Luckin Coffee recently collaborated with the popular internet IP "EverydayOneCat" to launch two limited-edition drinks: Probiotic Americano and Probiotic Iced Tea. The Probiotic Americano made a brief appearance as a Shanghai-exclusive in October last year, and is now available nationwide, sparking a buying frenzy among fans. However, consumers' focus is not on the flavor of the drinks, but on their laxative effect—the combination of probiotics, caffeine, and ice has been jokingly dubbed "Poop Water" by netizens. This time, Luckin includes 3 packs of collaborative pocket tissues with each order, which, compared to the 1-pack configuration of last year's Prune Americano, has sparked even more imaginative speculation among netizens. On social media, some report "immediate results," while others say they had no reaction at all, making individual differences the focal point of discussion. This article will outline the background of the new product launch, consumer testing feedback, and various viewpoints. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has recently quietly launched a probiotic Americano in the Shanghai area, combining plant-based probiotics with coffee, touting a refreshing and palate-cleansing experience. This region-exclusive iced drink has attracted attention as soon as it was discovered—some find the sweet-and-sour taste unique, while others feel the coffee aroma is lacking. Some netizens even noticed the dual effect of probiotics and caffeine in promoting intestinal motility, jokingly calling it a new-generation "smooth-movement wonder." The effects of the new product vary from person to person—some who tried it reported immediate results, while others said they felt nothing at all. Consumers in other regions are hoping for a nationwide rollout. [more…]

Lactic acid fermentation is widely used in the food industry, from kimchi to yogurt, it is indispensable. In the processing of green coffee beans, this technique is increasingly being adopted by more and more estates to create richer floral and fruity notes and a fuller body. This article guides you through the mechanism of lactic acid bacteria, their role in washed processing, and how controlled fermentation can achieve flavor breakthroughs. At the same time, the practical case of the Palm Tree and Toucan Estate in Colombia demonstrates the potential of lactic acid fermentation in specialty coffee. Front Street Coffee will also recommend related products worth trying. [more…]

Recently, a coffee shop in Fuzhou tried soaking green coffee beans in a lactic acid bacteria solution for post-processing, but unexpectedly, the beans sprouted. The owner decided to wash and dry this batch of sprouted beans and then roast them to test the flavor. After the incident was reported by the Straits Metropolis Daily, it quickly sparked discussions among netizens: Can sprouted coffee beans be consumed? Is there a risk of contamination by miscellaneous bacteria? Can sprouted green coffee beans grow into coffee trees? This article will sort out the sequence of events, invite professionals to answer various questions about the safety, flavor changes, and post-processing techniques of sprouted coffee beans, and provide a comprehensive understanding of this novel experiment in the coffee community. [more…]

Carbonic maceration processing, also known as the CM process, falls under the category of anaerobic processing. In 2015, Sasa won the World Barista Championship with this type of coffee bean, bringing this innovative technique into the public eye. The method was inspired by red wine making, achieving fermentation by injecting carbon dioxide into a sealed stainless steel tank. The CM process has two versions, natural and washed, differing in the material fermented inside the tank. This article provides a detailed analysis of its flavor characteristics, processing flow, and key control parameters, along with related product recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

2015 WBC Italian Champion Sasa Sestic returns to the competition stage after seven years. This time, he brings an experimental batch of Geisha from Iris Estate, a farm he created together with Jamison Savage, owner of Deborah Estate in Panama, to compete in the 2022 Australian Coffee Brewers Cup. This coffee professional, who has delved deeply into carbonic maceration for many years, chose to hold back in an era when anaerobic fermentation swept the competition scene, studying regional terroir and volatile compounds, and using his original Paragon brewing method and ice-stone aroma-locking technique to showcase the candy-like sweetness of an ultra-long macerated Green Tip Geisha. This article will provide a complete analysis of his brewing approach, staged pouring parameters, and flavor performance, with a recommendation from Front Street Coffee at the end. [more…]

Anaerobic natural, lactic fermentation, barrel-aged, yeast inoculation—the vocabulary of specialty coffee processing methods has exploded in recent years, and coffee menus increasingly read like a brewery's process manual. These experimental processing methods are not marketing coinages; each one corresponds to a genuine technological innovation. This article maps out the mainstream lineage and examines "flavor alchemy." [more…]

In recent years, red wine processing has attracted much attention in the specialty coffee world. Drawing on the fermentation control concepts used in winemaking, it intervenes in pH, temperature, humidity, and microbial conditions to give coffee beans a rich acidity and complex aroma reminiscent of red wine. This article will start with the flavor differences between lactic acid fermentation and acetic acid fermentation, outline the specific operational process of red wine processing, and combine it with the origin information of Front Street Colombia Red Wine Process—the eastern slopes of the Andes in Cundinamarca Department, a growing altitude of 1,800 to 2,000 meters, and the anaerobic fermentation practice of Remi Sultan in sealed metal containers—to provide coffee lovers with a complete set of flavor descriptions and grinding setting references. [more…]

While classic methods like washed, natural, and honey processing are already widely known, emerging techniques such as anaerobic, enzyme-assisted, and carbonic maceration are appearing one after another, opening up new possibilities for coffee flavor. These processing methods often give coffee beans a distinctive flavor profile, sparking curiosity about the principles and operations behind them. This article focuses on the key step of anaerobia, explaining how it builds upon traditional processing methods and, through the action of microorganisms in an oxygen-deprived environment, converts sugars into lactic acid, acetic acid, and aromatic compounds such as esters and aldehydes, thereby creating special experiences like yogurt-like acidity. The article also combines tasting impressions of the Front Street Coffee Deborah Estate Savage Series Anaerobic Natural Geisha to guide you from theory to practice in fully understanding the characteristics and processing flow of anaerobically fermented coffee beans. [more…]

Kopi Luwak is celebrated as one of the most expensive coffees in the world. It once sold for US$1,200 per kilogram in the American market, a cup was priced at £50 in London, and during the 2010 Shanghai World Expo it was even marked at a high price of 396 yuan per cup. Yet on Taobao, 100 grams of Kopi Luwak coffee beans sell for only around 200 yuan. This stark price gap leaves many coffee lovers puzzled. What is the real market price of Kopi Luwak? Are the products on Taobao trustworthy? This article will take an in-depth look at the price structure of Kopi Luwak—from the differences between wild and farmed civets, to the civet's unique digestive mechanism, to the price variations brought by different places of origin—to reveal the truth behind this cup of the "royalty of coffee." [more…]

Front Street Colombia Rose Valley has become a highly talked-about coffee on the bean list thanks to its signature flavors of peach, cranberry, liqueur chocolate, and rose florals. Where exactly does its intense aroma come from? Is it a flavored bean? This article traces the real causes of Rose Valley's flavor step by step, from the volcanic soil of the Santander growing region and the characteristics of the Caturra variety to the anaerobic enzyme washed processing method that rose to prominence after 2014, and includes Front Street Coffee's in-store V60 brewing parameters and three-pour extraction steps to help you recreate at home that cup combining berry-like acidity with caramel sweetness. [more…]

Fermentation is a core step in coffee processing that shapes flavor direction. It is driven by microorganisms such as yeasts and bacteria, which convert sugars and acids within the coffee cherry into acids and alcohols. Good, controlled fermentation can highlight a coffee's varietal characteristics, while uncontrolled fermentation may bring negative flavors reminiscent of spoilage and spoiled wine. Starting from the basic principles of fermentation, this article sorts out the differences between the two pathways—aerobic and anaerobic—and, around six major factors—coffee cherry quality, cleanliness, oxygen, microorganism and yeast types, time and temperature, and data recording—explains how to improve the consistency and repeatability of fermentation. It also emphasizes that coffee quality is largely fixed during the growth stage, and the role of fermentation is to extract and preserve excellent characteristics rather than to elevate quality out of thin air. The article also introduces Front Street Coffee's ongoing attention to knowledge related to fermentation and processing methods, for the reference of coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

Coffee processing methods have long ceased to be limited to natural, washed, honey, and wet-hulled techniques. In recent years, a method known as CM processing has gradually entered the public eye. CM stands for Carbonic Maceration, translated into Chinese as carbonic maceration processing, and it belongs to the anaerobic fermentation family. It allows coffee to present a richer layering of aromas while inhibiting the production of sharp acetic acid flavors. Since its introduction, this processing method has continued to evolve and has twice helped competitors reach the top of the World Coffee Championship, in 2015 and 2018. This article will systematically sort out the origins and development of CM processing from perspectives such as fermentation principles, microbial action, and fermentation differences among various processing methods, and explore its actual impact on coffee quality and flavor performance. [more…]

Following the case of Shuyi Burning Grass Jelly, the Shanghai Consumer Council on March 13 once again turned its attention to the internet-famous tea beverage brand More Yogurt, focusing on the ingredient composition of its "Mango Yogurt Smoothie." Testing by the Consumer Council found that the drink contained only a small amount of yogurt yet had unusually high fat content, and despite being labeled as having no added sugar, sucrose and maltose were still detected. The Consumer Council questioned the source of this excess fat and sugar and demanded that More Yogurt explain to consumers "what was added." The incident quickly sparked widespread discussion and trended on Weibo. This article sorts through the testing data and science popularization information released by the Consumer Council to present the full picture of the incident. For readers interested in coffee and beverage industry trends, Front Street Coffee also continues to follow such food safety topics and advocates transparent consumption. [more…]

Kopi Luwak is hailed as one of the most expensive coffees in the world, and its price is staggering: in the US market it reaches as high as US$1,200 per kilogram, a cup sells for £50 in London, and at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo it even sold for 396 RMB per cup. This coffee does indeed come from the feces of the civet, and after fermentation within the body it develops a unique flavor. This article will walk you through the reasons for Kopi Luwak's high price, the civet's unique habits, key points for brewing and tasting, and practical tips on which groups of people should not drink coffee. If you are interested in this legendary coffee, Front Street Coffee also has related products available to learn about. [more…]

From the same estate, the same variety, and the same harvested batch of coffee cherries, the flavor in the cup can be as different as two distinct beans—simply because of a different processing method. This is the magic of coffee processing. In the microscopic world, it uses microorganisms and time to perform the alchemy of flavor. The washed method is the oldest mainstream technique, and its logic is "to do [more…]

In recent years, the processing method descriptions on coffee bean labels have become increasingly long, with various special processing methods, primarily anaerobic, emerging one after another. When many consumers drink anaerobically processed coffee with unique flavors, they wonder whether flavorings were added during roasting. This article sorts out the differences between anaerobic natural and anaerobic washed, explains why special processing methods are mostly led by well-funded estates, and cites the views of world champion Sasa to clarify the essential differences between flavored coffee and the addition of enzymes or yeast fermentation. It also answers questions such as whether anaerobic coffee is equivalent to flavored beans and whether it harms health, helping coffee lovers understand more transparently where the flavors in their cup come from. [more…]

In recent years, the specialty coffee world has continuously introduced new post-harvest processing methods, and enzyme anaerobic processing is one that has attracted considerable attention. This article starts with two approaches—Colombian anaerobic processing and wine barrel processing—to explain in detail their process flows, fermentation temperature control, and differences in yeast strains, and further explores how knowledge of beer yeast inspires coffee fermentation. The article also covers actual cases of 90+ global online auction lots, as well as Front Street Coffee's observations on post-harvest processing trends, helping coffee enthusiasts understand how different fermentation methods shape the diversity of coffee flavors. [more…]

The red wine process is a method of processing green coffee beans that draws on winemaking concepts, and currently only a few estates in Colombia have successfully commercialized it. Depending on the fermentation environment, it can be divided into three types: acetic acid fermentation, lactic acid fermentation, and mixed fermentation, each presenting distinctly different flavor characteristics. At the same time, the washed method and the semi-washed method (honey process) remain the most mainstream processing methods in the specialty coffee field, and many of Front Street Coffee's representative beans use these techniques. This article will systematically sort out the classification and flavor performance of the red wine process, and compare the processing flows of washed and semi-washed methods, to help coffee enthusiasts more clearly understand the impact of processing methods on the flavors in the cup. [more…]

After coffee cherries are picked, they must go through a series of processing steps before they become the green beans we are familiar with, and different processing methods directly determine the direction of the flavor in the cup. Washed, natural, and honey processing are the three classic methods, and there are also diverse techniques such as semi-washed, semi-natural, and in-body fermentation. In recent years, anaerobic fermentation and flavor-enhanced processing have also sparked much discussion—how exactly do they differ from conventional processing? This time, Front Street Coffee will guide everyone through a systematic overview of the classification of coffee processing methods and their respective characteristics, from the swampy green appearance of semi-washed beans, to the pectin-derived sweetness of honey processing, and then to the clean, bright character of washed beans, breaking down one by one the process, flavor performance, and representative producing regions of each technique, helping coffee lovers build a clear cognitive framework. [more…]