The Sprudge Report - Batteries, Builds, and Brews
And more Rudy Giuliani coffee coverage.
If you build it, they will come
The 2024 Build-Outs of Coffee is officially open, and we’ve been overwhelmed by the number of submissions sent in already. But there’s always room for more and we want to hear about your new coffee project. If your cafe has opened or is expected to open any time in 2024, tell us about it!
An onion latte?
People are really getting wild with their coffee combinations these days, and the latest trend involves putting scallions in an iced latte. It’s part of China’s “dark cuisine,” combining ingredients that seemingly don’t go together. And while a scallion latte sounds bad, a little spring onion in a light roast pour-over might just work?
Ciao Milano
After much speculation about the host of the next World Barista Championship, the SCA has announced that they have tapped Milan, Italy for 2025. For the second time in five year, the WBC will take place in October alongside HostMilano, the global restaurant and hospitality trade show.
A coffee guide to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
The city of San Miguel de Allende in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato is a magical place. The UNESCO heritage site is also home to a lovely coffee scene. This week on Sprudge, we take a cafe tour of San Miguel de Allende.
So wait, are Americans drinking more coffee or aren’t we?
A few months back, we reported on a new NCA survey finding that American coffee consumption is at a two-decade high. Now, a new article from the Guardian states that it’s only half of what it was in the 1940s. So what gives? Well, it’s complicated.
Coffee as a next-generation battery
Coffee can charge your (proverbial) battery, but it may also be useful in creating your (literal) next-generation battery. Researchers have found a way to turn coffee grounds into electrodes for lithium-sulfur batteries, which may have a 10x life compared to lithium-ion batteries.
A new can of cold brew
Bluebeard Coffee Roasters are hard at work building-out a new cafe space. In the meantime, the Tacoma, Washington mainstay has released a new line of ready-to-drink Nitro Cold Brew. We take a look at the gorgeous new cans and learn more about the drink.
In other news
From our Press Release desk this week, DiFluid announced their latest invention the Omix, an all-in-one roasting measurement tool that tracks current air temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure, while testing the density, moisture content, and even water activity of both coffee cherries and unroasted green coffee beans. Elsewhere, Melitta, the iconic century-old coffee equipment brand, announced they will be making their exhibitor debut at World of Coffee Copenhagen later this summer.
Ethiopian coffee, EU regulations, and tech
With the European Union implementing new rules requiring transparency on imported goods like green coffee, many Ethiopian coffee producers are facing an uncertain future. New to our Special Projects Desk, journalist Anthony Langat explores how some Ethiopian farmers are turning to technology to help meet the more stringent EU guidelines.
Who roasts for Rudy?
Last week, we brought news of the truly bizarre—Rudy Giuliani had started his own coffee company, Rudy’s Coffee. But the more we sat with it, the most we couldn’t escape one single question: who, exactly, was roasting for Rudy? Our internet sleuthing turned up nothing. (Neither did an email to the company that bounced back immediately.) So we are turning to our readers. If you know anything about the folks behind Rudy’s Coffee, give us a shout!
The Coffee Sprudgecast With Neon V60SPs
On the latest episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, our hosts are looking ahead to the Build-Outs of Coffee, looking back at the World Barista Championship, and drinking some rather interesting coffees made from some of the most beautiful v60s we’ve ever seen.
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: Burundi Nemba—This beautiful lot represents the unique flavors available in coffees from the region. It comes from the Nemba washing station in the Hills of Kayanza in Burundi. It’s sugary aroma is reminiscent of ginger, molasses and red fruit. Unique flavors of gingersnap cookies, apricot and molasses are balanced by a pleasantly citric cup.
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: Colombia Cerro Azul Enano—A returning single origin favorite, Cerro Azul Enano is a complex Colombian coffee featuring the mysterious “Enano” coffee variety from our quality-obsessed friends at Granja La Esperanza. We love this coffee so much that we bought their entire harvest! This Equator Coffees exclusive is now roasting, available in 6oz, 12oz, and 2lb bags.
Greater Goods Coffee Roasters: Basha Bekele—Our latest release from Ethiopia is a juicy fruit bomb from the Sidama region. Grown at the mid-bending altitude of 2000 plus meters above sea level, this coffee is a great example of how clean and beautiful extremely highgrown coffee can be. In the cup we got mouth-watering notes of dried strawberry, grape candy, and star jasmine.
Joe Coffee: Half Moon (half caf)—Whether it’s your first cup of the morning or an afternoon pick-me-up, some moments call for a gentler cup of coffee. That’s where Half Moon comes in: this half-caf blend delivers all the comfort of your favorite coffee with only half the caffeine. To create Half Moon, we pair our beloved decaf offering, Nightcap, in a 50/50 blend with a fully caffeinated coffee from Brazil. The resulting profile is sweet and medium-bodied, with notes of walnut, sticky toffee pudding, and vanilla bean.
Madcap Coffee Company: Ejo Heza—Independently owned, the Kopakama Cooperative is made up of 1025 members, 400 of them women. In 2011, the board of Kopakama directors agreed to create a women’s group, giving them two plots of land. With only 200 members at the time, they called themselves “Ejo Heza,” which translates to “Bright Tomorrow” in Kinyarwanda, the national language of Rwanda.
We hope you can taste the immense effort their co-op puts into every pound of coffee. This year, enjoy notes of floral hibiscus, juicy plum, and brown sugar.
Monogram Coffee: Don Isaias, Huila, Colombia—This Pink Bourbon from Don Isaias is a testament of hard work and striving to always improve. Don Isaias and local workers ferment the cherry for three days after harvest then dry for ten to fourteen days. The cup is well balanced with chocolate and fruit notes.
Night Swim Coffee: Las Guacamayas – Natural—This 100% Yellow Bourbon lot from Nehemias Pimentel and Hugo Pineda is a sundried, anaerobically fermented coffee. The result on this lot from Jutiapa is a sweet, fruity, and syrupy coffee that reminds us of tropical fruits and caramel cream.
Olympia Coffee: Sweeetheart, Brazil Serra Dos Ciganos Natural—We obsess over perfecting Sweetheart’s roast profile, creating a sweet, balanced coffee with beautiful flavor clarity. The region of Mogiana is known for exceptional quality and community strength. We sourced this lot from small farms in partnership with FAF, a supplier committed to environmentally and economically sustainable coffee.
Onyx Coffee Lab : Decaf Colombia Inzá San Antonio—Rest easy with this washed decaffeinated coffee from Cauca, Inzá. We’ve intentionally sourced this coffee for the purpose of decaffeination, selecting this regional lot from San Antonio for it’s structured sweetness of red apple and raw sugar, with a balanced acidity reminiscent of pear.
Partners Coffee: Ethiopia – Naga Singage—Our first Ethiopian coffee of the season comes from the Aricha Adorsi Washing Station in Yirgachefe. This fully washed selection comes from a few dozen farmers on Naga Singage, “the mountain of reconciliation,” named for a ceremony traditionally held there in which disputes are presented and communally resolved. In their coffee we taste stone fruit, citrus, and flowers: think apricot, tangerine, honey, and orange blossom.
PERC: Colombia Carolina Ramirez Brownie—Carolina Ramirez says the word that best describes this coffee is “serendipity.” Brownie was her first foray into experimental processing, and we think she knocked it out of the park. Brownie’s flavors remind us of tropical fruit, like pineapple and citrus, but the cup is truly defined by its rich, dark chocolate body. We’d go even as far as to say it’s thicc.
Portland Coffee Roasters: Anniversary Roast—Dedicated to our customers who’ve supported us since we began in 1996: this Limited Release is a blend of coffees from Colombia and Costa Rica. The Colombia is from Finca Palmichal, and the Costa Rica is from Finca La Hilda. This coffee has a nice acidity and body, with some citrus fruit, plum, and chocolate notes.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Ecuador Rancho Carmen—This coffee is a combination of small lots from a group of 35 producers in Ecuador’s southernmost province. Rancho Carmen has a lush ganache body elevating notes of raspberry jam and brown sugar in a vibrant cup.
Verve Coffee Roasters : Limoncillo Farmlevel Reserve—This very rare mutated yellow Pacamara from El Limoncillo has a beautiful spiced and citric profile. Those who enjoy herbal and complex coffees will find this limited batch delightful.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Equator Coffees - Cafe General Manager - Menlo Park, CA
La Colombe Coffee - Sales Representative - Boston/New England
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.
Klatch Coffee - Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Java Love Coffee Roasting Co - Montclair, NJ
Triptych Coffee Co - Denton, TX
Cherry Coffee Shop - Ft. Worth, TX
Orange Sky Coffee Roasters - West Orange, NJ
1000 Faces Coffee - Athens, GA
KIWA - Louisville, KY
Victus Coffee - Hartford, 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.