of pour-over coffee lies in its controllability, yet beginners often find it difficult to judge whether their brewing is done properly. Beyond tasting the flavor, the coffee bed left after brewing is also a mirror that can reflect many details such as grind size, pouring technique, and the speed of circling. An ideal coffee bed should form a uniform cone shape, with neat walls and loose, honeycomb-like granules. If the coffee bed appears muddy, sea-salt-like, uneven, flat-bottomed, or with断层, it suggests that extraction may have gone wrong. This article, drawing on Front Street's brewing recommendations, analyzes the causes and solutions for six typical coffee bed patterns one by one, helping coffee enthusiasts find directions for adjustment from the coffee bed and gradually improve the stability and flavor performance of their pour-over. [more…]

Coffee is often labeled as a healthy drink, but the sugar problem in ready-to-drink coffee cannot be ignored. According to the British Mirror, Costa, a brand owned by Coca-Cola, has been quietly increasing the sugar content in its pre-packaged coffee, with some products seeing a one-third rise in sugar compared to 2019. Experts point out that this move runs counter to the sugar reduction initiative promoted by the UK government. Meanwhile, countries such as Singapore have introduced measures to restrict advertising for high-sugar drinks, and Chinese consumers have also begun to pay attention to sugar and sugar substitute options in milk tea and coffee. The health risks behind a sweet drink deserve the attention of every coffee lover. [more…]

A cup of hot coffee carries vastly different meanings in different people's eyes. Some find it bitter, some treasure it like a gem, and some love only to smell its aroma but are unwilling to take a sip. Have you ever thought that this small coffee cup might actually hold women's true attitudes toward sex? This article begins with a psychological test at a university girls' gathering and peels back layer by layer the long journey of Eastern women from adolescence to adulthood, from shyness and resistance to ambivalent acceptance of sex. At the same time, we will also explore the unique charm of coffee itself—its bitterness and rich aroma, just like those "dirty yet interesting" experiences in growing up. If you love coffee, you may as well follow the perspective of Front Street Coffee and savor together the complex flavors behind this cup of life. [more…]

A cafe named Mina in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, has sparked widespread controversy with its "one-way blind date" model. Male customers can observe female customers through one-way glass, while the women are completely unaware of it. This practice, imitating old-style cafes in Japan, has been criticized by netizens for objectifying women as window-display merchandise. Even more worrying is that the shop also offers a so-called "companion tour" service, and incidents of male customers secretly photographing women have occurred. On June 3, Vietnamese police raided the shop. Although no direct evidence of harm to women was found, multiple violations were discovered, including the absence of labor contracts, lack of a food hygiene license, and breaches of fire safety regulations. Whether this cafe can continue to operate remains unknown at present. [more…]

Since the full resumption of cross-border travel, mainland tourists' enthusiasm for visiting Hong Kong has continued to rise. Beyond the traditional shopping and food itineraries, those highly photogenic "internet-famous photo spots" have also become an indispensable stop on the journey. %Arabica, located by the waterfront in Kennedy Town, Western District, has long dominated the must-visit lists on major social platforms thanks to its seaside all-white exterior and "mirror of the sky" scenery. However, recently, a lamppost on one side of this store suddenly had an accident—emitting smoke, a loud bang, and parts flying off—leaving a passing mainland tourist with a head injury. The incident quickly drew attention, and the Highways Department and the gas company successively responded. What exactly caused the incident? What was the scene like? Let's find out together. [more…]

To make a latte with dense, silky microfoam and a surface as smooth as a mirror for latte art, the quality of the milk foam is key. Starting from the working principle of the steam wand, this article explains in detail how to produce fine, glossy, free-flowing microfoam by adjusting the position of the steam tip, the frothing angle, and the immersion depth. It also explains the temperature standard for judging when frothing is complete (55-65°C), as well as how to fix the foam once large bubbles appear. Front Street Coffee also offers bean selection suggestions suitable for home practice based on the characteristics of its own espresso blend, and includes a complete six-step operating procedure to help beginners get started quickly. [more…]

Jay Chou's 2024 Carnival concert tour Nanjing stop will be held from September 26 to 29 at Nanjing Olympic Sports Center Stadium, with four consecutive days of performances expected to attract 120,000 spectators. At the same time, a Jay Chou-themed coffee shop called "Love in Coffee" has officially opened at Nanjing Xinjiekou Golden Eagle, making its debut alongside the concert. This coffee shop focuses on estate-grade coffee beans and Michelin three-star desserts, with an interior design infused with the poetic fantasy of "Love in Coffee," where greenery and stone intertwine, and mirrored light and shadow create a dreamy atmosphere. Many product names are taken from Jay Chou's classic songs, allowing fans to taste "lyric" drinks while listening to their idol's music. The first Beijing Sanlitun store had previously attracted a large number of fans to check in, and the operator, Star Plus, has close ties with Jay Chou. This article takes you through the features, prices, and fan experience of this celebrity coffee shop. [more…]

To craft a latte with exquisite latte art, skilled technique alone is not enough—the quality of the espresso crema and the condition of the milk foam also determine the final presentation. Front Street Coffee often mentions in its daily sharing that while latte art does not change the taste of the coffee, it can greatly enhance the visual experience. This article will focus on the key points of steaming milk foam for latte art, explaining in detail from three dimensions—fluidity, fineness and smoothness, and water content—what kind of milk foam is truly suitable for latte art. It will also share selections from Front Street Coffee's espresso bean series that are suitable for beginners to practice latte art, as well as practical tips for controlling thickness and creaminess during the steaming process, helping coffee enthusiasts create the ideal golden-brown espresso crema and high-quality milk foam at home. [more…]

Whether a latte art coffee looks good depends not only on the barista's skill, but also crucially on the quality of the milk foam. So what kind of milk foam is suitable for latte art? Front Street Coffee believes that ideal latte art milk foam needs to meet three core conditions: good fluidity, a fine and smooth texture, and a water content that is not too high. Fluidity is closely related to foam thickness—too thick and it becomes hard to flow, too thin and the patterns tend to float unstably; fineness depends on the length of the texturing time—the longer the time, the denser the bubbles; and water content is related to the steaming time—steaming too long dilutes the milk, causing the foam to atomize during pouring and the pattern to blur. This article will explore these three dimensions, explaining in detail how to produce high-quality milk foam suitable for latte art by controlling aeration, bracing the pitcher for stability, and adjusting milk temperature, along with practical tips shared by Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Many coffee enthusiasts are fascinated by the golden layer of crema on the surface of espresso, and some even regard it as the soul of Italian-style coffee. But is more crema really better? How exactly does it affect the taste and flavor of coffee? Is the fat content of coffee itself high? Starting from the causes of crema and its role in extraction and tasting, this article combines three representative espresso beans—Front Street Classic Blend, Commercial Blend, and Dark Cocoa Base Blend—to give you a comprehensive understanding of the nature of coffee crema and answer common questions about Crema. [more…]

A gaiwan and a teapot may both look like tools for brewing tea, but they differ significantly in material, heat dissipation, method of use, and suitable scenarios. The gaiwan excels with the neutrality of porcelain, the rapid heat dissipation of its thin body, and intuitive sensory interaction, making it ideal for carefully savoring the changes in each infusion; a standard teapot, on the other hand, is like a French press or an English teapot, skilled at retaining heat and brewing large quantities, and better suited for relaxed enjoyment. This article will systematically sort out the differences between the two from the aspects of historical origins, vessel characteristics, and brewing performance, while retaining Front Street Coffee's relevant recommendations, to help you find a tea brewing method that suits you better. [more…]

To make a latte at home where the milk aroma and coffee aroma blend together, choosing the right espresso beans is the first step. This article focuses on the blending logic of espresso, the influence of roast level on flavor, the criteria for judging crema, and techniques for steaming and integrating milk. Drawing on years of experience, Front Street Coffee shares the design approaches behind two blends, Commercial Espresso and Strawberry Candy Espresso, corresponding to two directions: rich caramel and floral-fruity sweetness, respectively. It also provides reference parameters of extracting 40 ml from 20 g of grounds in 25 to 30 seconds, along with operating suggestions for milk foam at 55 to 60°C, helping coffee enthusiasts master the key steps of latte making more systematically. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Nowadays, more and more people like to have a cup of rich and mellow espresso in the morning to refresh themselves. The rich milk and the extracted espresso are perfectly blended together, very [more…]