Popular Coffee Trends

Espresso Trends:

• Many coffee enthusiasts mention experiencing espresso shots with intense acidity: "The weird thing is that in the past I had the same beans as espresso from the same place and it was totally different."
• Users point out that under-extraction and poor adjustments may lead to poorly executed espresso shots: "I think sometimes it’s poorly extracted because of faults in their adjustments/machines/baristas."
• Some users indicate the importance of a balanced extraction for a pleasant espresso: "If the shots are sour, a bigger yield or improved/increased extraction is required to achieve balance and sweetness."
• Lack of proper understanding and skills among baristas and roasters is highlighted as a significant issue in coffee shops: "An espresso shot, which should taste like grapefruit, a very sour acidic fruity shot."
• In Chicago, certain coffee shops stand out for their consistent and quality espresso shots, with Gaslight, Four Letter Word, and Brew Brew being mentioned.

Third-Wave Coffee Trends:

• The prevalence of light-roasted, single-origin beans results in highly acidic and bright espresso shots: "'Single-origin' is probably here to stay and people like it and has a higher price point by itself than as a blend."
• Users criticize the overemphasis on single-origin and light-roasted beans, leading to a lack of balanced and enjoyable espresso: "Hipsters who somehow think producing lemon juice is good."
• Issues with the overall quality of beans, farming practices, and processing methods are highlighted as contributing factors to sour and unbalanced espresso shots: "Too much money to be made selling and branding as 'single-origin', and fraud and greed is rampant."

Coffee Shop Trends:

• Users express frustration with the prevalence of poorly pulled espresso shots in various coffee shops, even in renowned locations like San Francisco: "Honestly, I'd say 4 out of 5 third-wave coffee shops pull pretty bad shots even in places like San Francisco."
• Some users recommend specific coffee shops in Chicago that consistently serve quality espresso shots, including Gaslight and Four Letter Word.

Miscellaneous Coffee Trends:

• Some users express a desire for more traditional, Italian-style dark roasts in espresso rather than the prevalent bright and acidic flavors.
• The trend of light-roasted, highly acidic espresso shots is critiqued for its focus on the hipster aesthetic over flavor and tradition.
• A lack of understanding about proper extraction and bean quality is discussed as a significant factor in the prevalence of sour espresso shots: "It's normal to over extract a light roast as espresso."

This summary captures the prevailing sentiments and discussions around the ongoing coffee trends in espresso quality, third-wave coffee culture, and coffee shop experiences.