Unseasonably hot weather and freak flash thunderstorms didn’t keep thousands of Istanbullu from flocking to the Istanbul Coffee Festival last week. As avid Turcophiles, we’ve been following the progressing specialty coffee scene in Istanbul since 2012 when the first third wave cafés opened. It’s hard to believe in a few short years specialty coffee in Istanbul has gone from a smattering of boutique cafés tucked away on back streets to filling one of the larger event spaces in the city: Küçükçiftlik Parkı….
Stories
Is the Knock Feldgrind the Perfect Travel Grinder?
No one has quite perfected the coffee grinder. Here at The Coffee Compass we’re big fans of hand grinders for reasons we won’t repeat here (but you can read here if you’re so inclined), the biggest being portability. When you get used to having an excellent cup of coffee every morning it’s hard to make the switch back to commodity coffee when traveling. A good hand grinder is an essential part of any road warrior’s arsenal, and we’ve spent years looking for the perfect one. Our dream hand grinder is capable of making a professional level cup of of coffee while being sturdy and light enough to throw in a messenger bag.
Most of the the hand grinders we’ve tried either sacrifice grind quality or portability. Some are pretty terrible in both categories. After eyeing our friend’s Knock Feldgrind, we broke down and picked one up from our friends and sponsors at Prima Coffee. After testing it over the summer with multiple brew methods, we have some opinions….
Meet the Youngest Coffee Farmer in Boquete, Panama
Earlier this year we traveled to Boquete, Panama for the Best of Panama competition. While we were there we met a remarkable young coffee farmer named Keith Pech, who manages his family’s farm Damarli Estate. He was kind enough to host us on his farm, serve us some delicious coffee blossom tea, and teach us about the unique microclimate that makes coffees from Boquete some of the most sort-after coffee in the world. Whether it’s his background as a professional ping pong player or his experience working for a négociant in Bordeaux, France, Pech is an exceptional person that we knew we had to interview.
You grew up near Cleveland, but now you run a coffee farm. How did that happen?
Yes I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and lived there until I was 22 years old. My father is …
Can-Do Attitude: Matchless Coffee Soda Launches New Kickstarter
A couple of years ago I popped into one of my favorite Nashville cafés and ordered a beverage that I’ve since concluded might be the perfect iced coffee: the Matchless Coffee Soda. It was bright, effervescent, slightly sweet, and refreshing. I caught up with Matchless Coffee Soda’s inventor, Nathanael Mehrens, as he prepares to launch a Kickstarter campaign to take his coffee soda to the masses.
So what’s your elevator pitch? What is Matchless Coffee Soda?
Matchless Coffee Soda is a locally roasted, flash-chilled coffee, lightly sweetened and carbonated to sublimity. Think bright, fizzy, refreshing iced coffee.
Obviously, a lot of your process is proprietary, but can you give us any hints how you make Matchless? How is it different from those nitro cold brews that are so popular right now?
It’s actually very different for a few reasons. …
Cafe Review: Bespoke Coffee in Wilmington, NC
It’s hard to think of a television show that I never watched that defined my childhood more than Dawson’s Creek. As diehard fans of the show probably already know, the ostensibly idyllic small coastal town the show was filmed in was none other than Wilmington, North Carolina- and for good reason. The small port city boasts a rare combination of historic architecture, a beautiful riverfront, and proximity to some of the East Coast’s best beaches. Think of it as an under-the-radar Charleston or Savannah.
But until recently the town was missing one seminal element: a good coffee shop. In fact, until recently I was quite confident the best cup of coffee in town was a bottle of Slingshot cold brew at Whole Foods. Thankfully, if James Van Der Beek were to visit today, he would be able to get a really great cup of coffee at Bespoke Coffee and Dry Goods in Downtown Wilmington.
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Coffee’s Grand Cru: A Look Inside Elida Estate
Wilford Lamastus Sr. produces some of the most famous coffee in the world, but he only brags about one thing when I visit his award-winning farm Elida Estate: his skimming ability. With a sly grin, he likens his skill at skimming the remaining sediment from each cup to barista competitors, who prepare elaborate espresso beverages while giving a presentation. This rather mundane step between between the aromatic and flavor assessment of coffee is often performed by lab assistants on larger estates, but Lamastus Sr. is not the sort of owner to sit back while other people get their hands dirty. He cups each of the dozens of lots from his two farms and often will give feedback to other producers in the region who come to him for advice.
I’ve cupped coffee hundreds of times, but my pulse quickens as I dip my spoon in the first cup. The modest room is barely large enough for a small round table and a desk, but it’s hosted some of the most …
Five Cafes Worth Moving To Vancouver For
Vancouver is widely considered one of the most livable cities on earth. Its wide array of fantastic cafés might have something to do with that. We already wrote about our visit to Nemesis Coffee, but we would be remiss if we didn’t mention five more cafés that have us applying for Canadian citizenship.
Revolver
Revolver might be the best Beatles album, but it’s also one…
Three Ways to Use the December Dripper to Brew Better Coffee
We, like 779 other Kickstarter backers, are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our December Dripper. The adjustable flow rate pour-over device more than tripled its goal, raising a cool $58,251. With an estimated arrival time of late June, we have some time before the December Dripper is making our morning cup, but in the meantime our sponsors at Prima Coffee gave us a chance to take a peek at a pre-ship sample. After a few brews we have a few thoughts on how this new brewing technology might be utilized to produce tastier coffee. …
Seven Things You Should Never Order in a Coffee Shop
During my five years on bar I’ve heard some bizarre requests. As a barista, it’s my firm conviction that my responsibility to provide hospitality trumps my own preferences. Would I put two Splendas in my coffee? Never. Will I put two Splendas in your coffee if you prefer? Happily.
That being said, there are a few common orders that are objectively wrong. If you value your reputation or have any common decency, you’ll stop ordering these immediately. I write this not to order-shame anyone, but to improve your life and the lives of baristas everywhere. …
Three Must-Visit Coffee Shops in Tokyo
There are few things we enjoy more than traveling. Drinking coffee is one of them. Visiting world-class coffee shops in one of the most exciting cities in the world? That might take the cake. Today we’re living vicariously through guest-contributor Andy Cenci’s recent Tokyo café-crawl. These are Cenci’s top three Tokyo coffee shops you shouldn’t miss:…
