Category Archives: Specialty Coffee

Summer sun, coffee shops and specialty coffee roasters in Porto

Posted on August 6, 2019 by

Portugal is a country with a long coffee history and rich coffee culture. Over the last few years I’ve been exploring the story of Portuguese coffee culture and the rise of specialty coffee in the country, particularly around the Porto … Continue reading →

Posted in Cafe Culture, Coffee, coffee culture, Europe, Porto, Portugal, Roasters, Specialty Coffee | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Looking back at the coffee in 2018

Posted on December 19, 2018 by

Much of my 2018 has been fuelled by coffeee. Last year I made the decision to try and vary the coffee we drank at home to explore different coffees and brewing methods, learn more about the growing coffee roasting industry, … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Coffee, Commentaries, Specialty Coffee | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Craft Coffee A Manual

Posted on December 10, 2018 by

Through my research into the coffee and coffee shop industries I have learnt lots about coffee and the different ways to prepare it – I even went on a SCA Barista Skills course at Prufrock in an attempt to understand … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Review, Cafe Culture, Coffee, coffee culture, Coffee industry, Specialty Coffee | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coffee and communities: Well Grounded – The Specialty Coffee Training Academy

Posted on November 19, 2018 by

As I’ve explained before on the ‘cafespaces’ blog, the coffee and coffee shop industries have the potential to impact various communities; an important route for doing so is through the activities of social enterprises. A great example is Well Grounded, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cafe Culture, Careers, coffee culture, Coffee industry, community, Economic Impact, Social Enterprises, Specialty Coffee, UK | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A return to Portugal and specialty coffee: Coffee shops, roasters and coffee

Posted on October 8, 2018 by

Portugal has always had a vibrant coffee culture, with cafes playing a central role in many people’s lives, but as in many places, coffee culture is changing. When I first started to visit Portugal, you would struggle to find places … Continue reading →

Posted in Cafe Culture, Coffee, coffee culture, High Streets, Portugal, Specialty Coffee, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Future gazing for coffee shops: changing trends

Posted on May 14, 2018 by

Much of my work explores the past and present of the coffee and coffee shop industries, investigating changing trends in the industry and how this impacts consumers and communities. I’m often asked to consider what the future of the coffee … Continue reading →

Posted in Cafe Culture, Coffee, Commentaries, Consumers, Innovation, Roasters, Specialty Coffee, UK | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coffee with a conscience: social enterprises in the coffee shop industry

Posted on May 8, 2018 by

One aspect of my research into the coffee shop industry is the extent to which the industry contributes to the development of ‘community’  – one element of this is exploring the activities of social enterprises in the industry and how … Continue reading →

Posted in Cafe Culture, coffee culture, Coffee industry, Commentaries, community, Roasters, Specialty Coffee | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Exploring Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies and Coffee

Posted on April 23, 2018 by

Discussions of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum have been in the news quite a lot over the last year, in response to rapidly changing values and a proliferation of uses in different industries. The coffee industry is beginning … Continue reading →

Posted in Cafe Culture, Coffee, coffee culture, Coffee Growing, Coffee industry, General, Specialty Coffee, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Why coffee festivals are good for cities, consumers and the coffee industry

Posted on April 12, 2018 by

It’s that time of year again when thousands of coffee professionals and coffee lovers are drawn to London for the annual London Coffee Festival, which is once again held in the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. The festival first … Continue reading →

Posted in Cafe Culture, coffee culture, Coffee industry, Consumers, Europe, Festivals, General, Specialty Coffee, UK | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Switching cups: Coffee festivals tackling disposable coffee cups

Posted on April 9, 2018 by

Coffee festivals have become important events in the coffee calendar for both professionals and coffee consumers alike. Growing numbers of visitors to these festivals across the country has inevitably led to large volumes of disposable coffee cups being used in … Continue reading →

Posted in circular economy, Coffee, coffee culture, Coffee industry, Consumers, environment, Festivals, Specialty Coffee, Sustainability, UK | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment