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Scientists Are Using Coffee To Harness Solar Energy

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Drinking coffee can provide a quick jolt of energy, this much we all know. But new research shows that coffee is also an effective medium for absorbing energy, specifically from the sun. Scientists have found a way to use coffee to harness solar power, and it may be a game changer.

According to Phys.org, current methods for converting solar rays into usable energy involve “the indirect absorption of sunlight, where the efficiency is generally limited as a result of major convective heat losses into the surrounding environment.” One potentially advantageous alternative is direct absorption using a liquid as “both solar energy absorber and heat carrier,” which has the benefit over indirect absorption of less “convective and radiative heat losses,” meaning a more efficient collection of energy. And as you may have guessed, the liquid, in this case, is coffee.

Using the caffeinated cure-all, a group of researchers led by Matteo Alberghini at the Departments of Energy, Applied Science, and Technology and the National Institute of Optics in Italy created a colloid from distilled water, Arabica coffee, glycerol, and copper sulfate. And because they are Italian, the coffee was made with a Moka Pot, though the article states they chose that particular brew method was for the “consistency” and in order to make “student’s coffee,” which allows for “increased caffeine suspension in water.”

After testing the coffee colloid, the researchers found it “showed competitive optical and thermal properties for direct solar absorption” and that it performed “similarly to the traditional indirect absorption technique.”

To be honest, I can’t really understand 99% of what is going on here. If it wasn’t taught in high school Chemistry class 15 years ago, I don’t stand a chance of getting it; my Chemistry knowledge peaks out at hydrogen bonds, and even then I only know that they are the reason you can slightly overfill your coffee cup without it spilling. But while the inner-workings of the science are a mystery to me, what is clear is that using coffee in this way offers an inexpensive, environmentally friendly way of harnessing non-fossil fuel energy. For those more science-minded, more information on how the colloid was made and how it was tested can be found on Phys.org.

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

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Source: Coffee News

In Atlanta, El Tesoro Brings Cafe Y Comida Under One Roof

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el tesoro atlanta georgia

el tesoro atlanta georgia

In a city with a dining scene that has been dominated by restaurants, bars, and coffee shops opening in huge developments, El Tesoro offers an alternative. The taqueria-cafe combo sits in an unassuming little building on Arkwright Avenue, an unassuming little street in Atlanta’s Edgewood neighborhood. What El Tesoro lacks in glitz and PR buzz, it makes up for with espresso beverages that complement comida de Mexico.

Co-owner Alan Raines has operated a nearby rental property for nearly two decades, and he says he’s been eyeing the building that El Tesoro calls home for years. He took the plunge in 2018, convincing the building’s landlord his business idea would be a good fit. These days, the typical new Atlanta restaurant boasts an address that is marketed as “right off the BeltLine,” a public works project that is in the process of converting miles of abandoned railroad tracks into a walking trail. The East Side portion of the trail was the first to open, and it has spurred an explosion of mixed-use projects popping up all over this part of town. Dining has been the anchor for most of these developments, but with high rent prices leaving little opportunity to gamble on innovation or outside-the-box thinking in the kitchen, these establishments, more often than not, offer style over substance, Instagram-worthy dining rooms, and forgettable food.

el tesoro atlanta georgia

El Tesoro co-owners Darryl Howard, left, and Alan Raines, right.

Raines has taken inspiration from his business and pleasures and poured it into El Tesoro. On the dining side of things, he wants to serve dishes that might be found at roadside restaurants he encountered during his travels in Mexico. Cristina Lugo Soto, a native of Guerrero, runs a kitchen that turns out breakfast tacos, burritos, tamales, and mulitas for breakfast and lunch. The coffee menu features a variety of Counter Culture beans because Raines had positive interactions with the Durham, North Carolina, outfit during his time selling packaging to roasteries. Clover James, an eight-year veteran of Java Monkey a few miles away in Decatur, oversees the beverage service, experimenting with new drinks on a daily basis. Yes, there are cortados and lattes, but there are also horchatas and Mexican hot chocolates.

el tesoro atlanta georgia

“I wanted to do Mexican flavors,” James tells Sprudge. “And so the cafe de olla is orange and brown sugar and cinnamon. We do a cinnamon simple syrup instead of a hazelnut or caramel.”

El Tesoro’s design, like its location, does not lean into modern trends. Raines describes it as “pharmacy or apothecary-turned-taco stand.” Upon entering, patrons are greeted by a bright yellow wall with dark-wood shelves displaying assorted tchotchkes. A speckled marble counter displays pastries and fruit for sale, and there is a La Marzocco FB80 espresso machine cradling a rainbow of colorful cups, mugs, and saucers. On one side of the seating area are more yellow paint and black-and-white photos. Opposite that is a cinderblock wall decorated with old layers of faded paint and a big, bold El Tesoro logo.

el tesoro atlanta georgia

el tesoro atlanta georgia

Photo courtesy of El Tesoro.

Dinner service is in the works, as is a full bar. But, no matter how the business evolves, breakfast tacos and espresso will be key components. Arkwright Avenue is a cut-through between larger thoroughfares and Interstate 20, and Raines estimates 200 to 300 cars pass by his front door each morning. The morning clientele is built in.

There’s not much room for commercial growth at this location. Only a few buildings sit in the area, housing a dog boutique, an auto shop, and a currently vacant storefront. The remaining neighbors are residential. So while the rest of Atlanta is swallowed by development, El Tesoro may continue to be a treasure for coffee drinkers and diners wary of the overblown hype that comes with BeltLine-adjacent restaurants.

El Tesoro is located at 1374 Arkwright Pl SE, Atlanta. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Chris Fuhrmeister is a freelance journalist based in Atlanta whose work has appeared previously in Eater. This is Chris Fuhrmeister’s first feature for Sprudge.

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Source: Coffee News

The Glasgow Coffee Festival Returns To Scotland In May

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The Glasgow Coffee Festival is back! Now in its fifth year, the festival will again bring together some of the roasters in the UK for two days of coffee tastings, lectures, and one of the most exciting coffee competitions to spectate.

Taking place Saturday and Sunday, May 4th and 5th at The Briggait, The Glasgow Coffee Festival is the brainchild of Dear Green Coffee Roasters’ Lisa Lawson. For those who have attended the festival in the past, this year’s GCF will have a similar look and feel to previous years; why fix what isn’t broke, especially when what isn’t broken has a tendency to reach capacity? Along with the aforementioned Dear Green Coffee, attendees can taste coffee from roasters like HasBean, Allpress Espresso, Origin Coffee Roasters, Climpson & Sons, and so many more. This year’s festival also touts a total of 24 presentations taking place over the course of the weekend that is attendees can sit in on at no additional fee.

But perhaps the most exciting viewing spectacle at the Glasgow Coffee Festival will be First Heat of the UK Cup Tasters Championship. Folks will be able to watch as coffee professionals try to find the mismatched cup using only their taste buds, with the scoring coming in real time with all always-exciting dot-or-no-dot reveals. And for those looking to get in on the fun, there will be a “Cupping Lab where visitors can sniff, sip and scrutinize a variety of offerings from the world of coffee.”

Like with previous years, the Glasgow Coffee Festival has turned an eye toward the eco-conscious. Continuing the momentum from last year’s event, the GCF will be disposable cup free, instead requesting that all attendees bring their own reusable mug. And for those who forget or don’t have a mug at home, sponsor KeepCup will be on site to offer loaner cups for the day.

Tickets for the 2019 Glasgow Coffee Festival are currently on sale for £16.50 and £25.00 for single-day and weekend passes, respectively. They are available for purchase via the GCF Eventbrite page, with all profits going to World Coffee Research and Glasgow City Mission. Like with previous iterations, this year’s event is sure to sell out, so you’d be wise to buy tickets sooner rather than later. For more information, visit the Glasgow Coffee Festival’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 the Glasgow Coffee Festival

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Source: Coffee News

2019 US Brewers Cup Champion Kaley Gann: The Sprudge Interview

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Kaley Gann of Messenger Coffee in Kansas City, Missouri is your 2019 US Brewers Cup champion. After a second place finish at the Denver Qualifying Event, Gann—the hometown favorite—took an early lead and never looked back. This is Gann’s first win in three years competing, besting her third place finish from the 2018 US Brewers Cup. In the first round, Gann edged out perennial US Brewers Cup Finalist Jacob White of Bird Rock Coffee for the top spot by a mere .13 points, thanks in no small part to her third-highest scoring compulsory coffee. But for the Finals, she increased her Open Coffee score by over three points, an astronomical leap in the game of millimeters that is the Brewers Cup. Gann’s 91.35 Finals was the third-highest score in the entire competition, less than a point behind Klatch‘s Jennifer Hwang and the aforementioned White (don’t phone in your compulsory coffee, y’all).

Even as a return Finalist, Gann was by no means the heir apparent; she was up against a murderer’s row of competitors, including four other return Finalists in Hwang, White, 2017 runner-up Chelsea Walker-Watson, and multi-time Finalist Justin Goodhart. The only non-Finalist in the mix, first-time competitor Lance Hedrick, is an accomplished Latte Art competitor who represented Onyx Coffee Lab, a Finalist in just about every event at the US Coffee Championships and the home of the 2017 Brewers Cup Champion Dylan Siemens. There was no clear favorite this year; it was truly a dice roll.

But Gann’s performance had all the hallmarks of a high-scoring routine, both in the US and at World’s: an exotic and well-renown coffee, a custom brewer, meticulous detail in her script, and an out-of-the-ordinary brew recipe (190°F water? 28g water bypass? What?). And while these are all interesting details that make the Brewers Cup such an exciting competition to watch, what set Gann’s routine apart was her ability to nail her flavor calls. As Counter Culture‘s Kathy Altamirano—Gann’s Head Judge during Round One and her Sensory Judge during the Finals—tells Sprudge, “Kaley named cherry cordial as a flavor call and it was exactly that. It was a flavor that stayed in the cup from hot to cool.”

In the end, after all the scores came in, what looked to be a dice roll was anything but. It was a top competitor starting strong in Qualifiers who only got stronger as the competitor wore on. To find out more about her winning routine, her coffee, and her new brewer, Sprudge caught up with Kaley Gann digitally from her home in Kansas City, Missouri.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Tell us a little about your history in coffee? How did you get started? What’s your current role with Messenger?

I started in coffee almost nine years ago and worked for Kaldi’s Coffee in Columbia, Missouri. I was the General Manager of the cafe there then moved to Kansas City almost two years ago to work with Messenger. My current role at Messenger is Cafe Operations Manager.

Can you tell us more about Perci, your winning coffee?

The coffee I used is a natural Gesha from Ninety Plus Coffee. It’s grown in Panama and undergoes a unique uneven fermentation process that makes it very complex and overall interesting. I first tried this coffee in China when I was working with [multi-time Chinese Barista Champion] Jeremy Zhang and (current Chinese Brewers Cup champion) Du Janing and really enjoyed how it tasted, especially because it was so different. They gifted me 11 kg of green Perci to take back to the States and roast for competition.

I really enjoyed the coffee in China but was unsure of how well we can roast it, especially with only having enough for one roast. I had another speech and another coffee ready in case the Perci didn’t taste great after roasting it. So, two days before I competed in the first round I decided which coffee and speech I was going to use—our roaster Kiersten Rex totally nailed the Perci roast and it tasted great so we used it!

We have to know more about your custom brewer. How did it come to be?

The brewer! My favorite part. I had this dream design for a while now. I wanted a brewer that was completely open on the bottom and a straight-up 90 degree angle, because I wanted as little influence from the brewer as possible. So, no restrictive holes or angles that would influence speed or muddle flavors. I noticed that each competition season I use a brewer that has a steeper angle and a more open bottom (i.e., V60 to Saint Anthony C70) and I noticed I loved the resulting super quick extractions because I could grind finer, get more flavor/complexity, while keeping the brew super clean. So, I wanted a brewer that was as steep and as open as possible.

I made a couple of prototypes that were horrible and ugly, but I am not great at making things (admittedly). So, I went to Convivial with the design and they were able to make the brewers. The bottom is still very open with just a few ceramic beams to support the filter, so the extraction remains very fast. What I found was better than I ever imagined: higher extraction yields, more flavor, easy and quick brew, and SUPER clean and clear. As far as filters go, both Fellow Stagg filters and Kalita filters fit in the brewer, but I used the Kalita because they are a bit thinner and allowed quicker flow rate.

I would love to partner with a company that already makes brewers and refine the design. In working with ceramics there can be some small inconsistencies but that could be eliminated when using 3D printing and consistent mass manufacturing. I want to call it the K90 (Kaley, 90 degree angle) because it’s simple and fun.

Will the K90 be available for purchase?

Stay tuned! I’m hoping to look into this after Boston.

You finished second in the Denver Qualifiers and had the highest score going in the finals. How were you feeling heading into the Finalists announcement? Did you feel like your name was going to get called?

The finalists announcements were so stressful. It’s so hard being the last name called. I was surprised because anything goes in these competitions, and I was surrounded by so many ridiculously talented competitors. I went into this year already stepping out of my comfort zone and doing something different (unfamiliar coffee, custom brewer) and I honestly wasn’t sure how either would be received; however, I went into it knowing that I did my absolute best, took feedback from last year’s national competition, and changed how I approach competition as a whole.

It’s fair to say based on your reaction that you were surprised that you won. What did it feel like when Justin’s name was called and you realized that you were the new US Brewers Cup champion?

It felt amazing to win and I was relieved/surprised because, again, I went way outside my comfort zone for this competition—but what I enjoyed the most was being able to stand up next to five wonderful people who I have an immense amount of respect for and who represent the industry well. Any one of those people could have won and I would have still been very happy.

Are you going to be updating your routine for the World Brewers Cup?

I will be using the Perci again for the world competition but will need to refine my speech a bit to make the language more accessible to judges. It will be similar to Nationals, I think.

If you could brew coffee for any person, living or dead, who would you brew for and what would you brew?

Ray Bradbury, all the way.

Do you have any advice for those wanting to compete in the Brewers Cup next year?

If you have a good idea, but lack confidence in execution, just do it. Go for it. It might be terrible, it might be amazing. You really don’t know until you put yourself out there and try. Step outside of your comfort zone in order to grow and broaden your horizons.

Lastly, are there any people you want to thank? Coaches, teammates, friends, relatives, pets?

Kate Blackman (mentor), Joel Bigelow (coach), Jeremy Zhang (mentor/friend), Du Janing (friend, fellow competitor), Matt Foster (friend, CIGS champion!!), EVERY single Messenger employee, sponsors, Sam (husband), Convivial… I have had more help and guidance this year than any other season and I am eternally grateful. I’m not representing myself—I’m representing an entire team and all I want to do is make them proud.

Thanks Kaley! We’ll see you in Boston!

Photos by Elizabeth Chai and Charlie Burt for Sprudge.

SprudgeLive’s coverage of the 2019 US Coffee Champs is made possible by Joe Glo and Mahlkönig. All of SprudgeLive’s 2019 competition coverage is made possible by AcaiaBaratzaFaemaCafe Imports, and Wilbur Curtis.

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Source: Coffee News

Berlin Newspaper Reports On JAB’s Dark World War Two Ties

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Peter Harf, head of JAB Holding Co.

A bombshell report dropped today out of Germany, where Bild, a popular Berlin-based broadsheet, is reporting on the disturbing Nazi pasts of Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr., whose descendants today own JAB Holdings.

The Washington Post breaks it down in English:

The tabloid Bild, one of Germany’s most popular papers, reported that Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr., whose family backs JAB Holdings, had significant links to the Third Reich.

JAB Holdings is a privately held conglomerate that has investments in a wide portfolio of global companies, among them Peet’s Coffee, Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper-Snapple. It acquired Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, which owns three national bagel chains — Einstein Bros., Noah’s New York Bagels and Manhattan Bagel — in 2014.

The report goes on to mention that Herr Reimann—Sr. died in 1954, Jr. in 1984—were “anti-Semites and avowed supporters of Adolf Hitler” whose businesses benefitted from association with the Third Reich, including the disturbing use of forced labor. Reckoning the German crimes of World War Two in today’s business climate remains an ongoing concern for modern German businesses, with WaPo namechecking “Hugo Boss, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and others” as firms with similar narratives. There are of course many more, including IBM, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola (through the Fanta brand), Kodak, Bayer, and the Associated Press, to name just a few.

For their part here in 2019, JAB is owning up to it, issuing the following statement to Bild (as translated by WaPo):

“It is all correct,” family spokesman Peter Harf, who is one of two managing partners of JAB Holdings, told Bild. “Reimann Senior and Reimann Junior were guilty. The two men have passed away, but they actually belonged in prison.”

In 2014 JAB commissioned a historian to learn more, and will publish his findings in a public book upon completion, as per reporting by Business Standard. Harf, the family spokesman, told Business Standard that JAB intends to donate some 10 million Euros (roughly $11 million USD) to “a suitable organization” as reparations for unpaid labor during the Nazi regime.

JAB was founded in Germany in the 1820s, and today owns a varied portfolio of brands including Clearasil, Calgon, Mucinex, Durex, Woolite, Coty, Dr. Pepper Snapple, and a wide range of coffee and fast casual cafe brands, including Pret a Manger, Caribou, Panera Bread, Krispy Kream, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Keurig Green Mountain, and Peet’s Coffee and Tea. In recent years they’ve extended ownership into the specialty coffee and third wave cafe market, acquiring Stumptown Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee, and Mighty Leaf Tea, as well as investing heavily into Trade, the online roaster marketplace based in New York.

This story is developing…

Read previous Sprudge reporting on JAB Holdings.

Disclosure: Intelligentsia, Stumptown, and Trade are advertising partners on Sprudge Media Network. 

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Source: Coffee News

Coffee’s Effect On The Endocannibinoid System

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BUSTED! You saw “endocannabinoid” in the headline and you just came running. We’re telling your parents, Holden Caulfield. But while we’re totally ratting you out, we can also explain to your folks that new research finds a link between coffee consumption and a drop in the number of neurotransmitters in the endocannabinoid system, the opposite effect of those “tomato plants” you are growing in your closet that you told your mom are for the science fair.

Published in Journal of Internal Medicine, the study is the work of lead author Marilyn Cornelis, an assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. According to Science Alert, Cornelis et al took 47 coffee drinkers and had them quit consuming coffee for a 30-day time period. These 47 participants would then drink four cups a day for 30 days, followed by eight cups daily for another 30 days. At each stage of testing, researchers would take blood samples from the participants to measure and analyze “changes in biochemistry that result from consuming food and drink.”

The resulting profile revealed 115 metabolites were impacted by the consumption of coffee. A total of 82 of those chemicals were already known, and could be mapped to 33 metabolic pathways, a number of which were completely new relationships.

One of these noted effects was to the endocannabinoid system. According to the article, the endocannabinoid system affects everything from cognition to sleep to appetite. Consuming cannabis increases the number of endocannabinoid neurotransmitters, and in times of stress, the human body “tends to decrease its production of endocannabinoids.” This study found that coffee consumption had an effect similar to that of stress.

It may not be the coffee consumption per se causing the stress, but the drastic changes in consumption asked of the study’s participants. “The increased coffee consumption over the two-month span of the trial may have created enough stress to trigger a decrease in metabolites in this system,” Cornelis states. “It could be our bodies’ adaptation to try to get stress levels back to equilibrium.”

The study also found a link between drinking coffee and the metabolic pathway keeping steroid levels in check, which could have an effect on “everything from growth to sexual characteristics.”

Thus far, the study only goes to show that there is a link between drinking coffee and the endocannabinoid system; the exact interaction has yet to be established. The next step, according to Cornelis is to “delve deeper and study how these changes affect the body.”

So whenever your parents find the espresso machine hiding under your bed, let them know you need it to regulate your endocannabinoid levels. You’ve been eating a lot of tomatoes.

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

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Source: Coffee News

A Coffee Drinker’s Guide To Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Grand Rapids, Michigan, is famous for many things. Depending on your age, you might know it as the childhood home of President Gerald Ford, as the birthplace of Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis, or possibly as Beer City USA.

Ah yes, the beer. Grand Rapids has made quite the name for itself in the world of beer over the past few years. The city features such breweries as Founders, Atwater, New Holland, Hopcat and many more (almost 40 actually), making it a must-visit destination for beer lovers everywhere.

But beer isn’t the only beverage for which Grand Rapids is known these days: the coffee scene here, already formidable for years, is growing steadily—from neighborhood cafes to world-famous roasters, there’s something for every taste and preference. So the next time you’re in Grand Rapids, whether to take part in the Ale Trail or visit Anthony Kiedis’ childhood home, here are some coffee shops to help caffeinate your trip.

grand rapids michigan coffee guide

Madcap Coffee Company

Any coffee tour of Grand Rapids has to start at Madcap. With three cafes and a roastery in the city, and wholesale accounts stretching the length of the country, Madcap, arguably the city’s first true specialty roaster, has gained quite the reputation—one stretching well beyond Grand Rapids.

Their flagship cafe at the corner of Monroe Center and Ottawa Ave in downtown Grand Rapids is the perfect encapsulation of everything Madcap stands for. The big, open plan space, all white paint, and exposed brick exude a simple elegance, allowing the clean branding and immaculate service to shine.

Atop a long low-profile bar, a matte black three-group La Marzocco Strada cranks out espresso drinks, with the assistance of Mahlkönig PEAK and Nuova Simonelli Mythos One grinders, while pour-over coffee is ground by an EK43 and brewed by a pair of Wilbur Curtis Seraphim brewers (all also in the same matte black). Madcap’s impressive selection of retail coffee is on display, alongside a small but solid food menu (ice cream sandwich, anyone?).

Due to its central location (and reputation), Madcap’s Monroe Center cafe is always busy, but it’s worth braving the crowds to see what all the fuss is about.

Madcap Coffee has multiple locations around Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

grand rapids michigan coffee guide

Lantern Coffee Bar & Lounge

Just a few blocks due south of Madcap’s flagship lies Lantern Coffee Bar & Lounge. A comfortable, welcoming mood pervades Lantern, from the local art on the walls to the basement seating area.

Oh yes, the basement. The upstairs part of Lantern is mostly taken up by the bar—where Bay City’s Populace Coffee Roasters is served on a La Marzocco Strada or various manual brew methods—and a couple of armchairs. Downstairs, however, lies a quiet, inviting brick-walled space, with wooden beams, rustic pillars and lots of comfortable seats. Atmosphere is provided by the small, high windows (this is a basement, after all), and soft mood lighting.

Lantern feels like your favorite local coffee joint, and its hidden-away basement style adds to the speakeasy charm. Couple that with quality coffee, a wide selection of pastries and a commitment to sustainability, and you’ve got yourself a worthy stop on any coffee tour.

Lantern Coffee Bar & Lounge is located at 100 Commerce Ave SW, Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

grand rapids michigan coffee guide

Ferris Coffee & Nut

Over the Grand River to the west lies Ferris Coffee & Nut, the sprawling cafe and retail location of this 94-year-old Grand Rapids institution. Part coffee shop, part candy store, Ferris serves an array of inventive drinks, many of which incorporate their rotating selection of house-made nut milks—a growing trend Ferris, a nut roaster, has been able to take the inside track on.

The cafe itself, newly renovated, is large and bright, with a big communal table and low, fashionable armchairs before floor-to-ceiling windows. The marble-topped bar holds a three-group Synesso Cyncra, alongside Mahlkönig PEAK and K30 grinders, while the polished concrete floors make everything inside sparkle warmly, even on a grey Midwestern day.

The drink menu is extensive, with cold brew and pour-over options accompanying the usual espresso suspects—all anchored by their array of nut milks. They also serve sandwiches and a selection of pastries, and if you venture into their retail store you can find a host of nuts, candies, and chocolate for sale, alongside the requisite bags of coffee.

Ferris Coffee & Nut has multiple locations around Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

grand rapids michigan coffee guide

Lyon Street Cafe

In the Heritage Hill neighborhood, Lyon Street Cafe sits on the street from which it takes its name. Nestled between a home brew supply store and a bakery, with a wine store and a pizza parlor in close proximity, Lyon Street feels like the very definition of a neighborhood cafe—which is what it turns out to be.

Long and relatively narrow, Lyon Street’s white-painted brick walls make it feel bigger than it is. Booth seating lines one wall (booth seating is always a good idea) while the bar runs along the other; in between are high two-top tables which give a nice elevated view of the cafe.

Lyon Street’s coffee lineup rotates (they recently showcased Cat & Cloud from Santa Cruz, CA). A shiny La Marzocco GB5 combines with a Mahlkönig K30 grinder, while a white EK43 and a row of Hario V60s take care of manual brews. If you’re not in the mood for coffee, beer on tap and a selection of wines are also available.

Anchoring a row of neighborhood shops is no easy task, but judging by the number of people visiting on a Saturday afternoon in October, Lyon Street is a doing a very good job.

Lyon Street Cafe is located at 617 Lyon St NE, Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 

grand rapids michigan coffee guide

Rowster Coffee

Wealthy Street, where the final three cafes on our tour reside, runs east-west almost the entire length of the city, and the slice that contains Rowster definitely fits the name Wealthy—this is an ultra-hip district, with boutiques, breweries, and bars stretching into the distance.

Rowster Coffee sits unassumingly on the corner of Wealthy and James, their flagship location showcasing simple, clean design and a thoughtful approach to coffee. There’s a lot to like about the interior, with its subdued color palette and minimal seating. It gives the cafe a sense of space and serenity, a feeling that is only enhanced by the laid-back, eclectic music selection.

While Rowster is, as the name suggests, a coffee roaster, they’ve moved their roasting operation offsite, allowing the cafe to concentrate on the brewing and serving of coffee (retail bags are, of course, available to take home).

The bar area takes up about half of the space, with a low wood-topped counter backed half by chalkboard paint and half by subway tile. A Modbar under-counter espresso machine and pour-over system mean there’s no barrier between the customer and the barista preparing their drink, adding to the sense of openness and giving the cafe the feel of a hip cocktail bar or an upmarket diner.

As with all good coffee shops on lively streets, the bar seats in Rowster’s huge front window are the ideal spot to while away an afternoon, sipping a draught cold brew or kombucha and watching the denizens of Wealthy St. go about their fashionable lives.

Rowster Coffee has multiple locations around Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

grand rapids michigan coffee guide

Squibb Coffee & Wine Bar

A few blocks down Wealthy St. into the East Hills neighborhood sits Squibb Coffee & Wine Bar, artfully blending daytime with nighttime to offer both caffeinated and alcoholic drinks (as well as cheese and various small plates).

Squibb (named for the owners) has a light, airy feel, with white tables and an imposing white bar, atop which squat a Kees Van Der Westen Mirage espresso machine and Mahlkönig PEAK grinder. Exposed ductwork and industrial-chic light fixtures are met with a mural of a giant squid on one wall, for a playful touch.

Coffee is provided by Populace, as well as rotating guest roasters from around the country, and there is also an extensive tea selection courtesy of Rishi Tea. Cheese and charcuterie round out the menu, accompanied by toast and a selection of small plates and snacks.

The combination coffee and wine bar is a smart idea in this part of the world, as during the long Michigan winters customers can come in for a coffee in the morning and happily get snowed in, safe in the knowledge that wine and cheese are available for later on.

Squibb Coffee & Wine Bar is located at 955 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 

grand rapids michigan coffee guide

The Sparrows Coffee & Tea & Newsstand

The final stop on our Grand Rapids coffee tour is only a block down from Squibb, but has a charm that’s all its own. Small, cozy and friendly, The Sparrows is a local landmark in the East Hills neighborhood.

Housed in a standalone former hardware store, The Sparrows has been in business for more than 10 years, and they recently began roasting their own coffee on the west side of town.

The cafe on Wealthy St. is warm and inviting, with high-backed armchairs in the front window and a row of two-top tables running along the wall opposite the bar. A La Marzocco GB5 produces an extensive list of creative specialty and seasonal drinks in addition to the classics.

Where The Sparrows really stands out, however, is in the third part of the name. Along the wall opposite the bar runs a rack of magazines and newspapers, from The Atlantic to Fader and The Detroit Free Press—although a sign asks customers to purchase them before reading, implying an awkward conversation in the past.

The Sparrows’ combination of coffee house and newsstand is both reassuring and necessary, as the role of community spaces becomes ever more important and access to print journalism dwindles. Being able to pick up a local newspaper or political magazine alongside your morning latte is a rare gift, and should be cherished.

The Sparrows Coffee & Tea & Newsstand is located at 1035 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Fionn Pooler is a journalist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the publisher of The PouroverRead more Fionn Pooler on Sprudge.

Top photo by Rachel Liu.

The post A Coffee Drinker’s Guide To Grand Rapids, Michigan appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Coffee Sprudgecast Episode 70: Live From US Coffee Champs Kansas City Part One

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2019 US Barista Champion Samantha Spillman hugs 2018 US Barista Champion Cole McBride (Photo by Liz Chai)

We’re in Kansas City for part one of our special SprudgeLive Coffee Sprudgecast series. These episodes will take you to the event floor at the 2019 US Coffee Championships in Kansas City. There we join multimedia director Elizabeth Chai, who—in addition to helming our must-follow Instagram coverage of the event—taped a series of original interviews for this week’s episode of the podcast.


Check out The Coffee Sprudgecast on iTunes or download the episode hereThe Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by  Oxo, Urnex Brands, Hario, IKAWA Sample Roasters and Swiss Water Decaf

T. Ben Fischer and a the iridescent vessels and the Volcano. (Photo by Liz Chai)

In this episode, Chai talks to 2019 United States Barista Championship finalist T. Ben Fischer of Elixr Coffee Roasters and Glitter Cat Barista Boot Camp. Chai speaks to T. Ben about his competition routine and about creating the Glitter Cat program. To learn even more, listen to Episode 59 of the Coffee Sprudgecast.

Chai then interviews 2019 United States Barista Champion Samantha Spillman of Dillanos Coffee based in Sumner, Washington. Chai spoke with Spillman just after her finals performance—moments before learning she’d become this year’s champion. Spillman will compete in Boston at the World Barista Championship in a few short weeks. For more, check out our interview with Samantha Spillman on Sprudge.

Sign up now as a subscriber to the Coffee Sprudgecast and never miss an episode. 

Listen, subscribe and review The Coffee Sprudgecast on iTunes.

Download the episode here.

Sprudge Media Network’s coverage of the 2019 US Coffee Champs is made possible by Joe Glo and Mahlkönig. All of SprudgeLive’s 2019 competition coverage is made possible by Acaia, Baratza, FaemaCafe Imports, and Wilbur Curtis.

Sprudge is an official media partner of US Coffee Championships.

Follow @SprudgeLive on Twitter and never miss a moment from the shows, and cruise over to SprudgeLive.com to read routine recaps, enjoy dynamic full-color photos, and check in on all the advancing competitors from Nashville.

2019 Sprudge Live coverage is produced by Zac Cadwalader. Our lead photographer is Charlie Burt. Multimedia direction by Elizabeth Chai.

See y’all in Boston!

The post Coffee Sprudgecast Episode 70: Live From US Coffee Champs Kansas City Part One appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Coffee May Help Slow The Growth Of Prostate Cancer

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It’s about time the men of the world finally caught a break. New research suggests that coffee may help prevent the growth of prostate cancer.

It seems like there’s a study coming out every month that finds a new benefit of coffee consumption, so much so that I had to check the Sprudge archives to see if we’d already written about this one (we haven’t). According to Medical News Today, this newest research comes out of the Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science in Japan, who tested a variety of different compounds in coffee to see if they would have any effect on the growth of prostate cancer, which the CDC lists as “one of the leading causes of cancer death in men.”

Of the 1,000 nonvolatile and 1,500 volatile chemical compounds found in a single cup of coffee, the researches honed in on just two: kahweol acetate and cafestol, “hydrocarbons that naturally occur in Arabica coffee.” For their tests, the researchers began by dosing prostate cancer cells—ones “that were resistant to standard cancer drugs,” per the article—in a petri dish with kahweol acetate and cafestol, where they observed that the cancer cells grew at a less rapid rate. They then moved on to testing in mice, where 16 subjects were transplanted with the cancer cells and then placed into four different groups: no treatment, treated with just kahweol acetate, treated with just cafestol, and treated with both kahweol acetate and cafestol. The results, according to study leader Dr. Hiroaki Iwamoto, are promising:

We found that kahweol acetate and cafestol inhibited the growth of the cancer cells in mice, but the combination seemed to work synergistically, leading to a significantly slower tumor growth than in untreated mice.

Dr. Iwamoto adds:

After 11 days, the untreated tumors had grown by around [3.5] times the original volume (342 percent), whereas the tumors in the mice treated with both compounds had grown by around just over [1.5] (167 percent) times the original size.

But before you go butt-chugging a Wush Wush, the article is quick to note that this is just a pilot study and there is still much more research that needs to be done before any hard conclusions can be drawn. Dr. Iwamoto states that the test needs to be replicated with a larger sample before moving on to humans. Nonetheless, the results are positive, especially for those who already drink coffee and have prostates. So keep doing what you are doing, prostated coffee drinkers, you may be doing yourself a favor.

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 © Monkey Business/Adobe Stock

The post Coffee May Help Slow The Growth Of Prostate Cancer appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

US Barista Champion Samantha Spillman: The Sprudge Interview

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Samantha Spillman of Dillanos Coffee Roasters is your 2019 United States Barista Champion. Spillman lives in Seattle, Washington and works as a barista trainer at Dillanos Coffee Roasters based out of Sumner. First competing in 2014 at the Big Western Barista Competition, Spillman represented Ladro Coffee Roasters, and had been trained by 2014 US Barista Champion Laila Ghambari. “Meeting Laila and being trained by her inspired and challenged me to dig deeper into coffee,” Spillman told us.

This was the fourth season Spillman returned the competition stage. At the Nashville Qualifiers in January, Spillman ranked second. Over the weekend, Spillman ranked first in the semi-finals round in Kansas City with a jaw-dropping 652 points. She is the only finals competitor to clear 600 points with a 618 final score.

We talked to Spillman to learn more about her competition coffee (the Sprudgie Award Honoree and Finalist La Palma Y El Tucan), her inspiration for the incredible orchid fog, and thoughts on competing on the world stage in April.

We spoke with Spillman digitally from Seattle, Washington.

You’ve been a trainer at Dillanos for a little over two years. Tell us about your coffee history.

My first barista job was at a little cafe in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho (Java on Sherman) when I was 17. I think what I loved most about coffee in the beginning was the community surrounding it; I liked be where other people were.

At 18 I moved to Seattle for college. I immediately sought a job in the coffee industry. I got a job (at Ladro Roasting) and my head trainer just happened to be Laila Ghambari.

Meeting Laila and being trained by her inspired and challenged me to dig deeper into coffee. When Laila accepted a position at Cherry Street Coffee House, she invited me over to help build a training program. At this time, Cherry Street was using Dillanos Coffee. It was here where we established a relationship starting with competition. Two years later I had graduated college and fallen in love with Dillanos’ ethos, they offered me a position as their lead education specialist. And two more years later, that brings us to today.

Spillman competing in 2014 at the Big Western Barista Competition (SprudgeLive file photo)

Tell us about the coffee you used!

I used a natural lactic Gesha from the La Palma y El Tucan estate… grown at 1700 meters in the Cundiamarca region of Colombia. I had the opportunity to visit the farm and cup a multitude of coffees that were truly extraordinary. The natural lactic Gesha was one that I kept going back to, and that’s when I realized this was the one that I wanted to share with the judges. On day of competition it was showcasing flavors of peaches, raspberries, and pomegranates, with a jasmine aroma.

Tell us about your signature drink.

My goal with my signature beverage was to not only recreate the experience I had in Colombia, but to showcase and highlight the flavors and aromas we experienced on the cupping table. In order to do that I used ingredients that consisted of a passionfruit sipping vinegar, which I created using a sous vide. I took passionfruit juice, sugar, coconut vinegar and put them in a sous vide at 148 degrees for six hours. This created cohesion between the ingredients. The second ingredient I used was a lychee-infused soda water. And lastly, I added an orchid aromatic fog to recreate the aroma of the coffee that gets lost when the beverage is chilled. The beverage tasted like green apple, watermelon, and grapefruit, with white blossom aromatics.

An orchid fog! How did you come up with this beautiful component?

Honestly, my husband Brian helped me come up with this idea. Reminiscing over the experience I had had in Colombia at La Palma y El Tucan, I kept going back to the aromas that I will never forget from that experience. We did a little research on how to create an orchid perfume, and the next day we transformed it into a fog, which ended up tying the whole drink together.

Did you know that 2019 was going to be your year?

I had no idea! Every year I go into competition with a winners mentality… I am one of the most competitive people you will meet. I can’t even play a “friendly” game of Scrabble. But I definitely did not expect it to become a reality, I hoped but definitely didn’t know, especially competing against such talented coffee professionals.

Many competitors have a team of support—did you have a person or team helping you this season?

Yes, and honestly, none of this would have been possible without them. First and foremost, my husband Brian. Sharing the same passion, he helped every step of the way. Phil Beattie who roasted my coffee exceptionally. My friend and coach Kyle Ramage, who has been a tremendous help in transforming my ideas into something that would score well. Lastly, everyone at Dillanos who watched run through after run through… after run through.

You have a few short weeks before Boston. How are you preparing?

Work harder, focus more, and elevate my routine to be ready for a world stage.

Do you have a song that gets you in the zone?

YES. Humble by Kendrick Lamar.

Any words of advice for 2020 competitors?

If I could give any advice to competitors, count on sleepless nights, a lot of failures, but by utilizing the community and resources that surround you, ANYTHING is possible.

Thanks so much, we’ll see you in Boston!!

Photos by Charlie Burt for Sprudge.

SprudgeLive’s coverage of the 2019 US Coffee Champs is made possible by Joe Glo and Mahlkönig. All of SprudgeLive’s 2019 competition coverage is made possible by AcaiaBaratzaFaemaCafe Imports, and Wilbur Curtis.

The post US Barista Champion Samantha Spillman: The Sprudge Interview appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News