Osmanthus Fragrance Dancong is a category of oolong tea with particularly outstanding aroma. The finished tea has a golden and bright liquor color, with a rich floral fragrance and good durability for multiple infusions. To truly bring out its flavor, the brewing method of Chaoshan Gongfu Tea is worth understanding in depth. This article begins with the difference between Gongfu Tea and the Way of Tea, then sorts out the core utensils and key operating points of Chaoshan Gongfu Tea, including the pairing of a small clay stove, a Yixing pot or thin porcelain gaiwan, a tea boat, and small thin porcelain cups, as well as key details such as rapid pouring and brewing with living water. At the same time, drawing on Front Street Coffee's brewing experience, it helps readers understand how to use 6 to 8 grams of tea leaves and a small vessel of no more than 90 milliliters to complete a flash brew within 3 to 5 seconds, thereby obtaining a tea liquor with high aroma and a full-bodied mouthfeel. Whether you are a beginner who has just come into contact with Gongfu Tea or an enthusiast hoping to refine your technique, you can find practical ideas for reference here. [more…]

Chaoshan Gongfu Tea is a shining pearl in Chinese tea culture, originating from Chaozhou, Guangdong, and still preserving an ancient and pure brewing tradition to this day. Unlike the modern Gongfu tea popular today, Chaoshan Gongfu Tea emphasizes a high tea-to-water ratio and quick pours, brewing only three times to pursue the richest aroma and flavor. This article will introduce in detail the historical origins of Chaoshan Gongfu Tea, the tea-to-water ratio, the choice of tea utensils, and the complete eight-step brewing method, helping you master this traditional skill. Whether you are trying it for the first time or hoping to refine your technique, you will gain practical guidance from it. [more…]

"Small as it is, the sparrow has all the vital organs." Guests and friends occasionally describe Front Street Coffee's offline store this way. Because in Front Street's small store, besides displaying the various coffee beans sold online, all kinds of coffee equipment are also placed in different corners. Such as siphon pots, French presses, clever drippers, Turkish coffee [more…]

Blue Bottle Coffee, deeply ingrained in people's minds with its minimalist small blue bottle image, has always been regarded as the Apple of the coffee world, and its blue-and-white colored utensils are also highly sought after by fans. However, the brand has not had a smooth journey in trademark enforcement. This week, Blue Bottle Coffee lost a trademark lawsuit in the United States, as a judge in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California denied its motion for judgment against the coffee utensil brand Blue Brew, finding that the two trademarks are clearly different and that consumers would not be confused. What impact will this ruling have on Blue Bottle Coffee's trademark protection strategy? Let's take a closer look. [more…]

Tieguanyin is a tea that often confuses newcomers—is it a green tea or an oolong? In fact, Tieguanyin is the signature variety of Minnan oolong, and its semi-fermented process gives it a distinctive orchid fragrance and the "Guanyin charm." To fully release its flavor, the traditional gongfu tea brewing method is especially key. This article will break down a complete oolong brewing process step by step—covering water quality selection, preheating the teaware, tea-to-water ratio, water temperature control, and steeping rhythm—and includes relevant product recommendations from the Front Street brand. Whether you're a beginner just getting to know Tieguanyin or a seasoned tea drinker looking to refine your skills, you'll find practical pointers to make every infusion consistent and outstanding. [more…]

South Korea has officially implemented a ban on single-use plastic cups in the fast-food and coffee industries starting April 1, and plans to further introduce a "single-use cup deposit system" on June 10. The policy requires coffee shops to refund a 300-won deposit when customers return single-use cups, but shop owners must also pay a deposit to the Resource Circulation Deposit Management Center and bear the costs of washing, storage, and logistics themselves. Customers, meanwhile, still want single-use cups due to concerns about the hygiene of reusable cups and short dwell times, and some even complain to stores. Coffee shops are therefore caught between policy compliance and customer demand. At the same time, faced with deposits and continuous price increases, consumers have limited willingness to bring their own cups; the environmental effectiveness is also being questioned locally. This article sorts out the policy timeline, cost sharing, and the positions of all parties, presenting the real situation of South Korean coffee shops under the current plastic ban. [more…]

The moka pot, with its simple operation and rich brew, has long been a staple in countless home kitchens. This article begins with the story of the moka pot's birth, then systematically breaks down its structure and steam extraction principle, before gradually unpacking the key operational details such as choosing water, filling the coffee grounds, heating, and removing it from the heat, helping you avoid common pitfalls. It will also share ratio ideas for making Americano and latte with moka pot coffee, and recommend two beans for different taste preferences—Front Street Classic Italian Blend and Front Street Colombia Sidra—so that either rich aroma or fruity notes can be easily presented. [more…]

Lychee black tea is a distinctive tea beverage that perfectly blends the fruity aroma of lychee with the charm of tea, and its production process and place of origin are quite particular. This article will start with the production process and provide a detailed analysis of how lychee black tea skillfully combines fresh lychee with tea leaves while preserving the natural sweet fragrance; at the same time, it will trace its authentic place of origin and explore the historical stories and cultural heritage behind this tea. In addition, we will also share the correct brewing techniques, including water temperature, choice of utensils, and steeping time, to help you brew a cup of fragrant lychee black tea at home. Whether served cold or hot, you can taste its unique floral and fruity charm. Front Street Coffee also recommends related products for you, allowing you to easily experience the authentic flavor. [more…]

While Heytea, Nayuki, Starbucks, and Luckin are battling it out on the front lines over co-branded collaborations, new product launches, and price wars, few have noticed that a group of suppliers behind them is quietly rising. From Jiahe Foods to Sanyuan Biology, from Tianye Shares to Hengxin Life and Dexin Foods, an increasing number of raw material and packaging companies behind new-style beverages are beginning to sprint toward the capital market. Some of these companies provide non-dairy creamers and sugar substitutes, some supply fruit juice concentrates and flavored syrups, and others specialize in producing paper cups and plastic cups. While terminal brands fight in a red ocean, upstream suppliers have seized the momentum to grow bigger, raked in huge profits, and collectively embarked on the path to listing. [more…]

Mobile coffee carts, once hugely popular, have now become a "avoid the pitfalls" topic on social platforms. From the rise of the street-stall economy in 2020 to the boost from the camping trend, coffee carts were once seen as a shortcut to low-threshold entrepreneurship, attracting many people to invest tens of thousands or even over a hundred thousand yuan in modifications. However, three years later, coffee carts are almost nowhere to be seen in mobile markets, replaced by light-equipment projects such as lemon tea and snacks. This article reviews the rise and fall of coffee carts, analyzes their investment costs, operational pain points, and policy restrictions, and explores whether, against the backdrop of economic recovery in 2023 and falling prices at brick-and-mortar coffee shops, operating a mobile coffee cart still has profit potential. [more…]

Recently, an incident at a Blue Bottle Coffee store in Shanghai, where a customer used a dine-in glass to give water to a pet dog, sparked widespread discussion. The person who filmed the incident pointed out that using public utensils to feed pets is uncomfortable, and although the staff promptly handled the situation and discarded the used cup, the underlying issue of managing "pet-friendly" spaces is worth pondering. On one hand, there is the emotional need of pet lovers; on the other, there is the legitimate concern of other customers regarding hygiene and safety. How to draw clear behavioral boundaries in public dining establishments has become a shared challenge for businesses and consumers alike. This article reviews the incident, gathers various viewpoints, and explores how coffee shops should strike a balance between pet friendliness and hygiene standards. [more…]

Recently, a netizen shared on social media their experience ordering at Luckin: a single cup of coffee was repeatedly remade by the staff four times before they finally got it. From getting the hot/iced order wrong, to rinsing the cup with tap water, to being stopped by a colleague when about to add ice and milk, the whole process left many onlookers exclaiming how absurd it was. The incident also sparked heated discussion about Luckin's employee training, operating standards, and food safety. What exactly happened? Was the customer's complaint reasonable? And what problems did the store's operations expose? Let's take a look. [more…]

Many coffee enthusiasts set the water temperature at 92°C when brewing, yet often run into under-extraction. The reason is that as hot water is poured from the kettle and travels to the coffee grounds, heat is constantly lost, so the actual temperature is often lower than the set value. This article will break down the major causes of water temperature loss, including the effects of the kettle neck, air, and dripper material, and offer practical countermeasures such as preheating equipment, lowering the pouring height, and adjusting the water temperature to help you brew a good cup consistently in different environments. The article also uses Front Street Granja Geisha as an example to explain how to flexibly adjust parameters according to ambient temperature, making extraction more reliable. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow our WeChat public account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). With the rapid development of the new era, people's pace is tense and busy. Many coffee lovers enjoy drinking specialty pour-over coffee, but they feel that pour-over coffee requires a lot of equipment and the process is [more…]

In the world of pour-over coffee, grind size is one of the key variables that determines the success or failure of a cup. If the coffee grounds are ground too fine, it easily leads to over-extraction and a bitter taste; if ground too coarse, it leads to under-extraction and a weak, watery flavor. So is there a reference standard for pour-over coffee grind size? Through extensive practice, Front Street Coffee uses a 0.85mm sieve as the benchmark, taking a grinding degree with a sieving pass rate of about 80% as the pour-over reference, and for medium-light roast and medium-dark roast coffee beans gives specific recommendations of a 75-80% and 70-75% pass rate through a No. 20 sieve. This article will systematically explain the mechanism by which grind coarseness affects flavor, sieve testing methods, tool choices for beginners, and Front Street's approach to grind size settings when brewing single origins such as Ethiopian washed Yirgacheffe, while also sharing practical points such as the three-pour method, coffee-to-water ratio control, and coffee bean freshness, to help coffee enthusiasts build a stable and reproducible pour-over system. [more…]

In 1990, Japan's Yamanaka Sangyo Co., Ltd. applied the concept of tea bags to coffee, inventing the drip bag coffee and applying for a patent. With the demand in the specialty coffee market, more and more people began to purchase drip bag coffee, in order to quickly and conveniently enjoy specialty coffee without needing to use a bunch of equipment and utensils. Front Street Coffee ( [more…]

With the rise of short videos and social platforms, more and more people are paying attention to the emerging profession of coffee blogger. But becoming a truly valuable coffee blogger is far more than just visiting shops and taking photos. This article systematically sorts out the core issues coffee bloggers need to consider, from content positioning and category direction to value monetization, while emphasizing respect for facts as an insurmountable bottom line. Whether you want to share professional knowledge or document daily life, you can find a direction that suits you. [more…]

Finally! Under the wash of cold air, Front Street Coffee has at last felt the chill that autumn should bring in Guangzhou. Although it's said to be short-lived, it's still better than nothing. And as Front Street Coffee has often shared, a drop in temperature does have a certain effect on coffee. This effect isn't just on extraction, but also on what is made. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's store hygiene management has always been a hot topic online, especially the high frequency of employee handwashing and the meticulous standards, which have even earned them the nickname "Handwash Hero" of the coffee world. From washing hands on the hour, to mandatory cleaning after touching items, to full-scale deep cleaning before quality control inspections, Luckin's dedication to hygiene is almost obsessively strict. Meanwhile, many consumers and employees have shared their personal experiences, with some joking, "I really dislike Luckin, but I won't allow anyone to say it's not clean." In an era where food safety in the restaurant industry frequently draws attention, what exactly does this strict quality control signify? This article compiles a wealth of genuine feedback from frontline employees and consumers to give you an inside look at the various details of Luckin's store hygiene management. [more…]

Sumatra Mandheling from Indonesia is famous for its low acidity, deep mellow aroma, and full body, and among these, Front Street Mandheling and Golden Mandheling are staples for many coffee lovers. The medium-dark roast gives it rich layers of nut, caramel, chocolate, and herbal notes, and also makes it extremely versatile in brewing methods—pour-over, siphon, French press, and AeroPress can all handle it, while the moka pot and SOE espresso also perform impressively. This article will start from the flavor characteristics of Mandheling, break down in detail the equipment preparation and operating steps for extracting Mandheling SOE with a moka pot, and share several everyday drinking methods such as Americano, latte, and Vietnamese coffee, helping you find more enjoyment in a cup of coffee. [more…]