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Why doesn’t coffee last forever? Maybe far in the space age future, there will be a coffee product that will always taste the same. But for now, we will have to talk about coffee brewing in the 21st century. There are about 1000 different chemical compounds identified in coffee. Coffee brewing as we know it, is to extract a balanced amour of those compounds, not too little, not too much, into the cup. But what if some of these chemical only exist for a certain amount of time? What is some of them changes? Is there anyway to preserve coffee at its peak, forever? About the flavors of coffee Luscious coffee trees produce lots of white tiny blossoms that look like scattered starlight caught by the branches. It is said that the flowers have a strong scent that reminds people of jasmine. Coffee blossoms then bear coffee cherries which can take up to about 9 months to fully ripen. Environmental factors, genetic factors and agricultural practices will all impact the quality of coffee. Coffee is a labor intensive crop to harvest. Because it’s very common for a single tree, even a single branch to show different stages of fruit bearing, only by handpicking can you make sure only the ripe ones are picked. After the the harvest, cherries need to be processed. After the pulp is removed, the seeds exposed and dried, the green coffee travels, oftentimes across the world, to your local roasters. Green coffee at this stage shows very little trait to the beverage that we enjoy so much. Only by roasting meticulously can one unlock the explosion of flavors, it is then the coffee beans that we know, small but mighty, and come a long way. But like all great beauty in the world, it fades. Once roasting is completed, a multitude of physical and chemical processes immediately start.* The lost of freshness in coffee can be summed up into 3 scenarios: 1. Volatilazation Aroma is a very important part when we talk about sensory molecular science. It’s a big part of how we enjoy our coffee. The extremely sensitive volatile chemical compounds that reminds us of blooming flowers, spices and refreshing fruit are the most noticeable when coffee has been store improperly or too long. The only way to guard the lost of volatile compounds is impermeable package. 2. Intrinsic reactivity After roasting, some of the chemical continue to react to other compounds in coffee. That’s why it’s an effective method to access the evolution of aroma profile of a coffee to determine if it’s still fresh. This is unavoidable. But study has shown that lower temperature can help slow down this phenomena. 3. Oxidation The exhilarating fresh coffee aroma fades, and new volatiles with off-notes are created*. The obvious solution is to reduce/eliminate the presence of oxygen by vacuuming or replacing the air in storage environment with inert gas. Coffee won’t stay fresh forever. But by exercising caution, it is still possible to experience a fresh tasting cup even months later. Packaging material with effective barrier quality can help against the loss of volatile compounds. Storing coffee in a cool and dark place can slow down the natural flavor degradation of roasted coffee. Replacing the ambient air with inert gas such as nitrogen can further reduce flavor loss due to oxidation. According to a study by Alves and others (2001), nitrogen-flushed coffee had a six-month shelf life based on sensory analysis, as opposed to coffee bagged with no flushing, which had a three month shelf life.** A side note, during the inception of IN A POUCH series, I quickly found out that there’s another issue with sealing your coffee away. A vacuum environment may ensure a minimum oxidation of the bean. But the act of vacuuming itself may dislocate the precious volatile compound we are trying to preserve in the first place, especially when it comes to ground coffee. Furthermore, a vacuum environment is a pressurized environment. It’s observed that upon depressurization, i.e. opening the bag, it creates an accelerated degradation of flavor. Currently, for our IN A POUCH production, there’s a strict 10 minute packaging process: coffee is ground and then transfer to a sifter, which it will sift the coffee ground for 2 minutes. The agitation creates lots of lost of VOCs at this stage, but the resulted ground with much narrower particle distribution outweigh the loss. Next, coffee ground is measured and packaged. Pouches are vacuumed for 0.3 seconds. This very specific set up makes sure it sucks out most ambient air but not vacuuming the pouch entirely. It’s then flushed with nitrogen and securing sealed off in a PLA lined kraft pouch. I found this to be the most effective method to preserve freshness in my limited facility. * Chahan Yeretzian, Imre Blank, Yves Wyser “Protecting the Flavors-Freshness as a Key to Quality” ** Emma Safe “What is the Shelf Life of Roasted Coffee? A Literature Review on Coffee Staling”

Before talking about this tea, I need to talk about this particular type of bug. This tiny, harmless bug is called tea jassid, or sometimes known as small green leafhopper. Our little friend here is the secret “ingredient” to the unique sweetness from this famous Taiwanese tea. Tea name: Emei Oriental Beauty Tea (東方美人, Dong Fang Mei Ren) Origin: Emei, Hsichu, Taiwan Harvest: summer 2021 Cultivar: Chin shin dah pan (青心大冇) So here’s what happened: tea jassid is officially known as Jacobiaasca Formosana. It thrives in a pollution-free environment. When the bug nibbles on the leaves and stems of the tea trees, it triggers the tea trees to produce more monoterpene idol and hotrienol, which then give the processed tea a honey like sweetness. That being said, albeit my purposely misused term “ingredient”, the bug is no where in the finished tea. Rest assured. Not only that, since this bug is so sensitive to its environment, teas produced this way are naturally organic. This particular cultivar is said to be the best for this type of tea making. According to the Tea Research and Extension Station, COA of Taiwan, this varietal is slightly taller. New leaves is green with a hint of purple. Although not particularly drought tolerant, it’s over all pretty resilient with good yields. This tea is incredibly floral. I would almost use floral perfume with a hint of lychee to describe its aroma. The rounded, honey-like sweetness is very unique to this tea. It also has a hint of orange in the finish. It’s a beautiful and uplifting tea. How to brew it I’m including 2 different recipes for this tea. The first one while not my favorite, does bring out so much of that intense aroma and sweetness. I’ve always appreciate subtlety in teas, so the second recipe, which may not give you the same wow factor, still has lots of rose notes, and hint of honey, way less astringency. Recipe 1: intense aroma and ultimate sweetness, however slightly astringent in the aftertaste Water temperature: 200c Dose: 4g Pre-rinse: no First brew: 150g water, steep for 5 minutes Second brew: 150g water, steep for 15 minutes Recipe 2: roses and honey Water temperature: 180 ~ 190°F Dose: 4g Pre-rinse: quick rinse, no steep First brew: 150g water, steep for 3 minutes Second brew: 150g water, steep for 10 minutes Third brew: 150g water, steep for 20 minutes Where to get it I purchased this tea together with other samples from a premium tea seller, Tea Scholar, from Taiwan. Shipping costs US$42.5, takes about a week. I also did a quick google search, and found that Adhara, Tealyra, Tea and Whisk and Adagio Teas all has this type of tea available.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast coffee is yet on a whole other level. This Nicaraguan from BKG Coffee Roasters is an excellent choice if you’re shopping for a breakfast comfort and an all around balanced coffee. Great on its own, but also goes well with milk. Chocolaty with a subdued acidity, smooth and comforting Roast: Medium Country: Nicaragua Region/Area/Estate: Jinotega Process: Washed, Patio and solar dried machine Altitude: 1,200 - 1,500 meters Varietal: Bourbon, Catimor, Catuai, Caturra Notes from the roaster: Grown on a family-owned farm outside the city of Jinotega, this coffee is subjected to a rigorous quality control system that not only values quality but also trace-ability. All coffee is harvested by lots and classified by grade. This process ensures only the best coffee is harvested each year. Since this coffee is cultivated at higher altitudes, it matures slowly and grows to be harder and denser than beans grown at lower elevations resulting in richer taste attributes. The coffee is prepared for export using a standard called European Preparation (EP), which means the coffee is hand sorted until there are no more than 8 defects per 300 grams of green coffee. Tasting notes: dark chocolate, almond Check out BKG Coffee Roasters, they have an amazing one stop shop website.

A lot of times, when it comes to a fruity coffee, you almost inherently lose some of the body and texture. This Guji from BKG Coffee Roasters is a rare single origin that serves a peach bubble gum punch, yet it’s creamy and has a comforting texture at the same time. I might even venture so far to say I tastes a hint of vanilla, too! Especially recommended for anyone who appreciates a balanced coffee and is looking to venture out with some fruity combo. fruit bomb aromatic, peach, hint of vanilla and creamy Roast: Light Country: Ethiopia Region/Area/Estate: Shakiso, Guji Process: Natural, dried on raised beds Altitude: 1,600 - 1,900 meters Varietal: Indigenous Heirloom Notes from the roaster: This organic Guji natural processed lot was sourced from 3 farms (collectively 75 acres) around the community of Gatame Muka in the coveted Shakiso district. The farmers (Jilo Barko, Jarso Muda, Teklu Miju), deliver ripe cherries to the station in Shakiso, which is owned and operated by Guji Highland Coffee Plantation. Ripe cherries are carefully sorted and then placed on raised drying beds in thin layers to dry for 15 to 20 days and turned regularly to avoid over-fermentation and mold. Raised beds are carefully constructed to ensure proper air circulation and temperature control, for optimal drying. Once the cherries are gently dried to 11 percent moisture, they are transported to the Guji Highland Coffee Plantation dry-mill where the same focus on sorting and quality control is executed through to the final export stage. Tasting notes: floral, watermelon, apricot Visit BKG Coffee Roasters to see all the stellar coffee they have!

This all occasion coffee is on the lighter side of the spectrum of a balanced profile. Still carries a rounded milk chocolate taste, it has a creamy body accented by a very gentle acidity, and the lingering vanilla finish just makes this coffee all the more lovely and enjoyable. smooth, subtle acidity with a comforting vanilla finish Roast: Medium/Light Country: Guatemala Region/Area/Estate: Huehuetenango Process: washed Altitude: 1,890 meters Varietal: bourbon & typica Notes from the roaster: ACODIHUE, Asociación de Cooperación al Desarrollo Integral de Huehuetenango was founded in 1996 with the support of the European Union and the government of Guatemala. It is a primarily coffee-producing organization, made up of 20 agricultural associations and overseen by a board of directors, which is elected at the organization’s annual assembly. ACODIHUE is also focused on supporting the next generation of coffee growers and has implemented a generational advocacy initiative to support and promote the inheritance of farms by the children of coffee farmers. Through the program, youth participate in key training events covering organic production, agronomic best practices, post-harvest management, marketing, and sales. In April 2019, ACODIHUE approved a youth commission to give more decision-making power to their next generation of coffee growers, and later that year the commission signed their first coffee contract. This project, Sonrisa de Mujer is a women’s lot. It’s delicious and consistent and tied to positive projects at origin. This coffee has a creamy mouthfeel and is super sweet. Guatemala Sonrisa, which means smile in Spanish, is an uncomplicated and delicious example of Huehuetenango’s best coffees. Tasting notes: candied orange, chocolate, vanilla bean Check out Máquina Coffee Roasters for more of their delicious coffee!

The explosion of floral aroma opens up the grand arch to this incredibly refreshing coffee. I taste straight up lemonade and summer in the cup!! If you’re a light roast and fruity coffee lover, you’ll love this friendly yet elegant coffee, clean and tasty to the last drop. flower parade and refreshing citrus Roast: Light Country: Ethiopia Region/Area/Estate: Worka Chelbiessa Process: Fully washed Altitude: 2,000 - 2,200 meters Varietal: mixed landraces Notes from the roaster: Located in the village Worka Chelbiessa, the Worka Sakaro station is the central mill for over 200 smallholder producers farming in the surrounding hills. Handpicked cherry is delivered to the mill for sorting, depulping, fermenting and washing through traditional water channels before undergoing drying on raised beds. This coffee is super sweet yet approachable and all the blue florals you expect out of a well processed Yirgacheffe. Powdered sugar cookie with hints of jasmine and a bit of a lime finish is what we taste. Another great coffee from Máquina Coffee Roasters.

This is a very balanced coffee, and I immediately thought of a bright and slightly chilly day in November, strolling down the lovely Italian market. It is for sure, our special pick for dark roaster fans. This brings all the fond memories of a bygone days where things are simple and heartfelt. A well developed coffee has been unfairly overlooked nowadays. That’s why I’m very excited to serve you this Brazil that brings all the nostalgic sentiment and goes incredibly well with creamer or milk. nutty, lots of chocolate notes and robust Roast: Dark Country: Brazil Region/Area/Estate: Finca Cerrado Mineiro Process: Natural Altitude: 800-1300 meters Varietal: Acaia Cerrado Notes from the roaster: This South American coffee displays a rich and creamy body. Almond and brown sugar undertones are married with hints of dark chocolate to produce a perfect cup for any time of day. With it's balanced profile, this coffee can be enjoyed as drip or single origin espresso. Tasting notes: dark chocolate, walnut, creamy Like what you see? Head over to BKG Coffee Roaster for more!

A really smooth coffee that have you reach for your third cup before you know it, balanced, forgiving and just a good for all occasion type. It has a nice medium body that brings a layer of clarity in the finish. A seemingly mundane but truly outstanding cup. I know this sounds out of context. Try it and see for yourself, then you’ll know what I mean. balanced almond and chocolate with a clean finish Roast: Medium/Light Country: Nicaragua Region/Area/Estate: Nueva Segovia Process: sun-dried on raised beds Altitude: 1,250 ~ 1,450 meters Varietal: Caturra and Catuai Notes from the roaster: This is a rarity with Maquina Coffee! This is our first time working with a Nicaraguan coffee, and we were so excited to get this coffee through a close friend of ours and Maku Coffee. El Volcan is a small community near the indigenous town of Mozonte in Nueva Segovia. The average elevation in this region is 1250-1450 meters above sea level. This coffee is a Maku community blend of Caturra and Catuai varieties. It was sun-dried on raised beds under shade for an average of 19 days. This blend is a combination of efforts by five separate producers from five small-scale estate farms. Tasting notes: Almond, Chocolate, Citrus Want to know more about what they do? Head over to check out Máquina Coffee Roasters.

This is an amazing and exciting coffee from women’s group Dukundekawa. It’s succulent, sweet like a darker color sugar, a little hint of black tea in the finish, a beautiful stonefruit acidity throughout. Using immersion method yields a medium body and smooth texture, while a pourover method gives you a lot more clarity. A truly delicious coffee recommended either way. Juicy, complex and exotic! Roast: Light Country: Rwanda Region/Area/Estate: Rambagira Process: washed Altitude: 1,800 ~ 2,000 meters Varietal: bourbon Notes from the roaster: This coffee is 100% Bourbon variety and is grown at 1800 - 2200 meters above sea level! It is a delicious, juicy and very nuanced cup. These women have worked together since 2018. Now they are 200+ members. They weave beautiful traditional Rwandan baskets during the off season to earn off-season income. They’ve also been the beneficiaries of an NGO named Days for Girls, which sends them materials and sewing machines. The Rambagira coffee-farming women sew the fabric into feminine hygiene kits to be donated to girls throughout their rural, mountainous area. In 2019, Rambagira used the premium from Artisan Coffee Imports (paid for by Maquina!) to help them purchase new land with coffee trees. So there will be even more delicious Rambagira women’s coffee in years to come. This coffee is from the well known and quality focused (plus a personal favorite of mine) Dukundekawa Cooperative. Tasting notes: Apricot, Black Tea, Cherry Check out Máquina Coffee Raosters to find out more of their amazing coffees!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! for checking out my new website. And welcome to the blue bar in Halfway There. I first saw this room about a year ago. And when I saw how much light this room gets, I immediately decided that this is going to be MY room. The painstaking migration that follow sue, from New York to Philadelphia, has been full of self-doubts and anxiety (and the whole COVID thing surely didn’t help). It really has been a heck of adjustment getting used to this new city and the new “normal”. But one thing has been clear to me from the get-go: I want this room to be full of light, full of plants, and walls of a textural and elegant, deep, deep blue. And of course, a space where I can relax, and brew coffee, and listen to music, and never go to sleep. Now, with the publication of this website, this room is officially, the head quarter of Halfway There Coffee. (insert real fireworks) There’s a lot of exciting things to come, and I can’t wait to share with you all. A few different ways to share a good cup of coffee, lots and lots of delicious offerings from many fantastic coffee roasters. So please, stay tuned!!! Now as a bonus for this “grand opening”, I’m going to share some of the tricks to get this walls around me looking so SEXY! decide your color palette, cohesion is the key First, decide your color palette. Let you mind get creative and imaginative. Do whatever you want! Do a black on black theme. Throw some metallic copper paint in there. Go nuts! However, I do find cohesion is the key here. So maybe no more than three colors, or you can have two very contrast colors as your primary colors, plus 1 or 2 colors that just a few shades off from one of your primary colors. And on the side note, think about what the colors you chose can add to the function of the space. If it’s for your home office, do you want the space to be loud and really popping? Or do you prefer a more calming vibe when you work? When it comes time for you to pick out the paint, make sure you do some research on the brands and types of paints you’re picking out. Stay away from shiny and glossy finishes though. As a matter of fact, I would recommend using matte or eggshell finish on your base color, and use flat for your accent colors. Don’t get too eager to start, use a roller to apply your base color can make sure you have a more even canvas Use a roller to apply your base color can make sure you have a more even canvas. brushes are not only time consuming, it also leaves “strokes”, which will disrupt the depth of field you’re trying to create later. Don’t get too eager to start, either. Take your time and tape the footboard and door frames with masking tapes, and wait till the paint is completely dry before you proceed to the next step. To create this “patching” effect, using a sponge for the application is really important. If you have a natural sponge, the result will look more organic; don’t stress if you don’t, you can use a pair of scissors to nibble at a regular sponge to get that corroded texture. you might also want to tear a thumb size piece of sponge to cover corners where walls meet, because sometimes the sponge might bleed more paint than you would like when you try to jam it at the corner. Turn your wrist to a different direction every time so you don’t get that repetitive pattern, try using different levels of force to get different saturations. Next is the fun part, put on your most happy music and let it flow. Turn your wrist to a different direction every time so you don’t get that repetitive pattern, try using different levels of force to get different saturations. It is better if you do it section by section instead of the entire room in one go. You want to wait till the paint is almost about to dry out, and use a sturdy and dry brush to “score” the wall. Then there you have it! It’s a very random topic for a barista to give, on the platform where he’s trying to sell coffee. But I think this is some very important information. So no regrets. Once again, thank you so much for visiting. I promise, I will have some regular coffee stuff to talk about. And I will for sure share some simple tricks about how to brew an excellent cup of coffee with Nitro Flushed coffee pouches. It’s not a conspiracy! XXOO, Chandler