Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

5 Cool Cafés Worth a Try in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai, one of Thailand’s most fascinating cities, is home to a vibrant specialty-coffee scene, with many cafés and roasteriess often offering locally grown coffee. BY TANYA NANETTI SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Featured photo by Tim Durgan via Unsplash With a population of 3 million, Chiang Mai is a little (by Asian standards) gem in northern […]


How to roast anaerobically fermented coffee

Among the many different kinds of experimental processing methods, anaerobic fermentation is perhaps the most popular and intriguing. Interest in this processing technique is only growing, with more and more anaerobic fermented coffee available in cafés and roasteries around the world. Moreover, of all the advanced processing methods, this particular technique has one of the […]


Test Drive: The Linea Micra Espresso Machine from La Marzocco

Ready to find out how La Marzocco’s Linea Micra measures up? Read on for our full Test Drive review!  BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Vasileia Fanarioti  The Linea Micra espresso machine by La Marzocco is the newest addition to their impressive line of home espresso machines. I was lucky to get my […]


Ukraine’s Soloway Coffee Opens First US Shop in Chicago

A specialty coffee roasting company based in western Ukraine called Soloway Coffee (Instagram link) this week opened its first location in the United States. Beans roasted in Ternopil, Ukraine, using…

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

Bypass coffee brewing: How can it improve extraction?

There is a lot of science to brewing coffee. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, we trigger – and try to control – an almost endless number of chemical reactions to achieve the perfect extraction. To do so, we have to tweak different variables – such as grind size, temperature, and coffee-to-water ratio – to get the […]


Brewing at Home and On the Road with Darrin Daniel

We check in with the Cup of Excellence executive director to learn his current coffee-brewing habits. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Featured photo by Emre via Unsplash Brewing coffee is, for many coffee professionals, more than just a job.   They usually brew coffee every day, both for themselves and their customers. Perhaps they do it […]


Unique Collection in Switzerland Offers a Look at Coffee’s Rich History

Anita Vietri’s Coffee Culture Collection chronicles the brew’s journey through 1,500 artifacts. BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Anita Vietri In the rich tapestry of coffee culture, there exists a hidden gem—an extraordinary collection that chronicles the captivating history of our beloved brew. Today, we meet Anita Vietri, an ardent coffee enthusiast and […]


Know Your Sweeteners: Honey: Part One

Not all sweeteners are made equal! In this series, we’ll take a closer look at different types of sweeteners and syrups—starting with honey. BY EMILY JOY MENESESBARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Featured photo by Arwin Neil Baichoo via Unsplash Though you can’t go wrong with simple syrup or the tried-and-true vanilla, there are many options when it […]

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

Joven and Atucún Join Forces to Empower Young Farmers

The two brands have collaborated to create a unique coffee bar and support young farmers in the coffee and cacao industries. BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE…


A Recap of The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia

The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia is over, and we’ve got the scoop on all the fun! BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Vasileia Fanarioti and Juan Henao During the last week of February, the 2022 Barista League champions gathered in Colombia for this year’s Mystery Coffee Vacation. It was an […]


Toronto’s Pilot Coffee Roasters Acquiring Bridgehead Coffee for $3.6 Million

Toronto, Ontario-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer Pilot Coffee Roasters is acquiring Ottawa-based Bridgehead Coffee in a deal worth approximately US$3.6 million.  Bridgehead, which has 21 coffee shop locations throughout…


Playing Leaderboard, the Arcade-Inspired Coffee Game

We sat down to try the newest version of the game—a fun opportunity to learn more about coffee while vying for cool coffee prizes.  BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos by Tanya Nanetti I’ve never been much into video games, except for the classic arcade games of my youth.   Growing up in the ‘80s meant […]

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

minimum dose size?

Jan 31, 2024 |

I use the Hario switch to brew my coffee and am trying to reduce my caffeine consumption. Hence I would like to brew smaller cups of coffee. I am currently using 10g of coffee with 160g of water. (1:16 Ratio) I am wondering if there is a minimum amount of coffee...

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

The February + March 2023 issue of Barista Magazine features New Zealand coffee & chef champion Sam Low on the cover. Also inside: a special section on branding, understanding trademark law, an interview with Laura Sommers, field reports from Kansas City, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, and much more.

BY KENNETH R. OLSON
BARISTA MAGAZINE

We’re excited to release the February + March 2023 issue of Barista Magazine! Our writers and editors did a tremendous job to create another issue packed with great informational articles. The February + March 2023 cover features Sam Low of New Zealand, who’s not just a champion barista but also the newly crowned winner of MasterChef New Zealand. Inside we’ve got a special section on branding and rebranding, an interview with longtime specialty coffee pro Laura Sommers, field reports from across the globe, and more.

Want a physical magazine to read and keep? Order a subscription or single copy today in our online store. Additionally, as always, everyone has access to the new issue for free online with our digital edition. 

Cover Feature: Sam Low

While the COVID-19 pandemic locked almost everyone away from the larger world, Sam Low used his time in isolation creatively, re-plating and Instagramming his meals while spending weeks in quarantine in a hotel, for example. The New Zealander had already made a name for himself as a coffee pro and barista champion, but Sam emerged from the pandemic with a new title: champion chef. Barista Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Sarah Allen, interviews Sam about his journey as a coffee expert but also a child of immigrants and a queer advocate.

(Re)Branding

Whether your business is expanding to new locations, acquiring an existing business, or is simply looking to freshen things up, a rebranding initiative can be costly and disruptive. Writer Josh Rank takes a look at what advice to take and which mistakes to avoid when creating an updated brand in “(Re)Branding: A Second First Impression.“

Special Branding Section

While we take a deep dive on rebranding in the February + March 2023 issue, we also pull back to the larger view of breaking down the basics of branding. In our special branding section, we talk to coffee professionals Julia Mayer of Dune Coffee, Sam Schroeder of Olympia Coffee, and Jess Steffy of Square One Coffee about their experiences building a brand. We also highlight common mistakes to avoid and successful steps to emulate when creating your brand.

Cashbox: Trademarking

A close companion to branding is trademarking. A trademark is not a brand but rather a piece of a brand. A trademark offers legal protections but can also come at a cost for your business. Barista Magazine’s longtime business columnist Tracy Allen of Brewed Behavior breaks down what goes into a trademark and whether or not your business should file for one in “Cashbox.“

’One on One: Laura Sommers’

Sure, she’s spent time dressed as a latte, waving customers into a café, but that just means Laura Sommers has devoted a lot of time to working in coffee. Ask her why, and she’ll say the answer is easy: the people. Since starting in specialty coffee in Seattle in the 1990s, Laura has been at the forefront of innovation and change in the industry. She talks about the growth she’s seen, her humble beginnings, and what she sees for the future of the coffee community in the February + March 2023 issue “One on One“ interview.

All of these stories and more are in our latest issue. Inside the February + March 2023 issue, you’ll also find field reports from Kansas City, Hong Kong, and Indonesia, while the “Foam“ section features articles on DIRT Coffee, trans joy, and what it’s like to work at the northernmost and southernmost cafés in the world.

Subscribe and More!

As always, you can read Barista Magazine in paper or digital format. Read the February + March 2023 issue for free with our digital edition. And for more than three years’ worth of issues, visit our digital edition archives here.

You can order a hard copy of the magazine through our online store here, or start a subscription for one year or two.

The post Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue appeared first on Barista Magazine Online.

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

Perfect Little Beans

Chinmey Hill Coffee uses specialty-grade beans with zero primary defects (such as black beans or sour beans) and less than five secondary defects (such as broken beans). This is important because primary defects will greatly affect the taste of the coffee. Having zero defects allows the coffee to be the most optimal flavor.

Window for Optimal Flavor

Chimney Hill Coffee ships our coffee the same day it was roasted, so you will receive it before it enters the window of optimal flavor.  This means you’ll never miss the opportunity to enjoy the coffee’s peak flavor.

Coffee Ratings

Coffee undergoes many scoring processes by professionals who achieved their Q Grader certification. Coffee is first graded when it’s green. If there are defects the coffee is determined to be “not-specialty grade”. For those coffees that pass green grading, they are sample roasted and cupped. (Cupping is the official term for critically tasting and scoring coffees. The official cupping form is standard worldwide, and where the 100-point scoring system comes from.) A coffee’s dry fragrance, wet aroma, flavor, aftertaste, body, acidity, balance, and overall impression are taken into consideration while uniformity issues and defects, will lower the overall score.

Specialty Coffee

Specialty coffee, coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974, refers to a coffee that receives a quality grading score of 80 percent or higher. While “premium” or “gourmet” seem like they’re synonymous with “specialty,” they simply are marketing terms with no defined standards. Specialty coffees are grown in specific and ideal micro-climates, and have distinctive and unique flavor profiles, with little to no defects.

Third-Wave Coffee

We’re currently in the third wave of coffee. The first wave of American coffee put pre-ground, vacuum-sealed cans in kitchens across America. The second wave started with the late ‘60s introduction of Peet’s coffee (by Alfred Peet) through the proliferation of Starbucks. The third wave of coffee focuses on origin transparency, nuanced flavors, and artisan roasting. The term “third wave” is synonymous with specialty coffee.

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

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