The Sprudge Report - But First, A Book Tour
We're hitting the road behind our new book But First, Coffee
Sprudge hits the road
But First, Coffee is the new book by Sprudge founders Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen. And to celebrate its October 10th release, Michelman and Carlsen are hitting the road for the next two months, making stops from coast to coast. Check out the dates and pick up a copy of your very own.
This week’s Build-Outs
We had two Build-Outs of Coffee features this week, starting off with Big Island Coffee Roasters brand new 4,000-square-foot cafe and roasting space in Hilo, Hawaii. This is their first public space, where they will showcase some of the best coffee’s produced in the Aloha State. Next, we checked in on Crema Coffee Roasters, whose new Brentwood, Tennessee cafe is the brand’s first outpost outside Nashville. But they are still bringing the same Crema experience that made them a Music City coffee institution.
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.
The gorgeous side of automation
Even if you love the meditative nature of hand brewing your morning pour-over, there’s something to be said about automation, especially when it looks this good. The Hikaru v60 Smart Brewer by Hiroia, a subsidiary of Hario, is a stylish new automated brewing system, blending customization and elegant design, and it’s available on Kickstarter now.
An indecent proposal
Coffee wages are low and don’t appear to be going up any time soon. So what do we do about it? Valorie Clark has a radical idea: regulate coffee consumption by age. It’s an interesting way to attack the problem, but will it work? Read her case for it on Sprudge.
EU deforestation laws face scrutiny
The European Union has passed new laws requiring importers to prove that the commodities they are bringing in, like coffee, aren’t linked with deforestation. But some watchdog groups are concerned that the downstream effect will hit poorer, small-scale farmers the most.
Pink, sure, but Bourbon?
Pink Bourbon is one of the most popular coffee varieties going right now. But it may not be what we once thought it to be. That is, it’s not a Bourbon at all. In a new report, Cafe Imports finds that, after multiple genetic analyses, that Pink Bourbon is actually an Ethiopian landrace and has more in common with Gesha that its namesake variety.
Requiem for a Glitter Cat
After five years, Glitter Cat Barista Bootcamp is calling it quits. Announced earlier this week by founder Veronica Pearl, the program that brought training to groups typically under-represented on the US Coffee Championship stages has decided that 2023 will be its last.
Introducing the Sprudge Design Awards
We are letting design take center stage with the all new Sprudge Design Awards, a user-submitted celebration of global coffee branding. There are 16 total categories, and submissions are open now!
Coffee Sprudgecast: The One With Tasty Build-Outs & Juicy Camber Coffee
The latest episode of the coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast is out! Hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are back—and they’re drinking delicious a new offering from Bellingham, Washington superstars Camber 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: Struttura—Struttura (meaning “structure”) is a sweet, weighty, and structured blend with notes of dark chocolate, molasses, and plum. It was carefully crafted to produce syrupy, dimensional, full-bodied espresso shots, while also brewing a vibrant, balanced cup of drip. We can’t wait for you to try this truly luxurious blend.
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: Costa Rica Puente Tarrazú Gesha—This fully-washed process Gesha coffee comes from Finca San Martín, a small farm in the esteemed Tarrazú growing region. We evaluated this lot while visiting San José, Costa Rica earlier this year and instantly fell in love. This exceptional coffee is a must-try for fans of Gesha’s sweet and delicate floral profiles — now roasting with very limited availability.
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: Nano Genji #8—Nano Genji is the sibling mill to the famed Nano Challa mill, featured on our menu last year. This lot, #8, from Nano Genji is delicate, nuanced, expressive, and absolutely delicious. It’s reminding us of floral white tea and bergamot with a deep and lasting, caramel like sweetness.
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, Spanish for chili pepper. Delicate chili pepper-like qualities are 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.
Partners Coffee: Honduras – Las Flores—Finca Las Flores is one of three farms Roger Domínguez inherited from his father, 3.5 hectares ideally located at 1,500 meters within the celebrated coffee growing community of Marcala. The farm is mostly planted with catuaí under the shade of guachipilín, banana, orange, and pepeto trees. In a sweet and nuanced cup we taste concord grapes, spiced apple cider, orange zest, and gingerbread.
PERC Coffee: Ethiopia Reko—Guess who’s back? It’s the dadgum fantabulous Ethiopia Reko, and we’re super stoked. This year’s crop is clean and bright, with soft floral notes that linger like the dang Cranberries. Your tongue will take a shvitz in flavors that remind us of honeysuckle, orange blossom, and white grape. This is an instant classic, y’all – get some!
Stumptown Coffee: Guatemala Semillero—Semillero was the first plot of land Luis Pedro Zelaya bought after graduating as an agronomist. It produces some of the highest quality lots seen in the Zelaya family operation. This year’s lot is a round cup combining notes of creamy vanilla, nectarine, and plum, and it’s available exclusively to Stumptown’s Roaster’s Pick coffee subscribers.
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
Counter Culture Coffee - Regional Technical Services - Durham, NC
Covoya Specialty Coffee - Marketing Manager - Providence, RI
Cropster - Marketing Team Lead (f/m/d) - Innsbruck/Vienna, Austria or Sacramento, CA
Counter Culture Coffee - Western Regional Supervisor - Emeryville, CA
The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room - Barista - Oakland, CA
Equator Coffees - Shift Lead - San Francisco Bay Area
Equator Coffees - Associate Roaster - San Rafael, CA
Equator Coffees - Production Lead - San Rafael, CA
Equator Coffees - Cafe General Manager - Laguna Beach, CA
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.