Michael Butterworth

Jack Simpson of Australia was just crowned the 25th winner of the prestigious coffee competition. The occasion is a good opportunity to look back at the WBC’s history—and consider its evolution.

Returning after a decade of dormancy, La Marzocco’s Out of the Box event, held last week during HostMilano, featured new equipment, critical conversations, and a late-night rager.

Can chemistry help us make a better cup of tea? As professor and author Michelle Francl discovered, the answer is yes—and you don’t need to be a scientist to apply her findings.

Decaf or regular? For decades, coffee with or without caffeine was a binary question. But today’s coffee professionals—including 2013 World Barista Champ Pete Licata—are looking to provide a wider spectrum of caffeine options.

How long is too long when sales are down? Here’s how any coffee shop can navigate and survive the inevitable slow periods.

Gongfu tea, or tea brewed with a high leaf-to-water ratio and repeated short infusions, requires effort but produces aromatic and flavorful tea.

Sustainable agriculture and regenerative systems can improve coffee today—and in the future.

While espresso machines get most of the attention, grinders are the real workhorses of a café.

Pour overs have shuffled on and off menus for years, but for some, the brewing method has always taken center stage.

A new crop of tampers is changing how baristas make espresso.