Coffee Fundamentals & Drink Guides

I’ve spent years testing grinders at the brew bar and in my home coffee lab, and there’s one question I hear all the time: how does a burr grinder work? In simple terms, a burr grinder uses two abrasive surfaces (burrs) to crush coffee beans into uniformly sized particles, which leads to consistent extraction and […]

I’ve pulled thousands of shots behind the bar and at home, and one question never goes away: What is crema on espresso? In simple terms, crema is the golden-brown foam that sits on top of a properly extracted espresso, formed by CO2, emulsified oils, and dissolved solids under high pressure. But beyond the aesthetics, crema

I’ve spent years behind the espresso machine dialing in shots, steaming milk, and training teams on specialty coffee standards. When people ask me what exactly is a Flat White, I explain it as the espresso drink for those who crave velvety texture, balanced sweetness, and a clear coffee-first flavor. A flat white is an espresso-based

I’ve pulled thousands of shots behind the bar and at home, and I still love watching someone taste a ristretto next to an espresso for the first time. If you’ve ever wondered about Espresso vs. Ristretto: what’s the distinction?, here’s the short answer: they use the same coffee and machine, but ristretto is a shorter,

I’ve spent years behind the bar and at home dialing in espresso, and one drink I recommend to both beginners and purists is the Americano. If you’ve wondered what is an Americano and how is it made, here’s the straight answer: it’s espresso diluted with hot water to create a coffee that’s smooth, balanced, and

I’ve spent years behind the bar and in front of the espresso machine, dialing in shots and steaming milk for thousands of drinks. When people ask me, What is the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?, I smile because it’s a simple question with a surprisingly rich answer. At its core, both drinks start

Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee producer after Brazil, primarily known for its massive production of Robusta coffee, which accounts for about 97% of its total coffee output. The Vietnamese coffee industry has a rich history, starting from its introduction by French colonists in the mid-19th century. Over the decades, the industry has evolved through