Beware the madness of March
It’s bracket time! Not the basketball one but the real one, it’s the Ultimate Coffee Bracket Challenge! Now in its fourth year, we’re 32 competitors against one another in a head-to-head battle until there is but one remaining. And this year we’re shaking things up a bit. 16 coffee drinks vs. 16 coffee influencers. Who is going to win? Stay tuned to the Sprudge Instagram account all next week as we decide a winner.
A coffee guide to Addis Ababa
Ethiopia is generally considered to be the birthplace of coffee and in modern times has become known as the producer of some of the best coffee in the world. So it shouldn’t be surprising that a country so steeped in coffee tradition is home to a thriving cafe scene, and that’s exactly what’s going on in Addis Ababa. To get a better picture, Tidenek Haileselassie takes us on a tour of some of her favorite coffee shops in Addis.
You know those tumblers that are like, two tumblers, you know?
There are many great questions in life, but perhaps no more pressing that this: hot or cold? When you walk out the door in the morning, are you grabbing a hot drink or a cold one? Or are you some sort of circus act trying to juggle both? Enter the Splitflask. The 40oz vacuum-insulated tumbler allows you to carry one hot drink and one cold drink, all in the same container.
It’s all just tariff-ic
Tariffs are the latest question mark plaguing the coffee industry, particularly in the United States. The world’s largest importer and consumer of coffee is waging a trade war with its North American allies Canada and Mexico in the form of a 25% tariff on all goods from the two countries (Canada has responded in kind). This is leaving many coffee companies that do business across these borders in a bad spot. And now, the NCA’s President and CEO Bill Murray to request that coffee be excluded from the tariffs.
Source: A Green Coffee Buying Panel
It’s time to start getting your Expo affairs in order. And if you’re going to be in Houston for the SCA’s biggest Stateside event, Cafe Imports is inviting you to attend the live podcast taping of Source: A Green Coffee Buying Panel. They’ve invited Atlas Coffee and Royal Coffee to join in to discuss all things importing, which is a hot topic right now (see above). It’s completely free to attend. Check out the article for more details.
Trouble at Chamberlain Coffee
Emma Chamberlain’s Chamberlain Coffee posted an astounding $20+ million in sales last year. But even more astounding is that it nonetheless operated at a loss. In unearthed internal documents, the brand was shown to have trouble securing funding and suffered what they called “growing pains.”
From the Press Releases
This week, La Marzocco continues to roll out new news ahead of Expo. This time it’s the announcement of the all-new La Marzocco App, which will replace the existing La Marzocco Pro and La Marzocco Home apps and bring both Home and Professional espresso machines into one digital ecosystem.
Don’t brew, Vote!
Finalist voting continues for the 16th Annual Sprudgie Awards! With eight choices per category, plus the opportunity to write in the candidate of your choice, this year’s voting for the Sprudgies has already broken records at Sprudge. You can cast your vote by using the ballot here, and share this post to encourage your communities to vote. Voting for the 16th Annual Sprudgie Awards is open through Friday, April 4th at 11:59 PM PST.
Spring ahead on the Coffee Sprudgecast
It’s time again for another rousing episode of the Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen on the Sprudge coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast! Learn about how we curate our popular city guides and find out about the 16th Annual Sprudgie Award Finalists. And what is a secret processed coffee anyway?
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…
Pachamama Coffee—Perú
Nestled deep in the Santa Teresa Valley just beyond the slopes of Machu Picchu in Perú, smallholder farmers grow these fine Arabica beans. Featuring notes of milk chocolate, mandarin, and almond, our freshly roasted crop of Perú is a tribute to the artisanal craft and the indigenous and regenerative farming practices of Pachamama farmer-owners.
Passenger Coffee—Lucas Melo
We are delighted to have producer Lucas Melo back on our Reserve Lot menu, with the release of this outstanding washed Colombia F6 variety selection from his farm, El Cairo, in Nariño, Colombia. This cup is packed with berry and tropical fruit flavors, as well as an integrated citrus acidity and deep sweetness reminiscent of vanilla and caramel.
Heartwood—Bekele Kachara- Murago Natural, Ethiopia
Bekele Kachara is a single producer and farm owner/operator located in the small area of Murago within the Sidama region. His expertise in coffee processing comes from years of experience. Bekele employs a meticulous approach to coffee farming, using shaded pre-drying beds on-site and nurturing specific coffee varieties. Our flavor notes: Creamy blueberry, stone fruits, milk chocolate
Equator Coffees—Java Mount Ijen Orange Bourbon Anaerobic Natural
This light roast combines the anaerobic natural process with the Orange Bourbon variety: a truly unique undertaking for a coffee from the Indonesian island of Java. The result is a coffee with unique and intensely fruity flavors of Medjool date, watermelon candy, and hazelnut.
Klatch Coffee—Organic Sumatra Kokowagayo Fair Trade
We are delighted to introduce you to Kokowagayo—a women-owned cooperative in Sumatra’s Aceh province. Their Organic Sumatra Kokowagayo Fair Trade coffee is a wet-hulled bourbon blend like no other, offering a luscious mix of milk chocolate, caramel, bright berries, and a subtle nuttiness in a creamy, balanced body.
THE BARN—Spring Coffee
We chose this washed lot for its delicate balance of sweetness and acidity, bringing elegant florals that are a perfect fit for Spring. In the cup, expect notes of sweet apricot jam, pear, and citrus, with hints of fine dark chocolate and dried berries as it cools.
Madcap Coffee—New Moon
Two familiar coffees from Honduras were chosen for this crisp and balanced seasonal blend. Ejo Heza, a coffee produced by the women’s group of the Kopakama Cooperative, delivers tea-like florals and a delicate body. Miguel Ortiz’s Parainema variety ushers in fruit-forward sweetness and adds depth to the final body of the blend. In the final blend, we’re enjoying notes of lemon zest, lilac, and sweet cherry.
Partners Coffee—Colombia – Vladimir Calambás
Vladimir Calambás grows borbón de la montaña, a relatively unknown cultivar specific to Inzá, Cauca. A slight departure from the citric acidity we most closely associate with Inzá, we’re tasting more berry and floral notes. Think watermelon, cherry, strawberry, and caramel.
Phil & Sebastian—Jose Cuellar Pink Bourbon & Bourbon Aji
This blend of Pink Bourbon and Bourbon Aji comes from Jose Cuellar – a rare coffee producer in Huila, Colombia. He’s been in coffee for a very long time, but his latest venture has taken him out of the normal path of Colombian coffee production.
ORANGE CREAMSICLE | LEMONGRASS | EARL GREY
Night Swim Coffee—Nano Genji #6
Nano Genji is a part of the Kata Muduga Union and is the sibling mill to the famed Nano Challa mill. This lot, #6, from Nano Genji is bright and refreshing, with bold citrus and fruity notes that instantly remind us of cherry-limeade or peach green tea.
La Barba Coffee—Pepe Jijon Typica Wave
With a bright and pleasantly crisp acidity, fruit flavors such as green grape and apple produce a clean first couple sips. Gradually, the cup becomes sweeter, fruitier, and lends a subtle floral note, still maintaining an enjoyably vibrant acidity, making this one of Jijon’s most impressive coffees.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters—Hair Bender
The coffee that started it all: Hair Bender is Stumptown’s signature blend, a recipe perfected over 25 years ago. We can tell you it’s a complex blend with notes of sweet citrus, dark chocolate, and raisin, but we can’t tell you how it’ll make you feel.
Dune Coffee Roasters—Ecuador Hacienda La Papaya Washed Typica
The Typica was our first introduction to Hacienda La Papaya, and these coffees have always impressed us with the flavors Juan is able to cultivate and develop from this unique expression of the variety. This year, Juan’s washed Typica is quintessential of the flavors we’ve come to find from this variety and terroir: sweet citrus, dense caramel and brown sugar sweetness, and white flower florality
PERC—Colombia Young Producers Program
Our partners at Unblended created the Young Producers program to make coffee farming an exciting and viable career path for young people in Colombia. The program pairs young producers with seasoned veterans to help them with their own coffee. You’ll get an explosion of intense fruit that reminds us of pink Starburst.
Sightglass Coffee Roasters—Spring Equinox
Named for the celestial shift from winter to spring, our Spring Equinox blend is crafted from a 50/50 composition of high-altitude coffees from Guatemala and Kenya. The result is a unique blend that celebrates a season of renewal through a deeply sweet and delicately fruited coffee that shines. Orange Blossom, Tamarind, Strawberry. Roast Level: Medium Dark
Olympia Coffee—San Sebastian Reserva
Our San Sebastian Reserva, sourced from producers in San Sebastian De La Plata, Huila, features the highest-scoring lots of the season grown at lofty elevations over 1,700 meters.
Mr. Espresso—Java Gunung Tikukur, Washed Process
Part of Mr. Espresso’s limited-edition Collezione di Caffè, this washed micro-lot comes from West Java’s Cipaganti Village. Collected directly from small farmers, coffee varietals include Catimor, Tim Tim, Typica, and Gayo II and offers a complex cup, with flavors such as peach, toasted almond, and basil.
Verve Coffee Roasters —Gura AA
Juicy, jammy and expressive, this year’s AA lot from Gura is nothing short of delicious. Tropical guava notes greet your palate with the first sip, followed by a sweet strawberry and fudge finish.
Onyx Coffee Lab—Colombia Tio Conejo Gesha Natural
In the high mountains of Caldas, Colombia, Tío Conejo cultivates coffee with a commitment to tradition, community, and resilience. That quality shows in the cup with pungent fruit characteristics throughout the drinking experience, culminating in pink guava and watermelon candy.
Joe Coffee —Rubí Sisters Catuaí
Perched between the Sierra La Esperanza and Santa Bárbara mountains in Las Vegas, Honduras, lies Finca Ruland 2—a specialty coffee farm as beautiful as it is biodiverse, owned and operated by the Rubí-Landaverde family. As a second generation coffee grower, daughter Andrea Rubí helped to usher in a new era for her family.
Candied Lemon, Almond Paste, Cinnamon
CXFFEEBLACK—Fruit Of Our Labor
A HIGA JUNT -NATURAL RWANDA KILIMBI STATION, 1650-1850 MASL
TASTING NOTES: Strawberry, Dark Chocolate, and Passionfruit
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Woods Coffee - Production Roaster & Cold Brew Technician - Kent, WA
Equator Coffees - Cafe General Manager - San Francisco, CA
Equator Coffees - Cafe General Manager - San Francisco, CA
Equator Coffees - Cafe General Manager - San Francisco, CA
Equator Coffees - Cafe General Manager - Menlo Park, CA
Falcon Coffees - North America Specialty Sales - Austin, TX
La Marzocco USA - Customer Success Team Lead - Seattle, WA
Stumptown Coffee Roasters - Sr. Sales & Market Development Rep - Los Angeles, CA
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.