The Sprudge Report - Survey Says...
Plus one lie and many truths in the world of coffee.
A world of cafes
Coffee is a global affair, and this week we were lucky to check in on a transcontinental array of coffee shops. First up, contributor Michael Butterworth took us on an exciting tour of cafes in Istanbul, Turkey whose food on offer may be as delicious as their coffee. Then, as part of our Sprudge Maps Spotlight series, we head to Edina, Minnesota to check in on Edina Coffee Roasters. And finally, we headed to LA to learn more about a new cafe owned by none other than director Quentin Tarantino.
A coffee shop encounter that definitely happened
Visiting a fancy new cafe can be daunting, especially if you aren’t familiar with the parlance of the modern coffee shop. Still, fabricating an entire story recounting a very real experience that 100% happened exactly as described to get everyone riled up about is certainly a choice
In other news
This week, Oakland’s Mr. Espresso announced a limited edition drink, a Vietnamese Egg Coffee created by Chef Denise Huynh of Tay Ho. Elsewhere, single-serve bagged coffee maker Steeped is seeking $5 million in funding, and they are taking to the public at large to get it.
Avocoffee?
Coffee with a side of avocado toast? Sure. But avocado in your coffee? Let’s slow our roll. Nonetheless, “avocado milk” lattes are the latest trend on TikTok, and the internet appears to a bit split on whether or not avocado belongs in coffee.
The future of Vietnamese coffee
In a recent feature on Sprudge Special Projects, Hanoi-based coffee journalist Tung Nguyen sat down with Nguyen Canh Hung and Tran Le Minh Truc for an expansive interview, discussing everything from rare hybrid coffee varietals to coffee competitions to the future global path for fine coffees from Vietnam. As you might expect, Robusta is part of this conversation—95% of the coffee planted in Vietnam is Robusta—but here, too, there is tremendous promise and a new way of thinking taking place at the farm level.
Take our reader survey!
Survey says? We would love to know what you think about the global state of coffee today! This is why we are once again asking Sprudge readers around the world to take our semi-annual survey. In these fast-changing and oft-uncertain times, we want to hear from you. By taking part in these surveys, you’re letting us know what matters to you, helping us learn, grow, and better serve our readers.
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: Rosendo Domingo—This limited release reserve series Guatemala comes to us from Rosendo Domingo and his farm, Palanch’en. We found this premium lot to be very approachable with notes of red grape, molasses and raisin in the cup.
Camber Coffee Roasters: Colombia Las Flores Sidra—This Sidra lot from the Las Flores farm in Huila is a cornucopia of potent botanical flavors. Aromatically, the cup is heavily floral with notes of rose and jasmine mingling with dried orange peel and clove. In the cup, we taste syrupy notes of peach nectar, cooked pear, kiwi, and woodsy pine.
Cxffeeblack : Congo Free—Guji Mane Diaspora Collection // CONGO FREE: CONGO WASHED PROCESS /// a mighty peace junt- A portion of the proceeds goes to support Congolese liberation and the farmers who produce this African fruit.
Equator Coffees: Costa Rica La Lia Yellow Typica—Grown at high altitude and red honey-processed with care, this coffee comes to us from our longtime producer partners: Luis and Oscar Monge of Finca El Dragon and La Lia Mill. Enjoy this ever-flavorful coffee that has complex, sweet, and concentrated flavors of star fruit, white grape, and agave.
Greater Goods Roasting: Rung’eto PB—Rarely has a coffee release synced up with the start of a season quite like this one. Hailing from Kirinyaga County in central Kenya, this peaberry lot is the warm, comforting, hot cocoa in front of the fire – the spirit of winter in coffee form. Peaberry makes up about 10% of Kenya’s coffee export and is highly sought out for its depth of sweetness and a thick, syrupy body. You can enjoy your winter days with notes of golden apple, black treacle, and red currant jam.
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. 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.
Madcap Coffee Company: Lake Effect—Lake Effect is inspired by the bright and sunny glimpses we experience during some of Michigan’s harshest winter days. To achieve such a profile, this year’s Lake Effect is an equal blend of coffee from three producers in East Africa. The delicate final cup promises us that spring is just in the distance, with notes of blood orange, apricot, and elderflower.
Monogram Coffee: Trifle —Four different coffees have been layered (like a trifle!) to create a unique brewing experience where the flavours will mingle and change as you brew through the bag. As you enjoy Trifle, you’ll work your way through: a spicy anaerobic marsellesa natural from Costa Rica, a fermented honey processed castillo from Colombia, a delicious chiroso caturra natural, and a fermented honey processed castillo from Colombia.
Night Swim Coffee: Blue Orchid – Sumatra—This is a semi-washed or “wet-hulled” coffee from Sumatra, Indonesia. It’s fruity-sweet, tropical, and finishes like one of our favorite candy bars. We’re thrilled to offer this first installment in our initiative to highlight underrepresented coffee growing regions!
Olympia Coffee: Jose Landaverde Gesha Natural—One of the world’s most sought-after varietals, grown in one of Central America’s finest regions. Jose Landaverde Gesha Natural underwent a 60-hour anaerobic fermentation before drying in the natural method, yielding coffee deeply imbued with tropical-fruit sweetness and balanced with smooth, full-bodied flavor.
Onyx Coffee Lab : Framily—We are excited to release our seventh edition of this heartwarming Holiday coffee that embodies the joy of spending time with friends and family. This washed coffee from Banko Gotiti is a developed medium roast creating complex cocoa notes mixed with sweet berry cobbler-like flavors. Designed to accommodate the coffee nerd or the heavy-handed cream and sugar in-laws… you’re welcome, my friends.
Partners Coffee: Ethiopia – Meselech Tube—Meselech Tube tends a three hectare farm in Sidama where she focuses her attention on high quality naturals. She is among a growing cohort of coffee farmers in Ethiopia whose production is available in isolation, traceable all the way to the farm itself. This lot is a classic representation of Sidama’s naturals—we taste syrupy strawberry, blueberry, banana, and black tea.
PERC: Guatemala Gerson Martinez Gesha—This Gesha from our old friend Gerson Martinez blew us away on the tasting table. It was sweet, fruity, and a layered complexity that revealed itself in waves. If you’re a fan of exciting coffees that expand your mind, you should get your hands on some of this sweet nectar. We only sourced a limited amount of this coffee, so snag some while you can!
Portland Coffee Roasters: Bridge Blend—This Limited Release is a blend of coffees from Guatemala and Peru. The Guatemala is from Maya Ixil, and the Peru is from the Pueblo Libre and Mamahuaca communities. When we cup this coffee it is floral and herbal, with hints of sugar cane and chocolate.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Colombia Huayku—A beloved coffee at Stumptown since 2013, Huayku is grown and produced by the Federación Abades—a group of over 200 smallholder coffee producers—in the mountainous region of Nariño. This year’s lot is a complex cup layered with tropical fruit, orange zest, and creamy milk chocolate.
Verve Coffee Roasters: Colombia Gabriel Castaño Pink Bourbon Single Origin Espresso—Decadent notes of fudge and molasses melt throughout Gabriel Castaño’s anaerobic-washed Colombia Pink Bourbon, rounded out by hints of strawberry as a sweet treat.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
InGrano - Manager/Head Barista - Annapolis, MD
Passenger Coffee - General Manager of Retail - Lancaster, PA
La Cabra - Roastery Manager - Brooklyn, NY
La Cabra - Roastery Manager - Brooklyn, NY
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