The Sprudge Report - Buzzin' On Decaf
That decaf is so hot right now. Decaf.
Weihong Zhang: The Minister of Decaf
You’ve no doubt heard about Weihong Zhang’s incredible win at the 2024 US Brewers Cup last weekend using a decaf. But that’s only the beginning of what makes the owner of BlendIn Coffee Club in Houston’s so historic. With less than a month before the World Brewers Cup at Expo in Chicago, we talk with Zhang to learn more about his incredible routine and his groundbreaking decaf.
The coffee is aces in Ventura
The coastal SoCal town of Ventura is, as is the common parlance, a vibe. Sun, beaches, perfect weather, it’s all so very chill. And the growing coffee scene is just as laid back as the city itself, but don’t let that fool you, it’s serious. We visit the tight-knit and communal coffee scene to find out what’s hot (and so so chill) in Ventura, California.
The good and bad news of Brazil’s increased production
For the third year in a row, the overall coffee production in Brazil is expected to increase. It’s expected to in 2025 as well. This sounds like generally good news, but the reasons behind the continuous year-over-year increase—and potentially what it means for the rest of the coffee-growing world—are not as positive. They speak to the issues producers have experienced over the past few years and will continue to in the future.
The science of coffee and health
There were a lot of studies that came our way this week at the intersection of coffee consumption and health. First, we learned about a naturally-occurring chemical compound in coffee that helps decrease muscle loss due to aging. Then, there was a study finding a connection between drinking coffee and lower instances of colorectal cancer recurrence as well a decrease in all-cause mortality.
Can you tell a coffee bag by a book cover?
Neither coffee bags and book covers are aesthetically static. Trends come and go, adapting to styles and elements that are of the time. Is there an intersection of design trends in these two worlds? Looking at book covers and illustration trends in the publishing world, we can compare those trends to coffee design and see where the next trends could be going.
Swap ‘til you drop
The Legendary Coffee Exchange by Cafe Imports is back! In what is quickly becoming an annual tradition, Cafe Imports’s roaster coffee swap returns to the Specialty Coffee Association’s Expo in Chicago next month for more in-person coffee trading, community building, and the chance to win a new Ikawa sample roaster.
Speaking of Expo…
Cropster is going to be in Chicago in full force for this year’s SCA Expo, and they have a whole host of events planned. Immersive VR experiences, panel discussions, parties, Cropster is pulling out all the stops in 2024.
Bunnies and brews
This weekend is Easter, which means lot, and I mean lots, of candy. But coffee goes best with some of the most popular Easter candies? For that, we turn to our friends in the Roaster’s Village (this week’s entire curated list of coffees can be found below). We’ve selected six coffees that are sure to enhance the joys of six iconic Easter sweet treats.
More barista races please
Over the weekend, Paris revived a century-old barista race. In it, competitors must complete a 2km course carrying a tray of coffee, croissants, and water, without losing any of the contents. It’s not exactly the most serious of coffee competitions but honestly, I’m here for it and I want more just like it.
The Coffee Sprudgecast: The One With Blends and Coffee Champions
The Coffee Sprudgecast returns with another riveting episode on all things coffee. Hot on the heels of the US Coffee Championships, hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are talking talk competitions, blends, and maybe a little bonus decaf content.
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 : Congo Free—Guji Mane Diaspora Collection // CONGO FREE: CONGO WASHED PROCESS /// a mighty peace junt- A portion of the proceeds goes to support Congolese liberation and the farmers who produce this African fruit.
Equator Coffees: Cherry Blossom Espresso—Sip into spring with our new seasonal offering, Cherry Blossom Espresso. This limited time espresso features delicate flavors of dried pineapple and lavender from the foundation coffee, Suke Quto, and an assortment of exotic coffees that make up the blend.
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 Company: New Moon—Each season, Madcap’s roasting team creates a seasonal blend to reflect the flavors of the moment, combining shining single origins to create an exceptional blend experience. This year’s New Moon blend captures the first breeze of fresh air when the windows are open, complete with fresh blossoms and beams of sunshine. A balanced blend of two coffees, Reko from Ethiopia and Juan Angel from Honduras, enjoy tasting notes of cherry blossom, rhubarb, and sweet agave with your windows open.
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: Guiben – Natural—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. Tasting notes include pink lemonade, strawberry candy, and chocolate malt.
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: Zulieth Sancho Masabuel – Colombia—Zulieth is the daughter of Luz Mila Masabuel, another eminent coffee farmer from Inzá, Cauca, in southwestern Colombia. Following in her mother’s path, Zulieth cultivates a two hectare plot of mostly castillo and delivers her coffee to Pergamino’s collection point nearby. This is a lovely expression of Cauca’s classic washed profile, pairing crisp red apple with warm cherry, caramel, milk chocolate, and subtle citrus.
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: Rwanda Huye Mountain—Rwanda Huye Mountain is a combination of top-scoring lots selected through Huye David Rubanzangabo’s meticulous quality control process. The result is a coffee—and a partnership—that’s been keeping us coming back for more since 2012. One taste will envelop you in all the grace and elegance of what an exceptional coffee tastes like—with notes of ripe pear, tart citrus, and fragrant vanilla.
Verve Coffee Roasters: Colombia Gabriel Castaño Pink Bourbon Single Origin Espresso—Decadent notes of fudge and molasses melt throughout Gabriel Castaño’s anaerobic-washed Colombia Pink Bourbon, rounded out by hints of strawberry as a sweet treat.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Cropster - Content Marketing Specialist (f/m/d) - Innsbruck/Vienna, Austria
Stumptown Coffee Roasters - Roaster - Portland, OR
Stumptown Coffee Roasters - Barista, Part-Time - Brooklyn, NY
Stumptown Coffee Roasters - Barista - New York, NY
Trabocca - Quality Assistant - Minneapolis, MN
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.
BonLife Coffee Roasters - Cleveland, TN
Rust Is Gold Coffee - Albuquerque, NM
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