The Sprudge Report - Coffee Songs
And questionable coffee advice
What’s the best coffee song?
The song of the summer for 2024 had to be Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso. It was a whole vibe and it was inescapable. But Espresso, bop though it was, isn’t the first coffee song to hit the charts. This week on Sprudge, we are surveying the world of coffee songs over the years, going all the way back to Ol’ Blue Eyes himself.
The coffee calendar is SRO
Looking for something to do this weekend? Perhaps something coffee-related? Well then are you ever in luck because the coffee event calendar this weekend is chock full of festivities from around the globe and right where you are. That’s why we are perusing the Sprudge Coffee Events Calendar to bring you some of the cool goings on this weekend to keep you well caffeinated.
The skinny on coffee for fat loss
Coffee has long been thought of as a tool to aid in losing weight. This has been due mostly to its caffeine content providing more energy for exercise. But a new study finds that cafestol, a naturally occurring compound in coffee, may also help with fat loss. But there’s a catch. It depends on the types of coffee you drink. Cafestol is found primarily unfiltered brew methods, like espresso and French press.
Are two-star reviews a good way to find coffee?
A recent Washington Post article—in the Travel section no less—suggested that a surefire way to find good coffee is to look at the two-star reviews, particularly of the “bad service, good coffee” ilk. Now, barring the fact that this idea was more or less lifted from a two-year-old social media post, is it actually an effective tool? Short answer, no. Longer answer, woof.
Press release news
In this week’s wide world of press release news, Mazzer welcomes Austrian World Brewers Cup Champion Martin Wölfl to the Mazzer Racing Team as a Brand Ambassador. And in Rogers, Arkansas, Onyx Coffee Lab announced their highly anticipated 7th-annual Onyx Advent Calendar, now available for pre-order.
Ukrainian coffee roasters moving outside the country
Over on the Special Projects Desk, Sprudge’s vertical for in-depth, long form coffee journalism, Yaroslav Druziuk take a look at Ukrainian coffee roasters making moves internationally. As their home country continues to be ravaged by war, these individuals have made the difficult decision to leave home and move elsewhere in the world.
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…
Olympia Coffee—Montverde Gesha Red Honey
Experience a true masterpiece in coffee processing. These Gesha cherries are yeast-inoculated and anaerobically fermented, using a red honey process to concentrate the fruit notes in this delicate varietal.
Equator Coffees—Sumatra Panangan Mata Fair Trade Organic
Only here for a limited-time, this coffee was produced by Ibu Rahmah on her family’s farm located in the Aceh Province of Northern Sumatra. In addition to producing her own coffee, Rahmah is the chairwoman of the Ketiara cooperative, makers of our beloved Queen Ketiara since 2015. This delicious light roast transcends the typical earthy character Sumatra coffees are known for, brewing a smooth and inviting cup with notes of dried cherry, rooibos, and allspice.
Portland Coffee Roasters—St John’s
St John’s is the signature espresso blend at all of our cafes. It’s named for a beautiful bridge in Portland, Oregon, and it may be the most beautiful bridge in the world! Dizzyingly high and radiant, St Johns Bridge is the perfect pairing with our vibrant, well-rounded coffee blend that carries lovely orange flavors across your palate. This blend is great when brewed as drip coffee or espresso.
La Barba Coffee—Colombia | Diego Bermudez Castillo Y-05
This directly sourced Castillo has delicate peach sweetness with intense and complex floral character. Its a coffee that balances sweet flavors and delicate notes beautifully – the result of Diego Bermudez’s meticulous farming and a scientific approach to coffee processing. Notes : Peach, Apple, Lychee
The Barn—INSPIRATION ADVENT CALENDAR 2024
This Advent Calendar contains 24x Single Origin Coffees from producers that decided to change the way they grow and process coffee. It includes: 4 boxes with 50g of Single Origin Coffees, individual cards about each coffee, tasting diary to record your favorite brews, variety of handpicked coffee gifts, and limited edition artwork to hang on your wall.
Klatch Coffee—Kenya Karatu AA
Kenya Karatu AA is a personal favorite of Klatch Coffee Roastmaster, Mike Perry. This Kenyan classic features a delicious, juicy mouthfeel and bold, fruity flavors of watermelon, orange, and caramel. Grown at an elevation of 1,883 meters above sea level in the red soil of the Aberdare Ranges, the beans have acquired distinct flavor characteristics and a smooth, rich body. Enjoy its sweet, rich, and smooth cup with unparalleled accuracy and consistency.
Phil & Sebatian—Colombia, Finca El Paraiso Bourbon Aji
This is our first coffee of this amazing variety. Bourbon Ají is an Ethiopia Landrace variety that has found its way to the Americas and is now referred to as a bourbon – much like pink bourbon, chiroso and sidra. As to why it’s called “Ají”, some speculate that the colour of the cherries and the slight spicy flavour of the coffee fruit is why the variety is called “Aji”, which means “red chili” in Spanish. The way Jose decided to process this borbon ají is what makes this coffee more special. The coffee was picked, floated and hand selected. Then it was anaerobically fermented in a cold room for a whopping 110 hours in cherry. The coffee was then de-pulped, washed and dried in raised beds.
Madcap Coffee—Harvest Moon
Finca de Dios from Fraijanes, Guatemala forms the base of this fall blend. Grown on the innovative farm of Ellen and Stuart Prentice with the help of their daughter Ashley, Finca de Dios is a consistent Madcap staple. Another familiar component to the blend is Reko, out of Kochere, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia, named after Reko mountain and the washing station the coffee is processed at. Reko is well known by its fans for its tea-like qualities and electric acidity. Once combined, the final blend is well rounded with notes of caramelized sugar sweetness and crisp, floral apple. Warm your hands with Harvest Moon in your favorite mug, or as espresso in a milk beverage of your choice.
PERC—Ethiopia Benti Nenka Anaerobic Natural
When we first found this coffee, it blew us away. Its aroma reminds us of tropical fruit—think passion fruit and mango. When we took our first sip, Benti Nenka took our tongues on a trip to a fantastic land where red grapes, strawberries, and blueberry jam danced with honey bears and chocolate bars. They laughed and sang sweet songs as they high-fived our taste buds. It’s safe to say that we love this coffee as much as our tongues did. We bought as much of it as possible, and you should, too.
Night Swim Coffee—Karagoto AA
The Karagoto Factory is made up of smallholders with an average farm size of half a hectare. It has over 1,700 members supplying cherry. Karagoto is located in the Karatina region in Nyeri County, between the elegant Mount Kenya and the Aberdare range. Tasting Notes: Grapefruit, Mandarin, Raw Sugar, Green Tea
Greater Goods Coffee Co.—Vietnam Lâm Dông
At Greater Goods, we’re excited to introduce you to our latest find: the Robusta Black Honey from Vietnam. This coffee comes from a region with a rich history and a deep connection to its land. Vietnam’s coffee journey began with Arabica but truly found its footing with Robusta, which now dominates the country’s coffee production. We’re thrilled to offer this exceptional coffee and let you experience its vibrant and distinctive flavors: White Grape, Baker’s chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream
Pachamama Coffee Farmers—Ethiopia Sidama Natural
A fruity, natural processed coffee from the Sidama region. Natural Sun Dried, Always Shade Grown + Certified Organic. Blackberry, Honey, Cacao
Sightglass Coffee—Autumnal Equinox
Named for the celestial shift from summer to autumn, marked by nearly equal amounts of daylight and darkness across all latitudes, our Autumnal Equinox blend is crafted from a 50/50 composition of washed and natural processed coffees from famed Mexican coffee farmer Jose Argüello. Persimmon, Cardamom, Toffee.
Onyx Coffee Lab—Southern Weather
Southern Weather embodies everything we love about specialty coffee and has evolved into a foundational blend. We brew this in our own cafes as a “House” filter option and love how it balances the relationship between modern citric acidity flavors with full bodied chocolates. This comfortable, yet surprisingly complex and sophisticated coffee is approachable to all. It performs well on its own for the purist or with fats such as dairy or plant based beverages, making it a true answer for all coffee needs.
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. From the beginning of our roasting adventure, El Paraiso, in association with importer/exporter Caravela, has connected us with a number of excellent, high quality Colombian coffees. 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.
Partners Coffee—Mexico – Hermanos Luna
The García Luna brothers belong to a producer group of mostly younger farmers in the community of San Vicente Yogondoy, Oaxaca. Most of the coffee planted here is a variety called pluma hidalgo (or simply pluma), a local mutation of typica. This lot is comforting and approachable with notes of milk chocolate, orange zest, caramel, baking spice, cashew butter, and dark honey elevated by red apple and white grape.
DUNE Coffee—Chito Ecuador
We are excited to share this coffee and be a part of this project for these coffees and producers. In the cup, we find many of the characteristics that coffees from Ecuador have captivated us with: from soft melon and sweet orange, with a milk chocolate character throughout.
CXFFEE BLACK—GUJI LO-FI
Decaf Ethiopian Coffee, Mountain Water Process. Candy Corn, Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Molasses. Guji Mane, Diaspora Collection
Verve Coffee Roasters—Vancouver Swiss Water Decaf
Our Vancouver Swiss Water Decaf blend highlights candied almonds in a chocolaty background. The 100% chemical-free process results in 99.99% caffeine-free coffee. Anyone who enjoys a dessert-tasting coffee will love this.
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.
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.
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.
Dedo Coffee - Long Beach, CA
Portland Coffee Roasters - Portland, OR
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