The GROU Journal
Stories from coffee, work and local impact.
Notes on specialty coffee, our community and life in Coral Gables.
The Best Coffee Shops in Wynwood, According to the Data
Twelve coffee shops in and around Wynwood, with the addresses, hours, Google ratings and price levels pulled straight from each listing. No invented opinions, just what you need to pick one and go.
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What Are Tequeños? The Venezuelan Cheese Stick Miami Eats for Breakfast
A tequeño is a strip of wheat dough wrapped around salty white cheese and fried. Where the Venezuelan classic comes from, what cheese belongs inside, and why Miami eats it in the morning.
What Is a Chagaccino? The Chaga Coffee Drink, Explained
A chagaccino is a cappuccino made with chaga, a fungus that grows on birch trees, blended with cocoa and cinnamon. Here is what it tastes like, how much caffeine it has, and what nobody can honestly claim about it.
What Is a Vietnamese Latte? Coffee, Condensed Milk and Why It Works
Strong dark coffee plus sweetened condensed milk: what a Vietnamese latte actually is, why the condensed milk changes everything, and how it compares to a regular latte.
What Is a Cuban Colada? Miami's Coffee for Sharing
A Cuban colada is not a big coffee for one person. It is sweetened Cuban espresso portioned into tiny cups and passed around, and the sharing is half the drink.
What Is an Açaí Bowl? The Honest Answer
Frozen Amazonian fruit pulp, blended thick and buried under granola. Here is what an açaí bowl actually is, where it came from, and the honest answer on whether it is healthy.
How Much Caffeine Is in Matcha? The Number, and How It Compares to Coffee
A standard matcha serving carries roughly 40 to 90 mg of caffeine, close to a single espresso shot and below a cup of drip coffee. Here is the full comparison, plus what actually changes the dose in your cup.
Coffee Grind Size Guide: From Espresso to French Press
Match grind size to espresso, pour-over, drip, French press and cold brew, then learn how to adjust by brew time and taste.
French Press vs Pour Over: Which Brewing Method Is Right for You?
Compare French press and pour-over by flavor, texture, grind, equipment and cleanup, then choose the method that fits your coffee routine.
Light Roast vs Dark Roast: Flavor, Caffeine and Which One to Choose
Light and dark roast are not measures of quality or strength. Compare flavor, acidity, bitterness and caffeine so you can choose with confidence.
Arabica vs Robusta: What You’re Really Tasting in the Cup
Understand how Arabica and Robusta differ in flavor, caffeine, growing conditions and use, without treating either species as a shortcut for quality.
Washed vs Natural Coffee: How Processing Changes Flavor
Washed and natural describe what happens after coffee cherries are picked. Learn how each process works and what it can change in the cup.
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: A Barista Guide for Every Brewing Method
A practical guide to measuring coffee and water for pour-over, drip, French press, cold brew and espresso, then adjusting the recipe to your taste.