A Bag of Good Coffee and Dozens of Ways to Use It

You have a bag of specialty coffee. Maybe someone brought it back from a trip. Maybe you picked it up at Blue Bag on Tsar Shishman, where Francisco Lopez pulled you a shot and you thought: I want to make something like this at home. Maybe it arrived in the post from a roaster you follow online.

Now what?

Most people brew it one way, the same way, until the bag is empty. Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen, the co-founders of Sprudge, think that's a missed opportunity. Their new book, But First, Coffee: A Guide to Brewing from the Kitchen to the Bar, published by Union Square & Co. in 2026, asks a different question: what are all the delicious things you could do with that coffee?

Practice, Not Theory

This is the authors' second book. Their first, The New Rules of Coffee (Ten Speed Press, 2018), was what they call "theory": a brief history of coffee culture in the early 21st century. This one is "practice." It's a working guide, closer to a cookbook than a manifesto, built on a simple premise: good coffee is an ingredient, not just a beverage.

The distinction matters. In Sofia, where specialty coffee culture is still finding its shape, most of the conversation happens behind the bar. Extraction theory, latte art, dial-in protocols. The home brewer often feels like a spectator. But First, Coffee shifts the frame. It treats the kitchen counter as a legitimate stage for coffee experimentation.

Jonathan Rubinstein, founder of Joe Coffee Company:

"Jordan and Zachary have written the ultimate easy-to-use guide for exploring coffee, full of flavors and fun."

What's Inside

The scope is deliberately wide. Brewing methods include Chemex, Nel Drip, and siphon. There's a full section on home espresso. But the book doesn't stop at the cup.

Cold brew becomes tiramisu. Coffee becomes a spice rub. The cocktail section alone includes zero-proof Irish coffees, coffee Negronis, Hot Toddys, Chartreuse cappuccinos, and three separate espresso martinis. There's a recipe called Hot Sprudge Sundae, which is exactly what it sounds like.

The authors offer advice on building a mug collection. They include a playlist of songs to brew by. They walk through the chemistry of siphon brewing with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely finds it fascinating.

Expert Voices, No Gatekeeping

The book features contributions from recognized coffee professionals: Kyle Glanville (US Barista Champion and Go Get Em Tiger co-founder), Andrea Allen (US Barista Champion and Onyx Coffee Lab co-founder), Freda Yuan of Sip & Slurp, Bud Taliaferro of Creature Coffee, Daniel Brown of Gilly Brew Bar, and others. These are practitioners, not gatekeepers.

The photography, shot by Zachary Carlsen, is vivid and full-color. The ceramics featured throughout, made by artists including Jess Faulk, Ben Mendansky, Ross Martini, Suay Ceramics, and Worn Path, elevate the visual experience.

Chris Fischer, James Beard Award-winning chef:

"Perfect for anyone who loves coffee and wants to learn how to make delicious things with it at home."

Permission to Play

The book's larger message is one of permission. Coffee culture doesn't have to be serious or exclusive to be meaningful. You can brew as a daily mindfulness practice, as fuel for your life, or purely for the joy of it. The authors describe their approach as "inclusive and frequently mirthful and not even remotely snobbish."

For Sofia's coffee enthusiasts, this is a timely invitation. The city has the beans. Blue Bag Specialty Coffee, with its focus on small-batch roasting and verified farms, is one example of a local roaster providing the kind of quality coffee the book assumes as a starting point. What's been missing is the encouragement to experiment, to treat coffee as a creative medium rather than a technical challenge.

But First, Coffee suggests that the question isn't "how do I brew this perfectly?" but "what can I create with this?"

The bag on your counter is waiting.