The Sprudge Report - Snapchill & Cold Brew
Plus a look back at a World Barista Championship winning routine.
Going deep on Mikael Jasin’s WBC winning routine
Over the weekend, Mikael Jasin made history as the first competitor from Indonesia to win the World Barista Championship. As the most tenured WBC competitor this year, Jasin’s routine pulled a great deal from his past experience, both the good and the bad. We break down his Finals run, going play by play learn just how history was made.
A coffee guide to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, the OKC, The 405, the Big Friendly. Whatever you call it, the Sooner State capital has seen big growth in its coffee scene in the past few years. It’s never been a better time to be a coffee drinker in the central Oklahoma City. That’s why we are taking a tour of the town to find some of the most exciting coffee spots the city has to offer.
The Blue Bottle Independent Union is a go
Last month, five Boston-area Blue Bottle locations banded together to form the Blue Bottle Independent Union, and now, after a winning a vote with the National Labor Relations Board—by a landslide count of 38-4—the BBIU is official. They’ll now set to work getting their first union contract ratified.
That’s one fast cold brew
Cold brew is one of the most popular coffee drinks today, especially as the temperatures start to rise. But it historically takes a long time to make. Until now. Scientists have figured out a way to use an espresso machine and ultrasonic sound waves to create the drink in just three minutes.
In other news
Coming from our press release desk this week, the board of directors of Pachamama Coffee Farmers is set to gather in California for its annual meeting this week to make key decisions regarding capital investments, brand marketing, and annual budgets.
George Howell and the search for acidity in cold coffee
George Howell has thoughts on cold brew. One of the pioneering voices in the specialty coffee wants acidity to stop being a bad word for cold brew drinkers. And for that, he’s turned to Snapchill to help create a cold coffee drink with the balanced acidity hot coffee drinkers so desire. “We can sell cold brew and all that,” says Howell, “but if you can taste the terroir, that’s good for the farmer. If somebody can really taste those Brazil naturals in iced coffee, that’s phenomenal.”
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: Honey Comsa —This medium roast Honduran coffee from COMSA Cooperative has a mild, berry-like acidity and a full body. It features pronounced dried fruit notes in the aroma followed by prominent flavors of raisin, fig, and molasses. Certified Organic & Fair Trade Coffee.
Cxffeeblack: Fatherland—Kenya, Lions Hill Farm, Tinderet Nandi County, Solai Coffee Junt, Washed Peaberry. When my dad went to Africa while in college, Kenya changed his life. Years later, he introduced Kenyan coffee to our household. I didn’t know it then, but this was the first clue that coffee, like me, was black. This cxffee is our latest from the all black supply chain, sourced by the Kuria family. We met the Kuria family at the second inaugural Color of Coffee Collective, and we’re so excited to be able to share the the first of our collaborative offerings with you.
Equator Coffees: Thailand Chaiprakarn Black Honey Single Origin Espresso—Our third and final Thai coffee of the season just scored an incredible 90 point review by Coffee Review (April 2024)! This standout coffee was black honey-processed by coffee industry veteran Noi Duongdee from his own processing mill in Chaiprakarn, located in Thailand’s Chiang Mai growing region. Juicy and sweet with flavors of passionfruit, strawberry candy, and hazelnut, this coffee truly flourishes in espresso form.
Greater Goods Roasting: Santa Gema—Last year, we had the privilege of visiting some incredible farms in Nicaragua, including Santa Gema. At Santa Gema, Mario Vilchez produces a remarkable maracaturra coffee with flavor notes of cherry cordial, tea rose, and tamarind. We’re proud to say that this coffee qualified for Nationals at the US Brewer’s Cup competition, a testament to its exceptional quality.
Joe Coffee: The Village—Currently, The Village comes from the Rubí sisters’ farm Finca Ruland 2, in Las Vegas, Honduras. Andrea and her sisters’ skill and diligence shine through this lot of washed and natural coffees. Expect a complex balance of layered acidity and structured sweetness. Beginning with notes of deep citrus and stone fruit, flavors arc towards ripe cherry as the coffee cools, leaving us with a final, soft note of spice and caramel.
Madcap Coffee Company: Ejo Heza—Independently owned, the Kopakama Cooperative is made up of 1025 members, 400 of them women. In 2011, the board of Kopakama directors agreed to create a women’s group, giving them two plots of land. With only 200 members at the time, they called themselves “Ejo Heza,” which translates to “Bright Tomorrow” in Kinyarwanda, the national language of Rwanda.
We hope you can taste the immense effort their co-op puts into every pound of coffee. This year, enjoy notes of floral hibiscus, juicy plum, and brown sugar.
Monogram Coffee: Elida Estate Catuai—Panama is now world famous for the gesha variety, producing some of the most delicious (and expensive) geshas in the world. Elida Estate is world famous for their gesha coffees, but they have not rested on their success and they are trying to improve every coffee they offer—including coffees that are not gesha. They grow a large amount of Catuai on the farm and they have developed a process that brings the best out of the variety, revealing the power and structure of Catuai, with big aromas, intense fruit, and a heavy body.
Night Swim Coffee: Kaku – Washed—The first container of specialty coffee left Yunnan, China for Australia in late 2015. Over the last nine years, Yunnan’s specialty coffee production has increased in leaps and bounds in both quantity and quality. We’re typically not familiar with specialty grade Asian coffees, but the truth is that these coffees can pass quality tests with flying colors and display an enormous amount of sweetness, consistency, and complexity. Tasting notes include Meyer Lemon, Mandarin, Almond, and Nutmeg.
Olympia Coffee: Amparo Pajoy Good Food Award Winner—Farmer Amparo Pajoy is a shining star of a person who’s dedicated to her community of San Sebastian de La Plata, Colombia. She’s also the producer of this Good Food Award-winning single-origin coffee! The Good Food Awards celebrate flavor and sustainability, recognizing products that are leading the way in quality and social responsibility.
Onyx Coffee Lab : Doyenne—One 10oz Box of the World’s Best Female-Produced Coffee Once a Month + Roasted and shipped the first Wednesday of every month. Doyenne seeks to identify and amplify the stories of woman achieving incredible marks in coffee. The selections are curated by Andrea Allen, co-founder of Onyx Coffee Lab and 2020 US Barista Champion. The heart is for women to collaborate and to boost each other’s work and achievement through stories.
Partners Coffee: Ethiopia – Naga Singage—Our first Ethiopian coffee of the season comes from the Aricha Adorsi Washing Station in Yirgachefe. This fully washed selection comes from a few dozen farmers on Naga Singage, “the mountain of reconciliation,” named for a ceremony traditionally held there in which disputes are presented and communally resolved. In their coffee we taste stone fruit, citrus, and flowers: think apricot, tangerine, honey, and orange blossom.
PERC: El Salvador Delagua Pacamara—We knew we had to bring it in as soon as we tasted this coffee. It reminds us of freshly picked strawberries, oranges, and maple syrup. Pacamaras are giant beans that yield big, juicy flavors with lots of sweetness, and Delagua delivers on that reputation in spades. Now, we can fit these beans in the dang 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 : ASTER— Formerly known as The 1950, Aster’s components highlight the best of what Ethiopian coffee has to offer. A key lime sweetness and brown sugar complexity come together to inspire adventure in your morning. As our only blend sourced from one origin roasted two different ways, Aster is our star on the map that marks the birthplace of coffee – Ethiopia.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
La Marzocco - Consumer Parts & Accessories Coordinator - Fort Wayne, IN
Counter Culture Coffee - Regional Technical Services - Miami, FL
Falcon Coffees - Coffee Quality Specialist - Austin, TX
Acaia Co - Customer Support Specialist - Portland, OR
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.
Frequency Roasters - Portland, OR
Parallax Coffee Lab - Wendell, NC
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.