Nominations continue for the Sprudge Twenty
The Sprudge Twenty is our annual initiative honoring and amplifying extraordinary individuals in the global specialty coffee community. This season, The Sprudge Twenty has a unique format: we’re prioritizing Sprudge Twenty entries for individuals born before the year 1970. And we want to hear from you. Who is deserving of being part of this year’s Sprudge Twenty class? Let us know by nominating someone from your community. Nominations are open until Thursday, May 9th at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time.
Faux-wave coffee shop to sell beanless coffee
So it’s finally come to this. Coffee shops are buying into the not-coffee thing. Bluestone Lane, the vaguely Australian VC-back coffee chain has announced they will be selling Atomo’s beanless espresso at all 58 of their locations nationwide. I’m sure it’s fine. Everything’s fine.
A coffee guide to Dresden
Dresden, Germany is a city steeped in history, going all the way back to the Stone Age. In modern times, it is home to a bustling coffee scene offering a variety of different experiences. And this week on Sprudge, contributor Nikita Solberg takes us on a tour of coffee shops in Dresden.
Verve to start offering terracotta to-go cups
The problem with single-use coffee cups is not that they are single-use but that they are generally have some plastic components and end up in a landfill. That’s why Verve Coffee Roasters is rolling out a pilot program where customers can have their to-go drinks served in a terracotta cup. Made of dirt, salt, and water, even if the cups end up in a landfill, they easily break down back into their original components.
A diamond anniversary Moccamaster
Moccamaster turns 60 this year, and to celebrate, they are releasing a limited edition coffee maker. The Moccamaster KBGV Select Diamond Edition comes in a shimmery silver finish (diamond is the 60th anniversary after all) and is limited to a run of just 2,000 units.
Ryan Willbur & Laila Ghambari acquire Guilder & Junior’s Roasted Coffee
A bit of a shake up in the Portland coffee scene, as industry veterans Ryan Willbur and Laila Ghambari will be acquiring Guilder and Junior’s Roasted Coffee. Announced Friday, April 26th, the husband-and-wife duo are set to take over the sister brands along with their roastery and three Portland cafes.
Other news
In press release news this week, Mahlkönig recapped the festivities at SCA Expo in Chicago that kicked off their 100th anniversary celebrations. Meanwhile, Perc Coffee is leaning on nostalgia with an all-new 8-bit-inspired line of merch.
The new coffee gear at Expo
SCA Expo is the event most coffee brands time their big releases around, which makes for quite a bit of buzz around the show floor. This year, Editor at Large Jenn Chen took to the floor to find the latest and greatest and most talked about pieces of coffee gear from around Expo. Read her recap here.
The decaf Coffee Sprudgecast
On this week’s episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, Zachary Carlsen attempts to meticulously recreate Weihong Zhang’s 2024 US Brewers Cup winning routine using the Los Nogales decaf. It’s maybe the most in-the-weeds coffee episode of the Sprudgecast to date.
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: Honey Comsa —This medium roast Honduran coffee from COMSA Cooperative has a mild, berry-like acidity and a full body. It features pronounced dried fruit notes in the aroma followed by prominent flavors of raisin, fig, and molasses. Certified Organic & Fair Trade Coffee.
Cxffeeblack: Fatherland—Kenya, Lions Hill Farm, Tinderet Nandi County, Solai Coffee Junt, Washed Peaberry. When my dad went to Africa while in college, Kenya changed his life. Years later, he introduced Kenyan coffee to our household. I didn’t know it then, but this was the first clue that coffee, like me, was black. This cxffee is our latest from the all black supply chain, sourced by the Kuria family. We met the Kuria family at the second inaugural Color of Coffee Collective, and we’re so excited to be able to share the the first of our collaborative offerings with you.
Equator Coffees: Burundi Women of Turihamwe—This single origin coffee from Burundi is a returning favorite among our coffee team: delivering a cup that’s juicy, spicy, and floral with flavors of elderberry, cardamom, and black tea.
Greater Goods Roasting: Santa Gema—Last year, we had the privilege of visiting some incredible farms in Nicaragua, including Santa Gema. At Santa Gema, Mario Vilchez produces a remarkable maracaturra coffee with flavor notes of cherry cordial, tea rose, and tamarind. We’re proud to say that this coffee qualified for Nationals at the US Brewer’s Cup competition, a testament to its exceptional quality.
Joe Coffee: The Village—Currently, The Village comes from the Rubí sisters’ farm Finca Ruland 2, in Las Vegas, Honduras. Andrea and her sisters’ skill and diligence shine through this lot of washed and natural coffees. Expect a complex balance of layered acidity and structured sweetness. Beginning with notes of deep citrus and stone fruit, flavors arc towards ripe cherry as the coffee cools, leaving us with a final, soft note of spice and caramel.
Madcap Coffee: Miguel Ortiz—Miguel Ortiz is a native of Santa Barbara and a lifetime coffee farmer operating his farm, La Guinellera, alongside his wife and children. Miguel is viewed as the patriarch of Las Flores and drives the quality in the area. His coffee showcases what makes this region so unique. In this year’s harvest, expect a balanced body with notes of clementine, cherry, and cinnamon.
Monogram Coffee: Elida Estate Catuai—Panama is now world famous for the gesha variety, producing some of the most delicious (and expensive) geshas in the world. Elida Estate is world famous for their gesha coffees, but they have not rested on their success and they are trying to improve every coffee they offer—including coffees that are not gesha. They grow a large amount of Catuai on the farm and they have developed a process that brings the best out of the variety, revealing the power and structure of Catuai, with big aromas, intense fruit, and a heavy body.
Night Swim Coffee: Kaku – Washed—The first container of specialty coffee left Yunnan, China for Australia in late 2015. Over the last nine years, Yunnan’s specialty coffee production has increased in leaps and bounds in both quantity and quality. We’re typically not familiar with specialty grade Asian coffees, but the truth is that these coffees can pass quality tests with flying colors and display an enormous amount of sweetness, consistency, and complexity. Tasting notes include Meyer Lemon, Mandarin, Almond, and Nutmeg.
Olympia Coffee Roasting: Ariz Family Gesha Natural—Olympia Coffee: According to our sourcing experts, this coffee is—and we quote—”insanely ****ing good.” The coffee-producing superpowers of Ricardo and Marco Ariz are responsible for this mindblowingly-delicious, anaerobic-natural Gesha from El Salvador. We found flavors of strawberry jam and gummy candies, along with a florality that makes for an extra elevated cup.
Onyx Coffee Lab : Doyenne—One 10oz Box of the World’s Best Female-Produced Coffee Once a Month + Roasted and shipped the first Wednesday of every month. Doyenne seeks to identify and amplify the stories of woman achieving incredible marks in coffee. The selections are curated by Andrea Allen, co-founder of Onyx Coffee Lab and 2020 US Barista Champion. The heart is for women to collaborate and to boost each other’s work and achievement through stories.
Partners Coffee: Burundi – Gahahe—Hundreds of farmers deliver their coffee to the Gahahe Washing Station in Kayanza, Burundi. The station serves the critical purpose of buying, sorting, and processing coffee, and also participates in a number of farmer outreach and support projects. In this fully washed lot, we taste delicious flavors of golden raisin and honey as well as dried apricot, caramel, lime, and subtle florals.
PERC: El Salvador Delagua Pacamara—We knew we had to bring it in as soon as we tasted this coffee. It reminds us of freshly picked strawberries, oranges, and maple syrup. Pacamaras are giant beans that yield big, juicy flavors with lots of sweetness, and Delagua delivers on that reputation in spades. Now, we can fit these beans in the dang bag.
Portland Coffee Roasters: Bridge Blend—This Limited Release is a blend of coffees from Guatemala and Peru. The Guatemala is from Maya Ixil, and the Peru is from the Pueblo Libre and Mamahuaca communities. When we cup this coffee it is floral and herbal, with hints of sugar cane and chocolate.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Ethiopia Mordecofe—We’ve been serving up Ethiopia Mordecofe for over 15 years now. A perennial favorite in our cafes for its versatility, it performs beautifully in any brew method. This year’s crop is brewing a complex and floral cup, sparkling with notes of nectarine, melon and jasmine.
Verve Coffee Roasters : ASTER— Formerly known as The 1950, Aster’s components highlight the best of what Ethiopian coffee has to offer. A key lime sweetness and brown sugar complexity come together to inspire adventure in your morning. As our only blend sourced from one origin roasted two different ways, Aster is our star on the map that marks the birthplace of coffee – Ethiopia.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Stumptown Coffee Roasters - Barista - Portland, OR
La Colombe - Barista - Boston, MA
The Barn - North American Sales Representative - North America
Stumptown Coffee Roasters - Green Coffee Handler - Portland, OR
La Marzocco - Order Processing Assistant - Seattle, WA
Cassiopeia - Lead Barista - Boulder, CO
Coava Coffee Roasters - Fulfillment Operations Technician - Portland, OR
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.
Take Two Coffee - Fort Myers, FL
Winfield St. Coffee - Stamford, CT
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.