There are three things almost all Boulderites have in common: we like to stay active, we value our health, and we LOVE our coffee. And for good reason! The caffeine and antioxidant content in coffee give it some big health benefits that make it a no-brainer for Boulder’s biohacking health-centric community. To be fair, coffee can have some doppio-sized disclaimers – compromised sleep, enhanced anxiety, gut agitation, and exposure to cancer-causing toxins in the beans, water, and to-go cups. But overall, the research shows that daily coffee consumption can save you years of healthy,... Read More

Women in various countries, from different backgrounds, are working to sustain the global coffee industry. Unfortunately but not surprisingly, female coffee farmers and retailers face the same gender inequality and wage gap that exists in every workforce. From farm to shop, the commodity of the bean too often trumps the livelihood of the employees, especially the female ones. Poor or working class women of color, who live in coffee producing countries, are the most vulnerable to being undervalued in the business. But even in the predominately white and middle class world of Western retail coffee,... Read More

This past weekend, I was asked about decaf coffee coincidentally on two separate occasions. Decaf coffee is a healthy alternative for some, although it often means compromising on taste. Despite getting a lot of harsh criticism from hardcore coffee addicts and elite aficionados, decaf is an attractive alternative for those who like the essential flavor and aroma of coffee but want to avoid the physical effects of caffeine. In my tasting experience, decaf drip coffee and decaf espresso are always inferior to their caffeinated counterparts. Although I drink regular coffee, my recent conversations... Read More

Coffee is deeply imbedded in many people’s daily routines and personal rituals. For many coffee drinkers, coffee is more about convenience or comfort and less about complexities of taste or particulars in trade. Usually when you’re drinking a cup of coffee, you’re probably not thinking of all the steps taken by numerous individuals to bring that cup to you. From farmer to roaster to barista or packager, so many passionate and hardworking hands are involved in the coffee industry. It’s something worth thinking about, every once in a while, when you’re drinking your favorite brew. Coffee... Read More

The phrase “third wave coffee” sounds inflated but it’s a term that best sums up the current trend that many coffee companies are invested in. Many independent coffee shops care about the nuanced flavors of different regional or varietal beans so they buy beans, or roast their own, from domestic companies which use roasting methods that bring out the distinct flavors of each kind of bean. Most of these companies also care about the ethical and environmental impact their industry has on the globe so they make efforts to do direct or fair trade with organic coffee farmers around the world.... Read More

As a former barista and current coffee enthusiast, I regularly find myself talking to others about coffee. In the coffee discourse, my aim is to promote the ideals of third wave coffee without sounding grandiose. A label that is often met with eye-rolls and associated with shallow trendiness, “third wave coffee” is actually an extensive umbrella term and one that I like to use when describing my favorite aspects of America’s current coffee culture. On this new weekly column, I’ll be expounding on contemporary coffee themes and exploring Boulder’s very own coffee scene.     I... Read More