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How to Open a Wine Bottle Without a Corkscrew (No Mess, No Drama)

How to Open a Wine Bottle Without a Corkscrew (No Mess, No Drama)

Here’s something to stir your curiosity: What if your corkscrew is missing and you’re mid-wine night? You’re not alone. From mountain peaks to city apartments, emergencies happen. The good news? There’s a toolkit of hacks to save your pour—and your dignity. Push the cork in with a screwdriver, wooden spoon, or butter knife. This method forces the cork deeper, making it easier to manage. Once pushed, use a straw or chopstick to keep it out of the way while pouring. Or pour directly into a decanter to avoid the glugging of the cork getting stuck. It’s a workaround, but it…
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The Next Generation Tastes: Inside Decanter’s 2025 Issue on Family Wineries

The Next Generation Tastes: Inside Decanter’s 2025 Issue on Family Wineries

Here’s something to stir your curiosity: What if your family’s legacy wasn’t a business but a vineyard? The December 2025 issue of Decanter dives into the messy, magical, and often contradictory journey of heirs stepping into their parents’ winemaking shoes. From Bordeaux to New Zealand, 10 family-owned estates share their stories—raw, unfiltered, and steeped in the tension between tradition and reinvention. The meat of the issue lies in the quiet rebellion of younger vintners. At Château Pavie in St-Emilion, Georgie Hindle recounts how her approach to terroir-driven wines clashed with her father’s more commercial instincts. It’s a familiar struggle: parents…
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Slow Feeding the Philos: A Surprising Espresso Revelation

Slow Feeding the Philos: A Surprising Espresso Revelation

This is worth savoring: What if the way you feed your espresso beans could reshape your shot? A simple tweak to your routine—slowing the pour into your Philos grinder—unlocked a dramatic shift in extraction, proving that even small adjustments can rewrite the rules. The experiment began with a hunch: slow feeding espresso beans to the grinder might alter how they interact with heat and pressure. The results? A 45g shot in 8 seconds versus the usual 41g in 32. The numbers don’t lie. The method was deliberate. Every variable stayed locked: dose, grind, equipment, even the water spray. Only the…
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The Day I Tasted Coffee Like a Symphony

The Day I Tasted Coffee Like a Symphony

Real talk: The moment I realized coffee wasn’t just a morning habit. For years, I treated it like a grocery-store commodity—any bag that didn’t burn my tongue was fine. Then a friend handed me a cup that tasted like berries, chocolate, and sunshine. It wasn’t flavored; it was just fresh. That cup rewired my brain. Coffee, I learned, could be a conversation. A story. A sensory experience. What made that cup different? Freshness. The beans hadn’t been sitting in a warehouse for months. They’d been roasted in small batches, each one a delicate balance of heat and time. The aroma…
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How to Cut To-Go Waste Without Breaking the Bank (Real Examples Inside)

How to Cut To-Go Waste Without Breaking the Bank (Real Examples Inside)

Here’s what you need to know: Small coffee shops are stuck between a rock and a hard place—compostable cups are better than plastic, but they still pile up. What if there was a way to slash waste without draining your budget or complicating your operations? The answer lies in customer participation, not just corporate greenwashing. Across the country, cafes are testing deposit systems for reusable jars, glass bottles, and mugs—proving that reducing to-go waste is possible without turning your counter into a logistics nightmare. The key isn’t forcing customers to change habits but creating frictionless incentives. Take the “payback” model:…
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Which Country’s Coffee Beans Are Worth the Price?

Which Country’s Coffee Beans Are Worth the Price?

If you're sipping coffee and wondering which country’s beans are worth the price, you’re not alone. With over 70 coffee-growing nations, the choice feels overwhelming—especially when the differences between a Colombian single-origin and a Sumatran blend are subtle. But here’s the truth: no single country dominates the flavor spectrum. What matters is matching your palate to the right origin. Let’s cut through the noise. Africa’s coffees are a wild card. Ethiopia, the birthplace of the coffee plant, is a genetic goldmine. Its beans, processed via the natural method, deliver sweet, exotic notes that feel like a tropical vacation in your…
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Discover the Perfect Medium Roast Coffee: A Guide to Choosing Your Favorites

Discover the Perfect Medium Roast Coffee: A Guide to Choosing Your Favorites

Are you a fan of coffee but find yourself often overwhelmed by the multitude of roasts available? Look no further! Medium roast coffee is a popular choice for many, striking the perfect balance between light and dark roasts. But with so many brands on the market, how do you select coffees that truly delight your palate? In this guide, we'll help you understand why medium roast coffee is loved, and provide insights on choosing the best beans for you. Medium roast coffee offers a harmonious blend of flavors that cater to a wide range of taste preferences. These beans are…
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