Wednesday, September 16 2026

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee | What Makes Blue Mountain Coffee So Good? What Is the Connection Between Blue Mountain Coffee and Japan? What Flavors Does Washed Blue Mountain Coffee Showcase When Brewed as Pour-Over?

Because Front Street is one of the few coffee shops that sells Blue Mountain coffee offline, quite a few coffee lovers make a point of coming to visit and check in, hoping to savor the taste of Blue Mountain coffee—once the "top star" of the coffee world. Yes, it's Blue Mountain's fame they've come for... and interestingly, when these coffee-loving friends actually taste [more…]

Americano | Why does the Americano taste noticeably different at different coffee shops? What characteristics should a delicious cup of Americano have?

Starting a refined day for the working crowd often takes just a cup of freshly ground coffee, and an Americano is the top choice for countless office workers. No matter what factors are at play, the Americano is always the "pillar" of any coffee shop, so its taste often directly shapes people's first impression of the place—sometimes even prompting the thought, "They can't even make a decent [more…]

A Comprehensive Analysis of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Grading and Variety Flavor Characteristics

As one of the world's recognized top-tier coffees, Blue Mountain coffee has always attracted much attention for its grading, varietal characteristics, and flavor performance. This article will begin with the growing environment of Blue Mountain coffee and provide a detailed overview of the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee grading system—including the specific standards for Blue Mountain No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and peaberry—and compare the differences between High Mountain coffee and Jamaican coffee. At the same time, it will take a deeper look at what makes the Blue Mountain Typica variety unique, the differences between washed and natural processing methods, and Front Street Coffee's brewing parameters and flavor description, helping readers fully understand what exactly makes genuine Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee so good. [more…]

How to Pull a Good Espresso Shot at Home: The Key Lies in Bean Selection

Many people buy a home espresso machine with one first goal in mind: pulling a thick, creamy crema like the one in coffee shops. But after endlessly tweaking grind size, dose, and water temperature, the crema is still thin. The problem usually isn't the machine — it's the beans. Crema is the layer of foam formed when carbon dioxide and fats emulsify during espresso extraction. [more…]

An Introduction to Green Coffee Bean Grades | A Comparison of Coffee Bean Characteristics, Flavor, and Taste Across National Green Coffee Bean Grading Systems: G1, G2, AA, PB, SHB

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Many friends, while drinking coffee at Front Street, ask our baristas, "What is Yirgacheffe G1 and Yirgacheffe G2?" "What is Kenya AA, AB?" What is Guate... [more…]

Espresso Bean Varieties | What Beans Should You Use for Espresso Extraction? High-Value Espresso Blend Coffee Bean Recommendations for Beginners

What coffee beans are suitable for an espresso machine? Espresso is just one of many coffee extraction methods. No matter what kind of coffee is used, as long as it is made with an espresso machine, it can be called espresso. As long as it tastes good, whether it is single-origin coffee or a blend, it [more…]

Espresso Preparation | Do Americano and Latte Require Different Parameters for Extracting Espresso? How Can Coffee Beginners Determine Espresso Extraction Parameters?

For friends who enjoy espresso, the purpose of adjusting parameters after startup is often not for the espresso itself, but to see whether the fancy coffee drinks made with it as a base actually taste good—for example, whether the Americano with added water is fragrant enough and whether it will be bitter, whether the latte paired with milk is strong enough, whether it is mellow, and so on. Therefore, espresso [more…]

Beginner's Everyday Beans | Which Coffee Beans Are Good for Pour-Over Without Being Sour? Recommended Dark Roast Single-Origin Pour-Over Beans That Are Neither Bitter Nor Astringent, with a Long-Lasting Sweet Finish

"A sweet aftertaste that promotes salivation, with bitterness giving way to sweetness" is the highest praise people give to a good cup of tea, and in coffee tasting, people also often use the term "sweet aftertaste," usually referring to coffee having a pleasing mouthfeel. So what exactly kind of taste experience is it when you perceive a sweet aftertaste in coffee? And how does it differ from the sweetness of coffee? [more…]

2026 Arabica Coffee Bestseller Roundup | How should beginners choose coffee beans? Which single-origin beans are rich in fruity aroma, and which pour-over beans are mellow with no acidity?

Whether coffee tastes good or not, professional baristas can use a scoring sheet to judge, but for us ordinary consumers, how good coffee tastes depends more on trying it ourselves. Unfortunately, there are so many types of coffee beans on the market that any keyword can pop up thousands of products, so it is easy to get dazzled. If you don't want to spend [more…]

Coffee Tasting | Is coffee flavor pseudoscience? How do you describe the taste and mouthfeel of a good single-origin coffee? From what aspects should you taste pour-over coffee?

Many customers have told Front Street Coffee that they actually can't taste the flavors in coffee, and even after watching many coffee tasting tutorials, they only "understand it while watching, but don't know where to start when it comes to actually doing it." If this sounds like you, you might want to take a look at some of Front Street Coffee's insights on coffee tasting. Tasting coffee ≠ describing flavors. Many [more…]

Pour-Over Coffee Tasting | Does Coffee Taste Differ with Different Cup Shapes? Which Cup Shape of Coffee Tasting Cup Should Be Paired for Tasting Different Coffees?

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…]

The Characteristics of Black Coffee | Is Coffee with Water Black Coffee? Are Pour-Over, Americano, and Espresso All Black Coffee? Is Drinking Americano Good or Bad for Your Health?

Black coffee is simply coffee with no sugar, milk, or other additives. The Americano, pour-over coffee, and black coffee made from freeze-dried powder that we commonly see are all types of black coffee. Today Front Street Coffee will talk about the most popular type of black coffee: the Americano. Where does the Americano come from? The ingredients for an Americano are very simple, [more…]

Is SOE good for lattes? Choose the right beans by roast level

Using SOE to make a latte can certainly be delicious—the key lies in whether the bean's roast level can hold up to the milk. SOE refers to espresso from a single origin or single batch, and its flavor often has more character than common blends. When made into a milk coffee, it may show different directions such as fruity, floral, nutty, or cocoa notes, and cannot be judged only by [more…]

The Correct Way to Extract Espresso | Who Is Italian Coffee Suitable For? What Are the Precautions for Making Espresso?

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat official account: FrontStreet Coffee. As some high-performance espresso machines have become more compact, their home-oriented positioning has become increasingly obvious, and many friends have also fallen into the espresso rabbit hole. So FrontStreet is here to share how to make espresso at home. [more…]

How to Extract Good Crema from a Home Espresso Machine? The Key Lies in Bean Selection

Many people buy a home espresso machine with one first goal in mind: pulling a thick, velvety crema like the one you see in coffee shops. But after endless fiddling with grind size, dose, and water temperature, the crema still comes out thin—and the problem usually isn't the machine, it's the beans. Crema is the layer of foam formed when carbon dioxide and fats emulsify during espresso extraction. [more…]

Espresso Crema | Why does espresso have a layer of crema? Can the crema tell you if an espresso is good or bad?

You often hear people say, "To judge whether an espresso tastes good, just look at the crema. The best espresso has a crema that is fine, thick, and golden." But can you really judge whether an espresso tastes good by the state of its crema? To find out whether this method works, Front Street only needs to give everyone two questions. [more…]

Origins of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Beans | Origin Flavor Characteristics and Recommendations of Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee Beans, and the Grading of Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee). Recently, a discussion online sparked a round of debate among veteran coffee enthusiasts. In a video, a barista said: "When you go to a coffee shop, don't ask if they have Blue Mountain coffee anymore—doing so will expose that you don't understand coffee." [more…]

Pour-over Coffee Brewing Techniques | How Important Is Blooming to Pour-over Coffee? How Much Water and How Long for Coffee Blooming? How to Judge the Blooming Process?

Blooming is an important step in brewing coffee, and there's a popular saying that "you can tell if a coffee will taste good just by looking at its bloom." So when people learn to brew coffee, they intentionally or unintentionally "perfect" a flawless "coffee burger." But if you understand the logic behind blooming, you'll discover that blooming is actually [more…]

Drip Bag Coffee | What Are the Ideal Water Temperature, Water Amount, and Brewing Time for Brewing Drip Bag Coffee? How Can You Brew Drip Bag Coffee to Taste as Good as Hand-Brewed Coffee?

If we don't want to go through overly complicated coffee-making steps but still want to enjoy the taste of freshly brewed coffee, then drip bag coffee is definitely the most suitable choice. Making drip bag coffee is very simple—no need to grind beans, no need for professional brewing equipment. All we need is a cup and any pouring kettle, and we can [more…]