The new rules of coffee (competition)
The leadership committee of the US Coffee Championships have announced sweeping changes to the competition structure. Beginning in 2025, the USCC season will go from three rounds to two, reverting back to the regional format many may remember from years back. With this larger change comes many smaller ones, made in hopes of lowering the barrier to access for competitors.
Behold the Builds
There were a spate of Builds this week. Four! The biggest week this year for the Build-Outs of Coffee, and it was an East Coast landslide. We kicked things off in Providence, RI, where Enjoy Coffee Roasters is bringing Scandinavian-style coffee Stateside. Then in Nashville, Haraz Coffee House also finds inspiration internationally, this time from Yemen. In Atlanta, coffee scene stalwarts Spiller Park expanded into their fourth location. And finally, Victus Coffee in Hartford, CT brings another great cafe option to the people of New England. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s even a brand new Coffee Buildcast episode for your listening pleasure.
Party at Coffee Fest, be there
Coffee Fest LA is just around the corner, and what better way to get it kicked off than with a party? That’s why Califia is opening up their DTLA headquarters on August 24th for a night of food, drinks, music, and a latte art throwdown with huge cash prizes.
Sprudge Twenty: John Di Ruocco of Mr. Espresso
The 2024 Sprudge Twenty series honoring innovators in the coffee industry continues this week with our interview with John Di Ruocco. Co-owner and VP of Coffee at Mr. Espresso in Oakland, Di Ruocco has spent over three decades in the coffee industry and heads the roasting operation founded by his father.
Blue state red state coffee debate
Everyone loves coffee, but do the folks of one political leaning love it a little bit more? One study says so. A new report by Coffeeness finds that states that tend to vote Democrat in the presidential election are associated with a higher likelihood of being “coffee obsessed.” Which I’m sure won’t upset anyone.
How much caffeine?
Not all cups of coffee contain the same amount of caffeine. Coffee variety, roast level, even brew method all play a role in determining exactly how much of the stimulant ends up in your cup. But what are there exact roles? In a new study, La Marzocco’s Accademia del Caffe Espresso examines how roast levels and brewing contribute to caffeine content, and the results are pretty surprising.
PSLurpee
The pumpkin spicing of all things has begun. We weren’t even able to make it through one whole day in August before it happened, the first odd pumpkin spice-flavored foodstuff. And this one is decidedly summery. 7-Eleven announced a very limited release of an all-new pumpkin-spice flavored Slurpee. All things considered, it could be worse. Pumpkin Spice Spam exists, after all.
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…
Equator Coffees—Guatemala El Injerto Gesha
Managed by the fourth generation of the Aguirre family, El Injerto is one of the most celebrated coffee farms in Guatemala and continues to be a leader in national tasting competitions. This year we fell in love with their juicy, floral and fruity washed-process Gesha lot bursting with flavors of pear, tea rose, and honey.
The Barn—GITWE
We love the coffees from Gitwe for their complex, elegant profiles. Expect complex flavour from juicy berry to sweet dried apple. A hint of warm spice and fine acidity are beautifully balanced. This fully washed lot offers elegant flavour and delicious clarity.
Madcap Coffee—Hunapu
In Antigua, Guatemala, volcanoes dominate the horizon and local farmers cultivate the nutrient-rich soil to grow coffees of world-renowned quality. Luis Pedro Zelaya calls this region’s coffee Hunapu, after the Mayan name for the largest volcano in the region. Madcap has proudly been working with Beneficio Bella Vista and purchasing Hunapu for nine seasons now. A quintessential representation of the quality in Antigua, expect a coffee with great structure and mild acidity balanced by a syrupy, juicy sweetness. Tasting notes of milk chocolate, apricot, and raw sugar make this lot one of our favorites.
Mr. Espresso—Mexico Mayan Village — Women’s Lot
Rosalba Cifuentes Tovía came to the San Francisco Bay Area from Chiapas, Mexico, with two small children and without knowing any English. What she did know was coffee. Incredibly, she built a network within Bay Area coffee circles. It has been her passion to use her coffee expertise to uplift the people from her native community of Chiapas. Rosalba has grown Mayan Harvest into a source that represents some of the best in the region. Combined with direct traceability and an exquisite taste that brings to mind notes of cherry, cream, and panela, this is a coffee you’ll feel good about buying and better about drinking.
Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters: ETHIOPIA ADDISU KIDANE LOT #2
Phil’s favourite washed Ethiopian coffee of the season! Addisu Kidane is back with some of the finest coffee you can find in Gedeb – a region already known for some of the best coffee in all of Ethiopia. Roasted for filter/drip brewing methods – expect flavours of peach, vanilla wafer, and black tea.
PERC COFFEE—Colombia Los Nogales Thermal Shock
We were so stoked on the coffees the folks from Los Nogales sent us we had to source two. This thermal shock lot is one of the most exciting and complex coffees we’ve tasted recently. You can expect floral and botanical notes complimented by juicy tropical flavors—think hibiscus, eucalyptus, and grilled pineapple. Los Nogales’ complexity is balanced by a sweetness that makes it a devilishly drinkable cup.
Sightglass Coffee—Summer Solstice
Named for the shortest night and longest day of the year, Summer Solstice is the perfect compliment for the warmer season. A time when we seek carefree adventures, experience these moments with a radiantly refreshing cup. This years blend combines beans from Ethiopia and the Ngorero region of Rwanda to create an easy-drinking beverage with fruity and bright notes of hibiscus, Meyer lemon, and honeysuckle.
Partners Coffee—Colombia Aidé Garro Chiroso
Chiroso is a mysterious variety specific to Antioquia, Colombia. Once thought to be a local mutation of caturra, it is now believed to have a closer relationship to Ethiopian landraces. This is fifth year buying chiroso from Aidé Garro, and hers is a beautiful representation of its incredible flavor profile—think watermelon and cherry Jolly Rancher, mango, lime, jasmine, and elderflower. Truly a stunner.
Pachamama Coffee Farmers—Peru Santa Teresa
This single origin coffee is from Pachamama Farmer Owners at COCLA cooperative in Santa Teresa Peru. Just a short trip from the slopes of Machu Picchu, the organic and shade grown farms of the cooperative are situated in prime landscape to grow world class coffee. This coffee brings forward notes of cherry chocolate and cream in each cup.
Olympia Coffee—Kenya Kamwangi AA Micro Lot 18
Out of hundreds of lots tasted at origin in Kenya, this was our top pick of the harvest. This coffee comes from the Kamwangi washing station and was produced as the 18th lot of the season.
Onyx Coffee Lab—Tropical Weather
Tropical Weather is a seasonal blend that celebrates coffees from our favorite coffee producing country: Ethiopia. We take a fresh washed offering that provides delicate florals and juicy texture, and incorporate a natural processed coffee that promotes pungent fruits and natural sugars. The result is indeed better than the sum of its parts.
Monogram Coffee—Mil Cumbres **Pre-sale next roast on August 1, 2024**
Mil Cumbres has produced coffee for less than 10 years, but it is already making a big impact and highlighting a fairly unknown coffee region in Panama. Healthy soil, interesting varieties, and processing acumen all contribute to a really exciting and unique expression of Panamanian coffee. Because Mokka is a fairly rare variety due to the low yields and difficulties in harvesting such a small seed, we always jump at the chance to share this special coffee.
Joe Coffee—Amsterdam
Rich, sweet, and comforting, Amsterdam is the perfect drip coffee option for those who seek a deeper roast profile. We select the components for this coffee for their ability to stand up to a more developed roast, without ever tasting over-roasted or smoky. Instead, we pull out classic notes of chocolate, nut, and toffee.
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.
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.
Portland Coffee Roasters—Endless Summer
This summer, let your cup transport you to a place of endless sunshine and good vibes. Portland Coffee Roasters is proud to introduce Endless Summer, our brand new medium roast that captures the carefree spirit of the season in every delicious sip.
Dune Coffee—Indonesia Bener Meriah
Bener Meriah comes from Mikael Jasin’s company Catur Coffee, who works with producers in Aceh to apply intentional post-harvest processing methods to push the boundaries of what has been thought possible from traditional Indonesian coffee varieties. Through anaerobic processing and yeast inoculation, we taste juicy red berry flavors and a creamy texture in the cup.
Night Swim Coffee—Jairo Arcila – EF2 Natural
A masterclass in processing, the work Cofinet and Jairo Arcila’s team have done at Santa Monica and La Pradera produced a very balanced, sweet, and clear encapsulation of the best characteristics of the Java variety. Take this limited opportunity to join us in enjoying the remarkable sundried Java varietal from Quindio, Colombia. We think you’ll find your childhood in it’s limeade-like acidity, sweet and sticky strawberry frutiness, and a syrupy, lingering, chocolate-y mouth feel.
Cxffeeblack—Ubudasa
Ubudasa is a Kinyarwandan word loosely translated to mean the uniqueness of something or how something just hits different. In partnership with Higa coffee, a natural anaerobic from Businide station in the Kayanza district in Burundi. You already know, All-Black supply chain. Notes of grape Jolly Rancher, mango Jumex, and cinnamon. Proceeds from the sale of this coffee go to support Phase 2 of the Black Barista Exchange Program.
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.
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.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Counter Culture Coffee - Roasting Apprentice - Emeryville, CA
Equator Coffees - Operations Associate Manager - San Rafael, CA
Equator Coffees - Sales Operations Manager - San Anselmo, CA
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