The Sprudge Report - Smoking or Non-?

But first, second, and third, coffee news.

Sep 16, 2023

But first, a chance to win a year’s worth of Go Get Em Tiger

But First, Coffee, the second book from Sprudge founders Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen comes out October 10th. But why wait until then to order your copy? To sweeten the pot, we’ve teamed up with Los Angeles’s Go Get Em Tiger to give away a year’s subscription of GGET coffee to one lucky pre-orderer. Get all the deets here.

Sprotown Philly

Philadelphia has quietly been one of the best coffee cities in America for at least a decade now. We’ve been covering the goings on in the city over the years, but our last guide came out all the way back in 2015. We were long overdue a return and now seemed like as good a time as any. So we’ve gone back to the City of Brotherly Love to find out what is new and exciting in coffee here in 2023.

3D (re)filament with coffee

3D printing is a fun hobby that allows folks to create all manner of things only limited by their own imagination. But it is often wasteful. Most filaments are one-time use and made of a thermoplastic, most commonly polylactic acid (PLA), which is theoretically compostable, though few composting facilities have the means of processing it. But researchers have found a way to turn coffee grounds into 3D printer filaments, without the use of PLAs, and when you’re done with whatever it is that you printed, you just toss it in the grinder and print with it again.

This week in Builds

It was a Build-Outs of Coffee twofer this week, starting off with a quick jetset to the Dublin Airport to check in on Cloud Picker Coffee. The Irish coffee roaster has opened the first of three planned cafes in the Dublin Airport, with the next two coming before year’s end. Then in Chicago, Sputnik Coffee is putting the finishing touches on an expansive new 28,000-square-foot roastery, cafe, and coffee-themed event venue, scheduled to open next month.

The 2023 Build-Outs of Coffee feature series is proudly presented by Dona. Explore the world of fine Dona products at DrinkDona.com and enjoy free shipping on each order over $50.

Pomegranate latte you say

Summer is on the way out, and what better way to usher in the season change than with a tasty little beverage. Enter Stumptown Coffee’s Pomegranate Latte. Fruit-forward and make with oat milk, the Pomegranate Latte is a “refreshing and delightful sipper that is wildly reminiscent of a chocolate-y cherry tootsie pop.”

Challenges in Colombia

Known for their high quality output, Colombian coffee producers, like many farmers around the world, face an uphill battle. Droughts caused by El Niño, heavy rains, unstable prices largely dictated by Brazilian coffee production, and a “generational change” amongst farming families, the future of Colombian coffee production is uncertain.

Who gets to call it “coffee”?

Here’s a mind-bending exercise: Describe coffee. What seems straightforward is anything but. Even more so now with the introduction of things like “molecular coffee,” those coffee-like beverages that have no coffee in them whatsoever. In a new feature, editor-at-large Jenn Chen dives deep into what makes coffee “coffee” and how we define it as such.

Aw geez, and you got the stink lines and everything?

Is your single-origin pour-over contributing to your body odor? Do you have SO-PO-BO? Turns out, coffee can indeed increase your body odor. It’s all about coffee increasing sweat production, which then mixes with bacteria on the skin that produces that very human of smells. But I’m willing to be stinky to have a little drinky.

A damn fine Lynchian coffee

Director David Lynch loves coffee, this much is clear from his work on television and the big screen. But what can we learn about service and the specialty coffee industry from Lynch? Jackson O’Brien uses this lens to examine two of Lynch’s most popular works, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive.

Coffee may lower risk of depression and anxiety

The positive effects of coffee on our physical well-being has been a major topic of study over the past few years, but less is know about how it affects our mental health. To that end, Chinese researchers sought out to see if there was a link between coffee drinking and depression and anxiety. They found that a very specific amount of coffee daily has a significant positive effect.

Should there be smoking sections in coffee shops?

A recent article in Vice put forth the idea that indoor smoking sections should make a return in adult venues. Though not great, argumentatively speaking, it does bring up an interesting question: Can cigarettes and coffee ever be joined again inside the walls of a chic cafe?

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: Natural Bolvia AIPEP—This limited release offering is from the primary-level producer association AIPEP, located in the Yungas mountains of Bolivia. This premium lot was the product of a substantial quality project involving the construction of new drying tables. The project was fully funded by Cooperative Coffees impact fund, which is used to assist coffee farmers at origin. We found this natural processed coffee to be pleasantly dense, with notes of blueberry, grape and black tea in the cup.

Camber Coffee: Kenya Gachatha Peaberry—Our newest offering is a stunning peaberry selection that will thrill any Kenya coffee lover. Notes of tart red currant, brilliant clementine, and refreshing casaba melon make this a sweet and beautiful cup.

CXFFEEBLACK: OG Guji Mane—Brought to you by an all black supply chain. Grown by black farmers in the town of Uraga in the Guji Zone of Oromia in Ethiopia, exported by Black community leaders Ture Waji, aka the “King Of Guji”and the big homie Mike Mamo of Bmore and Ethiopian acclaim through their collaborative effort, Green Spring Coffee. It was imported through the homies at Equatorial Coffee Consultants and roasted by Renata Henderson and Sydni Barnes, Black women carrying the legacy that Ethiopian women started over 2,000 year ago.

Equator Coffees: Guatemala El Injerto SL28—Our first single origin coffee of the season from El Injerto, SL28: a Bourbon derived Arabica cultivar that originated in Kenya. Complex and concentrated flavors of black currant, concord grape, and chamomile.

Intelligentsia Coffee: Summer Solstice Blend—Each year Intelligentsia takes a fresh approach to their seasonal blends, curating flavors that will best evoke the spirit of the season. This year features a deliciously juicy, sweet blend of coffees from Ethiopia, Colombia, and Peru. Sip and indulge in alluring notes of blueberry, honey, and lime. Perfect for a sun-drenched Summer morning.

Monogram Coffee: Warmth Filter Blend—Featuring familiar notes of chocolate and nougat, our new Warmth Filter Blend is perfect for making delicious filter coffee everyday! The flavour is approachable, the profile is consistent and the price is affordable. Enjoy a seasonally rotating blend of our freshest harvest coffees from Central and South America that’s rich in flavor and low in acidity.

Night Swim Coffee: Nano Genji #8—Nano Genji is the sibling mill to the famed Nano Challa mill, featured on our menu last year. This lot, #8, from Nano Genji is delicate, nuanced, expressive, and absolutely delicious. It’s reminding us of floral white tea and bergamot with a deep and lasting, caramel like sweetness.

Olympia Coffee Roasters: Jose Hernan Salazar Aji Ethiopian Landrace—This unique coffee was produced by José Hernán Salazar, from the town of Pitalito in southern Colombia. This lot is what José calls the “Ají” varietal, which is the Spanish word for chili pepper. José named it after noticing the spicy smell of its cherries. These delicate chili pepper-like qualities are also subtly present in the cup, giving this coffee a truly one-of-a-kind flavor—berry, caramel, and floral.

Onyx Coffee Lab: Panama Creativa Giovana Boutet Anaerobic—This anaerobic natural processed by our friends at Creativa Coffee District checks all the boxes we love about anaerobic processing. Layered, complex, and immensely sweet, this Catuai reminds us of ripe mangos and chocolate truffle, with the complexity and tactile of a cabernet. According to our very own production roasting assistant, this micro-lot has “just the right amount of funk.” We agree, Kenneth. We agree.

Partners Coffee: Ethiopia Samuel Degelo—Samuel is one of several hundred farmers who deliver coffee to the Bishan Dimo Washing Station. He is also a teacher at a primary school in nearby Danbi Uddo. Samuel’s commitment to education extends to his coffee production, and he believes that by sharing knowledge with his neighboring farmers he can improve the lives of others in his community. Fans of Ethiopian coffee will recognize that single-farm traceability remains quite rare, and we’re delighted to share Samuel’s coffee again.

PERC Coffee: Ethiopia Reko—Guess who’s back? It’s the dadgum fantabulous Ethiopia Reko, and we’re super stoked. This year’s crop is clean and bright, with soft floral notes that linger like the dang Cranberries. Your tongue will take a shvitz in flavors that remind us of honeysuckle, orange blossom, and white grape. This is an instant classic, y’all – get some!

Stumptown Coffee: Ethiopia Suke Quto —To producer Tesfaye Bekele, Suke Quto is always a conservation effort first and a coffee business second. What started as an idea to grow and process environmentally friendly coffees to help sustain his local community has grown to inspire fellow producers and support outlying communities in the region. This year’s Suke Quto lot is exceptionally crisp, with notes of sweet honey and refreshing lemon-lime.

Verve Coffee: Costa Rica Sumava Lactico Natural—Sweet Magnolia florals greet the nose at the first sip, complemented by the soft touch of White Peach. Concord Grape is woven throughout with a similar profile to natural wine, finishing the cup with a sparkling mouthfeel. Francisco Mena’s coffee has been sprinkled throughout our menu year after year, and he is someone that we are proud to partner with. His coffees have exceptionally clean profiles and are consistently high quality.

New job listings from Sprudge Jobs

Event Espresso - Barista - Charleston, SC
Keffa Coffee - Quality Control - Baltimore, MD
Olympia Coffee - Production & Roasting Manager - Olympia, WA
Portland Coffee Roasters - Coffee Director - Portland, OR or Hybrid

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.

WeBe Coffee Roasters - Phoenix, AZ

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.