The Sprudge Report - The Sprudge Twenty!
Plus more Build-Outs than you can shake a stick at
Welcome to the 2024 Sprudge Twenty
We’re doing something a little different with 2024 class of the Sprudge Twenty. This year, we are honoring those in the coffee industry born before 1970, those who have been shaping specialty coffee for decades. And we are kicking things off with Guido Bernardinelli, the CEO of La Marzocco International. We speak with Bernardinelli to learn more about his 32 years in coffee.
Other Mother approved cold brew
Being a late-stage Millennial in coffee means 1) loving coffee, and 2) having a decent chance of having a child. And these two worlds have collided with a Coraline Cold Brew by Stumptown Coffee Roasters. In honor of the 15th anniversary re-release of the kinda-spooky children’s movie, the Portland roaster has teamed up with Laika for a new ready-to-drink cold brew.
Builds, builds, builds
Another hot summer week, another hotter week of new Build-Outs of Coffee. We began in Tokyo with PostCoffee, an ambitious new project bringing in some of the best coffees from around the world. Shifting gears from a global multi-roaster to a micro-roaster Stateside, we check in on Aventura Coffee, whose new space will be opening in Yakima, Washington in September. Finally, we visit Parallax Coffee Lab in Wendell, North Carolina, bringing specialty coffee to a town of just under 6,000.
Austin Coffee Festival
Austin, Texas is a city that loves coffee and loves festivals. So it makes sense that they would host a coffee festival. Taking place in September, the Austin Coffee Festival brings together nearly 40 coffee roasters under one roof for two days of caffeination, learning, and of course music.
Ecos del Café
Episode Two of Cafe Imports’ documentary film series Ecos del Café: Narrativas de Productores Costarricenses dropped this week. In the short 8.5 minute run time, the video interviews Diego Abarca Quiros of the Alto San Juan Micrmill in the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica. Abarca discusses how he got into the family business and how he used research and technology to start producing specialty coffee.
Mean muggin’ at the Tesla factory
At Tesla’s gigafactory in Grünheide, Germany, a few mugs have gone missing. Tens of thousands of them. In just two short years of operation, an astounding 65,000 coffee mugs have left the facilities that employee 12,000 workers. That’s five mugs per employee, which is honestly a little impressive.
E-tasseography
Tasseography, the centuries-old mystical practice of telling a person’s fortune using their cup of coffee, tea, or even wine is getting a 21st century facelift. Fortune tellers are finding ways to connect with larger audiences through phone chats, online consults, even apps.
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…
Joe Coffee: Amsterdam — Rich, sweet, and comforting, Amsterdam is the perfect drip coffee option for those who seek a deeper roast profile. We select the components for this coffee for their ability to stand up to a more developed roast, without ever tasting over-roasted or smoky. Instead, we pull out classic notes of chocolate, nut, and toffee.
Equator Coffees: Nicaragua Flor de Dalia Natural FTO —We are proud to offer an incredible natural-process single origin coffee from Flor de Dalia: a beloved cooperative with a strong commitment to both environmental improvement and the elevation of coffee quality. Enjoy sweet and syrupy flavors of blackberry, red plum, and date, and support Fair Trade & Organic farming with every sip.
Madcap Coffee Company: Party—Party is back! Each year Madcap looks forward to releasing their fan-favorite Party. Always a natural processed coffee from Ethiopia, this year’s component is currently Gora Kone out of the West Arsi, Nensebo region of Ethiopia. The high altitude combined with natural shade and unwavering farming practices result in coffee packed with flavor. This year, we’re enjoying jammy notes of strawberry, tart lime, and sweet cotton candy.
Olympia Coffee: Kenya Kamwangi AA Micro Lot 18—Out of hundreds of lots tasted at origin in Kenya, this was our top pick of the harvest. This coffee comes from the Kamwangi washing station and was produced as the 18th lot of the season.
The Barn Coffee Roasters Berlin: Bumba Hill Lot 6 —For the third season, we are excited to be roasting coffee from Bumba Hill. The Long Miles Project is a farmer-focused producer that works with some of the most remote coffee growers in Burundi. Every year, we have seen the quality of their coffee improve and we are launching the season with an exceptional naturally processed coffee: Lot 6. Our exclusive reserve lot is slowly dried on raised African beds, producing a profile with deep sweetness and smooth texture. Just in time for summer, it is like a cup of strawberries and cream.
PERC: Peru Santos Flores—We love this particular lot. It’s sweet and smooth, with enough subtle complexity to keep you coming back for more. We taste sweet maple syrup and candied lemon flavors in the cup with a rich brown sugar finish. This one goes down so easily that you might want a big bag!
Dune Coffee: Indonesia Bener Meriah—Bener Meriah comes from Mikael Jasin’s company Catur Coffee, who works with producers in Aceh to apply intentional post-harvest processing methods to push the boundaries of what has been thought possible from traditional Indonesian coffee varieties. Through anaerobic processing and yeast inoculation, we taste juicy red berry flavors and a creamy texture in the cup.
Night Swim Coffee: Jairo Arcila – EF2 Natural—A masterclass in processing, the work Cofinet and Jairo Arcila’s team have done at Santa Monica and La Pradera produced a very balanced, sweet, and clear encapsulation of the best characteristics of the Java variety. Take this limited opportunity to join us in enjoying the remarkable sundried Java varietal from Quindio, Colombia. We think you’ll find your childhood in it’s limeade-like acidity, sweet and sticky strawberry frutiness, and a syrupy, lingering, chocolate-y mouth feel.
Partners Coffee: Block Party—Returning to our menu for its second year, Block Party is a celebration of the sunny days ahead. Designed to be enjoyed hot, iced, or cold brewed, it has a refreshing flavor profile perfect for summer. In a range of brewing methods you’ll find notes of strawberry, blueberry, watermelon, and pink lady apple bathing in rich caramelized sugars.
Cxffeeblack: Ubudasa—Ubudasa is a Kinyarwandan word loosely translated to mean the uniqueness of something or how something just hits different. In partnership with Higa coffee, a natural anaerobic from Businide station in the Kayanza district in Burundi. You already know, All-Black supply chain. Notes of grape Jolly Rancher, mango Jumex, and cinnamon. Proceeds from the sale of this coffee go to support Phase 2 of the Black Barista Exchange Program.
Mr. Espresso: Italian Espresso Trio—A Trio of Italian Classics. Return to the place where espresso began with Mr. Espresso’s trio of regionally inspired blends from Tuscany, Trieste and Naples. The elegant medium-roast Tuscan offers sweet chocolate and butterscotch notes; the light-roast Triestino has complexity of nut and fruit; and the company’s medium-dark signature Neapolitan delivers dark chocolate, hazelnut and caramel.
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.
Greater Goods Coffee Roasters: Basha Bekele—Our latest release from Ethiopia is a juicy fruit bomb from the Sidama region. Grown at the mid-bending altitude of 2000 plus meters above sea level, this coffee is a great example of how clean and beautiful extremely highgrown coffee can be. In the cup we got mouth-watering notes of dried strawberry, grape candy, and star jasmine.
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.
Monogram Coffee: Don Isaias, Huila, Colombia—This Pink Bourbon from Don Isaias is a testament of hard work and striving to always improve. Don Isaias and local workers ferment the cherry for three days after harvest then dry for ten to fourteen days. The cup is well balanced with chocolate and fruit notes.
Onyx Coffee Lab : Unnecessarily Soulful — Lamps x Onyx Collaboration. This limited offering was created in celebration of the release of Jon Lampley’s debut album, Night Service: Live at LunÀtico. Lampley has been a major contributor to some of the most versatile, hardest-grooving ensembles currently at work, including The Late Show Band (of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert), O.A.R., and Huntertones. Brew yourself a cup, and sit back and enjoy an album that pulls from Jon’s strongest inspirations, evoking a positivity that will leave you feeling delightfully and even unnecessarily soulful.
Verve Coffee Roasters : Limoncillo Farmlevel Reserve—This very rare mutated yellow Pacamara from El Limoncillo has a beautiful spiced and citric profile. Those who enjoy herbal and complex coffees will find this limited batch delightful.
Amavida Coffee Roasters: Burundi Nemba—This beautiful lot represents the unique flavors available in coffees from the region. It comes from the Nemba washing station in the Hills of Kayanza in Burundi. It’s sugary aroma is reminiscent of ginger, molasses and red fruit. Unique flavors of gingersnap cookies, apricot and molasses are balanced by a pleasantly citric cup.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Stumptown Coffee Roasters - Green Coffee Handler - Portland, OR
Common Good Co’s - Head Barista/Assistant Manager - Waltham, MA
Better Brands Co - Director of Service Department - Los Angeles, CA
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.
Sparrows Coffee - Grand Rapids, MI
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