The Reading Room

Ethiopian Coffee: A Guide to Flavor and Origin

Ethiopian coffee is the birthplace of arabica, known for bright, floral, and fruity cups. A guide to its regions, processing, roasting, and brewing.

Vietnamese Coffee Variation - Iced Saigon Cappuccino
Running out of half and half collided with several days worth of Vietnamese iced coffee recipes in my mailbox to create a very happy coincidence this morning -- my morning iced Vietnamese cappuccino. Okay. Technically, it's iced cappuccino with a...
How to Take a Relaxing Coffee Break That Truly Unwinds You

Your coffee brewing method changes the flavor as much as the beans do. See how paper, metal, immersion, and pour-over each shape the cup, across 5 methods.

The daily grind
I started using hand grinders due to their cost to performance ratio compared to those more expensive electronic grinders. I've had a new Zassenhaus, a Hario Skerton, a Hario Slim and most recently an Orphan Espresso Lido hand grinder. They...
Freeze Your Coffee, Says Don Francisco
Best way to store your coffee? Coffee experts tend to split on whether or not you should freeze your coffee beans, so specialty coffee roaster Don Francisco's decided to research the subject scientifically. Their results: freeze your coffee. No, not...
Cremina Received!
Finally, after a long period of waiting, the Olympia Cremina I have been waiting for have arrived. I was pleasantly surprised because it actually arrived last Wednesday which is two days earlier than predicted by the shipping company! However, I...
Extaction Times
I have been thinking a little bit about extraction times ever since making a mildly unpleasent pot of coffee last week. The pot of coffee was mildly over-extracted, I had forgot to adjust the grind on my grinder going from a...
Coffee Tasting Notes: How to Smell and Taste Coffee Like a Pro

 Most coffee drinkers taste their coffee but never really smell it. Aroma accounts for most of what you perceive as flavor. Here is how to use your nose to get more from every cup.

Drip Coffee: 5 Variables That Change Every Cup

Drip coffee is the most common home brewing method and the one most people never think about improving. Here are 5 variables , grind size, ratio, water temperature, grind freshness, and machine maintenance , that change the result significantly.

In search of the perfect couple
I usually make coffee twice a day. I have coffee with breakfast and then after dinner. On weekends I might have one after lunch too if I'm at home. This usually gets me through a bag of coffee in a...
Mocha Java
Mocha Java is the oldest known coffee blend. Traditionally, Mocha--a coffee from what is today Yemen--is cut with a coffee from Java. The goal was and still is a gestalt between the fruit-forward berriness of the Mocha and the bodacious...
How to Blend Coffee at Home for Your Perfect Cup

You do not need a roastery to blend coffee at home. Pair a dark roast base with a brighter accent, start at 70/30, and build your perfect cup in 5 steps.

American Hipster Presents Four Barrel Coffee
This video has been out there for almost two months now, but I just happened to come across it yesterday and thought that I would share. It's part of a video series highlighting different people/businesses in various cities that are...
How Your Coffee Brewing Method Changes the Flavor

Your coffee brewing method changes the flavor as much as the beans do. See how paper, metal, immersion, and pour-over each shape the cup, across 5 methods.

Making coffee with a French Press and Hario Mini Mill Hand grinder
Making coffee with a French Press and Hario Mini Mill Hand grinder This is the video I took a while ago of showing how I make press coffee with a classic Bodum french press. The coffee was ground on a...
Camping Coffee: How to Brew Great Coffee While Camping

Brewing coffee while camping beats any cup at home. Compare 5 outdoor methods, follow 6 simple steps, learn cowboy coffee, and brew safely at camp.

Solo... Sediment
When I used to drink a lot of french press coffee the sludge at the bottom of my mug was more of an annoyance than anything else. A grinder that was a poor performer at coarse grind settings or a...
How to Steam Milk for Lattes and Cappuccinos

Learn how to steam milk into silky microfoam. Master the two stages, follow 6 simple steps, fix common problems, and steam safely for better lattes.

Portola Coffee Lab gets its first video
My local roaster's all grown up and making its first video. I'm getting verklempt... Talk amongst yourselves...
Terroir Ice Cream
David Lebovitz was a pasty chef under Alice Waters, and has written a number of entertaining and informative food books. He also maintains an excellent eponymous blog. One of his more popular books is "The Perfect Scoop," which has recipes...
Able Brewing from Coava
Coava is a high-quality roasterie located in Portland, OR. In a city known for its coffee culture, Coava stands out for its quick ascendancy to respectability. Its baristas have done very well in barista competitions, their coffees have been highly...