Coffee trends you should know — part 1
Trends touch almost every part of life, from fashion and interiors to food. In 2020, coffee trends deserve their own discussion too. Wondering whether you know them all, or whether something has passed you by? Let us find out.
Bring your own cup — reusable coffee cups
One often-cited figure suggests that only 0.25% of disposable cups reach recycling. Every takeaway coffee or tea can therefore add to the mountain of waste. To address the issue, the Polish Zero Waste Association encourages participation in #zwłasnymkubkiem, its bring-your-own-cup campaign.
The aim is to raise awareness among customers and café owners about disposable packaging's environmental impact and encourage habits that reduce waste.
If greener living and zero waste matter to you, invest in a reusable cup. Our shop offers Huskee cups made using coffee husks. Choose the size and colour you prefer, then order your takeaway coffee with your own cup.
Dairy or plant-based milk — the choice is yours
Black coffee or white? There are as many preferences as people. Even with espresso's simple appeal, lattes, latte macchiatos and cappuccinos remain hugely popular. Who does not occasionally enjoy a gentle coffee with milk foam?
Allergies, lactose intolerance and vegan lifestyles have encouraged more people to replace cow's milk with alternatives such as soya, almond, oat, rice and coconut drinks. More brands now offer these products, and asking a barista for soya milk is no longer unusual.
Each has a different flavour and different properties. Read more in Which milk should you choose for coffee?
Cold brew — fashionable cold coffee
Not long ago, few people knew cold brew. Now coffee lovers recognise it as coffee extracted in cold water, especially welcome in summer when we want both energy and refreshment.
The method involves covering freshly ground beans with room-temperature water and leaving them for several hours, up to around 12 hours in this recipe, to develop the drink's strength.
Cold brewing has become a global trend. Baristas experiment with additions such as tonic water or rhubarb juice. If you have never tried it, those combinations may be a double surprise — hopefully a pleasant one. Cold brew is certainly worth discovering.
How to make cold brew at home
- Choose freshly roasted whole-bean coffee. Coffees from Kenya, Ethiopia or Colombia work particularly well for their refreshing citrus notes.
- Grind coarsely. A coffee grinder is essential and available in our shop.
- Add coffee to a carafe and pour over room-temperature water. For a simple, memorable starting ratio, use one tablespoon of ground coffee per glass of water.
- Stir and leave for around 12 hours.
- Filter through muslin, or preferably a Chemex paper filter, available from our range.
- Pour into tall glasses, add ice and, if desired, milk and sugar.
Your cold brew is ready. Enjoy!
Decaffeinated coffee — a popular alternative
“Decaffeinated coffee? I have heard of grain coffee, but decaf?” It really exists, and it is thriving!
Decaffeinated coffee suits those who love real coffee's flavour but need to limit caffeine for health reasons or because of sleep difficulties. It also appeals to people who cannot imagine a day without coffee but drink more than they would like.
Modern decaffeination methods remove most caffeine from the beans — around 95% in the comparison discussed here — while preserving a recognisable coffee experience.