Coffee News Roundup

COFFEE NEWS ROUNDUP: WEEK ENDING MARCH 2ND

Fionn Pooler

Mar 2, 2018 — 3 min read

Is it just me, or is this year truly flying by? It's March already, soon it'll be summer and then Christmas and then who even knows.

Best not to think about it, really. Have a cup of coffee instead, and maybe catch up on the news.

Cafe X’s new coffee robot has rough morning debut - via San Francisco Chronicle

Coffee shops are fragile things. One wrong move, one tripped breaker, one corroded valve, and the whole thing grinds to a halt. The espresso machine is faulty? No lattes. Bad wiring? Hot water heater stops. Robotic barista arm not programmed correctly? Unhappy— wait, what?

As anyone who's ever tried to set up a new printer knows, technology is not always your friend. Cafe X—the infamous robot coffee shop in San Francisco—learned that the hard way when their newest baristabot had trouble brewing coffee correctly during its debut morning rush.

You know what they say: never send a frightening, soulless robotic arm to do an underpaid, tattooed twenty-something's job.

Read more here.

You Can Consume Cannabis Legally At The Coffee Joint In Denver - via Sprudge

Always one step behind the Dutch, America's legal marijuana industry is finally beginning to catch up with the launch of the Coffee Joint, a Denver-based coffee shop on whose premises it's apparently legal to consume cannabis.

There are some caveats, however. You can't actually smoke weed there (you can vape, or eat a cookie, but smoking indoors is still not allowed); you also can't purchase marijuana on the premises—you have to go next door to the dispensary for that (which is handily run by the owner of the Coffee Joint).

Oh, and it hasn't definitely been approved—they're still waiting on inspection and a public hearing. But hey, it's a start.

Read more here.

AT THE HIRSHHORN MUSEUM'S NEW CAFÉ, IT’S OKAY TO SPILL COFFEE ON THE ART - via Quartzy

This place looks amazing. Designed by the renowned artist-architect Hiroshi Sugimoto, the cafe at the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC, is a work of art in itself. Sugimoto was commissioned to design the entire cafe, down to the materials used for the bar and even the menu fonts.

He also encourages interaction and participation from visitors—"It's patina," he said when asked if he worried about people touching or climbing on the sculptures. He even chose brass for the bar counter, envisaging that it would change over time.

It's a stunning space, run by Dolcezza, a gelato and coffee company based in Georgetown and using Stumptown coffee.

As Liz Lemon from 30 Rock would say, I want to go to there.

Read more here.

DUNKIN' DONUTS NOW HAS COFFEE THAT TASTES LIKE GIRL SCOUT COOKIES - via Thrillist

If you've ever wondered why you couldn't order a coffee that tasted like a blended up Girl Scout Cookie, then you're in luck. Dunkin' Donuts, forever looking for ways to strip coffee of its soul, has come out with a range of flavours meant to mimic the taste of Thin Mints, Samoas and Tag-a-longs.

Why? Who knows.

Read more here.

Is coffee good for you?

OK, it's getting confusing now. Does coffee cause cancer or cure it? Can it help with your workout, or hinder it? Does it matter? Can't we just enjoy ourselves without worrying about whether the hot liquid we're pouring into our bodies is going to destroy us or not?

One thing's for sure, giving up coffee for a week makes you go weird.