The Sprudge Report - Booze, Tattoos & Brews
All in a week's work at Sprudge.
Coffee and tattoos and coffee tattoos
Coffee people, we love tattoos, just about as much as we love coffee. So it stands to reason that the gooey center of this Venn digram is equally as loved. And it’s true. Any moderately inked coffee person is likely to have at least one coffee tattoo displayed proudly somewhere on their person. In her latest feature, Editor at Large Jenn Chen talks to coffee people about their coffee tattoos to learn all about why it is that we do what we do.
The roots of coffee are in the commodities, in dry goods that get stored, traded, and milled. We now understand coffee a little bit differently, not as some monolithic thing that never really goes bad, but with each crop having a different flavor profile that change it ages (which is why everyone chases after fresh crops). But one designer is taking coffee back to the mill and silo days with a fresh new take on the grinder and storage bin.
A coffee tour of Leipzig
Leipzig, Germany is home to a vibrant coffee scene that blends modern specialty with centuries-old coffee traditions. There are cafes dating back to the 1700s and cafes that have opened in the last year. There’s a little something for everyone. To learn more, we take a tour of all the wonderful coffee options that Leipzig has to offer.
Applications for NKG Pace are now open
NKG Pace, a joint venture between Neumann Gruppe USA and the Coffee Coalition to Advance Racial Equity to advance racial equity in the specialty coffee industry, is now accepting applications for any and all Black coffee professionals looking to shift careers into green coffee. Applications must be submitted by November 30th at 5:00pm ET.
A new way to Licor 43
Move over, Carajillo, there’s a new way to mix coffee and Licor 43. The Spanish liqueur brand has crowned a new champion for the 2023 Baristas and Bartenders Challenge. Gabriela Wong Arias of La Esquina de Buenos Aires in Costa Rica took home the top prize with her cocktail, the “Capital Vice,” a take on the Seven Deadly Sins.
2% Jazz, 100% new look
British Columbia’s 2% Jazz has been in the specialty coffee game since 1996 (before a lot of coffee professionals today were even born). With nearly 30 years in the biz, a face lift was in order. So as part of our Coffee Design series, we take a look at the fun new rebrand for 2% Jazz Coffee.
Harrar at 20,000 feet
Good or bad, in-flight coffee is an absolute pleasure. But only if you are able to drink it. This week we came across two different stories of mile-high coffee spills resulting in second-degree burns. Turbulence and unlidded coffee don’t mix.
Roaster Spotlight: Anchor & Tree Coffee
The Sprudge Roaster Spotlight feature series continues with a closer look at a brand new coffee roaster based in Sacramento, California. “We’re still in our early days as a company,” says Donovan Albert of Anchor & Tree, which launched in 2022 offering direct to consumer roasts with no cafe component. That’s a refreshing approach for sure, and one that’s tough to get exactly right.
Bamboo cups with a side of formaldehyde?
Bamboo cups are touted for their eco-friendliness, but in some cases, that may not be entirely true. A new report finds that some bamboo cups are made with a “toxic resin” known as melamine formaldehyde resin that, when it comes in contact with hot liquid—like coffee—releases unhealthy levels of formaldehyde into the drink.
The 2023 Analytics of Autumn
That’s a wrap for the 2023 Build-Outs of Coffee, and as has become a yearly tradition, we’re taking a look back and crunching the numbers to see what trends appear. What’s hot in gear, what’s important to for service, where is it all happening? These are the questions we take a deep dive on thanks to this year’s class of the Build-Outs of Coffee.
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. We found this natural processed coffee to be pleasantly dense, with notes of blueberry, grape and black tea in the cup.
Camber Coffee: Gesha Box Set—We’re thrilled to share our latest Artist Series drop, featuring TWO stunning Geshas from Guatemala. Guatemala Rosma Gesha is a washed process Gesha with exceptional clarity and effervescent notes of jasmine, makrut lime, bergamot, black tea, and casaba melon. Guatemala Cascada Encantada Gesha is a natural process Gesha showcasing a honeyed sweetness and complex flavors of apricot, black tea, clementine, grape, and black cherry. Sprudge readers can save $5 on the Gesha Box Set on cambercoffee.com with code GESHA through 11/3/23.
CXFFEEBLACK: OG Guji Mane—Brought to you by an all black supply chain. Grown by black farmers in the town of Uraga in the Guji Zone of Oromia in Ethiopia, exported by Black community leaders Ture Waji, aka the “King Of Guji”and the big homie Mike Mamo of Bmore. It was imported through the homies at Equatorial Coffee Consultants and roasted by Renata Henderson and Sydni Barnes.
Equator Coffees: Finca Sophia: Mystery Coffee —Don’t miss the next limited award-winning coffee from Equator’s own coffee farm in Panama: Finca Sophia. Our first coffee from this year’s harvest sold out by noon the day of release! Stay tuned—this mystery coffee will be announced on Monday, October 30th.
Greater Goods Coffee Co.: Kolla Bolcha—Sparkling acidity, creamy citrus flavor, and a tea-latte-like body make Kolla Bolcha a beautiful way to start the morning (or the afternoon). 10/10 recommend on V60, Origami, or Aeropress if you’re feelin’ wild. This washed coffee was grown by farmers in the Agaro region of western Ethiopia and processed at the Kolla Bolcha washing station.
Intelligentsia Coffee: Otoño Blend—Fall is here, and with it, the next release in our seasonal blend lineup. Otoño is inspired by the reflection that autumn brings, when nature reveals its texture and each step outdoors is a chance to slow down and observe a beautiful transition unfold. It features three In-Season lots from our single-origin menu: our Ethiopia Washed Alaka, Kenya Kamviu, and Guatemala La Florida.
Joe Coffee: Colombia La Familia Guarnizo—This coffee comes to us through a strong relationship between Joe Coffee and the El Paraiso growers’ association in Huila, Colombia. This bright and light-bodied selection was grown by a special group of El Paraiso’s member farmers: the Guarnizo family. Featuring notes of stone fruit and almonds with a medium acidity, this coffee is a customer favorite.
Madcap Coffee Company: Luis Reinoso—Luis Reinoso grows coffee in Tolima, Colombia, with his wife Yenni. Though this coffee bears his name, Luis is the first to emphasize that it’s an equal partnership between Yenni and himself. In this balanced cup of the Caturra and Bourbon varieties, expect notes of cherry, red apple, and nougat.
Monogram Coffee: Floripondio—Floripondio is an ideal farm for experimenting with growing different varieties of coffee. It is a breathtaking farm, growing incredible coffees, and under the guidance of the Rodriguez family the coffees are grown, harvested and processed with close attention to detail every step of the way. Floripondio is a batian coco natural that has super clean and juicy flavours of plum and nougat with a creamy body.
Night Swim Coffee: Rosalio Gutierrez – Natural—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. This sun-dried, bourbon varietal comes to us from Cusco, Peru and the Valle Inca cooperative.
Olympia Coffee Roasters: Ethiopia Desta Gola—Flavors of berry jam, peach, and jasmine
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.
Partners Coffee: Honduras San Francisco—Roger Domínguez produces some of our favorite natural process coffees. With the most exacting standards of picking and processing Roger has delivered an exceptional coffee, dominated by jammy red fruits and intense dark chocolate. We taste strawberry and raspberry jam, spiced cranberries, pomegranate, candied orange, very dark chocolate, and cognac.
PERC Coffee: DARRRK—We set out to make the best dark roast of all time. We wanted a thick, heavy body, intense sweetness, and deep roasty notes that all work in harmony in the cup. We started with the natural Ethiopia Sasaba and added the right amount of time and temperature to our traditional profile, and boom. The best dark roast ever. Darrrk delivers a whole new level of body and richness from anything we have ever roasted.
Stumptown Coffee: Guatemala El Injerto Pacamara —A seven-time winner of Guatemala’s prestigious Cup of Excellence competition, El Injerto Pacamara is one of the most highly anticipated coffees we roast all year. Known for its large size and award-winning profile, El Injerto Pacamara will captivate your senses like only a legendary coffee can. This year’s lot is pure decadence with notes of ripe peach and sugar cane complemented by a touch of sage.
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.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Linea Caffe - Part-Time Barista - San Francisco, CA
Macchinisti Espresso Equipment Engineers - Coffee Equipment Technician - Austin, TX
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.
Kimberley Coffee - Broome, Australia
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