The Sprudge Report - Design Semi-Finalists!
Plus a timely gift guide
Here are the Semi-Finalists for the 2024 Sprudge Design Awards
We are absolutely thrilled, elated, and over the moon to share with you a major update on the 2nd Annual Sprudge Design Awards, the coffee industry’s premiere platform honoring the world of coffee and design. We’re excited to update you on the process, as we open voting for the semi-final round at the Sprudge Design Awards in five select categories. These semi-finalists—including photographers, designers, roasters, architects, and illustrators—represent the most competitive categories at this year’s Sprudge Design Awards.
Instant coffee and acrylamide
Chicken Littles have been crying foul about acrylamide in coffee for years now. The chemical caused by cooking things over high heat—like how roasted coffee is made—has been linked to cancer, but only in high doses, way higher than you’d find in a cup of coffee. Then there’s instant coffee, which has twice the acrylamide levels of a traditional brewed cup of coffee, potentially posing a health risk. So how many cups of instant would it take to actually reach unsafe levels?
A refresh at the Manufactory
The Coffee Manufactory has a new look. The Bay Area coffee roaster has released a fresh new design that’s clean and subtle but keeps with the brand’s tradition. As part of our Coffee Design series, we talk with Director of Brand Partnerships Robert Metzger about how the new look came to be.
The 2025 US Coffee Championships are heating up
2025 is right around the corner, but the 2025 US Coffee Championships season is already here. Regional Qualifying Events are already underway, and 33 coffee professionals have already punched their tickets to the National stage of competition. So before we reach the back half of the Regional round, let’s take a look who has already earned their spots in the Nationals.
Batdorf’s Back! Alright!
Batdorf & Bronson is an iconic Pacific Northwest specialty coffee roaster. Started in Olympia, WA in the late-’80s, B&B expanded into Atlanta before changing names, to Dancing Goats, and being acquired by Kaldi’s. But now, the Batdorf brand is back. After the west coast operation of Dancing Goats was acquired by Dillanos, they have brought back the original name.
A coffee department store in Japan
Of all the wonderful coffee experiences Japan has to offer—and there are frankly too many to even consider listing—there is perhaps none like Kaldi Coffee Farm. A coffee-focused department store of sorts, Kaldi has over 450 locations across Japan, combining traditional coffee with the modern to create something like we’ve never seen before.
GI Joe
Coffee has previously been studied to see how it affects your gastrointestinal tract, finding that it promotes a diverse and healthy gut microbome. But a new study looked at one bacteria in particular, Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus, and found regular coffee consumption to be linked with an eightfold increase. Researchers believe that, along with being antioxidant-rich, this may be one of the factors resulting in coffee being so dang good for you.
Deadstock goes to Beaverton
Deadstock is Portland’s original sneakerhead cafe. Owner Ian Williams was once a shoe designer at Nike, so it makes sense that the second location for his coffee shop would be right in the shoe company’s backyard (just two miles away in fact). The space is bigger than the Portland location, but has all the hallmarks that make the original great.
A nerdtastic holiday gift guide
Coffee nerds are extremely difficult to buy gifts for. I should know, I am one. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t good gifts aplenty if you know where to find them. So as is part of our annual tradition, we’ll be rolling out weekly gift guides to aid in holiday shopping. And we’re starting off with a guide with the coffee nerd in mind.
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…
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.
Klatch Coffee—Mistletoe Winter Espresso
Mistletoe Winter Espresso is the ultimate holiday indulgence, capturing the cozy magic of the season in every sip. With flavor notes that echo the festive spirit, it begins with the sweetness of rich chocolate kisses, reminiscent of a loved one’s kiss under a sprig of mistletoe, caramelized sugar, while a touch of vanilla custard rounds out the profile, evoking the comforting aroma of holiday desserts fresh from the oven.
Don’t sleep on Mistletoe – it’s only available for a few weeks around the holiday season, before it goes into the vault! Grab yours now.
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.
Nigh Swim Coffee—Yukro #8
Tasting Notes: Peach, Mango, Lemon, Floral Honey
All proceeds from sales of Yukro #8 are being donated to help the Hurricane Helen relief efforts in Western NC and Upstate SC. Please join us in supporting our neighbors by purchasing and enjoying this stellar, washed coffee from Agaro, Ethiopia!
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
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.
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.
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
Neighborhood - Director of Coffee/Head Barista - Los Angeles, CA
La Marzocco US - Sales Support Assistant - Seattle, WA
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.
Prodigy Coffeehouse - Denver, CO
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.