The Sprudge Report - Design Awards Finalists!
Plus more gift guides and gear galore!
The Finalists for the 2024 Sprudge Design Awards
From a truly epic assortment of hundreds of entries worldwide, we’ve voted and whittled down to this incredible crew of Finalists across more than 20 categories for this year’s Sprudge Design Awards. These shortlist recipients represent the very best in coffee design achievement, each exemplifying their own work in inspiring and exciting ways. Learn more about the Finalists in each category, and make sure to vote before January 7th!
Commodity coffee price nears all-time high
The price of Arabica coffee on the commodities marked recently reached $3.31 per pound, just $.08 shy of the all-time mark set in 1977. The near 50-year mark is due to uncertainty driven by heavy rains and drought (and the fear of widespread tariffs in the United States under the next president). But here’s the thing: while it is good that the price of coffee is going up, when adjusted for inflation, this new record is anything but.
A towering Kyoto coffee guide
It has been six years since our last guide to Kyoto came out, and as you can imagine, a lot has changed in the coffee scene since then. So we were more than due for a return to Japan’s former capital. For this most recent guide, we are checking out eight cafes that offer unique expressions of coffee and are pushing coffee in Kyoto forward.
World’s Largest Iced Coffee is large
It was National Espresso Day recently, and to celebrate, Dunkin’ decided to honor the iconic beverage by dumping 378 liters of milk on it. The coffee née donut company sought to break the Guinness record for largest iced latte with a massive, 1,044 liter concoction. 11 feet of latte, with over 3,000 shots of espresso. Sounds like a bad time.
What is ghost farming?
A scathing new report was released this week about coffee growing in China and how some coffee produced using child labor and other unethical labor practices are being passed off as ethical? It’s called “ghost farming” and it’s a loophole where coffee estates with ethical certifications—like C.A.F.E. Practices at Starbucks and 4C at Nestle—buy coffees from unregulated farms, “laundering” the coffee as ethical.
Give the gift of gift sets
As part of our tradition this time of year, we’re rolling out a litany of coffee-focused gift guides. For our second guide, we’re taking a look at the all-in-one package, the gift set. Pulling from members of the Sprudge Roasters Village, we’ve collated a selection of easy-to-please shopping suggestions.
From the Press Release
From the Press Releases this week, we learned about Klatch Coffee’s all-new “Ready-To-Go Espresso,” a bottled, ready-to-use premium espresso concentrate that can be used to make cafe-style beverages without the time needed for brewing. Elsewhere, Roaster rolled out their enhanced Design Lab interface, to allow for even easier creation of new packaging.
Kickstarting some new coffee gear
Trawling the depths of Kickstarter for new coffee gadgetry often yields a whole lot of bupkis (and more smutty coffee table books than one would have imagined). But other times you hit the mother lode and you have too many weird and wild options to consider. This, luckily enough, is one of those times, and so we are taking a tour of the coffee’d halls of Kickstarter to look at three new pieces of equipment to enhance your coffee and espresso-making experience.
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…
Night Swim Coffee—The Holiday Blend
This coffee encapsulates our commitment the 2024 year, to share coffees with you that help you reminisce on familiar experiences while enjoying something very new! We’ve blended a bright and fruity anaerobic natural from Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia and a washed peaberry from the island of Papua New Guinea.
The Barn Berlin—CHRISTMAS COFFEE
Every year we search far and wide to find the perfect coffee to share at Christmas. This year is no different. This washed lot from David Rubanzangabo at the Huye Mountain estate offers perfect notes for the festive season. With sweet praline, candied fig, orange, and warm winter spice, it is like Christmas in a cup. Whether sharing with family and friends or enjoying some quiet, cosy days, the flavour of our Christmas Coffee will be sweet and satisfying.
Phil & Sebastian—Pepe Jijon Sidra Washed
This is probably one of the most elegant coffees we’ve had in our Uncommon Collection. Pepe likes his coffees super clean – to let them fully express their terroir. This coffee is delicate and elegant. The clementine and kiwi notes lead, and then they are rounded out with notes of sage and butterscotch all enveloped in a delicate yet creamy white tea body.
This is our third year working with Pepe. He is passionate about reforestation and harmony with the environment and his farm very much reflects this. He is one of Ecuador’s most decorated coffee producers, having won the 2023 Sprudge Notable Producer award.
Klatch Coffee—Hawaii Rusty’s Ka’u
Klatch Coffee has partnered with Rusty’s Hawaiian (a renowned producer on the Big Island of Hawaii) for several years. We’re delighted to bring back their Ka’u as part of our Pearl Collection of exceptional single origin coffees. Just in time for the holidays, this washed Hawaiian coffee features notes of honey and chocolate with a rich and syrupy body. Like a great Kona, only sweeter! This limited-time-only coffee is only roasted and shipped on certain days. Order now to get Klatch’s next roast on Monday, December 2.
Passenger Coffee & Tea —Holiday Coffee
Tart cranberry and cherry are accompanied by a toffee-like sweetness alongside flavors of orange marmalade, vanilla, and subtly spiced milk chocolate, making for a perfect pairing with a wide array of sweet and savory seasonal dishes.
Producer: Wilson Alba Origin: Palestina, Caldas, Colombia
PERC—China Lao Xu Zhai Village
This is the first coffee PERC has sourced from China. The quality and unique cup profile of this lot blew us away. It’s an incredibly sweet cup with a unique plum and cherry acidity. Baking spices, chocolate, and a subtle licorice/herbal quality round out the finish. We’re stoked to partner with the folks at Torch Coffee and Lao Xu Zhai on this truly unique coffee.
Madcap Coffee—Elefante
About a decade ago, mysterious coffee trees were discovered on the Rodriguez family farm — the same producers as El Porvenir and Pacamara La Gloria. The origin was unknown, but after recent genetic testing, these naturally mutating trees were discovered to be a combination of an unknown Ethiopian Landrace and the world-famous Bourbon. Over the years, the Rodriguez family has planted many seedlings of these trees. Though it remains a mystery how this unique variety came to grow in Apaneca, the fruit is much larger, and contains up to ten times more juice than its neighboring varieties. This year, we are excited to offer Elefante processed two different ways. This washed process Elefante is depulped and dry fermented for 24 hours. After being washed, the coffee dries on patios for 10-15 days. This coffee offers exquisite sweetness, with notes of lemon meringue, milk chocolate, and raspberry.
Portland Coffee Roasters—Holiday Roast
Indulge in the spirit of the season with our Holiday Roast! Each year, we release a Limited Time Offering that benefits organizations helping people near and far. What started as a one-time celebration of festive goodwill has evolved into a tradition we have cherished for over 15 years!
For every 12oz bag or bulk pound of Holiday Roast sold, $1 will be donated to Growing Gardens – a Portland non-profit using the experience of growing food to cultivate healthy, equitable communities.
Sightglass Coffee—Winter Solstice
Returning for the fifth year, we’re excited to release something exceptional for the holiday season: our Winter Solstice Blend. Named for the longest night and shortest day of the year, Winter Solstice is the perfect accompaniment to cool weather and changing seasons. A time when we crave comfort, warmth, the familiar, and the surprising. For Winter Solstice, we combine two amazing coffees from Kenya and Colombia to evoke flavors of chocolate truffle, marzipan, and blackberry.
Onyx Coffee Lab—Colombia Tio Conejo Gesha Natural
In the high mountains of Caldas, Colombia, Tío Conejo cultivates coffee with a commitment to tradition, community, and resilience. Nestled at 2,000 MASL on rich volcanic soil, their farm’s high altitude and meticulous practices yield exceptional quality. That quality shows in the cup with pungent fruit characteristics throughout the drinking experience, culminating in pink guava and watermelon candy.
Equator Coffees—Panama Finca Sophia Gesha Natural
Experience coffee at its absolute peak. This year, we are proud to present a very limited release of Panama Finca Sophia Gesha Natural: vibrant and complex with notes of cherry danish, blackberry preserve, and cassis. We have less than 50 bags available; order this very special coffee before it’s gone; and look out for one more surprise Finca Sophia selection in the weeks to come.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters —Guatemala El Injerto Pacamara
Pacamara is the result of a combination of teamwork, a unique microclimate and good plant genetics! All of these factors come together to produce one of the most award-winning flavorful coffees in the world. Each decadent cup features notes of ripe peach and sugar cane complemented by a touch of sage – truly exquisite!
Partners Coffee—Honduras – San Francisco Natural Bourbon
Roger Domínguez produces some our favorite natural process coffees, like this red bourbon from Finca San Francisco. This coffee is all punchy and jammy red fruits—think strawberry and raspberry compote or rhubarb pie—supported by subtle notes of chocolate and brown sugar. A delicious filter coffee.
Dune Coffee—Honduras Benjamin Paz Gesha
Benjamin Paz is a multiple time Cup of Excellence winner, taking first place with his coffees in 2022 and 2024. His farm, La Salsa, is is located on the Santa Bárbara mountain of Honduras. Here, the rainforest and proximity to water create a unique microclimate, where the Gesha variety thrives amidst these high elevations on the farm. Benjamin then processes this coffee using an anaerobic washed process, preserving the floral flavors and silky textures of the Gesha variety grown in the Santa Bárbara terroir. Benjamin’s Gesha reminds us of sweet stonefruit and vibrant citrus, with aromatic floral qualities like jasmine and honeysuckle.
Joe Coffee —Rubí Sisters Catuaí
Perched between the Sierra La Esperanza and Santa Bárbara mountains in Las Vegas, Honduras, lies Finca Ruland 2—a specialty coffee farm as beautiful as it is biodiverse, owned and operated by the Rubí-Landaverde family. Notes of Candied Lemon, Almond Paste, Cinnamon.
Pachamama Coffee Farmers—Guatemala
Grown on the volcanic shores of Lago Atitlán, this is an exceptional single origin medium roast coffee from the Manos Campesinas coop in Guatemala.
Olympia Coffee—Alexander Vargas Pink Bourbon
Alexander Vargas is a Cup of Excellence-winning producer for his Pink Bourbon varietal. He continues to innovate in processing and drying, making his coffees an absolute delight for us to roast. The variety is native to Colombia, specifically Huila, with the name inspired by the cherry ripening with a pinkish hue.
CXFFEEBLACK—Fruit Of Our Labor
A HIGA JUNT -NATURAL RWANDA KILIMBI STATION, 1650-1850 MASL
TASTING NOTES: Strawberry, Dark Chocolate, and Passionfruit
Verve Coffee Roasters—Seabright
From our house to yours, Seabright House Blend is undeniably inviting. Seabright showcases apricot and honeydew flavor notes composed of direct trade coffees from El Salvador and Guatemala. A balanced mouthfeel. And aromatics of toasted hazelnuts. Set yourself up for a winning day with one of our easiest drinking blends.
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
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 job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Fleet Coffee - Director of Operations - Austin, TX
Bellwether Coffee - Head Roaster - Berkeley, CA
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