The Pulled Journal
No credit card required. Works at any coffee shop.
301 posts
September 13, 2025
Millions of people drink coffee before eating anything. The question of whether this is harmful has generated enormous internet anxiety and a relatively small amount of scientific clarity. Here is what we actually know.
September 9, 2025
Caffeine is the most widely studied and most consistently effective legal performance enhancer in sports science. It works. The evidence is not ambiguous. Here is how much to drink, when, and why it works.
September 5, 2025
A single shot of espresso contains about 63mg of caffeine. A double shot is about 125mg. Per ounce, espresso has far more caffeine than drip coffee, but the serving is much smaller.
September 1, 2025
An 8 oz cup of drip coffee has about 95mg of caffeine on average. The real range is 70 to 140mg depending on beans, roast, grind, and brew method.
August 9, 2025
Coffee has more caffeine per cup. An 8 oz coffee averages 95mg. An 8 oz black tea averages 47mg. Green tea averages 28mg. But the gap closes for cold brew vs strong chai.
August 5, 2025
A matcha latte has 70 to 140mg of caffeine per serving, similar to a double espresso. The caffeine absorbs more slowly due to L-theanine, which produces steadier energy without the coffee spike.
August 1, 2025
The cappuccino is about contrast. A layer of foam on top that you drink through. The flat white is about integration. Microfoam that merges with the espresso. Two philosophies of milk, one shot.
July 28, 2025
Single origin shows you where coffee comes from. A blend shows you what a roaster can build. The specialty coffee world elevated single origin to prestige. That was sometimes right. It is not a universal law.
July 24, 2025
Decaf coffee is not fake coffee. It is real coffee that has undergone an additional step to remove most of the caffeine. The process matters more than most people realize.
July 20, 2025
Nespresso makes a coffee drink. It does not make espresso. This is not snobbery. It is physics. Here is what you gain and what you give up with each.
July 16, 2025
Chemex and V60 are both pour over methods. Chemex makes the cleaner cup. V60 gives the barista more control. Both reveal single origin coffee at its clearest.
July 12, 2025
The roast level is the single largest variable in how your coffee tastes. Two bags of the same bean, roasted light and dark, will produce cups so different you might not believe they started in the same place.
July 8, 2025
Every cup of coffee you have ever had was made from one of two species. Understanding the difference between arabica and robusta is the single most useful piece of coffee knowledge you can carry into a shop.
June 30, 2025
Both live on kitchen counters. Both cost under $40. Both make excellent coffee without electricity. Beyond that, they have almost nothing in common.
June 26, 2025
Oat milk steams better. Almond milk is lighter. Both work in coffee. They work very differently, and knowing which is which changes every order you make at the counter.
June 22, 2025
A latte is espresso with steamed milk. A mocha is espresso with steamed milk and chocolate. One ingredient separates them. That ingredient changes everything.
June 18, 2025
Espresso is coffee. It is not a different bean or a different species. It is a different method. The distinction between espresso and coffee in casual conversation usually means the distinction between a small concentrated shot and a large diluted cup.
June 14, 2025
An Americano is espresso diluted with hot water. Drip coffee is hot water brewed through grounds in a filter. They taste similar but behave differently.
June 10, 2025
Both are small espresso drinks with milk. Both live in the narrow sweet spot between a latte and a straight espresso. The cortado has no foam. The flat white has microfoam. That changes everything.
June 8, 2025
Same ingredients, different order. The americano adds water to espresso. The long black adds espresso to water. The crema survives one and not the other. It matters.
June 6, 2025
These are not the same drink. Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold water for 12 to 24 hours. Iced coffee is hot coffee poured over ice. The methods are fundamentally different and the results are too.
June 2, 2025
Both drinks start with espresso and steamed milk. The difference is ratio, texture, and intention. Knowing which one you actually want changes every order.
May 23, 2025
Buy something every 90 minutes if you are working. Do not spread across a table for four when the shop is full. Keep your phone calls quiet. These are the three rules that cover everything.
May 19, 2025
$1 per drink is appropriate for standard orders. 15 to 20% for complicated orders or excellent service. More at specialty shops where baristas have significant training.
