The Scholar: Coffee Knowledge

A double-walled mug, in which is an FRC Decaf sachet.

What Is Decaf Coffee?

Decaffeinated coffee (commonly known as decaf) is coffee that has had most of its caffeine removed, up to 99.9%, in some cases. How that caffeine...

Christopher Cizek
A Guatemalan coffee farmer handpicks coffee cherries.

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Coffee Fermentation

Coffee goes through a lot before it hits your mug. Each bean jostling around your bag is the culmination of centuries of hard work. Shoutout...

Christopher Cizek
The Roast Levels Between

The Roast Levels Between

When it comes to roast levels, most specialty roasters use these recognizable and accessible terms to describe their coffees. Light roasts tend to be brighter...

Christopher Cizek
Various coffee brewers on a sky background.

What is Omni-Roast Coffee?

The simple answer: a method of roasting that opens a coffee up to multiple brewing methods. I thought all coffees were already like that. Not...

Christopher Cizek
Coffee Culture in Ireland

Coffee Culture in Ireland

Espresso machines in pubs, flat whites > red ales, and Irish flags waving at global barista championships—Ireland's coffee culture is on the rise. That wasn't...

Christopher Cizek
An illustration of Friedlieb Runge next to a caffeine molecule.

Happy Birthday, Friedlieb Runge!

Runge discovered caffeine way back in 1819, and we’ve been relying on it for the last 203 years! Here's a little look into the life...

Christopher Cizek
TRIVIA.

22 Bits of Trivia

It seems like only yesterday that I was researching fun facts for 21 Bits of Trivia for 2021. Um, I don't know if you've noticed...

Christopher Cizek
Coffee Trivia Answers

Coffee Trivia Answers

Have you taken our coffee trivia quiz? If not, don't spoil it for yourself! Go take the quiz! If you have taken it, congrats, you've...

Christopher Cizek
A bag of Sumatra Swiss Water Decaf being held up by a hand.

What Is Swiss Water Decaf Coffee?

Swiss Water Process decafs differ from their more traditionally decaffeinated bros because they employ pure water instead of harsh chemicals to gently remove caffeine. One...

Christopher Cizek
How COVID Changed the Coffee Experience

How COVID Changed the Coffee Experience

The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly changed the way we do a lot of things. But while masks, social distancing, and hand sanitizing stations have changed...

Christopher Cizek
Two spoons skimming the oils and foam off the top of a cup of coffee during a cup tasting session.

Cupping Coffee at Home

You don’t have to be a pro to cup coffee. Anyone can do it! Even you! Yes, you! Chances are you even have most of...

Christopher Cizek
What Is Coffee Body?

What Is Coffee Body?

Everybody's heard of roast level, but what about body? According to FRC Roastmaster Dave Jackson, "Body is the texture of the coffee. It’s not something...

Christopher Cizek
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