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Portable coffee brewers are becoming a take-along staple for campers, beachgoers, backpackers, and more. You may be concerned that whipping up a nice espresso on the open trail could make you the subject of ridicule. Will your fellow travelers roll their eyes and make sarcastic comments about you “roughing it” or call you names like “Smokey the Barista?” It’s possible. But you know what? Let them laugh. We coffee lovers know how important a great-tasting, quality cup of java is to happiness – not to mention survival – and there’s absolutely no shame in attempting to take that satisfaction along with you during

Much like an automated coffee maker, we’ve been programmed to use hot water each and every morning to brew a decent cup of coffee. But one alternative brewing method is staying strong; a method in which time – not temperature – is used to forge a flavorful brew. Cold brew coffee is all the rage in coffee shops and cafes – and even dots the refrigerated shelves of your local grocery store. More and more coffee-lovers have begun making cold brews at home, too. And with good reason – the process produces a balanced and extremely flavorful concentrate that is both healthy and

Drop by your local café on a sunny, spring morning, and you may very well find the employees behind the counter roasting beans while chatting up the early risers. Boutique café roasting is growing by leaps and bounds nationwide, as popular demand for artisanal coffees and advances in roasting technology continue to intersect. But Orinoco Coffee & Tea master roaster Juan-Carlos Ramirez believes this fad may ultimately fade. Visiting a coffee house where beans are roasted on-site is a novelty for the public, he says, particularly for those who have never experienced the process firsthand. There’s a certain nuance to the café roasting scene;

A latte art throwdown is a fierce competition where baristas compete head-to-head, pouring designs with milk into cups of espresso in front of a panel of judges. Tensions are high, coffee is hot, and everyone is vying for a shot – quite literally – at the title. Most importantly, throwdowns provide members of the coffee community with an opportunity to gather, socialize, and celebrate their favorite beverage. There are a number of different elements that factor into winning a latte art throwdown, however. Our resident latte art expert weighs in with 6 critical elements:   The Espresso: Winning a latte art throwdown hinges