Pu’er Coffee

 Just recently, while attending a coffee tasting event—what we often call a “coffee cupping banquet”—I happened to hear the term “Golden Honey Process.” Most of us are already familiar with names like White Honey, Yellow Honey, Red Honey, and Black Honey when it comes to coffee processing methods. But what exactly is Golden Honey? For a moment, it made me reflect on how new terminology constantly appears in certain industries today. These new terms often make people both curious and cautious. Are they the result of genuine technological innovation, or simply clever marketing? It struck me that this phenomenon is actually worth discussing within the specialty coffee world. So today, I’d like to share some of my observations and thoughts—and of course, feel free to join the conversation in the comments. The charm of specialty coffee lies in its spirit of innovation and continuous learning . To some extent, the appearance of new professional terms and vocabulary in the industry i...

 Not long ago, I came across a video online showing someone roasting coffee beans using a traditional hand-cranked popcorn machine—the kind we used to see on the street when we were kids, the one that would suddenly go BOOM behind you without warning. Honestly, that thing alone was childhood trauma for many of us. Of course, when used for coffee beans, there wouldn’t be that final explosive step. From a purely theoretical standpoint, this method does seem somewhat feasible. Still, I find it extremely unreliable in practice. So today, I want to take a closer, more serious look at this idea. Traditional hand-cranked popcorn machines are actually somewhat similar to hand-mesh coffee roasting. Both rely on an external heat source—usually an open flame—to heat a sealed metal drum, allowing the contents inside to undergo physical and chemical changes. By manually cranking the handle, the beans can be agitated so they heat more evenly, reducing the risk of localized scorching. In princi...

 Among coffee professionals, there is a group of true “behind-the-scenes heroes.” They may not be great talkers, many of them lean toward being introverts, and they tend to work with rigor, precision, and an almost obsessive attention to detail and data. In my eyes, they are among the most technically skilled people in the coffee industry: coffee roasters. If I had to sum up their work in one sentence, it would be this: “I am not the creator of flavor—I am a carrier of flavor.” They are the ones who allow every coffee drinker to experience the unique character and terroir of different origins. In that sense, roasters play an irreplaceable role. Looking back, I’m surprised that despite nearly ten years of daily writing, I’ve never written a dedicated piece about coffee roasters. Recently, as I’ve been testing beans from different roasters, I’ve found that I can genuinely sense their thinking through their roasting styles. This quiet, almost invisible form of dialogue has deepene...

  Introduction: Anyone who’s ever used a hand grinder knows this feeling well — some beans grind effortlessly, while others feel like a full-on workout. Why does that happen? Today, let’s uncover the mystery behind it. When it comes to grinding coffee, there are many factors to consider — origin, processing method, roasting level, and brewing technique. Each of these elements affects how coarse or fine the coffee should be ground for optimal extraction. However, even when using the same grinder, some beans are noticeably harder to grind than others. So, what makes certain coffee beans tougher to grind? 1. Exploring Bean Brittleness Before we go further, it’s important to distinguish between density and brittleness — two terms that are often confused but mean very different things. Density refers to the weight of a single coffee bean divided by its volume. In most cases, we talk about bulk density , which is the weight of a container filled with coffee (minus the container) ...

  Roasters frequently hear crackling sounds when roasting beans. Where do these crackling sounds originate, and why do they occur? Coffee roasting is the process of placing green coffee beans in a heat-resistant vessel and applying heat, which causes a series of physical and chemical reactions both inside and outside the bean. During this process, various flavors, such as acidity, bitterness, and sweetness, are generated, and the coffee's body (mouthfeel) and color are developed, transforming the green beans into dark brown roasted beans. The crackling sounds in coffee roasting are the result of the pyrolysis process occurring during the coffee bean's "First Crack" and "Second Crack." Taking a heat-resistant green bean as an example, the First Crack begins around the 7-minute mark and lasts for approximately two minutes. This sound is low and dull, signifying the onset of pyrolysis, the caramelization of starches, moisture evaporation, and the release of i...