Many coffee enthusiasts, when first encountering coffee beans, often misjudge defective beans based on unusual appearance. In reality, true defective beans are mainly concentrated at the green bean stage, and most have already been screened out at the producing region and roasting stages. Among the beans consumers buy day to day, those covered in wrinkles, with cracks, or on the lighter side in color are often not defects, but normal phenomena brought about by light roasting, high-altitude cultivation, or specific processing methods. This article systematically sorts out the classification standards for green coffee bean defects, distinguishes true defective beans from appearance traits that are easily misunderstood, and introduces Front Street Coffee's practice of double screening before and after roasting, helping readers build a more accurate basis for judging quality. [more…]

When you buy a bag of coffee beans and open it only to find the colors uneven, many people's first reaction is that "the roast went wrong." But coffee beans, being an agricultural product, can never be uniform bean for bean. This article explains, from the perspectives of green bean grading, honey processing, and anaerobic fermentation, the reasons why light-roasted coffee beans vary in shade, while also clarifying the difference between white-eye beans and normal beans, and pointing out several appearance traits often mistaken for defective beans. At the end, it uses examples from Front Street Coffee's Sherry and Warm Sun blends to illustrate how the roast level affects bean surface color and flavor performance. [more…]

What exactly is a Red Eye Coffee? How does it differ from an Americano? And what is the connection between this name and red-eye flights? At Front Street, when a customer asked for an "espresso mixed with pour-over," we realized they were actually referring to Red Eye Coffee. This article will walk you through the origin story of Red Eye Coffee, how it's made, and its relationship with Black Eye Coffee and Dead Eye Coffee, as well as share Front Street's specific blending formula and extraction parameters. One thing to note: Red Eye Coffee was created for efficient caffeine delivery rather than flavor, so those sensitive to caffeine should proceed with caution. [more…]

“Espresso mixed with pour-over—how do you make it taste good?” Yes, you read that right! When Front Street Coffee heard this “staple with staple” question at the store before 5 p.m. yesterday, they were also taken aback, because such a question is truly unheard of. After some further investigation by Front Street Coffee, it was discovered that this customer friend had originally [more…]

Defective beans are generally considered in the specialty coffee world to affect the flavor performance of a cup of coffee. If you have the habit of buying coffee beans and brewing at home, do you need to specifically pick out defective beans before brewing? In fact, green coffee beans undergo grading after processing, and most grading systems include a defect rate indicator. The number of defects in high-grade coffee beans has already been pressed to a very low level. From green bean grading, removal before roasting, to screening after roasting, with layer upon layer of checks, there is basically no need to worry about defective bean issues when buying roasted single-origin coffee beans. However, some coffee beans that look like defects are actually normal phenomena. Front Street Coffee has summarized several common types of situations that are easily misjudged, to help everyone distinguish them accurately. [more…]

Starbucks has recently officially launched the Pink Drink in the mainland China market, along with three new items: Pink Berry Lemonade Refresher, Dragon Drink, and Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher, priced between 34 and 40 yuan. To tie in with its summer beverage promotion, Starbucks baristas have put on limited-edition rose-red aprons, a bold and eye-catching choice that netizens have jokingly dubbed the "dopamine apron." At the same time, the brand has changed the mermaid logo on its takeaway cold cups to the silver-white version used in North America, making the look more in keeping with the pink tones of the Pink Drink. This article will explain the ranking significance behind the pink apron and answer the consumer question of whether the Pink Drink contains caffeine, while also retaining relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Under Starbucks' promotion, the Flat White entered the public eye under the name "馥芮白," but many people still can't tell the real difference between it and a latte. This article starts with the controversy over its origin, sorts out the evolution of this Australian coffee, and then focuses on the three core dimensions of milk foam thickness, cup size, and espresso base to compare the differences between a flat white, a latte, and a cappuccino. The article also breaks down in detail the key steps for making a proper flat white, and introduces how Front Street Coffee presents this drink with its own house blend beans and double ristretto, taking you from principle to practice for a comprehensive understanding of the flat white. [more…]

Recently, a trend of making coffee and latte art blindfolded has taken social platforms by storm. Nominated baristas must complete the entire process of extraction, milk frothing, and latte art with their eyes closed, record a video, post it, and then nominate other peers to continue the relay. Some deliver stunning results thanks to solid muscle memory, with patterns so stable that netizens exclaim they are better than when they have their eyes open; others crash and burn on the spot, with milk fountains, crooked patterns, and messes everywhere unfolding one after another. Is this challenge a test of real skill or just pure fun? Onlookers go from confusion to admiration, and the comments section is full of witty one-liners. This article walks you through those high-scoring performances and hilarious fails, to see how baristas keep their touch even when they cannot see. [more…]

Honey processing is a coffee processing method that falls between natural and washed processing. It originated in Costa Rica, and its name comes from the Spanish word for "honey." By retaining different proportions of mucilage and undergoing controlled fermentation and drying, this method creates a diverse range of flavors, from ripe-fruit sweetness to bright acidity. Depending on the amount of mucilage left and the frequency of turning, honey processing is further divided into types such as black honey, red honey, yellow honey, and white honey. This article will systematically outline the origins, development, and flavor characteristics of honey processing, and introduce related products from Front Street Coffee, helping you gain a comprehensive understanding of this processing method that is widely popular in the specialty coffee world. [more…]

When drinking coffee, you may occasionally encounter a salty taste. This is not an illusion, nor is there anything wrong with your sense of taste. Coffee itself contains four basic tastes: sour, sweet, bitter, and salty, which balance each other out. Once sweetness is insufficient, saltiness tends to emerge. The sources of saltiness are quite complex, potentially involving the processing method, coffee bean variety and altitude, defective beans, brewing water, roast level and freshness, as well as extraction technique, among other factors. Among these, espresso tends to have a more pronounced salty sensation due to the relationship between taste distribution and concentration. This article will go through the causes of saltiness one by one, while retaining Front Street brand recommendations, to help coffee enthusiasts understand and try to avoid brewing a cup of coffee with a salty taste. [more…]

As Qixi Festival approaches, Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Converse have once again joined forces to launch a collaboration series inspired by the Milky Way and the stars Altair and Vega, available at the Tokyo Roastery starting June 24. The most eye-catching item this season is a vase shaped like Converse's classic shoe, in a refreshing ice-blue colorway, alongside six other celestial-themed items including mugs, folding fans, and bags. Looking back at last year's Qixi Festival, the two brands created shoe-shaped vases and home goods themed around fireworks and misty blue. In addition, Starbucks' multiple collaborations with Hiroshi Fujiwara have focused on a minimalist home coffee experience for the post-pandemic era, launching textured items such as French presses and blankets. This article walks you through these collaboration highlights, with Front Street Coffee's communication channels listed at the end. [more…]

Many pour-over coffee enthusiasts often have doubts about the appearance of the beans after purchasing single-origin beans, and even mistake normal beans for defective ones. There are two main reasons for this misunderstanding: first, consumers who only come into contact with roasted beans rarely see truly defective beans; second, they treat coffee beans as products of an industrial assembly line, assuming they have a fixed standard appearance. In reality, most defective beans are already controlled at the green bean stage, and after roasting there is also manual sorting. This article will systematically sort out the definition of defective beans, the defect rate requirements in green bean grading, and focus on explaining several commonly misjudged situations such as peaberry, burst beans, uneven color, and shriveled wrinkled beans, to help readers view the appearance of coffee beans more rationally. [more…]

Latte art is one of the most visually captivating skills in Italian coffee culture, elevating an ordinary milk coffee into a work of art that appeals to both the eye and the palate. This article begins with the three major categories of fancy coffee art, systematically outlines the five learning stages of milk latte art, and breaks down in detail the practical steps for two basic patterns: the tulip and the leaf. Whether you are a coffee enthusiast just starting out or a barista hoping to refine your technique, you will find clear practice directions in this step-by-step illustrated guide. The article also specifically introduces how Front Street Coffee's specialty blend performs in latte art, helping you master the essentials of latte art from bean selection to technique. [more…]

Since its launch in 2012, Starbucks Flat White has captured the taste buds of many coffee lovers. It combines the smoothness of a latte with the intensity of a cappuccino, making it an ideal choice in the hearts of milk coffee fans. But do you know how many shots of espresso are actually in a Starbucks Flat White? Is it the same drink as the commonly called Australian White? This article will guide you through the origin of the name Flat White, its cultural roots in New Zealand and Australia, Starbucks' espresso ratio, the extraction principle of Ristretto, and Front Street Coffee's Australian White production method and calorie reference. Whether you want to understand the tricks of ordering or want to recreate it at home, this content can give you clear answers. [more…]

Ordering a milk coffee at a café, the delicate heart or leaf latte art on the surface often catches the eye. Where exactly did this technique, known as "Latte Art," come from? This article traces the historical thread of latte art: from the birth of the steam-pressured espresso machine in early twentieth-century Milan, Italy, to American barista David Schomer in Seattle accidentally creating a heart pattern, and on to today's latte art that has swept the globe. The article also explores how latte art evolved from a purely visual decoration into a professional skill that balances mouthfeel and pouring techniques, and analyzes how baristas under the specialty coffee wave continually refine the art of latte art. Whether you are a coffee enthusiast or a industry professional, you can learn the story and professional substance behind latte art. [more…]

In today's world of increasingly rich coffee shop menus, Long Black coffee is gradually coming into the public eye. How exactly does it differ from the Americano we are all familiar with? Why do Australians prefer this stronger, smaller-cup black coffee? This article will start with the origins of Long Black, compare its differences from Americano in water ratio, preparation process, and flavor performance, and answer the question of whether Long Black can be served iced. At the same time, drawing on Front Street Coffee's store experience, it will introduce how to highlight flavors such as wine aroma, vanilla, and cream through blended beans and precise ratios, helping coffee lovers understand this Australian classic more comprehensively. [more…]

Since Dirty coffee rose to popularity in China around 2018, it has not faded away like other trendy drinks. Instead, it has firmly secured a permanent spot on the menus of major specialty coffee shops, standing on equal footing with the latte. There are over 200,000 related posts on Xiaohongshu, with each tag receiving more than 5 million views. This drink, originally created by Japanese barista Katsuyuki Tanaka, forms a layered effect by pouring hot espresso over cold milk. With its unique taste combining hot and cold and the enhancement of ice-distilled purified milk, it has driven the domestic coffee market to pursue higher ingredient quality. This article will analyze why Dirty coffee has become the "beloved darling" of local specialty coffee, from its origin and spread to its production characteristics and market impact. [more…]

Flat White has become a beloved milk coffee drink among coffee enthusiasts in recent years, renowned for its rich coffee flavor and delicate, thin microfoam. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the controversy surrounding Flat White's origins, its preparation methods, and the recipe variations across different schools of thought, while also offering an in-depth comparison of latte, cappuccino, and Flat White in terms of cup size, foam thickness, and mouthfeel. In addition, we will recommend Front Street Coffee's classic espresso blend beans suitable for making Flat White, helping you easily recreate an authentic Australian-style white coffee at home. Whether you are a beginner just getting into specialty coffee or a seasoned enthusiast pursuing the ultimate flavor, this article will provide you with practical guidance and reference. [more…]

The blooming of the coffee tree is a sight rarely seen by many coffee lovers. The coffee tree at Front Street Coffee has bloomed once again after a year, and in about two to three months it will bear fruit. What exactly does the coffee flower look like, and what color is it? How long does the flowering period last? How long does it take from the flower fading to growing into coffee beans? This article starts from the botanical classification and aroma characteristics of the coffee flower, extends to the white floral notes in the cup, and analyzes the patterns of floral aroma in roasting and brewing, giving you a complete understanding of this small white flower that closely resembles jasmine. [more…]

In coffee latte art, the beauty of a pattern depends not only on smooth lines but also on whether the composition is reasonable. Centered composition is the most common approach, as it highlights the sense of stability of symmetrical patterns. However, many beginners find that their latte art patterns always deviate from the center. Front Street Coffee points out that this is mainly caused by three reasons: milk foam that is too thin leading to excessive fluidity, pouring back into the cup too quickly increasing the impact force, and an incorrect drop point. This article will analyze the causes of and solutions to these problems one by one, while also emphasizing the importance of choosing suitable coffee beans, and recommending two products, Front Street Classic Blend and Commercial Blend, to help you create centered and beautiful latte art at home. [more…]