Blog

Red Ink Coffee Schools You in the Coffee World Beyond the Cup

Red Ink Coffee Schools You in the Coffee World Beyond the Cup

Here’s what you need to know: Coffee education isn’t just about brewing or roasting anymore. Krzysztof Blinkiewicz, founder of Red Ink Coffee, is redefining how we teach the craft by weaving in climate, culture, and community. This isn’t just a shift in curriculum—it’s a radical reimagining of what it means to know coffee. At the heart of Red Ink’s model is a philosophy that questions why we teach coffee at all. “Too many courses teach technique without context,” Blinkiewicz says. His approach isn’t about mastering a skill set but about understanding the systems that shape coffee’s journey—from the farm to…
Read More
Sailing Toward Sustainability: How Sail Transport is Reshaping Coffee’s Future

Sailing Toward Sustainability: How Sail Transport is Reshaping Coffee’s Future

If you're wondering how coffee roasters are slashing emissions without sacrificing flavor, look to the open sea. Decarbonized sail transport is rewriting the rules of sustainable coffee, blending history with innovation to cut carbon footprints and spark curiosity. For years, the industry has relied on oil-powered cargo ships, which spew 3% of global CO₂ and 20% of air pollutants. Now, wind-powered sailboats are challenging this status quo, offering a quieter, cleaner alternative that’s also reshaping the taste of coffee itself. Sail transport isn’t just about reducing emissions—it’s about reimagining the journey. Coffee shipped by sail spends weeks at sea, exposed…
Read More
Sydney’s Coffee Tour: A City Unpacked in Cups

Sydney’s Coffee Tour: A City Unpacked in Cups

The verdict is in: Sydney’s Sunday mornings aren’t just about caffeine anymore. Shu Yeung has transformed the city’s coffee culture into a vibrant, educational experience where strangers become collaborators in a shared love of specialty coffee. At first glance, it’s a walking tour—until you realize it’s also a masterclass in storytelling, a bridge between industry jargon and everyday curiosity, and a testament to how coffee can connect people across continents and cultures. Shu’s journey began in Tokyo, where he mapped over 20 specialty cafés, walking with a cupping spoon in his pocket and a camera slung over his shoulder. The…
Read More
Espresso Machines Are Evolving—Here’s How

Espresso Machines Are Evolving—Here’s How

Here’s what you need to know: Espresso machines are no longer just about brewing coffee—they’re redefining precision, control, and workflow. From AI-driven personalization to modular designs that cater to both pros and home users, innovation is accelerating. Trade shows like SIGEP World reveal how these shifts are reshaping the industry, blending technology with tradition in ways that demand attention. Automation and AI aren’t replacing baristas—they’re enhancing their craft. Modern machines now feature programmable pre-infusion, adjustable pressure profiles, and smart connectivity, letting users tweak extraction variables for optimal flavor. Temperature stability has also become a priority, with PID controllers and advanced…
Read More
Can You Brew Café-Quality Espresso on the Go?

Can You Brew Café-Quality Espresso on the Go?

Coffee lovers, wine enthusiasts, tea devotees—here’s a revelation: you can now make café-quality espresso without a bulky machine. Portable espresso equipment has evolved from a niche curiosity to a serious contender in the home brewing arena. The shift isn’t just about convenience—it’s about redefining what’s possible. With advancements in technology, today’s portable grinders and machines deliver precision, consistency, and flavor once reserved for professional setups. The question isn’t whether it’s possible, but how far this trend will take us. At the heart of this revolution is the grinder. No matter the machine, espresso quality hinges on grind size. A fine,…
Read More
Georgia’s Coffee Scene Is Brewing a Global Shift

Georgia’s Coffee Scene Is Brewing a Global Shift

Time to spill: Georgia’s coffee scene is no longer a footnote in the global specialty market. Once defined by Turkish-style brews and centuries-old winemaking, the country is now a crossroads where ancient traditions meet modern roasting. The rise of specialty coffee here isn’t just about beans—it’s about culture, curiosity, and a growing appetite for complexity. With brands like Shavi Coffee Roasters expanding into the U.S. and giants like Costa Coffee eyeing expansion, Georgia is proving that its coffee story is far from finished. The roots of this shift lie in Georgia’s cultural DNA. Its wine heritage—dating back 8,000 years—has long…
Read More
IWCA and Cup of Excellence Team Up to Elevate Women in Coffee

IWCA and Cup of Excellence Team Up to Elevate Women in Coffee

Coffee lovers, wine enthusiasts, tea devotees—here’s a move set to redefine the industry. The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) has struck new partnerships with Cup of Excellence (CoE) and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), aiming to amplify women’s roles in coffee’s most prestigious platforms. These memoranda of understanding (MOUs) are more than paperwork—they’re a blueprint for equity, designed to open doors for women producers, jurors, and buyers in a male-dominated field. CoE’s green coffee competitions and auctions have long been a gold standard, lifting microlots to record prices and global acclaim. Yet women remain underrepresented in these high-stakes arenas.…
Read More
Little While Coffee’s Quiet Revolution in San Diego

Little While Coffee’s Quiet Revolution in San Diego

If you haven’t heard yet, San Diego’s coffee scene just got a quiet but deliberate upgrade. Little While Coffee and Pastries isn’t chasing trends—it’s redefining what a cafe can be. Nestled in North Park, this 1,200-square-foot space isn’t just about coffee; it’s about crafting an experience where every sip, bite, and glance feels intentional. The design leans into natural wood, soft lighting, and creamy whites, but the real magic is in the details: a Stronghold S9X roaster, Mazzer Kony SG grinders, and a La Marzocco Linea PB that’s as much about precision as it is about passion. The team behind…
Read More
Roast Summit 2026: Melbourne’s Coffee Roasters Unite for Two Days of Innovation

Roast Summit 2026: Melbourne’s Coffee Roasters Unite for Two Days of Innovation

Here’s what you need to know: The Roast Summit is coming to Melbourne in March 2026, bringing together coffee roasters from around the world for two days of education, networking, and innovation. Hosted at Aunty Pegs (Proud Mary Coffee Roasters) in Collingwood, the event is a rare chance to dive deep into the science, art, and business of roasting—without the fluff. With sponsors like Loring and Equilibrium Master Roasters, this summit isn’t just about coffee; it’s about building a global community of professionals who refuse to settle for mediocrity. The 2026 summit will blend high-impact sessions with hands-on workshops, from…
Read More
China’s Coffee Map Just Got a Lot Smarter—Here’s Why It Matters

China’s Coffee Map Just Got a Lot Smarter—Here’s Why It Matters

Real talk: A new remote sensing model is rewriting how we track coffee farms in China. Researchers used machine learning and Sentinel-2 satellite data to map Yunnan’s Pu’er region with near-95% accuracy, creating a template that’s lightweight, scalable, and surprisingly precise. This isn’t just about counting trees—it’s about redefining how governments, farmers, and traders monitor sustainability in complex landscapes. The study, published in Frontiers in Remote Sensing, hinges on tracking seasonal changes in vegetation, terrain, and administrative boundaries to distinguish coffee from tea bushes or shrubs. In controlled tests, the model correctly classified land pixels as coffee or non-coffee 95%…
Read More