The Sprudge Report - The US Barista Championship!
Plus Noma does coffee
Welcome to US Barista Championship weekend!
It’s here, it’s finally here! The 2025 US Barista Championship is going on in Raleigh, North Carolina as. we. speak. And as we are wont to do, Sprudge is on-site to bring you all the sights and sounds of the biggest American coffee competition of the year. Day One was yesterday, and you can find the recap here, today is the Semis, and after tomorrow’s Finals, we’ll know who is the new (or maybe returning?) US Barista Champion. Stay locked in with us all weekend long as we bring news and updates!
Coffee in Malacca
A UNESCO World Heritage city, Malacca, Malaysia is home to a diverse coffee scene, with roots tracing back to the 17th century. Today, Malacca has a vibrant and offers a blend of old-school and hyper-modern coffee styles. This week on Sprudge, we take a look at some of Malacca’s best expressions of coffee, no matter how you like to take it.
The color of the year is here
Pay no mind to those Pantone jabronis, who have foolishly claimed the 2025 color of the year as Mocha Mousse. The real color of the year comes from Moccasmaster. And the iconic Dutch coffee brewer manufacturer has dubbed 2025’s true hue to be Ocean, a deep blue-green that also happens to be a limited release colorway for the Moccamaster KBGV.
Espresso Macchiato a no-go?
We’re still two months away from Eurovision and already there’s controversy. Estonian Tommy Cash’s infectious earworm Espresso Macchiato has ruffled the feathers of the Italian contingent, who claim the song’s lyrics are insulting and offensive to Italians everywhere. And because of it, they have formally requested that his song be removed from the competition.
The skateboarding cafes of America
Skateboarding and coffee are two of the country’s great counter cultures, so it makes sense that they see a great deal of overlap. And so we are exploring the intersection of skating and coffee shops with a look at some of the place that harness the power of both. Whether your preferred grind is a rail or a light roast, these cafes have something for you.
Coffee for your heath
More good news coming from your cup. Coffee (and wine and chocolate and fruit) have been linked with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome. A survey of 6,400 participants found that a diet rich in polyphenols—which coffee has in spades—was associated with a 23% decrease in instances of MetS.
[David Bowie voice] Under Pressers
From the Press Release desk this week, we learned about BestCup, whose new Hi-Fi Coffee Pod looks to bring specialty coffee to the K-Cup world. And speaking of cups, TerraCycle has announced CafeCycle, a new recycling solution for cafes to help recycle items that typically aren’t accepted by municipal recycling services.
Three Michelin Star coffee?
Noma is arguable the best restaurant in the world, and it’s a compelling one at that. What isn’t up for debate, though, is that the Copenhagen progenitors of New Nordic Cuisine have the best coffee program out of any fine dining establishment. And now, Noma has their own coffee roastery and subscription service. Called Noma Kaffe, the new project continues the tradition of the iconic restaurant, but now in a deliverable coffee format. To learn more, we spoke the Noma’s Head of Coffee Carolyne Lane about the project.
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…
Phil & Sebastian—Jose Cuellar Pink Bourbon & Bourbon Aji
ORANGE CREAMSICLE | LEMONGRASS | EARL GREY
This blend of Pink Bourbon and Bourbon Aji comes from Jose Cuellar – a rare coffee producer in Huila, Colombia. He’s been in coffee for a very long time, but his latest venture has taken him out of the normal path of Colombian coffee production. He has planted eight different coffee varieties and has been working through many super cool processing experiments.
Night Swim Coffee—Nano Genji #6
We’re more thrilled than ever to offer a lot from Nano Genji – our first time buying from the co-op. Nano Genji is a part of the Kata Muduga Union, a union of 39 co-ops and washing stations that focus on quality coffees and paying dividends directly to the Union members. Nano Genji is the sibling mill to the famed Nano Challa mill, featured on our menu last year. This lot, #6, from Nano Genji is bright and refreshing, with bold citrus and fruity notes that instantly remind us of cherry-limeade from Sonic or peach green tea on a warm spring/summer day.
La Barba Coffee—Pepe Jijon Typica Wave
With a bright and pleasantly crisp acidity, fruit flavors such as green grape and apple produce a clean first couple sips. Gradually, the cup becomes sweeter, fruitier, and lends a subtle floral note, still maintaining an enjoyably vibrant acidity, making this one of Jijon’s most impressive coffees.
Notes : Green Grape, Apple, Clean
THE BARN—Huye Mountain Natural
From the ‘Land of 1000 Hills’, our latest espresso is a showcase of terroir and meticulous natural processing. Led by the passionate David Rubanzangabo, our partnership with Huye Mountain goes back over ten years. With creamy notes of strawberry and almond, in the cup this lot reminds us of a sweet frangipane tart.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters—Hair Bender
The coffee that started it all: Hair Bender is Stumptown’s signature blend, a recipe perfected over 25 years ago. We can tell you it’s a complex blend with notes of sweet citrus, dark chocolate, and raisin, but we can’t tell you how it’ll make you feel. It just . . . makes you feel things, lots of really good things.
Equator Coffees—Anniversary Blend
Experience the new blend celebrating Equator’s 30 year journey: a reflection of where we’ve been and where we’re headed. Anniversary Blend is a balanced and smooth medium roast, highlighting a deep-toned Lintong coffee from small garden farms in the Lake Toba region of Sumatra and complimented by coffees from Kenya and Colombia.
Dune Coffee Roasters—Ecuador Hacienda La Papaya Washed Typica
The Typica variety that Juan grows at Hacienda La Papaya was our first introduction to these coffees, and these coffees have always impressed us with the flavors Juan is able to cultivate and develop from this unique expression of the variety. Juan’s washed process has undergone continuous refinement since the first year we tasted their coffees, with ripe cherries undergoing sorting and floating before a 15 hour fermentation and moving to ultraviolet radiation-protected drying rooms, fitted with temperature and humidity sensors for meticulous drying. This year, Juan’s washed Typica is quintessential of the flavors we’ve come to find from this variety and terroir: sweet citrus, dense caramel and brown sugar sweetness, and white flower florality.
PERC—Colombia Young Producers Program
Our partners at Unblended created the Young Producers program to make coffee farming an exciting and viable career path for young people in Colombia. The program pairs young producers with seasoned veterans to help them with their own coffee. We can’t stop talking about how much we love this coffee. You’ll get an explosion of intense fruit that reminds us of pink Starburst.
Klatch Coffee—Mujeres De Café
We’re thrilled to present Mujeres de Café (Spanish for “women of coffee”), which not only delivers outstanding flavor but also supports a vital cause. Throughout March, 20% of every bag sold will be donated to Grounds For Health, an organization that has been providing life-saving women’s health programs in coffee-growing communities since 1996. This unique blend features Orange Bourbon, Icatu, and SL28 varietals from Lucia Ortiz’s Finca Las Mercedes in El Salvador, processed three ways – anaerobic, honey, and washed. The result is a cup rich with flavors of molasses, cherry, and Gala apple.
Sightglass Coffee Roasters—Spring Equinox
Named for the celestial shift from winter to spring, marked by nearly equal amounts of daylight and darkness across all latitudes, our Spring Equinox blend is crafted from a 50/50 composition of high-altitude coffees from Guatemala and Kenya. The result is a unique blend that celebrates a season of renewal through a deeply sweet and delicately fruited coffee that shines. Roast Level:Medium Dark. Orange Blossom, Tamarind, Strawberry
Olympia Coffee—San Sebastian Reserva
Our San Sebastian Reserva, sourced from producers in San Sebastian De La Plata, Huila, features the highest-scoring lots of the season grown at lofty elevations over 1,700 meters.
Partners Coffee—Burundi – Gahahe
The washing station at Gahahe serves over a thousand farmers in Kayanza, Burundi. This fully washed lot has become a perennial favorite of ours with golden hues of raisin, dried fig, apricot, and orange meeting brûléed sugar. Gahahe makes an excellent late-winter filter coffee and a lovely option for seasonal espresso.
Passenger Coffee & Tea—Bhadra
The most recent addition to our Foundational Menu, this delightfully sweet and approachable coffee comes from producers Pranoy and Ajoy Thipaiah of Kerehaklu Estate. Kerehaklu is one of a small group of family-run coffee farms that together make up the Bhadra partnership. All of these estates are located near the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, in the historically significant coffee-growing region of Chikmagalur, India. Notes of citrus, black tea, stone fruit
Mr. Espresso—Java Gunung Tikukur, Washed Process
Part of Mr. Espresso’s limited-edition Collezione di Caffè, this washed micro-lot comes from West Java’s Cipaganti Village. Collected directly from small farmers, coffee varietals include Catimor, Tim Tim, Typica, and Gayo II. The Mr. Espresso sourcing team was exceptionally impressed by this coffee’s vibrancy, showcased by the region’s traditional processing method. Java Gunung Tikukur offers a complex cup, with flavors such as peach, toasted almond, and basil.
Madcap Coffee—Nelson Moreno
Nelson Moreno inherited his first piece of land, 3 acres at about 1600 meters, from his father Orlando when he was only 16. In the Santa Barbara region, the surname Moreno and quality go hand-in-hand. Generations of Morenos’ work together harvesting each other’s coffee, as well as processing all of their lots together. Their collective effort is what sets the Moreno’s level of quality apart from the rest, and they have the Cup of Excellence awards to prove it. Specialty coffee enthusiasts recognize Santa Barbara, Honduras, as one of the most unique coffee micro-terroirs in all of Central America. This Pacas variety is processed anaerobically, or without oxygen. This innovative processing technique results in a vibrant and expressive cup, with notes of honeydew, lychee, and hibiscus.
Verve Coffee Roasters—Gura AA
Juicy, jammy and expressive, this year’s AA lot from Gura is nothing short of delicious. Tropical guava notes greet your palate with the first sip, followed by a sweet strawberry and fudge finish.
Onyx Coffee Lab—Colombia Tio Conejo Gesha Natural
In the high mountains of Caldas, Colombia, Tío Conejo cultivates coffee with a commitment to tradition, community, and resilience. Nestled at 2,000 MASL on rich volcanic soil, their farm’s high altitude and meticulous practices yield exceptional quality. That quality shows in the cup with pungent fruit characteristics throughout the drinking experience, culminating in pink guava and watermelon candy.
Joe Coffee —Rubí Sisters Catuaí
Perched between the Sierra La Esperanza and Santa Bárbara mountains in Las Vegas, Honduras, lies Finca Ruland 2—a specialty coffee farm as beautiful as it is biodiverse, owned and operated by the Rubí-Landaverde family. Notes of Candied Lemon, Almond Paste, Cinnamon.
Pachamama Coffee Farmers—Guatemala
Grown on the volcanic shores of Lago Atitlán, this is an exceptional single origin medium roast coffee from the Manos Campesinas coop in Guatemala.
CXFFEEBLACK—Fruit Of Our Labor
A HIGA JUNT -NATURAL RWANDA KILIMBI STATION, 1650-1850 MASL
TASTING NOTES: Strawberry, Dark Chocolate, and Passionfruit
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Cropster - Senior Product Marketing Manager (f/m/d) - Global (US and Europe preferred)
Cropster - Outbound Sales Manager (f/m/d) - Europe (remote)
Silence Please - Tea House Manager - New York, NY
Chamberlain Coffee - Assistant General Manager - 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.
XLII Coffee - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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.