All news, all pop-ups.
What’s new, Jude?
Got some pop-ups for ya
Today, [Saturday, May 18th] a little bit last minute, but 11am–3pm in East Williamsburg there’s a nano-roaster showcase at the Wandering Barman. It’s free! They will be featuring Lucienne, Peculiar Coffee Roasters, and Obscure Coffee Roasters.
Nearby is a mirra coffee takeover at Secret Coffee [gmaps]. With this and the new Young Coffee opening, why not get out today?
This one’s more of a hangout, but there will be an AAPI Coffee Roaster Showcase at Multimodal Roastery 5/25. Check the RSVP here. It’s kind of between Astoria and LIC. It’s also free, and there will be cupping and chatting for 2.5 hours, and you’re welcome to bring your own coffee if you want to share. I’ll be there!
Also on May 25th, Brewtopia is having a popup in Hell’s Kitchen.
Spirit Tea Tasting at Loveless Coffee in Bushwick [thanks, Coffee Klatsch!]
Also, free tea tasting at MOCA in Little Italy Tuesday [thanks again!]
Recent Openings
QAHWAH HOUSE ASTORIA IS FINALLY OPEN
Storefront Coffee, also in Astoria, is completely invisible on Google Maps right now. If you click the link they’ll probably get bumped enough to show up when I search “coffee”. They’re also brand new! I think they either have been building it out for a year next to a “ninjabear” gym or have taken over a coffee shop already there.
Young Coffee in East Williamsburg, it looks like they sell shirts there as well in true Brooklyn fashion.
In upper midtown east, Café Joyeux escaped us, as it has been open since March. It’s the first one in NYC, and employs crew members “with intellectual and developmental disabilities”. Neat! You can read more about them here: us.cafejoyeux.com/pages/new-york
Break time!
Hey, I could’ve skipped this week.
And now…
Coffee news!
Researchers at the University of New South Wales are using sonic cavitation to create cold brew in 3 minutes. To explain it simply, sound is causing bubbles to form then burst in liquid, which coffee grounds are also in. The grounds get “freaked out” by the bursts and release aromatic and flavor compounds, creating coffee. Between this and electromagnetic fields to eliminate static, why don’t we just blast the coffee with one of these?
Oh, and this tool to vibrate it.
The “Intergovernmental Group on Tea” is making a push to replenish tea demand, especially in India. This article goes over the push towards non-caffeinated teas to offer a “midrange” between chai and expensive teas. They are pushing it in restaurants and spas, as well as propagating the benefits as health drinks/tonics [think turmeric, tulsi, ginger, etc.].
Juan Valdez is coming for you! It [the company] has recently signed an agreement with Green Coffee Company to sell coffee in North American supermarkets under the Juan Valdez name. Not a great sign when the motto on the GCC website is “Maximizing the value of every Colombian coffee cherry”.
Intelligentsia just opened in South Korea. It’s beautiful.
Nicaraguan “Cup of Excellence” winners have been announced, with the highest coffee rating at a 91.10. You can get a sample pack or buy the coffee through auction.
The Fairtrade org is running a campaign to get 10,000 “pledges” to making their [fairtrade] mark.
This poorly-linked article from Daily Coffee News summarizes the Guatemalan Coffee Scene, as per a 2023 Guatemalan geographic survey.
Your consumers may care about different sustainability practices than what is good for the farmers/producers, as per a recent survey.
James Hoffman finally launched The Decaf Project, asking for roasters to help him do a giant global decaf-tasting.
It’s time to invest in robusta, I guess. Robusta has hit a 45-year high around drought concerns, and cocoa’s volatility is spilling into the coffee market.
A few new products from Squeaky Coffee got recognized at the Chicago SCA Expo, like the portafilter-attachable espresso chiller and the aroma perfume thing you squeeze to smell coffee grounds.
Thanks for tuning in!
Enjoy your coffee!