The Sprudge Report - The Perfect Coffee Cocktail?
Plus new cafes, coffee for dogs, and drinking coffee entirely too fast
This is a good drink
There are many ways to mix coffee and booze, to varying degrees of success. But there is one concoction that stands head and shoulders above the rest (looking at you, Espresso Martini): the Chartreuse Cappuccino. A divine combination of espresso, milk, chartreuse, and palm sugar, the Chartreuse Cappuccino does what few coffee cocktails can: make the base drink better. Learn how to make one yourself with the recipe from our latest book But First, Coffee.
Coffee in Chiang Mai
It’s been nearly eight years since our last to Chiang Mai, Thailand. The home to Roast8ry nee Risr8to and world-renowned competitive barista Arnon Thitiprasert, Chiang Mai has one of the most bustling coffee scenes in the country, so a return visit was long overdue. Here at the beginning of 2024, we take a tour of some of the new and exciting cafes around Chiang Mai.
A high-end coffee brand from the folks at Olympia
For nearly two decades Olympia Coffee has been built relationships with producers the world over. And now, with Oliver’s Custom Coffee, they are using those relationships to bring to market exceptionally rare and small-lot coffees that have undergone a variety of experimental processing methods. Under the helm of Oliver Stormshak, who will process some of the coffees himself, the new line is a chance to take risks, for both the brand and their producer partners.
A Babinski sighting in Sydney
After stepping away from Go Get Em Tiger and G&B Coffee, the renown Los Angeles coffee brands he co-founded, Charles Babinski was not heard from much. But now, four years later, the World Barista Championship Runner-Up is back with a new coffee shop, in Australia of all places. We spoke with Babinski about his return to the bar with Cafe 143 in the Sydney suburb of Bronte.
B-corps and brand ambassadors
In other coffee news this week, Marco Beverage Systems announced that they were officially B-Corporation certified. Meanwhile, Mazzer introduced their newest brand ambassador, 2023 World Barista Champion Boram Um.
A new coffee world record
There are lots of world records with great import, and then there’s this one. A German man has broke the world record for fastest cup of coffee consumed, at 3.12 seconds. It’s .05 seconds faster than the previous record, which is impressive I guess, but also, why?
Coffee for dogs?
Move over puppaccinos, there’s a new “coffee” drink for dogs. It’s called Barkista and it’s more chagaccino than cappuccino. It contains no coffee, just a boatload of mushroom and evaporated goat’s milk, and it claims to be good for dogs. It even comes in K9-Cups.
Voting continues for the 2024 Sprudgie Awards
This is it, we’ve reached the Finals for the 15th annual Sprudgie Awards. 12 categories are up for grabs, and they can only be decided by a vote. There’s still a little over a week left to cast your vote and let your voice be heard. Voting for the 15th Annual Sprudgie Awards presented by Pacific Barista Series closes at 11:59 PM PST on January 29th.
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: Struttura—Struttura (meaning “structure”) is a sweet, weighty, and structured blend with notes of dark chocolate, molasses, and plum. It was carefully crafted to produce syrupy, dimensional, full-bodied espresso shots, while also brewing a vibrant, balanced cup of drip. We can’t wait for you to try this truly luxurious blend.
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: Guatemala Concepción Huista Fair Trade Organic—FINAL ROAST WED 1/24! Don’t miss out on the last roast of this seasonal single origin favorite from our longtime partners at Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Desarrollo de Concepión Huista (CODECH). This light roast offers delicate flavors of chocolate covered almond, peach, and marshmallow.
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: Finca de Dios—Husband and wife duo Ellen and Stuart Prentice oversee a 19-hectare farm, encompassing a multitude of microclimates. Ellen inherited the farm from her father in the early ’70s, falling in love with the coffee growing process and planting more and more on the land. Together with their daughter Ashley, they’ve established state-of-the-art processing equipment for their farm, Finca de Dios (Farm of the Gods). In this year’s harvest, expect notes of cacao, orange, and agave.
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: Java Frinsa Estate—This is our second time sourcing this beauty from Java. If you tasted it last year, you’ll know why! It’s an intensely sweet and funky coffee. The anaerobic fermentation done at the farm contributes to its big fruity flavors, and the cup finishes with a deep, fudgy note that’ll keep you coming back for more. It’s truly a unique coffee that delivers all the wild vibes.
Stumptown Coffee: Bella Vista—Bella Vista has been gracing our menu for nearly two decades, and every year, when we think there’s no way it can get any better, it does. This exceptional single origin coffee represents one of our oldest direct trade relationships, and every sip reflects the meticulous care that goes into producing it. This year’s lot is supremely balanced with notes of candied citrus and milk chocolate with a soft, honeyed finish.
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
Rancilio Group North America - Full Time Technical Specialist, Level II - Woodridge, IL
Curated - Curated Coffee Expert - Remote, US
Counter Culture Coffee - Regional Tech Services - Los Angeles, CA
Counter Culture Coffee - Roasting Apprentice - Emeryville, CA
Bellwether Coffee - Roasting Production Associate - Berkeley, CA
Proud Mary Coffee - Production Assistant - Portland, OR
Ritual Coffee Roasters - Retail People Operations Manager - San Francisco, CA
Tradecraft Coffee & Tea Outfitters - Program Manager, Specialty Coffee - Houston or Austin, TX
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.
Brème Pâtisserie - Limoges, France
Pausita Cafe - Mexico City, Mexico
Mend Coffee and Goods - Atlanta, GA
Lux Cafe Club - San Francisco, CA
Now and Then - Nashville, TN
Metronome Coffee House - Morden, United Kingdom
Little Bear Coffee - Albuquerque, NM
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.