The Sprudge Report - The Coffee Champs Host Cities
Looking for love: coffee publication seeking world's most beautiful home coffee setups
In search of the world’s most beautiful home coffee bar
The Sprudge Design Awards are upon us, and there are a handful of new categories for 2024. One of them is the Best Home Coffee Design of the Year, and it recognizes the most exceptional and thoughtfully designed home coffee setups. We’re looking for spaces that not only showcase a passion for coffee but also seamlessly integrate brewing equipment and accessories into the overall aesthetic of the home. Individuals, interior designers, and coffee enthusiasts who have created a dedicated coffee space for a residence are eligible for consideration. And it’s completely free to submit!
I’ll take an Ashotchu or two
Coffee and tea, two great tastes that taste great together? According to the latest drink craze in South Korea they do. Ashotchu blends iced tea—often flavored with fruit like peach or lemon—with a float of espresso, and it frankly sounds delicious and refreshing. The drink has been around for a few years now but has caught fire with the “modisumer” trend—a portmanteau of “modify” and “consumer”—whereby customers would create their own off-the-menu concoctions. Sounds like a perfect drink to finish out the summer.
Inside UC Davis’s new Coffee Center
The University of California, Davis opened their brand new Coffee Center back in May, making it the “first academic research and teaching facility in the U.S. entirely dedicated to the study of coffee.” The sprawling 7,000-square-foot facility covers all aspects of the coffee supply chain, from production to brewing. And this week, Editor at Large Jenn Chen takes us inside the facilities to learn more about what exactly goes into the cutting edge new program.
The history of coffee according to Futurama
Set 1,000 years in the future, Futurama is Matt Groening’s other baby. Having been cancelled twice and picked up three times, new episodes of Futurama are now coming out weekly on Hulu. And this week’s episode is all about coffee. Turns out, according to the cartoon, coffee is actually over 5 million years old and the gift of an alien species. It sounds silly, but is it any sillier than dancing goats? Just think about it.
Out of touch millionaire has out of touch thoughts about coffee
Many people know Kevin O’Leary as one of the investors on the television show Shark Tank, but did you also know that he is a giant flightless bird with a giant bird brain? It’s true. O’Leary recently got his feathers ruffled and decided to dust off some classic boomerisms: kids these days are spending too much on coffee (and avocado toast). So for the sake of journalism—and not at all out of some petulant catharsis—we felt compelled to once again lay out the ignorance and hypocrisy it takes to lay such an egg so publicly.
The Builds Prevail
The end of the Build-Outs of Coffee season is drawing to a close, and so we only have one feature for you this week. We’re heading back to Georgia yet again to take a look at Prevail Coffee in Atlanta, who have recently made the jump interstate from Montgomery, Alabama. But to make sure you got your Build fill, we also released the final Buildcast of the season for your listening pleasure.
Yeah sure OK-Cup
Recycling can be hard, especially when companies make misleading claims about the sustainability of their products. Take Keurig, who recently got fined $1.5 million by the SEC for claiming in a report that their K-Cups were recyclable and forgetting to mention that two of the US’s largest recycling companies having serious concerns and deciding not to accept the coffee pods. It’s yet another reason to brew your own coffee the old fashioned way.
Host cities for the 2025 US Coffee Championships Regional Qualifiers
ast month, the Leadership Committee for the US Coffee Championships announced that format changes were coming for the 2025 season, the biggest of which was the return of the Regional Qualifying Competition structure. Prior seasons included three different rounds of competition, but in an effort to increase accessibility and defray the overall costs to compete, the new structure has been whittled down to just two: a regional event and the national event. And now, the host locations for the 2025 Regional Qualifier for the US Coffee Championships has been made public.
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…
Equator Coffees—Colombia El Jardín Bourbon Regenerative Organic Certified
We’re pleased to introduce our first—a flavorful washed-process Bourbon—of two Regenerative Organic Certified® coffees this year from El Jardín, a coffee farm located in a small village Central Colombia, La Armenia. Jorge Elias took over management of this farm after his father passed away, and the love for coffee that was instilled into him as a boy has continued ever since. The just 33-year-old coffee producer has long been producing top-quality coffees that have been used in coffee competitions throughout Colombia.
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
The Barn—INSPIRATION ADVENT CALENDAR 2024
This Advent Calendar contains 24 Single Origin Coffees from producers that decided to change the way they grow and process coffee. They inspired not only us. They inspired their neighbours and whole regions to produce coffee in a different way. These coffees will change the way you think. And they shape your love for a new generation of coffee. EARLY ACCESS: Pre-order before September 15th and get a 15% discount!
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
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
Madcap Coffee—Finca Santa Cruz
Brother and sister duo José and Karina Argüello are third generation coffee growers based in the municipality of La Concordia, Chiapas, Mexico. Much of the duo’s knowledge is passed down from their father, who taught them everything he learned over his lifetime of operating the farm. For this lot, typica and bourbon coffee cherries are fermented in a tank for 24 hours, then dried on beds in cherry for about 14 days. The final cup is extremely clean for a naturally processed coffee, with vibrant citrus acidity and a tangy sweetness reminiscent of tamarind fruit.
PERC—Colombia Elkin Guzman El Mirador
This coffee from Elkin Guzman is a true marvel. It boasts an intense sweetness, with sweet notes that remind us of watermelon candy. The flavors then take a delightful turn, leading to a tropical experience that feels like sipping a Piña Colada out of a coconut on the beach, complete with a crazy straw. This unique flavor profile is a testament to the artistry of Elkin Guzman and his team at El Mirador, and we can’t wait for you to experience it.
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.
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.
Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters: ETHIOPIA ADDISU KIDANE LOT #2
Phil’s favourite washed Ethiopian coffee of the season! Addisu Kidane is back with some of the finest coffee you can find in Gedeb – a region already known for some of the best coffee in all of Ethiopia. Roasted for filter/drip brewing methods – expect flavours of peach, vanilla wafer, and black tea.
Onyx Coffee Lab—Tropical Weather
Tropical Weather is a seasonal blend that celebrates coffees from our favorite coffee producing country: Ethiopia. We take a fresh washed offering that provides delicate florals and juicy texture, and incorporate a natural processed coffee that promotes pungent fruits and natural sugars. The result is indeed better than the sum of its parts.
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.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
La Colombe - Account Manager - New York City, 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.
Klatch Coffee - Redlands, CA
Baba Java Coffee - Homewood, AL
Henrys Coffee - Newhall, CA
Daylily Coffee - Sioux Falls, SD
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.