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Kristina Jackson (Photo by Jon Santos)

Nominated by Rose Woodard, Rob Rodriguez, and Kat Melheim 

Kristina Jackson is an exemplary member and leader in the specialty coffee community. Her work is centered first and foremost on the city of Boston, where she is the founder of the Boston Intersectional Coffee Collective, but it reverberates worldwide by offering a radical example of inclusion. Her work provides a roadmap towards confronting marginalization for coffee professionals of all backgrounds and identities, and to ensuring that the next generation of coffee pros see a place for themselves in coffee culture.

Sprudge readers are familiar with Jackson’s work through our coverage of the Boston Intersectional Coffee Collective, and from Jackson’s Fall 2018 appearance on Michelle Johnson’s Black Coffee event panel in New York City. She is also an exceptional working barista at Intelligentsia Coffee’s Post Office Square location, a facet of her professional work captured vividly in this nominating essay (one of several Jackson received) from Rob Rodriguez:

“[Behind the bar], she often creates an experience and space where, despite how many people are in the shop, you feel as if you are her singular focus. This is reflected consistently in her exceptional coffee brewing skills. Each cup and shot regularly consistent and thoroughly enjoyable. While I could speak endlessly on her hospitality and coffee service skills, what sets Kristina apart from the rest is that her vision for an inclusive and equitable coffee community in Boston is strictly unmatched.”

What issue in coffee do you care about most?

I care about creating a supportive and positive experience for the traditionally marginalized people in coffee. I care about the ways of serving their needs so they can have fulfilling careers.

What cause or element in coffee drives you?

Creating the most positive experience possible for both our guests of color and those who want to pursue a job in coffee. We are the ones growing, serving, and buying the product. We deserve respect, living wages, and opportunity for a successful life of our choosing. It should not be dictated by the traditions set by a white male-driven industry.

What issue in coffee do you think is critically overlooked?

The devastating effects of climate change and pollution on the longevity of the industry.

What is the quality you like best about coffee?

This entire industry has some of the most resourceful and talented people I’ve ever met. It’s a “come as you are” industry. Almost everyone comes in because they enjoy drinking it, but you can go in a million directions all for the sake of the drinking experience. The common purpose is wholesome and pure.

Did you experience a “god shot” or life-changing moment of coffee revelation early in your career?

While I was working at my first shop, I attended a Black Lives Matter rally in downtown Boston at the State House. Somehow I ended up in a short tv interview. The next day several of my customers said they saw it and said how proud they were to see their local barista on tv speaking her mind. I think that was the first time I felt like a person in my community and not a nameless face at my shop, and I could possibly make a difference in someone’s life.

What is your idea of coffee happiness?

Coming in early in the morning alone with my music in my ears and dialing in. I love the focus, the ritual, the isolation. It’s the most peaceful 45 minutes to hour of my shift.

If you could have any job in the coffee industry, what would it be and why?

I don’t know if this particular job exists… I want someone to pay me to be their coffee life coach. I guess that would be an advocate. But I still want to make coffee as a part of my job. And I want to help connect companies to new talent. But I want that talent to be Black people. But mostly Black women cause we get shit done. Does that job exist?

Who are your coffee heroes?

Lem Butler was the first Black person I remember seeing online and being blown away. I had never even heard of Barista Competition before he won, so it was shocking to see a Black man become the best barista in America. I met him in 2017 in New York at Barista Nation. He didn’t talk much at that event but he did mention the importance of seeing more Black faces in coffee. That was a real turning point for me.

If you could drink coffee with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

I wish I could drink coffee with my dad. He passed away when I was 14. He was very young and very intelligent and loved food. I wish I could’ve known him as an adult and talk about him about everything.

If you didn’t get bit by the coffee bug, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

Early on as a teenager I was very interested in studying physics. I went to a high school very strong in math and science so I latched on. But I can’t imagine going thorough life not being involved in something creative but also practical so arts administration is appealing to me.

Do you have any coffee mentors?

Unfortunately no. There are a few people I trust to answer my questions honestly and be open with me. But I think what I’ve been missing in Boston is someone more experienced than me who can help me set realistic goals and grow with me.

What do you wish someone would’ve told you when you were first starting out in coffee?

I wish someone had told me not to work for a company just because they have good coffee.

Name three coffee apparatuses you’d take into space with you.

My Yeti, Kalita Brewer, and my electric kettle.

Best song to brew coffee to:

Can it be a whole album?! I often listen to Black Messiah by D’Angelo at home when I brew coffee.

Look into the crystal ball—where do you see yourself in 20 years?

Hopefully settled down with a family, helping them create their own coffee rituals!

What’d you eat for breakfast this morning?

A bowl of Farina with strawberries and pecans and a little sugar, a side of bacon, coffee, and water.

When did you last drink coffee?

20 minutes ago

What was it?

I had a shot of Intelligentsia Kurimi. Probably my favorite coffee that we serve. Just a straight up tropical fruit bomb.

The Sprudge Twenty is presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2019 Sprudge Twenty honorees please visit sprudge.com/twenty.

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

The post Kristina Jackson: The Sprudge Twenty Interview appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Just when you think we’ve gotten to the bottom of this whole “coffee is good for you” thing, a new team of researchers fearlessly plumb the depths even further to find an as-yet-undiscovered cavern of coffee healthfulness. In a new study of nearly 350,000 participants, researchers from the Australian Centre for Precision Health found the number of cups of coffee you can drink per day before the risks outweigh the benefits. That number is five.

As reported by Inc.com, the new study first appeared in the March 2019 issue of the American Journal for Clinical Nutrition and was made public last week. In it, authors Ang Zhou and Elina Hyppönen were looking to discover if a specific genotype, CYP1A2, has any effect on “the association between habitual coffee consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).” For their work, the pair of researchers pored over data on 347,077 individuals in the UK Biobank—including 8,368 people with CVD—to cross-reference their genetic data against their “habitual coffee intake.”

Though their results found no link between the CYP1A2 genotype and an increased risk of CVD, Ang and Hyppönen’s work did uncover some interesting correlations. Using those who drank one to two cups of coffee daily as the baseline, the results of the survey were “nonlinear.” They found that those who didn’t drink coffee or only drank decaf were linked with an increase in CVD, by 11% and 7%, respectively. But those who drank six or more cups daily boosted the instances of CVD to 22%, double that of the non-coffee drinkers and triple of the decaf drinkers.

“In order to maintain a healthy heart and a healthy blood pressure, people must limit their coffees to fewer than six cups a day – based on our data six was the tipping point where caffeine started to negatively affect cardiovascular risk,” Hyppönen states.

Mark it five, dude. That’s the limit science is putting on the number of cups of coffee you should have a day. For most people, five cups gives a pretty wide berth before running afoul of the scientific limits. For everyone else, though, I’d suggest maybe altering your coffee intake to just one cup daily. The key is finding the right cup.

via Giphy

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

The post Coffee Is Good For You Until It Isn’t. Science Has Found The Tipping Point appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

After years in the doldrums, the coffee scene in Zürich has in recent years exploded in multiple directions. The range of venues to drink coffee is diverse and punches above its weight for this relatively small city. It makes for a surprising mix of spots, whether you’re after the choicest cup, best atmosphere, or somewhere to make your Instagram feed pop.

The traditional coffee in Zürich is called a café crème. It’s a medium-sized drink, Italian-style espresso with around 50% hot water. It’s served with a basket of gipfli (small croissants) available on the table, alongside a small chocolate and a tumbler of tap water.

But tradition is only half of the story in Zürich. Like elsewhere around the world, there’s been a new wave of shops in recent years. Here the emphasis is on quality ingredients, knowledgeable staff, and well-designed interiors. Think wooden boards for plates, handmade cups, and industrial style. Because of the hot summers, and despite long winters, Zürchers love to sit outside. So most cafes will offer al fresco drinking, often with a sheepskin rug for comfort, and a box of blankets to choose from for warmth.

The selection of shops below takes quality coffee as a starting point, but I’ve chosen some spots as much for their ambience or distinctiveness in the scene. Speaking with many of the owners, they highlighted a small but passionate nascent coffee scene and optimism for what it held for the future.



Photos courtesy of Luca Franzoni.

ACID

Zürich’s Langstrasse is the heart of the city’s nightlife, a melting pot where some of the most exciting restaurants and bars are. Making a bid for the award for most photogenic coffee shop is ACID. With its pink walls, homemade furniture, rotating art, and neon, people looking to capture a perfect coffee moment here are spoiled for choice. Deeply supportive of the local artistic community, co-owner Yann Gurtner wants ACID to be a “constant changing piece of art.” On a warm day you can take in the ever-changing, colorful scene on the street outside and Helvetiaplatz across the road.

Coffee comes from micro-roastery Miró, located just around the corner. They make a special roast of their Melbourne-inspired beans for ACID, from Honduras Santa Rosa Copan Arabica beans. From this you can get an indulgently syrupy mixture of tropical fruits and milk chocolate. These are crafted on a La Marzocco Linea PB, and served on a wooden plate with a homemade jasmine tea palate cleanser.

Photo courtesy of Pascal Grob.

MAME

Quite rightly, this shop is proud of its World Brewers Cup champion barista Emi Fukahori. The trophy on the shelves of the Seefeld branch is proudly displayed. But even more striking are the Goat Story Gina machines used for filter coffees and teas. These are delicately tended to with a wooden paddle by the baristas—the most knowledgeable in the city.

Fukahori founded MAME with her partner, two-time World Barista Championship Finalist Mathieu Theis, after they met (appropriately) at a barista championship in 2015. The pair “dreamed of having a cafe where we can celebrate such coffees.” And so they founded MAME together in 2016, opening a branch on Josefstrasse (near both ACID and Miro). MAME means beans in Japanese, a nod to Fukahori’s heritage.

The Seefeld branch followed in 2018, here you can sit at the communal table or browse the selection of high-end bikes; yes, this shop doubles as a cycle store. The cups are handmade works of art, by French ceramicists Jars, and are available to buy too.

As you’d expect from the barista pedigree behind the shop, taste is all-important. Three roast choices are available to customers, helpfully plotted on a flavor wheel on the wall. This is a great spot to try coffee from local roasters Vertical Coffee, founded by a team of Swiss climbers.

For a real adventure, try a flight of coffee, espresso or filter trio. Oh, and you must try their “crazy blend” if you want to have an interesting morning…

Bros Beans & Beats

The coffee in BBB is as smooth as the music. While the tunes have a distinctly hip-hop flavor, the espressos are a fine balance between fruitiness, acidity, and bitterness. And, dropping in like a guest MC, there’s a rotating line-up of seasonal roasts available too.

With backgrounds in the luxury hotel industry, co-founders Andreas Di Sario and Sezer Oezenir place emphasis on great service. There’s no doubt the waiters here are more attentive than elsewhere in the city, when your presence can feel like an inconvenience. “The coffee scene in Zürich is quite young, as it takes a while til hypes and new trends arrive here in Switzerland,” Di Sario says. These two are bringing some of that hype themselves—their shop logo is a silhouette of their likenesses complete with beards and baseball caps.

There’s a lot of space in this shop, yet it retains a homely feel. The warmth is enhanced by the Acme tableware, and what could be more welcoming than the sight of a Victoria Arduino Black Eagle dominating the bar? The team works with local roaster Henauer to keep things on point.

Photo courtesy of Christian Forrer.

ViCafe

Until recently, takeaway coffee was just not “a thing” in Zürich. Perhaps due to the genteel nature of life, or the Italian influence, people tended to sit for their coffees, and take their time. But alongside a handful of hole-in-the wall hatches around town, ViCafe has emerged as a success story.

The ViCafe journey started on the vineyard-lined riverbank village of Eglisau near the Swiss border with Germany. The company originally revived the vintage “Vivi Kola” cola brand, which is itself another success story. From this venture, a microroaster emerged, and soon grew to take over the old Eglisau railway station. Now expanded to nearby Zürich, there are six takeaway locations around town.

At the prominent Bellevue spot in the heart of the city, the queue is a permanent fixture. There’s no shame in ordering an iced latte from here: take it with you on a stroll down the lake, with a view of the alps towering above, and you’ll feel like a king.

Piazza

Representing Zürich cafe heritage is Piazza. With tables spreading into idyllic Idaplatz, this is one of those places to while away the hours. There’s nothing unique about the coffees here, but they are about as “Zürich” as you can get: a café crème is served with a small dark chocolate on the side.

It’s the perfect accompaniment to watch the locals playing petanque, kids zooming around on their scooters, or just gaze up at the trees—which boast spectacular cherry blossoms in the spring. It’s one of those places where time stands still and all is right with the world. Located in a residential area, it’s hidden from tourists and is something of a neighborhood hangout.

The interior is a mishmash of retro design, with examples of the mid-century furniture found in the city’s myriad vintage shops. The black-and-white bar is something of a signature, as are the multicolored tables and chairs that catch the morning sun. In the adjoining shop you can buy olive oils and balsamic vinegars, migrate onto an ice cream from Gelateria Bi Berna, or something alcoholic from neighbor Le Calvados. This is the kind of cafe where great days begin.

Photo courtesy of Samuel Zeller.

Monocle Cafe

When Monocle magazine decided to make Zürich its permanent base, the company wanted to make a statement. Monocle is the magazine of choice for the jet-setting bachelor, with a Swiss lifestyle of ski weekends, outrageously expensive watches, and modest style. Naturally, the cafe fits perfectly with this demographic.

For the design-conscious visitor to Zürich this is something of a pilgrimage. Their space is everything you’d expect: sophisticated and stylish. It’s a perfect spot to sit and read (or buy from) their array of magazines, and if you’re so inclined, browse their range of clothes and dream that you could afford them.

Monocle’s editor Tyler Brule is often present, as behind a mysterious sliding door are the offices of the magazine, and the spot where they record their podcasts.

Sihl Records

This is another shop where the tunes are as important as the coffee. Sihl Records is a local haunt for Zürich’s thriving tech-house scene, which includes mega clubs Supermarket and Hive, as well as shop’s neighbor Freida’s Büxe (arguably one of the world’s finest nightclubs). Zürich also hosts Europe’s largest techno festival, the annual “Street Parade,” so there’s a constant stream of world-class DJs passing through town. You’d wager most of them drop by here for an espresso. They’ll also be able to shop the store’s discerning selection of house and techno vinyl, previewing it on the store’s pair of Technics turntables. In-store sessions of visiting DJ’s are recorded and streamed on YouTube.

Tucked down an unassuming side-street, this shop demonstrates the wide range of coffee experiences to be found in Zürich.

Photo courtesy of Yoichi Iwamoto.

Miro

Some of the pioneers of the Zürich coffee scene, Miro’s founders dared to roast speciality coffee five years ago, when (almost) no one else was. Customers first found their seasonal roasts through their coffee truck, which toured the city.

Miro sources through a variety of importers, offering around 15 different seasonal coffees annually, with four or five on at any given time.

The team here is serious about coffee, so you’ll find drinks like cortados, cold brew available on tap, and coffee-inspired cocktails. In-house barista Ivan Pepe Marin developed the cocktails himself, and they make a trip to the city’s lively Kreis 4 area worthwhile alone.

The space itself is industrial and minimal; the machinery and drinks speak for themselves. As well as functioning as a cafe, you can watch roasters in action and participate in workshops—this really is a serious coffee lover’s destination.

Co-founder Daniel Sanchez is buoyant about Zürich’s ability to compete among the big boys in the coffee world, “We tend to be humble in Zürich and look up what bigger cities like Berlin, Copenhagen, and London are doing. But I don’t think we have to hide.”

Luc Benyon is a freelance journalist based in Zürich. This is Luc Benyon’s first feature for Sprudge.

Top photo by Giuseppe Bognanni.

The post The Sprudge Coffee Guide To Zürich appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

The Bay Area’s Blue Bottle Coffee has issued a voluntary recall of their Coffee Can after reports that opening the container have led to injury. The company is offering a full refund on any unopened Coffee Cans from the approximately 194,000 in circulation.

A 2019 Design Lab winner for packaging at this year’s Specialty Coffee Expo, the six-ounce Blue Bottle Coffee Can was the company’s attempt at finding a “balance between a compostable or recyclable product and one that extends freshness,” as Forbes described it in their feature on the then-announced receptacle. Per the article, the Coffee Cans were able to increase a “[coffee’s] lifespan up to 4 months – far greater than the two-week lifespan of roasted coffee in a bag.”

Per the voluntary recall issued on May 9th, “the lid may detach rapidly with force when opened, causing the beans to eject from the can,” which “poses an injury hazard.” As of issuing the recall, Blue Bottle had been made known of 13 instances of the rapidly detaching lid, with one that led to injury, a cut to the finger. As a recipient of half a dozen stitches to the finger due to an untimely run-in with a metal lid from a canister of tennis balls, let me just say that those lids are no joke.

The company is now recalling “all varieties of Hayes Valley Espresso, Bella Donovan, Giant Steps, Three Africas, and Night Light Decaf 170g/6oz whole bean Coffee Cans with all best-by dates” and telling consumers to discontinue opening any further cans. Coffee Cans that have already been opened pose “no safety risk to consuming the coffee.”

Unopened cans that were purchased via “Amazon.com, GoodEggs.com, Whole Foods Markets, Target, and other grocery retailers nationwide” are to be returned to their place of purchase for a full refund. As of press time, the Coffee Can has been removed for sale from Blue Bottle’s website.

For more information on the recall, visit Blue Bottle Coffee’s official website.

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

Top image via Blue Bottle Coffee

Disclosure: Blue Bottle Coffee is an advertising partner with the Sprudge Media Network

The post Blue Bottle Recalls All Unopened Coffee Cans appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Sneakers and coffee are a match made in heaven (so long as you’re careful about the spills). And the two worlds have never been closer together: from sneaker-themed cafes (like Portland’s Deadstock Coffee), to sneaker brands opening incredible coffee bars (like Atmos in Tokyo or Sneaker Laundry in Glasgow), to the collision of sneaker fashion and coffee culture at massive events like SCA Expo, Tokyo Coffee Festival, and ComplexCon (and the list goes on).

But this is nothing new for sneaker brands. From Nike to Adidas to Diadora and New Balance, brands have long looked to coffee’s colorways and culture for design inspiration, and coffee search terms yield hundreds of results on sneaker resale sites like Stadium Goods, Grailed, and GOAT. For the purposes of this article we hunted out a half-dozen or so favorites from StockX, the sneaker resale sensation where shoes are tracked and traded around the world like market stocks. Whatever your taste is in footwear and coffee, there’s something here for you. (Just don’t buy out my size, okay?)

Jordan 3 Retro Mocha (2018) — via StockX

Arguably the coolest “coffee shoe” of 2018, the Jordan 3 Retro Mocha dropped in December of last year to rave reviews (and much Instagramming). Modeled off Nike’s 2001 Jordan brand release, this shoe features a lustrous coffee-inspired mocha leather colorway on the heel, toe, sole, and logo, offset by white and chrome evoking a dollop of whipped cream on top. I really dig this shoe’s Jumpman logo—he’s jumping for a mocha!

Diadora S800 “Espresso Ristretto” — via StockX

It’s no surprise that Italian sneaker brand Diadora (based in Treviso, just north of Venice) would draw on Italy’s proud history of coffee obsession and innovation. Originally released in AW 2105, this is another “retro”, inspired by the company’s early 90s S800 line of runners. This shoe was entirely made in Italy at Diadora’s Caerano San Marco factory, with quality and detail that speaks to generations of Italian craftsmanship. And while the colorway isn’t swathed in brown, it does evoke pleasant espresso tasting notes: think clean and structured, with tonal herbal hints.

Diadora V7000 x Footpatrol “Macchiato” — via StockX

Another one from Diadora, this time by way of London’s famed Footpatrol sneaker boutique (now with a second location in Paris). Like a La Marzocco on the bar of a busy Soho coffee shop, the pairing works. Released on Black Friday 2016, This one features draws again from retro Diadora, fusing a luscious coffee-and-milk beige suede with a tongue sporting the traditional Italian tricolore and Foot Patrol’s logo subtly embossed on the side heel. Extremely limited in production, this shoe actually dropped as part of a capsule with a shirt (just okay) and track pants (extremely good), seen here via Sneaker News.

Nike SB Dunk Low “Coffee Lovers” — via StockX

Nike’s skateboarding division put these stunners out back in 2016 replete with trademark chunky laces, a Pacific Northwest forest green upper, and a dream swirl of khaki and brown tones on the toe meant to evoke a nice cuppa. These shoes are s h o c k i n g l y slept on by coffee shoe heads, and make perhaps the strongest value buy on this list (they’re going for around half of their 2016 retail price right now on StockX).

Adidas Tubular Invader “Flat White” — via StockX

The Flat White does not exist—but the Adidas Tubular Invader “Flat White” most assuredly does. These strappy jams evoke some of the more far-out techno fashion coming out of the House of Three Stripes, without veering into full-on Yeezy territory. They also aren’t priced like Yeezys, which is nice—StockX has ’em for around $60. But maybe consider swapping out the laces? 

Saucony “Avocado Toast” — via StockX

If the question is “cop or drop,” these are going to have to be a firm “drop” from me, but no coffee sneaker list is complete without including Saucony’s 2018 “Avocado Toast” release. We dutifully mocked-slash-requested freebies from Saucony late last year, but never heard anything back, which is a shame. Because everyone knows it’s not really cafe breakfast keeping the millennials from home ownership—it’s all these damn sneakers!

Jordan Michelman (@suitcasewine) is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Jordan Michelman on Sprudge. 

Editor’s note: Jordan Michelman’s opinion on footwear does not reflect the opinion of Sprudge Media Network or its editorial staff. 

Disclosure: StockX is not currently part of the Sprudge Media Network advertising program, and Sprudge was in no way compensated for this links-laden post that in retrospect kind of looks like advertorial. However, should someone from StockX read this article and be inspired to reach out with a coupon code, please get in touch.

The post 6 Coffee Sneakers On StockX We Need Right Now appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

To celebrate all the mothers in the world, Tim Hortons is giving out free 52-ounce iced coffees on Mother’s Day.

As reported by The Takeout, Tim Hortons is touting the near half-gallon beverage at the largest offered by a “by a renowned major coffee chain in the U.S.” All a mom has to do to qualify for this promotion is visit a Tim Hortons on Mothers Day, order an iced coffee, and ask for it to be “mom-sized.” And Tim Hortons understands that moms can come in all forms. Dog moms, cat moms, doll moms, moms of any gender, creed and kind in this world—they all get a coffee, no questions asked.

According to the article, the Canadian company is hoping to be as inclusive as possible with this promotion (which is really very polite of them), stating in a press release, “All Moms, even dog moms, are welcome to get the Mom-sized iced coffee on Mother’s Day.”

So this Mother’s Day, celebrate mom with 52 ounces of free coffee. It is literally the least you could do.

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

The post Tim Hortons Is Giving Away 52oz Of Iced Coffee To All The Moms appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Gisele Coutinho – Pura Caffeina of São Paulo, Brazil

Our coverage of the Sprudge Twenty interviews presented by Pacific Barista Series continues this week on Sprudge. Read more about the Sprudge Twenty and see all of our interviews here.

Gisele Rodrigues Coutinho nominated by Sabine Parrish. 

Gisele Rodrigues Coutinho is an entrepreneur and coffee educator based in São Paulo, Brazil. She’s the founder of Pura Caffeina, a subscription service offering coffee delivery by bicycle within the city, or by mail nationwide. She’s recently launched the Casa Pura Caffeina, an education space providing access and resources for the São Paulo coffee community. Sabine Parrish offers this depiction from her nominating letter:

“Gisele was the first in her family to go to university, majoring in journalism with an emphasis on scientific communication. This training has served her well—I’ve been lucky enough to take two of Gisele’s courses, and she has an amazing knack for making the many complexities of coffee something even novices can begin to approach without fear. Even though I no longer live in Brazil, I still look forward to my weekly email showcasing the available coffees—the newsletter is always delightfully written and filled with moments of joy.”

This interview has been edited and condensed. 

What issue in coffee do you care about most?

The valorization of professionals involved throughout the coffee chain.

What cause or element in coffee drives you?

What drives me is that changes in coffee—whether in the fields, in coffee shops, research, or championships—never stop. Coffee is alive and it challenges me constantly. I love challenges.

What issue in coffee do you think is critically overlooked?

Consumer education. People need to understand the amount of work necessary and just how much it costs to fill a cup with quality coffee and how many studious people need to work at this to make it happen. Coffee is not just coffee.

What is the quality you like best about coffee?

In the drink, what I most like is the diversity of flavors we can show the world. More generally, I like how coffee can connect people from different social classes. In Brazil, there’s hardly anyone who doesn’t drink coffee. Coffee has a marvelous affective value for us.

Did you experience a “god shot” or life-changing moment of coffee revelation early in your career?

Absolutely. When I fell in love with coffee, I was in the habit of visiting a coffee shop called Sofá Café, which is in my neighborhood in São Paulo. One of the baristas became my friend and big inspiration. He made incredible double ristrettos! It was like I could truly experience the sweet honey aroma. The barista was Rogério Itokasu, who unfortunately passed away from cancer in August 2016. His energy is still present in my life and the months that he was ill were what changed my life and motivated me to work with coffee. I wanted to give value to my life by doing what I love and fighting every day.

What is your idea of coffee happiness?

To see more black women in charge of coffee businesses throughout the world.

If you could have any job in the coffee industry, what would it be and why?

A job like what I do today. Be in charge of my own coffee delivery service and courses for anyone who is passionate about coffee, democratizing quality. But I’m hoping for a bigger space with the capacity for more people and a bigger and better structure.

Who are your coffee heroes?

My friend Rogério Itokasu who even when stricken with cancer and without the ability to speak was able to work in a coffee shop, piloting a La Marzocco and extracting such quality with such patience. My barista friends are also my heroes, certainly!

If you could drink coffee with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

With the rapper and music producer Amir Mohammed El Khalifa, aka Oddisee, who loves specialty coffee. Hey, man! I’m here waiting for your visit to Brazil! I really hope someone schedules a show for him here and I can have a coffee with him. I’d definitely take him to Takkø, a coffee shop owned by my friends, because I think he’d really identify with the space. And of course, I know he’d adore Casa Pura Caffeina and the coffees I have here.

If you didn’t get bit by the coffee bug, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

Working as a journalist. I worked in politics, with the workers’ movement here in Brazil. We live in a very complicated moment here in terms of social rights and liberty. If it wasn’t coffee, I know I’d be working with this still. But coffee conquered me totally—I didn’t have a chance! I’m really happy doing this, in charge of my small but valiant business and what this represents for the small community of black coffee professionals here in Brazil.

Name three coffee apparatuses you’d take into space with you.

Aside from coffee, I’d bring a hand grinder, my little black kettle signed by Tetsu Kasuya, and a Kalita 155.

Best song to brew coffee to:

“Morra bem, Viva rápido”, [“Die well, Live Fast”] by Don L (Brazilian rapper)

Look into the crystal ball—where do you see yourself in 20 years?

In Brazil, owner of a coffee roastery with an affiliated social project focused on race, giving TED talks, drinking coffee throughout the world, and a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu.

What’d you eat for breakfast this morning?

Eggs, bacon, fruit, and a big cup of brewed coffee that was very clean and with an absolutely brilliant acidity.

When did you last drink coffee?

Right before I sat down to respond to these questions! And it’s already past 11pm.

What was it?

A yellow Catucaí cultivated in Jesuânia, Mantiqueira, Minas Gerais. It was produced by Delmar Villela and roasted by his brother Luiz Pereira Villela in Itajubá. He’s one of the best roasters in Brazil.

Thank you. 

The Sprudge Twenty is presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2019 Sprudge Twenty honorees please visit sprudge.com/twenty

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

The post Gisele Rodrigues Coutinho: The Sprudge Twenty Interview appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Everyone knows Stan Lee as the septuagenarian star of Kevin Smith’s slacker comedy Mallrats, but did you know he also dabbled in comic book writing (maybe that’s how he got the part in the movie)? An even littler known fact—and one that is frankly more mind blowing—is that, before his passing in late 2018, Stan Lee loved coffee, particularly Onyx Coffee Lab coffee. So when the Stan Lee Foundation wanted to create the first-ever signature blend to honor the legend, Onyx was the obvious choice.

According to Baxter + Co, the company selling the exclusive collaboration, Lee was a fan of blends that contained coffees from Colombia, which makes his love of Onyx seem like a no-brainer; if there’s one thing Onyx does well (there isn’t, there’s like a million things), it’s coffee from Colombia. To create a blend that would receive the approval of the man himself, the northwest Arkansas roaster looked back through Lee’s order history with them to find the flavors he gravitated toward: slight berry, baker’s chocolate, raw honey, and sweet tea. The resulting blend is, of course, Colombia-focused—a honey processed offering from the Aponte Village—though the other component is as tightly kept a secret as the true identity of Iron Man. Which is to say, we know exactly what it is: the washed Ethiopia Worka.

Proceeds from the sale of each of these incredible looking bags of coffee designed by Jeremy Teff—featuring perhaps the best cameo from a man that loved making cameos—will go to the Stan Lee Foundation. From Baxter + Co:

The coffee bag and design was intended to commemorate and honor Stan Lee’s legacy & support the efforts of the foundation. Stan wrote stories and created characters that empowered his readers to know that we each have our strengths and weaknesses but by believing in ourselves, we have the ability to overcome our adversities. He wanted to create programs that would help embolden our youth through attaining literacy, continuing in education, and appreciating the arts.

Currently in pre-order the Stan Lee Foundation Signature Blend retails for $30 for a 12-ounce bag (though Baxtor + Co has a variety of ways to get 10-20% off) and will ship on Wednesday, May 29th. For more information on the coffee or to order your very own bag, visit Baxtor + Co’s official website.

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

Top image via Onyx Coffee Lab

Disclosure: Onyx Coffee Lab is an advertising partner with the Sprudge Media Network

The post Cup Of Excelsior: Onyx Coffee Lab Creates First Official Stan Lee Signature Blend appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

To reach Hana Choi’s 96B Experiment, first walk through the ground floor parking courtyard. Past the kick-stood motorbikes, through the front door of Cyrus Saigon, the small-batch patisserie and chocolaterie with which it shares a building, and up the stairs, you’ll find Ho Chi Minh City’s under the radar brick-backed coffee oasis.

Elsewhere in Vietnam’s economic capital, the specialty movement is blooming. Cafe and roastery owners here are leveraging the country’s role as a producer of quality coffee to turn out an ever-improving range of varieties, primarily grown in the central Lam Dong province. Hand dripping brew methods on the Hario V60, AeroPress, and Kalita Wave and serving options black marks a major departure from what’s thought of as traditional Vietnamese coffee, which is often roasted dark and sweetened with condensed milk. And while many of the city’s most prominent specialty cafes are known for their filter coffees, 96B Experiment has made a name for itself with a more playful range of signature drinks. 

Opened in 2016 by Choi in partnership with husband Cong Nguyen, who runs Cyrus Saigon, 96B Experiment is a way to share not just the product, but the experience of coffee with customers. The coffee itself is roasted in house on either a 200g Fuji Royal Discovery roaster or 5kg Probat—unless it comes courtesy of a third-party roaster like The Coffee Collective. Choi’s espresso drinks are based on a naturally processed Catimor from Lam Dong called “Lot #49,” and brewed on a  Nuova Simonelli Aurelia II. 

The name 96B Experiment refers to the iteration each signature drink undergoes before making its way onto the menu. According to Choi, she and her baristas work for weeks on offerings like the “Hardcore,” which can be ordered either as is, with espresso, lime juice, and rosemary or with a shot of vodka as the “Hardcore by Night.” Most of 96B Experiment’s standouts are based on its cold brew, which blends Lot #49 espresso with distinctive Liberica beans. Lesser known than either Arabica or Robusta, Liberica is an heirloom coffee that carries a pungent aroma. In 96B Experiment’s drinks, it adds a sweet, complex, and milk-chocolate-like aftertaste.

Choi and her crew are creative with cold brew. They offer everything from Cold Brew Lattes to Rosé Cold Brew—which is blended with rose extract and soda. The Summer Cold Brew mixes in coconut juice, lychee crystals, and ginger leaf. To 96B Experiment, the exploration is endless, and many seasonal drinks are off-menu—here, it pays to ask the barista what they prefer.

Non-coffee drinks are also available, including matcha, hot chocolate, and soda. 96B’s soda drinks carry a flavor profile resembling their signature cold brew, without the coffee. For those with a sweet tooth, a few canelés, chocolate cookies, or a brownie from downstairs are always available to accompany a drink. 

And of course, since this is Ho Chi Minh City, as much as are the hand-crafted chocolates, built-in moto parking is a major deal-sweetener.  

Tung Nguyen is a freelance journalist based in Vietnam. Read more Tung Nguyen for Sprudge.

The post In Ho Chi Minh City, 96B Experiment Is A Not So Well Kept Secret appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

What if a coffee subscription actually learned what types of coffee you liked and then sent you those coffees on a regular basis? It would be like Pandora, but for coffee—and you know, would also work, unlike whatever that Music Genome Project does. That’s the idea behind Trade Coffee, a coffee subscription service that tailors what it sends to each customer based upon their feedback from coffees past.

It’s a very cool concept, having over 400 coffees available to choose from when picking the best coffee for an individual. Except when you have a single coffee that will be at the top of everyone’s wish list. In this case, that coffee is a Trade-exclusive offering roasted by none other than Shelby Williamson, the head roaster at Denver’s Huckleberry Roasters and the 2019 US Roasters Championship.

The coffee—Trade’s first exclusive—is a Bourbon variety that comes from the Gitwe mountain in Burundi’s northern Kayanza province. Sourced through the Long Miles Coffee Project, the wash processed Gitwe with “notes of cola and a veritable rainbow of fruit flavors.”

This isn’t the first time Trade and Williamson via Huckleberry have collaborated. As Trade’s Director of Coffee Erika Vonie tells is:

Every so often, excellence and story intersect into an overall experience that deserves even more attention… I had the pleasure of meeting Shelby last year when I traveled to Colorado for Coffee Fest Denver, and to say she’s enthusiastic about quality is an extreme understatement. Shelby let us tag along for a day in the life of a roaster and she dropped this gem, “Roasting isn’t the most glamorous job, though on Instagram it looks like we stop just short of coffee deities.”

Unbeknownst to Shelby, a few short weeks later she would take home the top title at the United Stated Roaster Championship, thus solidifying herself as a coffee deity. Shelby’s tenacity for roasting and her commitment to quality shine through in every bag Huckleberry sends us and every coffee they roast for you. Her reign is entirely deserved, which makes our latest project especially, well, special.

Only 500 bags of the Trade-exclusive Burundi Gitwe from Huckleberry Roasters and Shelby Williamson will be made. They are available for purchase via Trade’s official website for $21.50 per 12-ounce bag. Or, if you choose to subscribe, you can take 30% off your first order as well as receive free shipping. Not a bad deal for getting to taste a very cool coffee roasted by one of the best roasters in America. For more information, visit Trade Coffee’s official website.

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

Top image via Trade Coffee

Disclosure: Trade Coffee is an advertising partner with the Sprudge Media Network

The post Trade Coffee’s Exclusive Coffee With 2019 US Roasters Champ Shelby Williamson appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News