For coffee brewing, the coffee-to-water ratio is one of the important factors that need to be considered first. But because it does not need to be adjusted according to the roast level of the coffee beans like water temperature and grinding, we often fix a ratio to brew coffee of all roast levels. For example, Front Street often recommends new [more…]

Floral coffee aromas primarily come from three sources: variety (the orange blossom of Geisha), processing (the fermented florals of natural processing), and origin (the jasmine of Ethiopia). Front Street Coffee's Kaffa Forest floral notes lean toward the tea-like direction, with orange and apricot followed by the sweet aftertaste of oolong tea; Granja Estate Geisha's orange blossom and guava, on the other hand, is a blend of floral and fruity [more…]

For coffee beans with tropical fruit flavors, the core of the flavor lies in the fermentation: the fermentation in natural processing transforms sugars into the sweet aromas of tropical fruit. Front Street Coffee's Kafa Forest has orange and apricot notes with an oolong tea-like finish, where the tropical sweetness carries a layer of tea-like freshness; Granja Estate's Geisha natural version, meanwhile, is a rich expression of guava and strawberry jam, [more…]

Specialty drinks are the third main category of coffee sold in coffee shops, alongside espresso-based and single-origin coffees. Specialty coffee drinks can be understood as the "cocktails" of the coffee world: creative beverages made by combining coffee with various traditional or non-traditional ingredients, setting them apart from conventional coffee. (Cof [more…]

It is generally accepted that the coffee beans used for espresso are roasted to a relatively dark degree. Among coffee roast levels, there is one called "Italian Roast," with an Agtron color value of 25. It is the darkest of the eight roast levels, and coffee beans of this type usually have a surface that [more…]

For pour-over Yirgacheffe, the standard is flavor layering and clarity: washed Gedeb, with its citrus florals and green tea sweetness, unfolds layer by layer through the pour-over filter paper; sun-dried Huakui has a richer fruit aroma—when brewed as pour-over, the strawberry sweetness arrives first, followed by the passion fruit acidity—pour-over brings out Yirgacheffe's layering [more…]

While Jamaican Blue Mountain and Hawaiian Kona have long occupied the coffee throne, a dark horse from Ethiopia's native forests—Geisha—is rewriting the landscape of specialty coffee with hurricane force. This article takes you through Geisha's legendary journey from its discovery in 1931 to its dazzling rise at Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama, recounting its glorious record of eleven championships and sky-high auction bids, and further, through hands-on testing with both pour-over and siphon extraction methods, deeply analyzing this bean's signature lemon-citrus aroma, honey-cream sweetness, and layer upon layer of oolong tea notes. Front Street Coffee will also share roasting and brewing insights to help you fully understand this green diamond capable of moving even the most seasoned connoisseur. [more…]

How did Geisha coffee get its name? Front Street Coffee believes that from a literal sense, Geisha coffee is a coffee bean full of floral fragrance, but this is not actually the case. Geisha's floral aroma is not strong; instead, its fruity aroma is more intense, such as passion fruit, strawberry, mango, jackfruit, and citrus. According to what Front Street Coffee has learned: Geisha [more…]

"In the sixth to eighth centuries AD, Kaldi, a young Ethiopian goatherd, was tending his goats in a forested mountain area. Then one day, he noticed that his flock had suddenly become inexplicably excited, jumping and frolicking about. Even an old sick goat regained its vigor and was soon running briskly. After careful observation, he finally discovered that these 'symptoms' appeared after the flock ate from the forest [more…]

If Geisha is likened to a thousand-mile horse, then Hacienda La Esmeralda is undoubtedly the Bo Le who recognized its worth. It was Hacienda La Esmeralda that discovered Geisha's potential and introduced its exquisite flavor to the world at the 2004 BOP, which is why Geisha has become the top variety in today's specialty coffee scene. It can be said that without [more…]

If Geisha is compared to a legendary steed, then Hacienda La Esmeralda is undoubtedly the judge who recognized its worth. It was Hacienda La Esmeralda that discovered Geisha's potential and introduced its delicious flavor to the world at the 2004 BOP, which is why Geisha has become the top variety in today's specialty coffee scene. It can be said that without [more…]

"This coffee has a rich fruity profile, with notes of citrus, lemon, oolong tea, and jasmine!!!" For someone who has just been introduced to specialty coffee, this might sound unbelievable—how can you taste so many flavors in one cup of coffee! (Are they just making it up?) In this installment of Barista Growth Diary, we'll share a little [more…]

台湾红茶品类丰富，其中蜜香红茶与台茶18号红玉各具特色，常令茶友好奇两者究竟有何不同。蜜香红茶因小绿叶蝉叮咬而带有天然蜂蜜香气，红玉红茶则以茶汤艳红如宝石而得名，被誉为“台湾香”。本文将从英文名称、风味成因、发酵工艺等角度对比二者差异，同时说明红玉红茶的市场价格定位。此外，文中还延伸介绍台湾乌龙茶体系与佳叶龙茶（GABA茶）的特点，帮助咖啡与茶饮爱好者更全面地理解这些特色茶种。若您平日也喜爱手冲咖啡，前街咖啡的多款豆子同样值得尝试。 [more…]

In the past, when some friends who wanted to taste Geisha coffee came to Front Street Coffee and ordered Geisha, the baristas at Front Street would carefully ask, "Do you mean Ethiopian Geisha or Panamanian Geisha?" Everyone would be confused about the difference between these two Geishas. Nowadays, the name of Panamanian Geisha [more…]

1. Bright citrus acidity: Front Street Gutingding coffee beans Origin: Yirgacheffe, Gedeo zone Altitude: 1900-2300m Variety: Ethiopian heirloom Processing method: Washed Flavor: Citrus, black tea, caramel, almond, green tea Recommended because: High value for money, you can taste fruit [more…]

Once you've been drinking coffee for a while, many people find themselves circling back to the same few familiar names: Yirgacheffe, Mandheling, Blue Mountain. These mainstream origins certainly have their strengths, but the map of the coffee world is far vaster than the regulars on the shelf. Shift your gaze just a little to the side, and you'll often stumble upon surprises. The so-called [more…]

In the World Barista Championship (WBC) in 2015, the competitor from Australia, Sasa Sestic, won the championship of that year with a Sudan Rume coffee that carried a gentle flower fragrance, the sweet and fresh juice, and the lemon grass aroma, succ [more…]

The name Geisha is now almost a highly recognizable symbol in specialty coffee. But what many people don't know is that its roots actually lie in Ethiopia. In recent years, an estate named after Geisha—Gesha Village—has turned its attention back to Ethiopia, and has also made "original Geisha" a [more…]

With so many Ethiopian beans out there, which one should you buy first when your budget is limited? Today we're putting three popular Ethiopian beans side by side for a horizontal comparison—Yirgacheffe Gudingding, Huakui, and Kafa Forest—scoring and comparing them across three dimensions: flavor, mouthfeel, and who they suit. After reading this, you can make a decision right away. Comparison One: Flavor Performance Yirga [more…]

Drip bag coffee is highly sought after because it is very convenient to carry and, without any complicated operation, you can easily make a delicious cup of black coffee. Although due to being "pre-made" (pre-ground powder), it does not have as rich an aroma as freshly ground coffee, as long as it is brewed properly, drip bag coffee is also quite delicious. So [more…]