For a few years I worked as a barista for a major coffee chain. Arguably the most exciting time of year for our customers was when we received our yearly shipment of Kona coffee. Customers we hadn’t seen for months would pour into the store to get…

A glass of iced or cold brew coffee can really cut through the summer heat, but when it comes to refreshment I’ve always found them to be somewhat lacking. You see, as much as I love cold caffeinated beverages, they’re still superseded in the refr…

Even if you’ve only had a passing interest in coffee, chances are you’ve heard the terms “Arabica” and “Robusta” mentioned in relation to coffee. Far from being a single crop, there are in fact two distinct species of coffee beans each with their …

You’d be hard pressed to find a coffee bean more expensive and sought after than the venerable Kona bean, that is unless you were aware of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. It’s not unusual to find Jamaican Blue Mountain beans at around $50 a pound, …

This week, rather than focusing on a specific bean, we are instead going to look at one of the more fascinating harvesting processes around: Monsoon Malabar. This unique process is found only in the Malabar coast in India, and it involves exposing…

There are many factors that contribute to the overall flavor of your favorite cup of joe. Factors such as the brewing method, the roast, and even the growing region can exert a profound effect on the taste of the resulting cup of coffee. Equally i…

Regardless of whether you’re new to the world of espresso drinks or a seasoned caffeine head, deciphering the menu at a coffee shop can be pretty overwhelming. I worked as a barista for three years and even I find myself a little befuddled when ga…

Well-balanced, complex, and smooth, Ethiopian Sidamo represents some of the best characteristics of African coffee. Often regarded as one of the finest coffees in the world, Sidamo can be enjoyed both hot and iced and is well worth seeking out.

Ok, maybe “overrated” is a bit strong, but the idea that French press is the best way to enjoy coffee has gone unchallenged for far too long. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a punchy cup of French press as much as the next person, but when I want to e…

Pretty everyone knows about food and wine pairings, but have you heard of food and coffee pairings? Thanks to the rising popularity of single origin and high-end coffee after the last few years it’s becoming clear that coffee offered just as much …

Regardless of whether it’s high-end, single origin or a simple cup of Folgers, the roast is the possibly the most important contributor to the overall flavor of a cup of coffee. The amount of time a bean is roasted influences the taste, aroma, bod…

…

Possibly one of the most divisive beans around, Sumatran coffee is a true “love it or hate it” beverage. Thanks to the growing popularity of light roasted, Latin American coffees that emphasise clean and bright tastes, the heavy, grainy taste of I…

…

Within the large segment of the population who enjoy coffee it seems there are two distinct factions constantly at odds with one another: those who store their coffee beans in the freezer and those who do not. The argument in favor states that fre…