How specialty coffee is challenging the status quo in Italy

How specialty coffee is challenging the status quo in Italy

Italy has long been a bastion of traditional coffee culture. Thanks to the advent of the espresso machine in the 1880s, many Italians have held firm to the belief that coffee should be affordable, quick, and roasted dark. Although Italy is the second-largest consumer of coffee in Europe, its deeply ingrained mindset about coffee has […]

Major New Barista Event Level Up to Debut in Minneapolis This Fall

Major New Barista Event Level Up to Debut in Minneapolis This Fall

All images courtesy of Raise the Bar. A new non-competitive event for baristas called Level Up is coming to Minneapolis this fall, and it happens to feature a sparkling roster of some of the coffee industry’s most thoughtful and engaging educators. Taking place September 27-29 at the new headquarters of Mill City Roasters, the 2.5-day […]

How to deep clean coffee shop equipment

How to deep clean coffee shop equipment

The cleanliness of a coffee shop makes a huge first impression on customers. While cleanliness shapes a cafe’s reputation from a customer’s perspective, the unseen practices behind the bar have far broader implications for equipment longevity, coffee quality, and customer and staff health.   Regularly cleaning all the equipment in a coffee shop can seem overwhelming, […]