MELB NOTE · A GUIDE TO BETTER DRINKS
Better drinks,
made easier.
Beginner-first, source-checked guides to coffee, matcha, tea and the drinks worth trying next. Start with the short answer, then go deeper only when you want to.
LATEST FROM MELB NOTE
Practical guides for your next cup
Clear answers, useful comparisons and small changes you can try without buying everything at once.
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Caffeine in Tea: Black, Green, Oolong and Herbal Compared with Coffee
How much caffeine do black, green, oolong and herbal teas list next to brewed coffee? USDA FoodData Central values per 100 g and for…
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Melbourne Weather by Month: Temperatures, Rain and the Four Seasons Reputation
A month-by-month look at Melbourne’s average temperatures and rainfall, using Bureau of Meteorology figures as shown on Wikipedia. It also explains the “four seasons…
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Oolong Tea for Beginners: Styles, Taste, Caffeine and How to Brew
Oolong is a semi-oxidized Chinese tea that sits between green and black. Learn six styles, how its caffeine compares with coffee in USDA data,…
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Melbourne Cup Day 2026: Date, Public Holiday and How to Get to Flemington
Melbourne Cup Day 2026 is on Tuesday 3 November at Flemington Racecourse, the same day as the Melbourne public holiday. Here is the date,…
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How to Make Matcha: A Beginner’s Method With Measurements and Fixes for Clumps and Bitterness
A step-by-step method for a standard bowl of matcha: 2 g of powder, 60 to 70 ml of water at about 80°C and a…
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Can You See the Aurora Australis from Melbourne? Kp Levels, Where to Look and How to Get Alerts
Melbourne needs about a Kp 5 minor geomagnetic storm to see the aurora australis. Here is what the Bureau of Meteorology’s Kp levels and…
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Melbourne Marathon 2026 Road Closures: What Closes on Sunday 11 October and When
Sunday 11 October road closures, tow-away zones, tram changes and spectator zones for the 2026 Nike Melbourne Marathon, taken from the official resident notices.
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Coffee Aroma in Depth: What Makes Coffee Smell the Way It Does
Coffee aroma comes from volatile compounds formed mainly during roasting. Here is what studies say about which ones matter and how fast they fade.
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Coffee Body and Mouthfeel in Depth: Why Some Cups Feel Heavy and Others Feel Light
Body and mouthfeel describe how a coffee feels, not how it tastes. Here is what the research says about thickness, slipperiness and coffee oils,…
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Moka Pot vs Espresso: What Is the Difference?
A moka pot makes strong, small coffee on the stove, but it is not espresso. Here is how the two differ in pressure, strength…
Start simple. Notice more.
MELB NOTE explains the next useful choice first. Sources, scope and deeper detail stay visible when you need them.