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ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

410 Posts
Why Your Bambino Plus Is Making Bubbly Shots (And How to Fix It)

Why Your Bambino Plus Is Making Bubbly Shots (And How to Fix It)

The verdict is in: Bubbly espresso shots are a sign your Bambino Plus is working overtime—and your beans are playing hide-and-seek. If your espresso tastes like a carbonated soda instead of a velvety concentrate, the culprit is likely a combination of frozen beans, improper grinding, or uneven tamping. This isn’t a flaw in your machine—it’s a red flag for your workflow. Frozen beans are a common offender. When coffee is frozen post-roast, ice crystals form inside the bean, altering its structure. Even after thawing, residual moisture can lead to under-extraction, creating a frothy, sour shot. The user’s experiment with thawed…
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Mastering Latte Art: A Breville Barista Express Journey

Mastering Latte Art: A Breville Barista Express Journey

Consider this your morning briefing: After four months of relentless practice, I finally cracked latte art—sort of. My fiancée gifted me a Breville Barista Express for my birthday, and since then, I’ve been obsessed with turning mediocre coffee into something resembling art. The machine’s built-in grinder delivers consistent results, though it struggles with ultra-fine grinds for certain beans, which I’ve since supplemented with a hand grinder. The real test? Steaming and pouring. Oat milk, my preferred choice, is a stubborn beast—its earthy notes clash with the coffee’s aroma, but I’ve learned to embrace the balance. Full-fat milk steams easily, but…
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The Dark Roast Dilemma: When Your Brew Feels Like a Mystery

The Dark Roast Dilemma: When Your Brew Feels Like a Mystery

You’re grinding dark roast, brewing with a French press, and calling it a day—but what if your ritual is hiding a deeper mystery? The Reddit user’s confession—of mistaking personal preference for expertise—mirrors a broader tension in the coffee world: the gap between tradition and trend. Dark roast, once a symbol of simplicity, now faces scrutiny from a culture obsessed with single-origin purity and pour-over precision. Yet, the user’s method—hand-ground, boiled water, a dollop of honey—suggests a refined process that’s been dismissed as “ignorant.” Is the problem the brew itself, or the expectations we project onto it? The French press, with…
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Why Your Freshly Ground Coffee Is Sour (And How to Fix It)

Why Your Freshly Ground Coffee Is Sour (And How to Fix It)

Listen up: If you’re grinding your own beans and ending up with astringent, sour brews, you’re not alone. The issue isn’t always the beans or your setup—it’s often how you’re handling the grind. Pre-ground coffee feels effortless, but freshly ground beans demand precision. The key lies in balancing grind size, outgassing, and extraction. Astringency isn’t a flaw—it’s a signal. It happens when too much tannic acid is extracted, usually due to over-extraction or a grind that’s too fine. Your current setup—grinding with a ~$70 manual grinder—might be part of the problem. While it’s rated well for its price, low-quality grinders…
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The Espresso Dilemma: Finding the Perfect Machine for Lungo and More

The Espresso Dilemma: Finding the Perfect Machine for Lungo and More

The verdict is in: your Ninja isn’t just outdated—it’s holding you back. After years of reliable service, it’s finally giving up the ghost, leaving you stranded between a boyfriend’s convenience-driven lungo ritual and your own espresso obsession. You’re not looking for a gimmick; you want a machine that respects your coffee ritual while adapting to your partner’s needs. The Breville at the office set a high bar, but its price tag is a barrier. Now you’re hunting for something that bridges the gap between espresso finesse and lungo versatility, all without breaking the bank. The key lies in dual boiler…
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Nordic Coffee Fest 2026: A Global Brew of Innovation and Culture

Nordic Coffee Fest 2026: A Global Brew of Innovation and Culture

The coffee world is about to get a shot of Scandinavian precision. From February 28 to March 1, 2026, Gothenburg’s waterfront Bananpiren will host the Nordic Coffee Fest, a celebration where global roasters, baristas, and enthusiasts collide. With 60+ exhibitors from 16 countries, this year’s edition isn’t just about beans—it’s a crossroads for ideas, traditions, and the future of specialty coffee. At the heart of the fest is the Global Roasters Showcase, a rare gathering of powerhouses like Differente (Colombia), Onyx Coffee Lab (North America), FRITZ (South Korea), and Blue Tokai (India). These brands, rarely seen together, offer a sensory…
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Holiday Brews That Brewed Joy: Barista Magazine Readers’ Best of Season

Holiday Brews That Brewed Joy: Barista Magazine Readers’ Best of Season

The verdict is in: holiday coffee isn’t just about warmth—it’s about reinvention. Barista Magazine readers turned their seasonal cravings into bold, inventive drinks that blend tradition with unexpected twists. From smoky spices to sweet, creamy indulgences, these creations redefine what a “classic” holiday beverage can be. Olympia Coffee’s Mulled Coffee and Ginger Spice Latte are proof that nostalgia and innovation can coexist. The former marries filter coffee with cranberry juice, mulling spices, and a citrus garnish, while the latter layers ginger, baking spices, and orange bitters into espresso. Both drinks capture the essence of winter without leaning on clichés. The…
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Umami: The Secret Ingredient Elevating Specialty Coffee

Umami: The Secret Ingredient Elevating Specialty Coffee

This is worth savoring: The fifth taste, once dismissed as a culinary oddity, is now a cornerstone of innovation in specialty coffee. Umami’s journey from a misunderstood descriptor to a celebrated flavor profile reveals how cultural shifts and scientific curiosity are reshaping what we consider “good” coffee. Japanese scientist Dr. Kikunae Ikeda first coined umami in 1908, describing it as a “satisfying flavor” that lingers on the tongue. His discovery—rooted in the umami-rich dashi broth—challenged Western notions of taste, which historically grouped umami as “savoury” or “meaty,” often pejorative terms. But as global palates evolved, so did appreciation for umami’s…
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Supermarket Coffee Is Evolving – But Roasters Face a Tough Battle

Supermarket Coffee Is Evolving – But Roasters Face a Tough Battle

The supermarket coffee aisle is no longer just a graveyard of dark roasts and instant brews. It’s evolving, but the path for specialty roasters is anything but easy. While demand for higher-quality, diverse offerings is rising, competing with giants and navigating shelf space limitations remains a hurdle. For roasters like North Roast and Upper Left Coffee Roasters, the grocery store is a double-edged sword: a chance to reach millions of consumers, but also a battlefield where freshness, pricing, and brand identity are constantly tested. The shift is undeniable. Once dominated by low-end, mass-produced blends, supermarket shelves now host whole bean…
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Spain’s Coffee Awakening: How Late Bloomers Are Shaping the Specialty Scene

Spain’s Coffee Awakening: How Late Bloomers Are Shaping the Specialty Scene

Consider this your morning briefing: Spain’s coffee world is finally catching up to its European neighbors. After decades of dark, sugary “torrefacto” dominance, the Iberian Peninsula is now a hotbed of specialty coffee innovation. With 2,215 branded coffee shops and 3% annual growth, Spain has leapfrogged Poland to rank seventh in Europe. Yet its journey to specialty isn’t about speed—it’s about redefining what coffee means. The country’s coffee history is a tale of two eras. Torrefacto—dark, bitter, and sweetened during roasting—has long been Spain’s default. But as World Coffee Portal data shows, 75% of consumers now crave premium options that…
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