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Three Ways to Use the December Dripper to Brew Better Coffee

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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. …

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Come for the Doughnuts, Stay for the Coffee at General Porpoise Doughnuts

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Rodgers and Hammerstein. Martin and Lewis. Riesling and Thai food. Some pairs are timeless. And yet no duo is so ubiquitous as that most quintessential of American breakfasts, coffee and doughnuts. General Porpoise Doughnuts in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood might have perfected that pairing.

In a city with a specialty coffee shop on every block, it helps to have a concept that sets you apart. General Porpoise’s concept is succinct and to the cream-filled-point: a small selection of house-made yeast doughnuts and a simple but perfectly executed coffee menu….

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Cafe Review: Nemesis Coffee in Vancouver

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Read any most-livable city list and Vancouver is near the top, and for good reason. Between its breathtaking panoramas, copious green spaces, efficient public transportation, and excellent social safety net, it’s a city with few equals. But if you ask us, the real reason to live in Vancouver is the great coffee shops. One of its best cafés also happen to be one of its newest: Nemesis Coffee in Gastown….

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Will the December Dripper be the Best Coffee Brewer Ever?

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December Dripper
I’m going to be honest, if you asked me last week whether the world needs another coffee dripper my answer would have been a resounding no. Between the Hario V60, Kalita Wave, Beehive, Melita, and even this collapsable silicon thingy, there’s more than enough products on the market. But then I saw this Kickstarter campaign and realized how wrong I was. …

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Seven Things You Should Never Order in a Coffee Shop

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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. …

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New Balance and J. Crew Release Coffee-inspired Shoe

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My New Balance shoes are covered in coffee stains. Actually all of my shoes are covered in coffee stains. Alas, Cafiza can only do so much. But that doesn’t stop me from drooling over these limited edition New Balance 997s. The shoe is a collaboration between New Balance, J. Crew, and Counter Culture Coffee. According to J. Crew, the shoe is,

Crafted in premium suede at New Balance’s Skowhegan, Maine, factory—in a colorway inspired by the classic espresso drink—this collaboration on the iconic 997 silhouette is available in extremely limited numbers.

A limited quantity come with a custom blend of coffee roaster by Counter Culture for the project. They also poured what appears to an absolutely perfect cortado for this video. The shoe sells for $210, and is available online.

Three Must-Visit Coffee Shops in Tokyo

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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:…

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Coat Check Coffee Opens In Indianapolis

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Kurt Vonnegut. David Letterman. The Indy 500. President Benjamin Harrison. Indianapolis is home to a lot of famous people and things. Not as famous, but just as noteworthy in our humble opinion, is Indianapolis’s growing specialty coffee community. Although long eclipsed by larger markets in neighboring states, the coffee scene in Indianapolis is refreshingly passionate and non-partisan.  The latest addition to this burgeoning community is Coat Check Coffee, a small lobby café already punching well above its weight class.


Located in the actual coat check of the historic Athenaeum building, …

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Why I’m Not Mad About That McDonald’s Coffee Commercial

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McDonalds Coffee
McDonald’s in the United Kingdom released a commercial ribbing specialty coffee shops last week, and a lot of baristas took to social media to voice their anger. The video ridiculed craft coffee shops for having limited hours, being over priced, taking too long, having rewards cards, and frankly just being too precious when it comes to coffee. As voiced by one actor in the commercial, McDonald’s is the place for people who “just want a cup of coffee.”…

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