The Sprudge Report - Submissions & Subscriptions
Plus coffee news from around the world
Accessibility in design
With just under a week left to submit to the Sprudge Design Awards, there’s still time to take a look at another one of the new categories we have this year. The Design Inclusivity Award seeks to honor cafe design, web design, additional forms of media, as well as physical packaging that prioritizes accessibility and inclusivity while combating ableism, ensuring coffee culture can be enjoyed by all. Submissions to the Design Inclusivity Award are completely free. Find out more here.
A coffee guide to Kathmandu
Kathmandu is alpinist’s dream. Situated in a valley surrounded by huge peaks like Everest, Kathmandu is the Nepal’s largest city and chief base camp to stock up before major mountain excursions. It is also home to a growing coffee scene, thanks to enthusiastic young baristas opening shops across the city. This week on Sprudge, we take a tour of some of the exciting new cafes in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The problem with National Coffee Day
National Coffee Day has come and gone, and while it would seemingly be a big day on the calendar around these parts, I kind of hate it. It’s a corporate greeting card holiday. It celebrates coffee generally, but only so far as it can be used to sell you something. But it doesn’t have to be like. And it shouldn’t be. There is so much in coffee that is worth celebrating, so many people that make coffee happen, these are the things National Coffee Day should be about.
Coffee at the Welcome Conference
The 10th annual Welcome Conference took place last month, bringing to NYC scions of the hospitality industry from across the country. And for the second year, Welcome teamed up with La Marzocco to bring a next-level coffee experience to the conference. With Linea Minis in tow, six coffee roasters took conference coffee to new heights, and we were on hand to take in all the sights and sounds.
Hurricane Helene devastates the Asheville coffee community
Hurricane Helene made landfall this week, destroying communities in the southeastern United States. One city hit particularly hard was Asheville, North Carolina. Once thought as a haven from climate change, Asheville and the surrounding Buncombe County have suffered untold loss due to heavy rains and flooding. This includes Asheville’s thriving coffee scene. Many shops are indefinitely closed due to lacking power and running water, some are gone forever. To learn more, we spoke with Bad Manners Coffee’s Ashlyn Sholar, who gives us a firsthand account and ways folks can help.
Turns out you can have too much of a good thing
Coffee is a health drink, it’s been shown to be the case time and time again. But there may also be some drawbacks. A new study finds that consuming excessive amounts of coffee, defined as more than four cups a day, is linked with higher risk of stroke. While causation hasn’t been established, the findings are worth considering, especially for those with hypertension.
Postponing the EU’s deforestation law
After heavy criticism from across the coffee industry, the European Commission has proposed a postponement of the law banning the import of commodities unable to prove they are not linked to deforested land. Originally set to take effect December 30th, if the postponement is approved by European Parliament and member states—which it is expected to be—the law wouldn’t be enacted until the end of 2025.
Dockworkers strike hits the coffee industry
On Tuesday, members of the International Longshoremen’s Alliance went on strike, all put shutting down ports across the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. Amid record high profits for shipping companies, the dockworkers are seeking higher wages and protections from automation. The strike is now over, meaning the hundreds of containers of coffee can now move through port. But even in the short three days of the strike, the impact on the coffee industry was felt.
Subscriptions!
The coffee subscription is a magical thing. It’s a present you give to yourself but still don’t actually know what you are getting. It’s always a surprise. But not every coffee drinker’s preference is the same, nor is every coffee subscription. That’s why we put together a fun little buying guide for those looking to enjoy the world of the coffee sub. Whatever your taste, there’s a subscription for you.
Press release news
In press release new this week, we learned about a new blend from the Inland Empire’s Klatch Coffee. Appropriately named Empire, the blend release is timed to align with the rest of Klatch’s International Coffee Day festivities. Elsewhere, Mill City Roasters has enacted their Disaster Recovery Program to aid in the rebuilding efforts of any coffee roaster affected by Hurricane Helene.
We want your scary coffee stories!
It’s that time of year again, it’s the spooky season. As as we have (mostly) done since 2016, we will be publishing original pieces of scary coffee fiction. That’s where you come in. We are looking for your best tale of caffeinated fright. We’ll be picking the three best submission to run the week leading up to Halloween. No prior writing experience required, and there’s a $100 honorarium for all selected stories! More details here.
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…
La Barba Coffee—El Salvador | Los Pirineos Black Honey Pacamara
Los Pirineos’s Black Honey Pacamara has very sweet flavors of plum and caramel. It’s body develops as it cools, taking on a silky mouthfeel that perfectly compliments the sweetness of this coffee. Notes: Plum, Caramel, Silky
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.
Equator Coffees—Eye of The Tiger
The new autumn iteration of Eye of the Tiger, our seasonally evolving espresso blend, has arrived! We source in-season coffees to craft a blend that highlights the distinct flavors of each component. This version combines a fully washed coffee from smallholder farmers in Kenya with a natural-process coffee from Kanyon Mountain in Ethiopia. The result is a vibrant, full-bodied espresso with tasting notes of navel orange, brown sugar, and vanilla—perfect on its own or in milk-based drinks.
Klatch Coffee—Empire
Empire pays homage to the Inland Empire of Southern California – where Klatch Coffee was founded, and our home for more than 30 years. We’re proud to call the Inland Empire our home, and we invite you to experience our rich heritage in every cup. The Empire Blend embodies the same delicious quality you know and love from our other offerings. Get ready for a taste adventure with notes of chocolate, vanilla cola, and a blackberry finish. Whether you prefer it as a smooth pour-over, a refreshing cold brew, or a rich espresso shot, Empire brings out the best in every brew style.
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.
Madcap Coffee—Harvest Moon
Finca de Dios from Fraijanes, Guatemala forms the base of this fall blend. Grown on the innovative farm of Ellen and Stuart Prentice with the help of their daughter Ashley, Finca de Dios is a consistent Madcap staple. Another familiar component to the blend is Reko, out of Kochere, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia, named after Reko mountain and the washing station the coffee is processed at. Reko is well known by its fans for its tea-like qualities and electric acidity. Once combined, the final blend is well rounded with notes of caramelized sugar sweetness and crisp, floral apple. Warm your hands with Harvest Moon in your favorite mug, or as espresso in a milk beverage of your choice.
PERC—Ethiopia Benti Nenka Anaerobic Natural
When we first found this coffee, it blew us away. Its aroma reminds us of tropical fruit—think passion fruit and mango. When we took our first sip, Benti Nenka took our tongues on a trip to a fantastic land where red grapes, strawberries, and blueberry jam danced with honey bears and chocolate bars. They laughed and sang sweet songs as they high-fived our taste buds. It’s safe to say that we love this coffee as much as our tongues did. We bought as much of it as possible, and you should, too.
Night Swim Coffee—Karagoto AA
The Karagoto Factory is made up of smallholders with an average farm size of half a hectare. It has over 1,700 members supplying cherry. Karagoto is located in the Karatina region in Nyeri County, between the elegant Mount Kenya and the Aberdare range. Tasting Notes: Grapefruit, Mandarin, Raw Sugar, Green Tea
Greater Goods Coffee Co.—Vietnam Lâm Dông
At Greater Goods, we’re excited to introduce you to our latest find: the Robusta Black Honey from Vietnam. This coffee comes from a region with a rich history and a deep connection to its land. Vietnam’s coffee journey began with Arabica but truly found its footing with Robusta, which now dominates the country’s coffee production. We’re thrilled to offer this exceptional coffee and let you experience its vibrant and distinctive flavors: White Grape, Baker’s chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream
Pachamama Coffee Farmers—Ethiopia Sidama Natural
A fruity, natural processed coffee from the Sidama region. Natural Sun Dried, Always Shade Grown + Certified Organic. Blackberry, Honey, Cacao
Portland Coffee Roasters—Endless Summer
This summer, let your cup transport you to a place of endless sunshine and good vibes. Portland Coffee Roasters is proud to introduce Endless Summer, our brand new medium roast that captures the carefree spirit of the season in every delicious sip.
Sightglass Coffee—Autumnal Equinox
Named for the celestial shift from summer to autumn, marked by nearly equal amounts of daylight and darkness across all latitudes, our Autumnal Equinox blend is crafted from a 50/50 composition of washed and natural processed coffees from famed Mexican coffee farmer Jose Argüello. Persimmon, Cardamom, Toffee.
Onyx Coffee Lab—Southern Weather
Southern Weather embodies everything we love about specialty coffee and has evolved into a foundational blend. We brew this in our own cafes as a “House” filter option and love how it balances the relationship between modern citric acidity flavors with full bodied chocolates. This comfortable, yet surprisingly complex and sophisticated coffee is approachable to all. It performs well on its own for the purist or with fats such as dairy or plant based beverages, making it a true answer for all coffee needs.
Joe Coffee—Colombia La Familia Guarnizo
This coffee comes to us through a strong relationship between Joe Coffee and the El Paraiso growers’ association in Huila, Colombia. From the beginning of our roasting adventure, El Paraiso, in association with importer/exporter Caravela, has connected us with a number of excellent, high quality Colombian coffees. This bright and light-bodied selection was grown by a special group of El Paraiso’s member farmers: the Guarnizo family. Featuring notes of stone fruit and almonds with a medium acidity, this coffee is a customer favorite.
Partners Coffee—Mexico – Hermanos Luna
The García Luna brothers belong to a producer group of mostly younger farmers in the community of San Vicente Yogondoy, Oaxaca. Most of the coffee planted here is a variety called pluma hidalgo (or simply pluma), a local mutation of typica. This lot is comforting and approachable with notes of milk chocolate, orange zest, caramel, baking spice, cashew butter, and dark honey elevated by red apple and white grape.
Olympia Coffee—Kamwangi AA Micro Lot 18
Out of hundreds of lots tasted at origin in Kenya, this was our top pick of the harvest. Produced at Kamwangi washing station as their 18th lot of the season, this coffee features plump AA beans packed with warm flavors of orange, brown sugar, and waffle cone.
DUNE Coffee—Chito Ecuador
We are excited to share this coffee and be a part of this project for these coffees and producers. In the cup, we find many of the characteristics that coffees from Ecuador have captivated us with: from soft melon and sweet orange, with a milk chocolate character throughout.
CXFFEE BLACK—GUJI LO-FI
Decaf Ethiopian Coffee, Mountain Water Process. Candy Corn, Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Molasses. Guji Mane, Diaspora Collection
Verve Coffee Roasters—Vancouver Swiss Water Decaf
Our Vancouver Swiss Water Decaf blend highlights candied almonds in a chocolaty background. The 100% chemical-free process results in 99.99% caffeine-free coffee. Anyone who enjoys a dessert-tasting coffee will love this.
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.
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
Saxbys Coffee - Roastery Operations Manager - Philadelphia, PA
Partners Coffee - Manager - Long Island City, NY
Sony Music Entertainment - General Manager, Celebrity Coffee Brand, Black Sky Creative - Los Angeles, CA
San Cristobal Coffee Importers - 2025 Harvest Internship - Tepic, Mexico
Devoción Coffee - Director of Education - New York, 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.
Royal Flamingo Coffee - Columbus, OH
Excelsa Coffee - San Diego, CA
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.