Coffee Links (with commentary) for May 20, 2011

Another day, a few links, and lots of coffee. If you’re in Portland today, enjoy the sun!

From the newly created bad puns department, Starbucks fans will soon be going gaga over. . . . . Gaga. link

In last week’s links, I wrote that Seattle’s Best claimed it could now be found in 50,000 locations. Not for long. link

An Australian tourist visits Portland to see if the city really lives up to its Portlandia reputation. He (or she?) visits a few coffee shops and especially likes Heart and Public Domain (must have a thing for modernist décor). link

For coffee techies and espresso nerds, David Schomer has a great new post on his blog about the science of grinding beans. It’s titled “Micro-particle Migration in Conical Grinding Systems” (some people really get into their coffee). link

It appears that drinking coffee significantly reduces the risk of prostate cancer by 60%. link

Having just finished reading Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences, I am a little skeptical. The relationship between coffee and cancer might be a correlation, not a causation. link

Might the next roasting industry in Portland be chocolate instead of coffee? Not for a while, but maybe someday. link

Cellar Door Coffee Roasters is optimistic about future growth, according to an article published in Portland Business Journal. link

Consolidation in the coffee industry: Smuckers buys Rowland Coffee for $360 million. link

In other industry consolidation news (and what may be a sign for the impending rapture tomorrow), Starbucks is in talks to buy Stumptown Coffee in order to help the coffee giant set up a new “Specialty Coffee” division. An unnamed executive at the coffee giant was quoted as saying that “our coffee quality has been sliding and we need to get back to our coffee roots. With its exquisitely-roasted coffee and nationwide name recognition, Stumptown seemed like the perfect partner for us.”  (if you believe that, I’ve got a bridge for sale that you might be interested in. link)

Note: there is no truth to the last one. None whatsoever. There’s not even a rumor. Just wanted to see if you were still paying attention. Have a great weekend!