The Sprudge Report - Chips & Tips
And new gear and cafes from all around the world.
New gear from World of Coffee Copenhagen
We’re still reeling from World of Coffee Copenhagen that took place two weeks ago. There was so much to see, it’s hard to keep track of it all! For our final installment of WoC news, contributor Tung Nguyen gives us a look at some of the most exciting new gear from the showfloor.
Coffee-flavored Doritos?
Of all the many different coffee-flavored things, a cheesy coffee-flavored corn chip has to be one of the more wild ones in 2024. But that’s what Doritos Australia has created, but good luck getting your hands on any. Only 300 bags of Doritos Coffee were created and the only way to acquire one is by winning it on Instagram. Maybe that’s for the better?
The Build-Outs of Europe (and Asia Minor)
It was a globetrotting week for the Build-Outs. We started off in Limoges, France to check in with the all new Brème Patisserie. Then, we headed to Nottingham in the UK for the multi-roaster revival at Effy. Finally, we popped over to Istanbul, Turkey to check out Krea, a bold new project looking to bring competition-style coffee and drinks to a wider audience.
Development Stage
The Crown, Royal Coffee’s Oakland coffee lab and training space is back with another educational event. Development Stage is a two-day, multidisciplinary event featuring talks, tastings, and pairings with some of the biggest names in Bay Area coffee and beyond.
Walking on coffee
Last year, we learned about Australian scientists creating a new, eco-friendly version of concrete using biochar made from spent coffee grounds that was said to be 30% than traditional concrete. Now, the coffee concrete is getting a trial run, in that you can try and run on it, thanks to a new footpath in Gisborne. And already there are plans to use the coffee concrete in upcoming projects around the Australian state of Victoria.
A banner week for coffee prices
Coffee prices for both Arabica and robusta had quite a week on the commodities markets. The price of Arabica briefly broke the $2.55 mark for the first time since 2011. And robusta reached an all-time high of $4,844 per tonne in London. But both landmarks are due, in part, to the effects of climate change decreasing supply. And it has major brands like Lavazza worried.
Cosmic Flash Cream Top
A jolt—zap!—a flash, a boom, and then… oh… it’s so smooth. We’re talking about none other than the Cosmic Flash Cream Top, a new drink from Verve Coffee Roasters. As part of our On The Menu series, we learn more about the new beverage from the California roasting outfit and how exactly it came to be.
Faema reinterprets the E61
From the Press Release desk, this week we learned that espresso machine manufacturer Faema is giving a rethink to their iconic machine, the E61. Known as the E61 Cult, the revamped espresso machine has all the looks of the original but with new internals that make it conducive for non-cafe settings.
Who should be part of a tip pool?
Recently, Dark Horse Espresso Bar in Toronto implemented a new tip-sharing policy whereby the tips would now be split with various managerial levels, bakers, roasters, delivery staff, even “ordering, fulfillment, hiring, and technology.” Needless to say, this sparked controversy and reignited the debate about who all should be included in a tip pool.
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: Decaf Guatemala Familia Primavera—The delicious chemical-free decaf coffee is a blend of coffees from two growing regions in Guatemala, Huehuetenango and New Oriente, both decaffeinated using the Swiss Water Process of caffeine extraction. The final profile is sweet and inviting, combining the richness and chocolate-forward notes from New Oriente with lively acidity and sweet, fruit-forward character of Huehuetenango.
Madcap Coffee Company: Juan Angel—Madcap has had the honor of being Juan Angel’s sole buyer since 2014, something we were eager to establish after meeting him and seeing his work ethic and dedication to producing quality coffee. Juan has 10 people, including family, helping pick ripe cherries on his roughly 8-acre plot of land, often making three total passes to ensure they are harvesting as much cherry as they can. In this coffee, expect sweet complexity and shining acidity, with notes of green apple, caramel, and orange.
PERC: Peru Santos Flores—We love this particular lot. It’s sweet and smooth, with enough subtle complexity to keep you coming back for more. We taste sweet maple syrup and candied lemon flavors in the cup with a rich brown sugar finish. This one goes down so easily that you might want a big bag!
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.
The Barn Coffee Roasters Berlin: Huey Mountain Natural—Rwanda is the land of 1000 hills and it has great growing conditions: High altitude, regular rainfall, rich soil and people working with passion. We have been buying coffee from Huye Mountain for over ten years now. Both the quality and cup profile have been very consistent over this whole period. Our natural processed lot has intense flavours of cherry, chocolate, and marzipan.
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.
Partners Coffee: Block Party—Returning to our menu for its second year, Block Party is a celebration of the sunny days ahead. Designed to be enjoyed hot, iced, or cold brewed, it has a refreshing flavor profile perfect for summer. In a range of brewing methods you’ll find notes of strawberry, blueberry, watermelon, and pink lady apple bathing in rich caramelized sugars.
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.
Mr. Espresso: Italian Espresso Trio—A Trio of Italian Classics. Return to the place where espresso began with Mr. Espresso’s trio of regionally inspired blends from Tuscany, Trieste and Naples. The elegant medium-roast Tuscan offers sweet chocolate and butterscotch notes; the light-roast Triestino has complexity of nut and fruit; and the company’s medium-dark signature Neapolitan delivers dark chocolate, hazelnut and caramel.
Portland Coffee Roasters: Anniversary Roast—Dedicated to our customers who’ve supported us since we began in 1996: this Limited Release is a blend of coffees from Colombia and Costa Rica. The Colombia is from Finca Palmichal, and the Costa Rica is from Finca La Hilda. This coffee has a nice acidity and body, with some citrus fruit, plum, and chocolate notes.
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.
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.
Joe Coffee: Lincoln Center—Summertime in New York City is an especially celebratory time. Designed to capture the unique spirit of the season, Lincoln Center is a juicy, dynamic coffee, perfect for summertime sipping. Especially delicious on ice, Lincoln Center is a washed lot from the Turihamwe women’s group in Ngozi, Burundi. As you sip, it blossoms into something greater than the sum of its parts, with notes of ripe peach, tart tangerine, raspberry jam, and a grounding black tea bitterness to make the sweetness even more dynamic and memorable.
Monogram Coffee: Don Isaias, Huila, Colombia—This Pink Bourbon from Don Isaias is a testament of hard work and striving to always improve. Don Isaias and local workers ferment the cherry for three days after harvest then dry for ten to fourteen days. The cup is well balanced with chocolate and fruit notes.
Olympia Coffee: Sweeetheart, Brazil Serra Dos Ciganos Natural—We obsess over perfecting Sweetheart’s roast profile, creating a sweet, balanced coffee with beautiful flavor clarity. The region of Mogiana is known for exceptional quality and community strength. We sourced this lot from small farms in partnership with FAF, a supplier committed to environmentally and economically sustainable coffee.
Onyx Coffee Lab : Unnecessarily Soulful — Lamps x Onyx Collaboration. This limited offering was created in celebration of the release of Jon Lampley’s debut album, Night Service: Live at LunÀtico. Lampley has been a major contributor to some of the most versatile, hardest-grooving ensembles currently at work, including The Late Show Band (of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert), O.A.R., and Huntertones. Brew yourself a cup, and sit back and enjoy an album that pulls from Jon’s strongest inspirations, evoking a positivity that will leave you feeling delightfully and even unnecessarily soulful.
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
Intelligentsia Coffee - Regional Sales Manager - New York, NY
Intelligentsia Coffee - Quality Control Supervisor - Chicago, IL
Four Leaf Roasters, Shamrock Foods - Associate Coffee Production Manager - Phoenix, AZ
Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea Company - Field Service Technician - Tampa, FL
Dune Coffee - Shop Manager - Santa Barbara, 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.
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.