Coffee News Roundup

COFFEE NEWS ROUNDUP: WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 23RD

Fionn Pooler

23 Feb 2018 — 4 min read

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Hello and welcome to another edition of the Pourover's Coffee News Roundup. There's always something going on in the world of coffee—big news, small weird stories, and occasionally even something that reaches beyond this most niche of niches. Whether it's the latest sustainability study, the newest robotic coffee innovation, or something insane that a big chain has done, again, it's definitely never dull.

And it's helpful to stay on top of this stuff, if only because a lot of the time the news is ridiculous. And even when it's not, it's important to stay informed—we'll need all the research we can to outwit our coffee robot overlords. Read on for the latest from the world of coffee.

Birds Are Good with Robusta or Arabica, As Long As There Are Trees - via Daily Coffee News

In news that will surprise absolutely no one, it turns out that birds don't have a coffee preference. Bright, fruity, a silky mouthfeel and a clean finish—they don't care. Light roasted? Not bothered. Arabica or robusta? Shrug.

They mostly care that there are canopy trees, and that the farmer isn't poisoning them with pesticides. Birds, it turns out, aren't coffee snobs—they are, however, apparently environmentalists.

The actual study is fascinating and obviously important, so please ignore the facetiousness of this entry and click the link below.

Read more here.

Edmonton woman catches purse-snatcher, returns wallet, takes thief for coffee - via CBC News

When she stumbled upon a mugging in process, an heroic Canadian woman threw caution to the wind and pursued the dastardly thief down the street. Cornered in an alley, the culprit gave up and surrendered himself to this vigilante, this watchful public servant. The wallet was returned to its rightful owner, and the penitent thief was sentenced to a lengthy term in the local gaol.

Of course real life is complicated, and things are never quite so clear cut(also no one uses the word gaol anymore). After cornering the mugger, Edmonton resident and long-distance runner Tess Aboughoushe found him in tears behind a dumpster. He was repentant, desperate, and sad. So instead of turning him in to the authorities, Aboughoushe took him to a local cafe and bought him a coffee.

As it turns out, he was penniless and wretched, abandoned by friends in a strange city. Aboughoushe gave him directions to the nearest library, where social workers were on hand to help people such as him. She made it clear she didn't want to see the man punished: "I wanted to show him some compassion," she said.

This is a very Canadian news story.

Read more here.

Can a $25,000 robot make better coffee than a barista? - via Curbed

No.

Read more here.

Folgers touts San Francisco roots in new coffee line meant to attract millennials - via SFGate

This will definitely work out.

Folgers, famous for their enormous red plastic tubs of cheap brown gravel lining grocery store shelves, have decided to tap into the lucrative millennial market. Millennials are, after all, renowned for spending all their money on coffee and avocados, instead of sensibly saving up their meager earnings for houses they'll never be able to afford.

So why not try and grapple some of that sweet, sweet gig economy cash away from independent coffee shops and avocado purveyors? What could go wrong?

Folgers is launching 1850 By Folgers, a line of Arabica-only coffee that is "fire-roasted and steel cut", whatever that means. The 1850 in the name refers to Folgers' San Francisco roots in the gold rush, in an apparent attempt to piggyback on San Francisco's reputation for being the center of the specialty coffee world.

And probably because millennials are famously huge fans of 19th century American history.

Read more here.

Is Coffee Good For You?

This week, it certainly is! Also, booze! A study, known as the 90+ Study for reasons that will become obvious, claims that moderate—moderate—consumption of coffee and alcohol can lead to a longer life. Beginning in 2003, scientists examined 1700 nonagenarians—people aged between 90 and 99—and found that those who partook in a wee tipple and a couple of espressos lived longer than those who abstained completely.

“I have no explanation for it," said Dr. Claudia Kawas, a key researcher for the study (always something you want scientists to admit), "but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity."

Another interesting tidbit from the study—those who were overweight in their 70s lived longer than normal or underweight people. But the study says you should still exercise regularly and enjoy hobbies.

Science is confusing.