The Sprudge Report - A lot of firsts, not all of them good
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The Sprudge Report - A lot of firsts, not all of them good
The "world's first coffee motel," an unholy mix of espresso martini pumpkin spice, and so much more, this week on Sprudge.
Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini is the coffee madlib no one asked for
We have, it seems, completely run out of new ideas and are left to combine the lowest common denominator with the lowerest common denominator for something truly unholy. We’re just throwing coffee words in a hat and plucking them out until we’ve filled up our fall late-summer menus with cheugy retro-chic popular nostalgia. Starbucks is releasing a Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini.
This week’s Build-Outs
We’re going high and low, or north and south as it were, this week for the Build-Outs of Coffee. We start in Phoenix, Arizona with WeBe Coffee Roasters, who are looking to pair exception coffee with a touchy of fun and whimsy. Then, up in the Great White North, in Winnipeg to be exact, Sam’s Place is using coffee as a vehicle to provide employment and training opportunities for young people with barriers to entering the workforce.
The 2023 Build-Outs of Coffee feature series is proudly presented by Dona. Explore the world of fine Dona products at DrinkDona.com and enjoy free shipping on each order over $50.
An artful design
Bellingham, Washington’s Camber Coffee have never shied away from switching up looks. With their Artist Series, they pair limited release coffees with artist collaborations. For this installation in the series, Camber has teamed up with Canadian illustrator and muralist Paige Bowman for unique and colorful bag designs.
A battle to/of the Death
Coming up with distinguishing branding can be pretty hard for a coffee company, especially when their brand aesthetic isn’t exactly unique. Thus is the case for Death Wish Coffee and Death Before Decaf, who are going to settle their differences (or not) in the court of law, as the former is suing the latter for trademark infringement.
Drinks!
A good coffee drink on the go is a thing of beauty. And for the movers and shakers, there’s Equator Coffees’ all-new line of ready-to-drink cold brews. Working with the Swiss-based Emmi Group, Equator has crafted for different bottled RTD coffee offerings.
Work at “the world’s first coffee hotel”
Rotterdam’s Man Met Bril Koffie has a pretty radical idea on how to foster a pan-European coffee culture: create a “coffee hotel” and bring in folks from all over to work it. Coffee professionals and enthusiasts like as well as those in the hospitality industry are invited to spend a few months working at the new cafe inside a hotel, where they will be paid a competitive wage and provided a room in the hotel. It’s set to open in 2024 but Man Met Bril Koffie is already accepting applications.
The problem with paper cups
In the eternal struggle to minimize coffee’s ecological impact, paper to-go cups have become the stopgap solution over single-use plastics. Paper is recyclable, the thinking goes, so while it’s not quite as good as switching to resuables—which would take significant buy-in from the consuming public at large—it’s at least better. Right? Maybe not.
Roaster’s Village
We’re highlighting outstanding coffees from some of our favorite roasting partners each week here in the newsletter. This week’s selection of tasty coffees are…
Amavida Coffee Roasters: Natural Bolvia AIPEP—This limited release offering is from the primary-level producer association AIPEP, located in the Yungas mountains of Bolivia. This premium lot was the product of a substantial quality project involving the construction of new drying tables. The project was fully funded by Cooperative Coffees impact fund, which is used to assist coffee farmers at origin. We found this natural processed coffee to be pleasantly dense, with notes of blueberry, grape and black tea in the cup.
Camber Coffee: Kenya Gachatha Peaberry—Our newest offering is a stunning peaberry selection that will thrill any Kenya coffee lover. Notes of tart red currant, brilliant clementine, and refreshing casaba melon make this a sweet and beautiful cup.
Equator Coffees: Guatemala El Injerto SL28—Our first single origin coffee of the season from El Injerto, SL28: a Bourbon derived Arabica cultivar that originated in Kenya. Complex and concentrated flavors of black currant, concord grape, and chamomile.
Intelligentsia Coffee: Summer Solstice Blend—Each year Intelligentsia takes a fresh approach to their seasonal blends, curating flavors that will best evoke the spirit of the season. This year features a deliciously juicy, sweet blend of coffees from Ethiopia, Colombia, and Peru. Sip and indulge in alluring notes of blueberry, honey, and lime. Perfect for a sun-drenched Summer morning.
Monogram Coffee: La Llama—This version of La Llama is a super fun, naturally processed Java and Caturra coffee that brings bright notes of grape candy, cherry liqueur and dark chocolate. Located in Caranavi, Bolivia, La Llama is Agricafe’s highest farm. This particular coffee has been processed using Agricafe’s Coco Natural process, which leaves the coffee to ferment for longer than the average natural and gives the coffee bean the appearance of a cocoa bean—hence the name Coco Natural.
Night Swim Coffee: Rosalio Gutierrez – Natural—This sundried, Bourbon variety comes to us from Cusco, Peru and the Valle Inca cooperative. Located in Calca in the south of Peru, they launched in 2014 and Red Fox Coffee Merchants have been buying coffee from them ever since. Rosalio is a young producer from the Valle Inca cooperative, only 38 years old. He and his wife Gladys cultivate the 10 hectares they share, only 2.75 of which are dedicated to coffee production.
Olympia Coffee Roasters: Jose Hernan Salazar Aji Ethiopian Landrace—This unique coffee was produced by José Hernán Salazar, from the town of Pitalito in southern Colombia. This lot is what José calls the “Ají” varietal, which is the Spanish word for chili pepper. José named it after noticing the spicy smell of its cherries. These delicate chili pepper-like qualities are also subtly present in the cup, giving this coffee a truly one-of-a-kind flavor—berry, caramel, and floral.
Onyx Coffee Lab: Panama Creativa Giovana Boutet Anaerobic—This anaerobic natural processed by our friends at Creativa Coffee District checks all the boxes we love about anaerobic processing. Layered, complex, and immensely sweet, this Catuai reminds us of ripe mangos and chocolate truffle, with the complexity and tactile of a cabernet. According to our very own production roasting assistant, this micro-lot has “just the right amount of funk.” We agree, Kenneth. We agree.
Partners Coffee: Ethiopia Samuel Degelo—Samuel is one of several hundred farmers who deliver coffee to the Bishan Dimo Washing Station. He is also a teacher at a primary school in nearby Danbi Uddo. Samuel’s commitment to education extends to his coffee production, and he believes that by sharing knowledge with his neighboring farmers he can improve the lives of others in his community. Fans of Ethiopian coffee will recognize that single-farm traceability remains quite rare, and we’re delighted to share Samuel’s coffee again.
PERC Coffee: Mexico Pocitos—We love coffee from Mexico, especially ones like the Pocitos – it’s a gulper! Pocitos is exciting and comforting at the same time. Look for a sweet, smooth cup with flavors that reminds us of ripe red fruit and brown sugar. Grab a bag today if you like good things!
Stumptown Coffee: Ethiopia Suke Quto —To producer Tesfaye Bekele, Suke Quto is always a conservation effort first and a coffee business second. What started as an idea to grow and process environmentally friendly coffees to help sustain his local community has grown to inspire fellow producers and support outlying communities in the region. This year’s Suke Quto lot is exceptionally crisp, with notes of sweet honey and refreshing lemon-lime.
Verve Coffee: Costa Rica Sumava Lactico Natural—Sweet Magnolia florals greet the nose at the first sip, complemented by the soft touch of White Peach. Concord Grape is woven throughout with a similar profile to natural wine, finishing the cup with a sparkling mouthfeel. Francisco Mena’s coffee has been sprinkled throughout our menu year after year, and he is someone that we are proud to partner with. His coffees have exceptionally clean profiles and are consistently high quality.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Utopian Coffee - Roaster & Green Coffee Manager - Fort Wayne, IN
Coffee By Design - Manager Of Retail - Portland, ME
Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe - Baristas - Arlington, VA
Bear Lake Coffee Co - Store Manager - Barronett, WI
Bear Lake Coffee Co - Head Roaster - Barronett, WI
New cafes on Sprudge Maps
Here are new cafes discoverable on our global cafe portal Sprudge Maps. Register your cafe for free—thanks to the support of La Marzocco and Pacific Barista Series.
Bad Seed Coffee & Supply - Omaha, NE
Archetype Coffee - Omaha, NE
Mudhouse Specialty Coffee Roasters - Arlington, VA
Do you have a news tip? Feedback? A funny joke? Send us an e-mail, use the contact form on Sprudge, leave a message at 1-888-55-SPRUDGE, or send us a letter at P.O. Box 3943 Portland, OR 97218.