Cafe, Coffee Events, Education, Inspiring People, Mystery

New Barista Miraculously Dials In Espresso Despite Forgetting Extraction Theory

A barista looks in wonder at the shot he's pulling.

This piece is dedicated to Weihong Zhang, our excellent Patreon supporter whom we love and appreciate. By Josh Rank DUBUQUE, IA– New hire Stephan Grant was shocked to find the espresso he had been dialing in didn’t taste like hot garbage despite having zero recollection of extraction theory. “It’s amazing,” said Grant. “It’s truly like Perger was watching over me.…

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Cafe, Inspiring People

Family-Owned Cafe Launches New “Dying Wage” Project

A paycheck shows 584 dollars and 36 cents.

A small, family-owned Erie cafe is changing how people think about compensation in the coffee industry. In what they’re calling the Dying Wage Project, they have made a public pledge to pay each of their nine employees as little as is legally allowed, even knowing that over time, this will erode their mental and physical health, leave them no safety net in the event of emergencies, and, essentially, slowly kill them.

Coffee Events, Inspiring People

Pomeranian Takes Best In Show at US Barista Championship

A Pomeranian on a white background.

  By William Tanzarian   In a stunning turn of events, a Pomeranian named Wigglebutt has won the US Barista Championship. The four-year-old pure-bred bested many season barista competitors in its first year of competition and now moves on the World Barista Championship later this year.   Wigglebutt’s victory was decisive, with many spectators stating the route was “as moving…

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Cafe, Inspiring People, Staff Drama

Barista Pretends to Initial Checklist Items for Third Straight Day

A barista in blue sunglasses looks proudly at the camera and smiles.

This piece is dedicated to Umeko Motoyoshi, our excellent Patreon supporter whom we love and appreciate. By Josh Rank COLUMBUS, OH– Part-time barista Kyle Fleming set a personal record this afternoon by marking items off the closing checklist without actually doing them for the third consecutive day. “I really thought I was pushing it with two days in a row,”…

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Cafe, Coffee Events, Inspiring People, New Findings

Louisville Barista Wins Nobel Prize for “Literally Leaving No Room”

A person pours coffee from a glass carafe into a white coffee cup.

This piece is dedicated to Velton Ross, our excellent Patreon supporter whom we appreciate. By Cody Barnhart LOUISVILLE, KY— In what scientists have called “a masterpiece of surface tension,” Louisville barista Jennifer Guevara was recently awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics for “outstanding advancement in regard to science’s understanding of coffee particle distribution and beverage surface tension.” Some might marvel at…

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Entrepreneurship, Inspiring People, New Products, Roasting

Blends Cool Again, Declares Coffee Pundit who Previously Declared Blends Uncool

A wooden table with coffee beans spilling out of a white mug.

  This piece is dedicated to Umeko Motoyoshi, our excellent Patreon supporter whom we love and appreciate.   NEW YORK CITY, NY— Breaking news coming out of Manhattan today as renowned coffee consultant, entrepreneur, roaster, and five-time regional barista champion Allen Eisner declared blends to be “cool again.” Mr. Eisner was also the person who had previously declared them “uncool,” and “so…

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Coffee Events, Inspiring People

Slurp of Excellence Finalist Sets Record for High Decibel Cupping

Golden cupping spoons in a rinse cup on a wooden table.

  By Chris Kornman   DUBLIN, OH— Unconfirmed news breaking from Dublin, Ohio, today where Q-Grader and self-described “power-slurper” Keith Underwood has set an international record for the highest recorded cupping slurp level at 128 decibels.   In total, three of the top five cup tasters logged sounds at or above the previously established record of 122 in last year’s…

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