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If there had been a really good coffee shop in the office building where I used to work, I may have never left the corporate world to come back to coffee. Well, that’s not true; office jobs are a slow death. But having good coffee at my every beck and call would perhaps have made me forget my soul was leaving my body at an uncomfortable rate. In Burlington, Vermont, Kestrel Coffee Roasters is helping weary office workers fight the good fight with the opening of their brand new space in 1,200 employee office park.

Their full-time cafe is still in the works, but for the time being, Kestrel has being the white collar crowd caffeinated via a pop-up shop shop in the lobby of their future home. But soon enough, they will have a space all to themselves. Better get those timesheets approved early, that way you can spend a few extra but very necessary moments at the all new Kestrel Coffee Roasters in Burlington, Vermont.

As told to Sprudge by Charlotte Steverson.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Kestrel Coffee Roasters just opened this year as a roaster, wholesaler, and retailer in South Burlington, Vermont.

Co-Owners Charlotte and Johnny Steverson each have years of experience in the coffee and hospitality industries. Johnny, a licensed Q Grader, has been roasting for over five years. Charlotte is an experienced event planner and has accompanied Johnny on various cuppings, events, and classes.

Kestrels are the smallest of the falcons; they are small but mighty, which is the trait we love most about Kestrel Coffee Roasters.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

We are located inside a six-acre building at a large office complex called “Tech Park.” There are about 15 businesses and over 1,200 employees as well as walking trails (with the well-known “Whales Tails” sculpture) and a gorgeous view of the Green Mountains.

The entrance to our space will be right off a large atrium with skylights and communal seating. Our roaster (Loring S15) will be featured near the cafe behind a glass wall. We’ll bring in fun colors and a mix of wood and metal finishes to create a warm, welcoming vibe.

In the meantime, we have been open since July 2 in the form of a coffee kiosk located in a high traffic hallway of the same building. We also have our roaster temporarily set up. It’s been really amazing to get to know our neighbors and customers before the cafe even opens!

What’s your approach to coffee?

People have come to know us for sourcing really excellent coffees. It’s easy to talk at length about water temperature, extraction rates, and grind size, but at the end of the day it’s about drinking a great cup of coffee made by someone who cares.

Our job is to get that across to our customers.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Our roaster is a Loring S15 Falcon. As far as brewing and grinding goes: La Marzocco Linea two-group, FETCO XTS, Mahlkönig EK-43 and Peak grinders… and great people!

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

December 2018/January 2019.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Our branding and design firm (Solidarity of Unbridled Labour, Burlington, VT) was unbelievably creative and, among other things, came up with an incredible color palette that we can’t wait to showcase in the final space.

The architects (Scott + Partners, Essex, VT) have understood our vision from the start, and we’re just putting the finishing touches on the plans so construction can begin in September.

The counter/bar for our kiosk was designed and built by Construct Custom VT out of Montpelier, VT. Benjamin was so excited about this project and we couldn’t be happier with the result!

Finally, our landlord and contractor, ReArch. They have been an amazing partner, and we are so excited to be joining the Tech Park community.

Thank you!

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to share our story!

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

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Source: Coffee News

Cuties is in trouble. The Los Angeles-based coffee shop that serves as an all-ages alternative to the bar scene for the queer community is in danger of having to shutter. With a focus on serving the LA queer community—not just those with the money to afford to buy a coffee (which as RJ Joseph’s article for Sprudge elucidates, queer community members “face higher rates of unemployment, homelessness, and poverty than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts”)—Cuties has always relied on the financial backing of supporters. But that backing is running out.

In a recent Facebook post, Cuties entreated their followers to give to their Patreon account in order to keep the doors open. As the post explains, there is a big need for all-ages safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ peoples, not just in LA but world wide. “Every week I get messages from our queer & trans kin all over the world asking us to open a Cuties in their hometown,” the post explains. The need is there but the funding isn’t always. From a Medium post by Cuties co-founder Iris Bainum-Houle:

With programs like the suspended coffee—where patrons can buy two coffees, one for themselves and one to be redeemed by a future customer in need—and the community tab—where non-Angelinos can donate to make sure everyone is able to get a beverage and feel comfortable in the space—Cuties focus is on anything but the bottom line. But nonetheless, bills need to be paid and staff compensated in order to keep this truly necessary space accessible.

There are a lot of ways you can help. You can sign up for their newsletter and pledge $5 a month to Cuties’ Patreon or you can give a one-time donation, both of which can be done here. Anything helps. And if you don’t have the expendable income to help financially, you can share their Patreon “on all of your social accounts, on your newsletter, on your event pages, send it via text or email to people you know in the community & allies! Call your family members who say they have ‘nothing against gay people.’ Ask them to put their $ where their mouth is.”

To read more about Cuties current situation and the important role they play in the community, Iris Bainum-Houle, fellow co-founder Virginia Bauman, and social media coordinator Leslie Foster have all put their thoughts to paper via Medium posts, which can be found here, here, and here, respectively.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via In Los Angeles, Cuties Coffee Serves The Queer Community by RJ Joseph

The post Cuties Coffee, Los Angeles’ Queer Community Space, Needs Your Help appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Back for a 12th year, Caffè Culture is bringing one of the UK’s biggest coffee trade shows back to London, but with a completely new look. With Living Media Events taking the helm, the reinvented show is putting a focus on the specialty cafe and is bringing some of the biggest names in the industry along for the ride. And for the first time, Sprudge is proud to be an official media partner of Caffè Culture, so keep an eye out for our coverage of the event later this year.

Happening October 16th and 17th at London’s Business Design Centre, some 4,000+ visitors are expected to attend this year’s show showcasing “products ranging from tea, artisan food, bakery and chocolate right through to equipment, technology and packaging,” per the Caffè Culture press release. Exhibitors this year include: Union Hand Roasted, Assembly Coffee, Roastworks, Colonna Coffee, and Climpson and Sons.

But it’s not just booths, thanks to a Steering Committee comprised of Creative Director Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood (Colonna Coffee), Steve Penk (La Spaziale), John Richardson (Industry Consultant), Marco Arrigo (Illy), and Nick Mabey (Assembly), this year’s event will be information driven. In four separate theaters around the event space, Caffè Culture will feature panels and debates programmed by Colonna-Dashwood and Mabey. With over 30 talks already scheduled, attendees can expect topics to include discussions on starting and growing a coffee business, sustainability, quality control, and hospitality. Caffè Culture will also feature the finals of the SCA UK Latte Art Competition as well as a sensory experience led by current World Barista Champion Dale Harris.

There’s no cost to attend Caffè Culture, but an RSVP is required, which can be done here. For a full list of who and what will be at this year’s event, visit the Caffè Culture official website.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via Caffeè Culture

The post Caffè Culture Returns To London In October appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

We’re back in Charlotte for another exciting Build-Out of Summer, this time coming from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Heading 350+ miles west towards their new home, Cafe Moka is the newest addition to an already exciting Charlotte coffee scene. The vibe is approachable but make no mistake about it, they are not skimping on the coffee quality. As a multi-roaster, Cafe Moka has upwards of five different roasters on offer at a given time, showcasing some of the best in the region (and from the other coast as well). So let’s get cozy and check out the new Cafe Moka in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As told to Sprudge by Roark Basham.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

We are a multi-roaster, espresso, and  brewed coffee bar. Owned by three brothers. Roark Basham, along with Rowman and Rhett Basham. We started in 2010 in Virginia Beach, VA. We still have a shop there, on the campus of Regent University. Rowman moved moved to Charlotte in 2016, and we felt like Charlotte would be a fantastic spot for Cafe Moka. So I (Roark) moved there this spring to open and operate the shop.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

Vintage Americana, worn in, repurposed materials, hand made. I myself (Roark Basham) designed the entire space from the layout, to the interior finishes. I made most of the signs and some of the furniture. I designed the various logos seen throughout the space.

What’s your approach to coffee?

We offer a menu that has something for every level of coffee palate. For the purist, we hand-brew each cup, with offerings from four different roasters daily. Fruity espresso for straight consumption or small espresso beverages. We offer a heartier espresso with more milk, and tons of flavor options. We feature matcha drinks (Swallowtail Tea), chai (Prana) and golden Turmeric, hot or iced tea, smoothies, hot cocoas, blended coffee, and coffee-free drinks. Each season we have a seasonal menu. Our most popular off our summer menu is our signature Blackberry Coffee Lemonade. We sell it, as well as our Summer Crush Teas, and our Ice Brew Coffee by the cup or growler.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We use an old La Marzocco FB-70, custom painted orange. We use Baratza Forte BG grinders, Curtis hot water tower, Acaia Pearl scales and mainly v60’s to hand-brew each cup. Right now we use Hex Coffee (Charlotte, NC), Red Rooster Coffee (Floyd, VA), Barista Parlor (Nashville, TN), and Cirque (Tulsa, OK) on brewed coffee and Dillanos (Sumner, WA) and Red Rooster (Floyd, VA) on espresso.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

We opened on July 03, 2018

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

We use a local baker here in Charlotte. The company is called Whisk & Wood.

Thank you!

Thanks so much!

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Cafe Moka In Charlotte, NC appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Recently, we reported on how even the smell of coffee has the ability to increase one’s mathematic acuity. Ultimately, researcher’s concluded that it was most likely a placebo effect leading to the increased scores, but still, coffee cause that placebo effect, so coffee makes you better at math. Simple as that. But there’s a new coffee on the market that claims it will actually make you smarter. Created by an actual doctor, Neuro Coffee claims that just one cup will “boost proteins in your brain that are linked to mental acuity, learning, and general wellbeing.”

According to The Manual, it isn’t the coffee in Neuro Coffee that is said to boost brainpower but a “patented antioxidant complex” called NeuroFactor added to it. And from whence is that patented antioxidant complex derived, you ask? Why, from cascara! The company claims that cascara consumption increases a protein called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), and is called “Miracle-Gro for the brain.” Neuro Coffee’s website states that BDNF helps support neuron growth and repair, learning, mood and wellbeing, and metabolic health.

Sounds great, right? But does it sound $45 for a 12-ounce bag of pre-ground coffee great? Because that’s how much it would cost to buy a bag, though if you sign up for a subscription it’ll only be $30 a bag. But according to the website’s math (represented in the infographic below), Neuro Coffee is actually a steal. Based on their calculations, you can save 79%. All you have to do is assume you’ll pay “$30 – $40” instead of the $45 sticker price, compare making coffee at home (which is always cheaper) to “coffee shop coffee,” and believe that making coffee at home costs $0.00.

Maybe you’re curious, maybe you’re dubious, but if your interest is piqued, now’s the time to try it yourself. According to The Manual, Neuro Coffee “offers a six-month 100 percent money back guarantee,” and will even buy you four bags of your old coffee should you choose to go back. Assuming Neuro does not change my life forever and I’m able to take advantage of the offer, my four bags will be the most expensive Gesha I can possibly find, preferably ordered from Finland or Greece or somewhere with especially high shipping rates, because who’s smart now?

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

The post This Coffee Says It Will Make You S-M-R-T appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Of all the globe-spanning coffee brands out there, you are unlikely to come across one as unique as Four Letter Word. Started by a trio that met in Chicago, the coffee company began life as a roastery on an island off the coast of Turkey, where one of the owners was from. A few years later, they decided to open a roastery back in the States, and the Second City was just the right fit.

Now, in 2018, Four Letter Word is ready to open their first retail location in Chicago. The space itself is small, only 500 square feet, but is massive compared to their roughly 150-square-foot Turkish location (featured here in the Build-Outs of Summer four years ago). Tiny though it may be, the new 4LW is one of the most beautiful cafes we’ve seen this year on the Build-Outs of Summer. So let’s pop in and say Merhaba! to the brand new retail location of Four Letter Word in Chicago, Illinois.

As told to Sprudge by Ria Neri.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Four Letter Word started in 2014 in Burgaz Island off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, founded by Ria Neri, Kevin Heisner, and Eylem Ozkaya. We met in Chicago and have been friends for 22+ years.

The three of us had always wanted to start an adventure in coffee together so when Eylem moved back to Burgaz, where she is from, the appeal of roasting coffee on an island began to take shape and form. (I mean, who doesn’t want to hang out and work on an island?!)

Fast forward to 2016, we decided to spread the love and open a roasting space in Chicago, in a building called The Plant, a really smart space that houses a collaborative community of food businesses focusing on material reuse and closed loop systems.

Fast forward to 2018, the time felt right and ripe for a retail shop, finally! Yay!

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

It’s small but cozy, around 500 square feet. We were able to squeeze in seating for approximately 20 people, plus three standing tables, ideal for a quick shot of espresso.

It’s definitely a space with a very personal touch; Eylem, Kevin, and I have items that came from our own homes: books, objects, art, and furniture.

One of the best parts about our space: we are right across the street from our friends!! Cellar Door Provisions—an amazing daytime cafe and night time bistro—will be providing us with pastries and Diversey Wine—a natural wine shop (who knows, maybe our shop can host a BYONW* from across the street someday?) We are not opposed.

*Bring Your Own Natural Wine

What’s your approach to coffee?

We ask the questions: Where did the coffee originate, what’s the variety, what was the process? Most importantly, what did the producer intend for this coffee to be? We respect the role of the producer. Our job as roasters is to not alter the inherent qualities of the coffee, but to translate them to the best of our ability.

What’s your target opening day?

Hopefully soon! Targeting the end of August.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Yes!! We are so excited to finally serve our stash of 2015 Gesha Village 1931. We travelled to Gesha Village in 2015 and got to cup this first harvest! Bought it, froze it (ala George Howell) and three years later, voila!

Also we have a juicy SL-28 Lactic from La Palma Y El Tucan from Colombia and several new lots of Long Miles Coffee from Burundi. Yum.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Kevin Heisner, our partner designed the space as well as provided the art for our walls.
And I would like to mention to please follow him on instagram at @shlumpr 🙂

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

Photos by Jude Goergen.

The post Built-Outs Of Summer: Four Letter Word In Chicago, IL appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

The Build-Outs of Summer are heading north of to the border to one of the most exciting food cities in North America. We are of course speaking of Montreal, home of the brand new headquarters for Café Saint-Henri Micro-Torréfacteur. With five locations already established, Saint-Henri is a known commodity in Montreal, and with their new mega roastery/cafe/office space/lab/warehouse they are looking to cement their place on the coffee map.

And this a space this newest edition, Saint-Henri will certainly be hard to forget. The HQ includes, but is not limited to: a vertical greenhouse (with accompanying purple lights), a boardroom that looks like something from a Wes Anderson movie, and one of only 13 Kees van der Westen La Stomboli‘s ever made. So grab one of the 60+ seats and check out the all new headquarters for Saint-Henri Micro-Torréfacteur in Montreal, Quebec.

As told to Sprudge by JF.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Café Saint-Henri Micro-Torréfacteur started roasting in 2011, offering for the first time to Montrealers coffees that were sourced directly at the farm, as well as coffee from specialty importers and cooperatives. We’ve been training the general public since our first year, offering different classes such as “seed-to-cup” and “espresso at home.” Our company is present on the retail front, with six cafes, which also help us understanding first-hands the needs of our wholesales partners. We have two roasting facilities: one in Montreal and one in Quebec City. Through our website, we also ship directly to consumers in Canada and the U.S.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

Situated strategically at the crossing of four upcoming neighborhoods (Mile-End, Mile-Ex, Villeray and Rosemont), the new installations serve as the company’s new headquarters.

In addition to a large 60+ seating cafe equipped with the latest coffee technology and some vertical greenhouses (which feeds our kitchen/menu), a coffee laboratory and a room dedicated to coffee classes is consolidating Saint-Henri Micro-Torrefacteur’s role as both a pioneer and a leader amongst the North American coffee roasters which are focusing on specialty coffee.

The new roasting facility, the office spaces (finally!), our lab, and a large warehouse all under one roof (8500 sq. ft.) will help increase quality control and production, which we hope will lead to open new commercial accounts across Canada and the U.S. northeast coast.

What’s your approach to coffee?

Since our opening in 2011, we’ve kept the same well-balanced recipe for our green purchasing: the majority of our coffees are selected directly at the farm, while the rest of our offerings are split between some private imports and some cooperative-based coffees.

Trying to take care of both ends of the coffee chain, Saint-Henri is offering social/health benefits to its employees, as well as a relaxed working environment.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Yes!
A Mavam three-group (dipped in zinc—a first at MAVAM—to match our cafe 🙂
A Weber EG-1 grinder for pour-overs and some lab usage
Classic Mahlkönig EK-43 and Curtis batch brewers
In our lab, a piece of history: a Kees van der Westen La Stomboli, one of 13 that were made in 1993! This was KVDW’s first attempt to a “series” of machines. We’ve tweaked it a tiny bit to make sure it wouldn’t show its age too much and be useful in our lab.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

Opened since July 12th, 2018!

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Yes, we worked with designer team Gauley Brothers to build this up!

Thank you!

Merci à vous 🙂

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

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Source: Coffee News

For many, video games are a way to relax at the end of a stressful day. Some are able to shut out the outside world and immerse themselves in an RPG adventure or an FPS kill streak. Not me. Gaming is stressful, thanks in no small part to my own controller-based ineptness (which one is the shoot button again? Am I crouching?) Sure, maybe you can relax by saving Pittsburgh from aliens or talking to spirits roaming inside a cafe, but that ain’t me. I need something much more… chill. And I think I’ve found it. Coffee Talk is a narrative game that “focuses on quiet conversations and good company.” Chill.

As reported by Kotaku, Coffee Talk is from Indonesian-based indie game developer Toge Productions, and it’s gameplay breaks down primarily into two categories: talking and making drinks. Very Chill.



Coffee Talk takes place in “Alternative Seattle” and according to the article, the clientele includes orcs, elves, and humans, ranging from “intrepid journalists to star-crossed fantasy-race lovers.” A 13-minutes gameplay video shows the mostly-dialogue-based interactions with Freya, the intrepid journalist of note who is trying to convince her boss to let her write long-form fiction. Her favorite drink is a triple espresso, which you have to make by filling each of the drink slots with coffee before pressing “brew.” But if you mess it up, don’t worry, you can just dump it and try again. Suuuper chill.

Currently in demo, Coffee Talk is available for Window and macOS via Toge’s official website, where you can name the price you want to pay. It’s the perfect sort of low stakes affair that I can really unwind to. But I’m not a full-time barista, so maybe beating the shit out of aliens is a better stress reliever having to come home and make more chit chat.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

The post Very Chill Coffee Talk Is The ASMR Of Coffee Video Games appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

How often do you proudly display your empty coffee bags upon your fridge? If the answer is not often enough, you’re probably not buying coffee from Ann Arbor’s Stovetop Roasters. Each offering has its own whimsical drawing from illustrator Jared DeMeester (sea creatures, land mammals, third-place athletes, etc.) We think all coffee bags should be beautiful enough for the refrigerator, but until then folks like Stovetop Roasters are leading the way.

Tell us a bit about your company.

We are Stovetop Roasters, of Ann Arbor, MI. A bit about us and our beliefs: we care about the people who grow, serve, and drink our coffee. At Stovetop we believe great coffee builds quality relationships, and quality relationships inspire great coffee. We’re serious about design, sourcing, roasting, and brewing, but what excites us most is coffee’s great knack for bringing people together. It’s a conversational beverage, and we think that’s significant.

When did the coffee package design debut?

Our current design debuted in February of 2017. We print on a paper sleeve that hugs our stout bags, which allows each coffee to have its own personality.

Who designed the package?

Our design is all executed in-house by Jared DeMeester. Jared is an illustrator/designer, focused on art with story-worthy soul. In 2015, Jared started a website called I Tried My Best, featuring hand drawings that occasionally lack skill but make up for it with charm. This concept laid the groundwork for Stovetop’s quirky aesthetic.

Kurt Vonnegut once said, “To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow.” As a team, we hope our design choices align with Vonnegut’s statement. Keep making, brewing, drawing, singing, dancing, or whatever it is that gives you life.

What coffee information do you share on the package?

Our packaging shares standard yet important info about origin, processing, elevation, and varietals, along with:

A sourcing note, which provides some short facts about the coffee’s origin, farmers/staff, sustainability practices, etc. It’s our opportunity and privilege to share something that gives the coffee’s producers a heartbeat.

An “ideal drinking location” and “drinking music,” gives us an opportunity to communicate our appreciation of sound and space. Most of our fondest coffee drinking memories reflect both coffee and the sensory details: where we are, who’s with us, what we’re hearing.

Our blends include an “imaginative tasting note,” a short blurb we derive from what we experience internally as we sip the coffee. For example, our summer blend talks about riding around on the back of a butterfly sipping nectar from flowers with straws. Emphasis on the “imaginative.”

The inside of our sleeve features small illustrations and recommendations for several different brewing methods/ratios.

Our last piece of information is “a note from the artist.” Each Stovetop coffee has its respective character, and the artist’s note helps us give the character voice and feeling.

What’s the motivation behind that?

Our motivation is always to give our product a sense of delight, honesty, and soul. Though we can’t sit at the table each morning with our beloved Stovetop customers, we can send them home with a bag that speaks to our favorite things: clean lines, dogs in clothing, coffee farmer shoutouts, smile-inducing haiku poems. We believe brand has the capability of bridging the gap between craft and non-craft drinkers.

What are some of the improvements made in the packaging?

The resealable zipper keeps coffee fresh and easily accessible for half-open morning eyes. We also love having the ability to design and print on all four sides of the sleeve. This gives us plenty of real estate for communicating who we are and what we do.

Why are aesthetics in coffee packaging so important?

It’s an invitation to the party! Our team at Stovetop has always aimed to grow the pie of specialty coffee rather than stealing someone else’s slice, so we constantly evaluate how we are branding these bags of beans. Jared says that if a coffee professional and his 88-year-old Grandma Alice can both pick up the back and feel delighted and engaged, his job is fulfilled.

Where is the bag manufactured?

Pacific Bag, located in Seattle, WA.

For package nerds, what type of package is it?

It is a 12 oz, side gusseted, aluminum foil bag.

Is the package recyclable/compostable?

Our paper sleeve is recyclable, though we notice many folks making use of it as refrigerator art. As we grow, we are exploring compostable options.

Where is it currently available?

You can find our coffee in shops across the Midwest. However, if you do not reside here, our website keeps tabs on all of our goodies. Stop in at our new cafe in Ann Arbor, Michigan for a hug. Thank you!

Thank you!

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge.

The post Coffee Design: Stovetop Roasters In Ann Arbor, Michigan appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

As it stands right now in California, all sales of roasted coffee are meant to come with a carcinogen warning because it contains acrylamide, a chemical that is a natural byproduct of the roasting process. For shops, this means posting some sort of signage stating coffee to contain carcinogens, and for roasters it means putting a cancer warning on their retail bags. This is due to a court ruling back in March where a judge ultimately decided that the coffee industry didn’t do enough to prove that the trace amounts of naturally occurring acrylamide aren’t toxic. It’s like innocent until proven guilty, but y’know, the exact opposite. As you might expect, this didn’t sit well with coffee companies in the Golden State, nor did it jibe with current research on the presence of the carcinogen in coffee.

But now, according to the New York Times, the State of California is intervening on the behalf of coffee (and general sanity). In a public hearing taking place today, August 16th in Sacramento, a government agency is proposing a new rule declaring that “not only does coffee pose no significant risk of cancer, it may actually have health benefits.”

The reason for the new rule is two-fold. One, there is a preponderance of evidence showing coffee to actually be healthful, which the Times politely refers to as “more comprehensive scientific research.” And two, the State is worried that a growing number of cancer warnings—some like the less-than-rock-solid ones aimed at coffee—will desensitize consumers to actual, serious health risks.

“There’s a danger to overwarning — it’s important to warn about real health risks,” said Sam Delson, the deputy director for external and legislative affairs of California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. This is the same office put out a statement recently stating that the carcinogens “inherent in the processes of roasting coffee beans and brewing coffee pose no significant risk of cancer.”

For now, the public hearing is the first step. As the article notes, California coffee companies are in a holding pattern to see how everything shakes out, but the new proposal is expected to be approved by the end of November, when finally and but for a brief moment, sanity will win out.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

The post Maybe Coffee Won’t Have To Have A Cancer Warning After All appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News