The Sprudge Report - Copenhagen and Beyond
World of Coffee is this weekend and we're in Copenhagen to cover it!
Copenhagen!
As you may have noticed, World of Coffee Copenhagen is happening right this very instant. It’s the year’s biggest specialty coffee event in Europe, and we’ve got boots on the ground in Denmark to keep you up to date on all the sights and sounds. And they’ve already churned out some incredible work. We started the week with a brand new coffee guide to Copenhagen penned by none other than Coffee Collective’s Klaus Thomsen. We’ve got a schedule of events, a preview Sprudgecast, some Semi-Finalists, even a few Finalist announcements. There’s more to come so stay tuned all weekend.
The good and bad of genetics
If you love coffee, there’s a chance it may be due to possessing a certain genetic variant that controls how your body processes caffeine. But that same variant has a downside, and those who possess are more inclined to obesity and substance abuse, though the study didn’t find any link between drinking coffee and the two negative health outcomes.
Texas A&M now offers a certification for coffee studies
Texas A&M has had a Coffee Center for the academic study of coffee, particularly on the agricultural side, for the better part of a decade. Now, they are offering a certificate for coffee studies that the equivalent to a minor and will cover all sectors of the coffee supply chain.
An interview with Hemro Group CEO Marcel Lehmann
Mahlkönig, the German grinder manufacturer that is part of the Hemro Group, is celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year. To learn more about the brand, its history, and where it is headed in the future, we sit down with Hemro CEO Marcel Lehmann.
On The Menu: Sago’t Gulaman Iced Latte
On this week’s installation of On The Menu, we check out the latest limited edition beverage at The Caffé by Mr. Espresso in Oakland. For their newest concoction, the brand has teamed up with Chef Harold Villarosa, also known as UNK The Filipino Chef. The drink consists of cold brew, a blend of coconut cream and condensed milk, espresso and brown sugar simple syrup-cooked tapioca pearls, nata de coco, and finished with a house-made ricotta.
NKG Pace opens up their curriculum
NKG Pace is a yearlong paid training program created by the Neumann Gruppe USA and the Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity for the purpose of providing hands-on experience to Black coffee professionals who want to transition their careers into green coffee trading. Now, NKG Pace has announced the Open Access Series, free monthly learning events “designed to foster knowledge-sharing and professional development, particularly among BIPOC in the coffee industry,” and will follow along with the NKG Pace curriculum.
Compass Coffee fights a union vote with mass hirings
Compass Coffee has 17 locations in the greater Washington, DC area, and seven of them have filed for a union vote. But according to the Compass Coffee Union, the company has hired over 120+ new employees to those seven locations, and the new hires includes CEOs, company owners, and even an Uber lobbyist. They allege this was done in order to sway the vote against unionization.
A Pride Month design from Dune Coffee
We’re at the tail end of Pride Month here in America, and Santa Barbara’s Dune Coffee is celebrating with a collaboration with the Pacific Pride Foundation. The new design for the Zip Zinger blend—consisting of Colombia, Ethiopia, and Honduras—is brightly colored, with portions of the proceeds going to the Pacific Pride Foundation.
Here are the 2025 World Coffee Championships Host Cities
2025 is going to be a busy year for coffee comps. The newly released schedule for the 2025 World Coffee Championship boasts a total of hour host cities across three continents. Houston, Jakarta, Geneva, and Milan will each host at least one event. Read more to find out which competitions are headed where.
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: 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.
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.
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.
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.
Equator Coffees: Nicaragua Las Hermanas Regenerative Organic Certified®—We’re very excited to bring back Nicaragua Las Hermanas (“The Sisters”), continuing our commitment to supporting Regenerative Organic Certified® farms & women coffee growers. Produced by the women farmers of the SOPPEXCCA co-op, this selection makes for a smooth and straightforward cup, touting flavors of asian pear, malt, and pecan, with a medium-light roast.
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.
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.
Madcap Coffee Company: Moises Ccalla—Moises Ccalla (ka-sigh-ah) operates a small farm about 1820 MASL in the remote Alto Inambari, Sandia region of Peru with the help of his wife. A second-generation coffee farmer, Moises’ dedication to quality (as well as his sharp sense of humor) sets him apart from other producers. We are thrilled to offer his coffee on our menu for the very first time. In the cup, we’re enjoying notes of rose, apricot and pomegranate.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Stumptown Coffee Roasters - Health & Safety Program Manager - Portland, OR
La Colombe Coffee Roasters - Store Manager - Boston, MA
Kettl Tea - Tea Associate - Brooklyn, NY
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.
SO Coffee Roasters - Porto, Portugal
KL Bakery/Seixal Coffee - L’Alfás del Pi, Spain
Ember & Bean Coffee - Oakdale, MN
River Bottom Roasters - Williamsport, MD
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.