Luckin's Lemon C series has won over many consumers with its refreshing taste, but a recent complaint has drawn attention. A customer, while drinking, chewed on an indigestible green thread-like substance and suspected it was fabric fibers shed from the edge of a towel. Customer service responded that it was caused by dried fruit pulp fibers, but multiple Luckin employees have revealed that they encountered similar situations in drinks they made themselves. Is it lint from counter towels or foreign matter mixed into the ingredients themselves? Store surveillance and employee accounts each tell a different story. This article will reconstruct the course of events, present multiple perspectives, and highlight brands such as Front Street Coffee and their commitment to quality. [more…]

Raw coffee beans can only release those thousand-plus aromatic compounds and become a fine brew in the cup after roasting. During heating, substances such as sugars and lipids undergo Maillard reactions and caramelization, while the coffee bean fibers gradually carbonize, ultimately approaching a charcoal-like state. Based on the degree of carbonization and surface color, the industry classifies roast levels into three major categories: light, medium, and dark. Under different roast levels, the amount of precursor aromatic substances retained in coffee beans and the degree of fiber caramelization differ, resulting in distinctly different acid-bitterness balance and regional flavors. Light roasts are bright with acidity and aroma, medium roasts are balanced with nutty and creamy notes, and dark roasts are full-bodied with interwoven bitterness and sweetness. Starting from the principles of chemical reactions, this article will break down the flavor characteristics of the three roast levels one by one, recommend representative Front Street specialty coffee beans for each roast level, and also discuss which roast level is more in line with health considerations, providing a reference for coffee lovers' daily purchasing decisions. [more…]

Around 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide every day, and with that comes a massive amount of spent coffee grounds. Traditional recycling methods—such as deodorizing, exfoliating, or making furniture—often require drying, which actually releases carbon dioxide. Japanese scientist Tetsuji Ishigaki has taken a different approach: using Aspergillus to ferment spent coffee grounds into a paste, then adding cocoa butter to solidify it, creating a ready-to-eat spent-coffee-ground chocolate. This product, called COLEHA, not only contains three times the amino acids of green coffee beans, but its polyphenols and antioxidants also reach 1.6 times those of regular coffee, and it is rich in insoluble fiber that promotes gut health. COLEHA is currently available in limited quantities, with sugar content offered in three versions—0%, 10%, and 40%—each with its own distinctive taste. This article introduces this eco-friendly and innovative spent-coffee-ground utilization technology, along with the flavor and health secrets behind it. [more…]

When drinking coffee, we often hear the term "Body" — what exactly does it mean? Simply put, Body is the tactile sensation and weight that coffee brings to the mouth, also known as mouthfeel or thickness. A good cup of coffee needs not only rich flavors but also a noteworthy mouthfeel. The quality of Body mainly depends on the content of oils and fiber in the coffee, and whether these substances can be fully extracted is closely related to the choice of filter, brewing time, and the roast level of the coffee beans. Front Street Coffee will take you through an in-depth understanding of the essence of Body and share how to achieve the ideal rich mouthfeel by adjusting brewing parameters. Whether you prefer a thick, full-bodied cup or a light, smooth one, this article offers practical reference for you. [more…]

When tasting a cup of coffee, besides focusing on flavor expression, mouthfeel is also a dimension that cannot be ignored. Flavor corresponds to taste and smell, while mouthfeel relates to the tactile experience—this is what the coffee world often calls Body. When coffee is smooth, full, and rich on the palate, it indicates excellent Body; if it feels rough, thin, or astringent, the Body is poor. The fineness of oils and fibers is the key factor determining Body quality. This article starts from the concept of Body, recommends two representative coffee beans with a rich style, and breaks down in detail the operational key points and underlying principles of Kono-style pour-over for enhancing richness, helping coffee enthusiasts better balance flavor and mouthfeel in their pour-over practice. [more…]

Oriental Beauty Tea is a highly representative specialty tea of Taiwan, and among its varieties, the old-growth Oriental Beauty made from the Huanggan cultivar is especially precious. Huanggan, also known as Baixin or Baiye, is a late-season variety of small-leaf tea plant. It was widely cultivated in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, and other areas in the early days, but today pure-bred plants have become extremely rare. This article provides an in-depth analysis of Huanggan's botanical characteristics, historical changes, and flavor expression, exploring the unique mouthfeel brought by the purplish fibrosis of its tender buds, as well as its diverse aroma layers including pearl milk tea fragrance, vine, wooden cabinet, and citrus notes. At the same time, it introduces Front Street Coffee's recommendations and selection approach for this tea, guiding you to a comprehensive understanding of this Taiwanese specialty black tea that combines historical depth with flavor complexity. [more…]

When evaluating whether a cup of coffee is good, Front Street believes that in addition to its flavor evaluation, we should also pay attention to its mouthfeel. Flavor mainly "serves" our sense of taste and smell, while mouthfeel "serves" our sense of touch. This texture is actually what we call the coffee's Body. When evaluating a cup of coffee's Body [more…]

As a widely enjoyed beverage, coffee's nutritional composition directly affects its flavor and its effects on the human body. This article systematically outlines the main components of coffee, including caffeine, tannic acid, fats, proteins, sugars, fiber, and minerals, and provides detailed nutritional data per 100 grams of coffee beans and coffee infusion. Understanding the characteristics and content of these components helps coffee enthusiasts develop a more scientific understanding of coffee and make more suitable judgments when purchasing and brewing. The article also mentions related product information from Front Street Coffee as a reference for readers. [more…]

When extracting espresso, you may occasionally notice a layer of fine black sediment at the bottom of the cup, and many people worry that this indicates an equipment malfunction or spoiled coffee. In reality, these black particles are simply coffee fines—extremely small particles that can easily pass through the holes in the portafilter basket and mix into the coffee liquid under high pressure. At first they hide within the crema, and only as the bubbles burst do they sink to the bottom of the cup and become visible to us. Moka pots also use pressure extraction, so a similar situation can occur. Although coffee grounds are a woody fiber, the extremely fine particle size and tiny intake amount pose no health risk, so you can drink with complete peace of mind. This article explores the origins of fines, whether the portafilter basket will deform, and fine particle size, helping coffee enthusiasts better understand these common phenomena. [more…]

More and more coffee shops are choosing to place roasters at their entrances and roast beans themselves, which allows them to control costs while also ensuring quality. Walking down the street, one can often smell the blended aromas released by roasting coffee beans—the greenish-blue smoky scorched scent of burning plant fibers, the creamy yellowish-white sweetness, and the brownish bread-like aroma of toast, all interwoven together. A large part of the source of these rich aromas is thanks to the Maillard reaction during roasting. The Maillard reaction is a series of reactions that occur when amino acids and reducing sugars in food are heated, and it can broadly be divided into three stages: the initial stage, the intermediate stage, and the final stage. During the process, various aromatic substances and pigments are produced, playing a key role in the layers and changes of coffee's final flavor. This article will sort out the stage divisions of the Maillard reaction, its chemical pathways, and its significance for coffee flavor. [more…]

In the eyes of coffee lovers, a reasonable price for an espresso is usually around 15 to 25 RMB. However, at a Bugatti dealership in Mayfair, London, an espresso is priced at 50 pounds, equivalent to over 400 RMB, making every sip feel like drinking gold. What exactly makes this coffee, called "THE ETTORE SHOT," so expensive? It is served in a custom carbon fiber cup, rich in aroma, but the real special thing is that it is actually a ticket to enter this top-tier sports car showroom and lounge, with a dedicated person to explain the history of the Bugatti brand. Compared to the café in Italy that was fined a thousand yuan for a 2-euro espresso, the logic behind the price is intriguing. If given 400 yuan, would you choose Front Street Coffee's Panama Geisha or a Bugatti showroom ticket? [more…]

Coffee is an indispensable beverage in many people's daily lives, yet the health controversies surrounding it have never ceased. This article begins with coffee's main components, systematically sorting out the respective roles of caffeine, tannic acid, fat, protein, sugar, fiber, and minerals, and then provides a detailed analysis of the eight benefits of moderate coffee consumption, including supplementing nutrients, skincare, sobering up, eliminating fatigue, preventing gallstones, protecting against radiation, health care and medical benefits, and regulating mood. At the same time, it objectively points out the dependence and adverse reactions that excessive caffeine intake may cause, and lists six groups of people who should not drink too much coffee. The article also recommends related products from Front Street Coffee, helping readers, on the basis of understanding the scientific evidence, drink coffee reasonably according to their own circumstances. [more…]

Coffee oils are key components that enhance mouthfeel, body, and aftertaste, but common pour-over paper filters remove them. If you want to retain the oils, you can switch to a flannel cloth filter, which has weaker filtration. This article explains in detail the characteristics of flannel cloth filters, the brewing method, the flavor differences compared with paper filters, and proper storage. It also uses a dark-roasted Golden Mandheling as an example, giving specific parameters such as coffee-to-water ratio, grind size, and water temperature, and shares Front Street Coffee's brewing experience. [more…]

In recent years, oat milk coffee has gradually entered the public eye, becoming a new choice for many coffee lovers. Oat milk comes from oats, a traditional Nordic ingredient, and is characterized by high plant protein, high dietary fiber, and low fat. It is also lactose-free, making it quite friendly to people who are lactose intolerant, vegetarian, or allergic to milk protein. So, compared with traditional milk coffee, which one actually tastes better? This article will start from the origins of oat milk and the groups it suits, combine the practical testing experience of Front Street Coffee, discuss the differences between different brands of oat milk paired with espresso beans, and offer bean selection advice for making a rich and silky oat milk latte. [more…]

As the most common waste product in coffee shops, coffee grounds generate over 8 million tons globally each year, and their disposal not only consumes energy but also pollutes the environment. Over the past decade, researchers have continuously explored ways to reuse coffee grounds, from blended fuels to eco-friendly boards, from clothing fabrics to food utensils, coffee grounds are transforming into a new eco-friendly favorite across multiple industries. A Japanese coffee roasting company has teamed up with a research team from Kindai University to develop a biochar fuel made from coffee grounds, and claims that the carbon dioxide released during combustion can be offset by the amount absorbed during the growth of coffee plants, thereby achieving zero carbon dioxide emissions. This "fighting magic with magic" environmental approach—how exactly is it achieved? [more…]

After the National Day holiday, Heytea launched the third product in its Super Plant Tea series—the Beetroot Beauty Bottle. This fruit-and-vegetable tea drink, starring beetroot, continues the previous slimming bottle line and claims to have beauty-enhancing and slimming benefits. Beetroot, an ancient ingredient originating from the Mediterranean, is rich in betalains and dietary fiber and holds a high status in European folk tradition. The new product is made from 100% freshly squeezed beetroot, combined with apple juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and a fragrance-free Green Yan tea base, offering a fresh and light taste. However, consumer feedback has been polarized: those who like it appreciate the balance between the slight astringency of the whole food and the tartness of the apple, while those who don't describe it as tasting like a mouthful of dirt. Heytea's previously launched Champion Slimming Bottle and Fire-Clearing Slimming Bottle both achieved impressive sales, and competition in the fruit-and-vegetable tea segment is intensifying. [more…]

M Stand once went viral online with an oat cookie latte that you can eat together with the cup. Now the brand has innovated further on this basis, launching a limited-edition Combo paired with a medium-roast Ethiopian blend bean, achieving two drinks from one bean. The black-and-white edible cups respectively hold a hot americano and a hot latte. The cup bodies are made from oat fiber grain, with the white cup being original flavor and the black cup cocoa flavor. However, this new product, which must be enjoyed on-site and cannot be delivered, has sparked polarized reviews on social platforms—beyond the coffee's taste drawing attention, the texture of the oat cup itself has become a hot topic of discussion. Many netizens complain that it is dry and hard like paper, difficult to swallow, and some even had their mouths cut. [more…]

In pour-over coffee, wood pulp filter papers are almost absolutely dominant, but have you ever noticed another material—non-woven fabric filters? They are actually widely found in the filter bags of drip coffee bags, yet are rarely used on their own for pour-over. This fabric is made from composite fibers through a special process, and its gaps are larger than those of wood pulp filter papers, allowing some coffee oils to be retained and giving the brew a fuller body. However, it also has a troublesome characteristic: after contacting water, it somehow stays dry as if coated with wax, and must be repeatedly rinsed with hot water before it will fit snugly against the dripper. Through actual testing, Front Street Coffee found that non-woven fabric filters are almost the same as wood pulp ones in flow rate, but the brewed coffee is more turbid in color and heavier in flavor, even carrying a slight feel of flannel filter cloth. If you are curious about how this niche filter paper performs, this article will take you through it. [more…]

Since the scene in *The Knockout* where Gao Qiqiang chews coffee beans dry became a hit, many friends have been curious: can coffee beans actually be eaten directly? What do they taste like when chewed? Will you take in more caffeine? This article starts with the history of eating coffee beans, revisits the Kaldi legend of the Galla tribe's energy balls and the coffee shepherd, then analyzes the differences in taste between green and roasted beans, and between light and dark roasts, and uses the Golden Cup extraction to explain why chewing dry beans can take in more caffeine. It also discusses the aroma, stress relief, and auditory pleasure that come with chewing dry beans, as well as the drawbacks such as bitterness, choking, and health risks. Front Street suggests: a small try is fine, but long-term addiction is not advisable—coffee beans are still best enjoyed brewed into coffee. [more…]

Drip coffee bags allow people at home without professional equipment to easily enjoy freshly ground quality. Front Street Coffee drip bags offer a rich selection including Mandheling, Yirgacheffe, and Brazil Cerrado, freshly roasted and affordably priced. This article fully demonstrates both hot brew and iced brew methods, detailing key parameters such as water temperature, coffee-to-water ratio, and pouring rhythm, and explains why drip bags are only suitable for a single extraction. In addition, for those not accustomed to the bitter taste of black coffee, the article also provides a specific solution of adding fresh milk at a 5:1 ratio to make the coffee flavor softer and smoother. [more…]