Monday, August 25, 2008

The Choice Of A Coffee Grinder Is Very Important

By Jack Blacksmith


When exposed to air like any food product, coffee beans also oxidize. This effect is even more suffered by grounds than the bean as comparatively the surface area of the former is much larger. The freshest grounds are produced while being exposed to air for the least time when beans are ground at home. What you need instantly is what you can only griund.

Everything though comes with a price. Messy and time consuming are characteristics of grinding, so the best you can afford should be picked incase you decide to invest the effort for the reward to be reaped.

Crusher, burr and blade are the three wide categories of grinders.

Often a pestle and mortar of ancient-style is the mashing device of some kind in the third category. With difficulty the beans are crushed by them producing granule of very uneven size. If you have a choice this is not suggested.

Chopping and not grinding is what actually the blade grinders do. Finally, something like a small grain is created after the beans are sliced into smaller and smaller sections with a whirling blade. Sadly, the grains are of incoherent size and always too large.

First choice should be the first type. Small-but-not-too-small and consistent granule are formed when with pyramid-shaped teeth on a pair of motor driven plates are used to ground beans in the burr grinders. Speed of the grinding as well as the size can be adjusted in the better models.

To permit just the preferred brew adjusting the size is vital so that the grounds are 'fine tuned'. The minimum warming effect can be kept by the speed getting controlled.

Burr grinders also classify into two classes- real coffee aficionados prefer the conical burr grinder. Allowing the most control of speed and grain size they are noisier.

Rotating slowly at 500rpm is what quality conical burr grinders can do. Contrastingly, blades spin between 20-30,000rpm and at 10,000rpm or higher other burr grinders spin. Little heat and very fine control is allowed by that. For Turkish-style brews it is particularly essential to have a fine grind. While some for the granule size adjustment have a sequence of up to 40 steps, others have a continuous dial.

Low noise, easy cleaning and solid construction are what the home barista will desire to look for outside those broad characteristics. It is essential to have removable upper burrs and a cleaning brush. The amount of static electricity produced depends on the diverse materials used causing the grains to stay attached to the container and burrs.

For judging the results in the grinder it is helpful when the grounds and the beans can be seen and an auto-shutoff with a timer switch is a nice addition. Obscuring the view though aesthetically appealing is the dark glass or plastic.

Most flavorful and freshest cup will be your reward if you are ready to spend a little more on your grind and brew coffee maker and read reviews.

Happy coffee appetite!

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Who does have The Best Coffee Beans?

By Peter D Vizard


The best cup of coffee that you will have ever tasted is a lot like the best glass of wine; it has been grown in the right place, in the right soil and has the correct conditions for its growth.

Most people know that it is countries like Brazil that supply the world with the best coffee beans it has the regular sunshine and rain for the optimum growth of coffee beans. However, coffee beans were first discovered in Ethiopia before spreading to other countries.

70 Coffee Bean Growing Countries

In fact, from among the seventy odd coffee bean producing countries in the world, only a few have the proper climate and ground in which to grow the best coffee beans.

A Third of all Coffee Production

Brazil produces almost a third of all coffee, followed by Columbia where roasts are the most well known type of coffee beans. Other well-known coffee bean growing countries are Indonesia and Mexico.

Coffee grown in these countries has a very different taste and so, Mexican coffee can also be considered as being among the best coffee, though only because of the different taste those beans provide.

Another factor that governs the quality of coffee beans is the altitude where they are grown, best coffee beans are usually produced in high lying areas. In Brazil, the production of coffee beans is ordered, it is a industry which is responsible for the employment of a large labor force.

In Columbia has plenty of coffee bean growing areas at higher altitudes. They are known to be a country that produces some of best coffee beans. This is sometimes overshadowed because of the countries poor economy. This makes it harder to get the beans from their growing areas to processing plants.

Another lesser known area for coffee beans is Hawaii. The quantity grown may be on the small side but weather and soil conditions are excellent. The plants are known to flourish in volcanic ash soil, where a hot sun is combined with frequent showers, creating ideal growing conditions.

Hawaiian coffee beans are considered one of the best coffee beans grown.

Indonesia grows one of best coffee beans due to its humid and balmy climate. The technology used in growing coffee beans is advanced, which is why coffee beans grown in places such as Java are being exported to the rest of the world enjoy a very high reputation.

I guess when it comes down to who really does produce the best coffee beans, its really a matter of the enjoyment of the end user. Thank you Starbucks for expanding our world!

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Coffee's Story: From Simple Bean to Capuccino

By Kurt Schefken


The coffee bean has come a long way since its inception over two thousand years ago. It has virtually, become a market in and of itself as it now is a commodity with a monetary value only behind that of oil.

Although there are many varieties of beans, its plant falls into two main categories: the arabica or the robusta. Contrary to wine, the coffee berry (sometimes referred to as a ?cherry?) is valued for the bean inside as opposed to the fruit. After being aged, roasted, ground and brewed, this bean is what makes the four hundred million cups of coffee consumed daily throughout the world.

The beans are, generally, either green or red. The red beans have a higher aroma oil but a lower acidic content and, as such, as used in the finer brews. For this reason, picking is one of the most important stages of a coffee bean?s life cycle.

Most beans are hand-picked at a rate of only a few baskets daily. Separating the red and green beans is really a rather valued skill as it has a great impact on the final product. Once picked, the fruit is removed and the beans are washed to remove any skin still remaining on the bean. The beans are produced during this fermentation stage and then dried in the sun over concrete or rock slabs until there is only a twelve percent water content. The beans are then sorted either by size and color and aged anywhere from three to year years, while some are roasted within one year.

While being roasted at 400-degrees Fahrenheit, the beans eventually expand almost double in dry size, crack and change from a green to brown color as the oil inside is released. This oil is what gives different coffees their basic yet distinct taste.

There is a wide array of in-house roasting techniques. In Java and Kenya, for instance, the beans are often lightly roasted to produce their own distinct flavor. The beans are then de-gassed by being packaged in semi-permeable bags generally prepared for shipping.

The resulting beans are then ground to a variety of styles and sizes, ranging from a choppy, inconsistent sized granule to very homogenous-sized granule or powdery appearance for some coffees.

The final result is then brewed. There are almost as many different styles and techniques of brewing as there are brewers, yet all fall into the categories of pressure, boiling, steeping and gravity. When ?boiling,? hot water is run through the grounds after which they are filtered or settled. The pressure style, as with an espresso, forces lukewarm water through the grounds at a high rate of pressure. The gravity method drips hot water onto the grounds and the filter, whereas the steeping method is similar to using tea bags to make tea yet with coffee grounds instead.

Though coffee now ranges from a low-cost item to a pricey, specialty item, the history and journey to the stores and shops is much the same. Just something to think about the next time you are enjoying a hot cup of your favorite brew!

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Marvelous Joe: Coffee Made Extravagent

By Jerry Blackburn


Some think that the best way to drink coffee is straight, black! However, is this right or wrong? There are so many different blends and coffee experiences to be had, why miss out on those. The blenders of the world spend plenty of time developing these new mixtures and they should be enjoyed. For instance, there is a marvelous blend that both Sumatran and Papua New Guinea. This is an incredible full bodied coffee. Further to this, Sumatra is also blended with Colombian Patron. This leaves the beans and coffee with a smoky dark roast.

Some of the flavors added to coffee can be quite a delicate experience as well. Consider: almond, vanilla, or cherry which added to a coffee can reduce the acid and add some sweetness. However, nothing seems to compare to the deliciousness of the Tahitian vanilla latte.

Mochas are popular all over the world, but there are some specifics. For instance, the Yemeni coffee needs a touch of dark chocolate melted and added to perfection. Meanwhile, the American roasts are excellent with Ghiradelli milk chocolate instead.

Coffee variations are endless and even more enjoyable. The coffee does not have to remain with beans, roasts, and flavor variations. There are also plenty of liqueurs and liquors that will add to any coffee experience. For instance, Jamaican coffee is excellent with pears, brown sugar, and lots of rum. Then there is also a brandy twist with apricots instead. Amaretto is sure to sweet any blend from Costa Rica.

Cocoa and coffee does not have to be limited either. It can be served hot, cold, or Mexican. These are all excellent treats, depending on the style, for winter or summer.

Frozen cappuccinos seem to increase in popularity every year; perhaps this is the combination of cold and energy on a hot summer day. Add some chocolate and mint to make it even more refreshing.

Then there are thousands of options for the decaf coffee lovers. Some of the choices include Italian Espresso, Marrakesh, and Dutchman. Although who knows why coffee lovers love decaf. Perhaps they do not need to wake up in the morning.

Sometimes nuttiness is a quality of poor quality beans, but this is not always true. Macadamia and coffee, especially with white chocolate is a to die for treat. Or perhaps even raspberry or coconut can be explored. Just a touch of flavor is wanted though, because coffee should taste like coffee. The only complaint now then would be that coffee just cannot be tasted plain anymore, it must be mixed.

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The Best Gift For That Coffee Lover You Know

By Clinton Maxwell


Need that special gift for the friend everyone has a hard time buying for? If they drink coffee than the perfect choice is a gourmet gift you just can't find anywhere else. Even if you know they have gourmet coffee already, that doesn't mean the only gift for them is another bag of beans that you can't purchase in stores. There are dozens of different gifts to pick from that go along with gourmet coffee. Just take a look below and see all the different gifts that can be found.

Coffee Beans

If you think about gourmet coffee, and buying it for a coffee lover you know, the first thing that pops into mind are gourmet coffee beans that you just are extremely hard to find. Meaning beans from exotic places around the world that never make it to grocery stores and can only be purchased through importers. They all range greatly different in prices from manageable to unbelievably costly.

Makers And Roasters

A more unheard of gift for that special coffee lover would be a gourmet coffee maker. Coffee makers that can produce cappuccinos, espressos, and pretty much anything coffee related you can think of. They only bad thing about them would be there outrageous cost. They range in the thousands for simply one. That being the cost of enjoying one of the most delicious beverages in the comfort of your own home. If you don't have that much to spend on a coffee maker though, Have you thought about buying a coffee roaster for them?

Before the 20thtcentury, anyone who wanted coffee at there own house needed to roast the coffee beans themselves. Coffee companies eventually decided to market pre-roasted coffee beans, so people stopped using roasters. But a large amount of people prefer to buy un-roasted coffee beans, and roast them on their own for a unique custom flavor.

Coffee Samplers

If everything above just seems like its way over the budget for you, or even if you are afraid your friend won't like the gourmet coffee beans you choose, Try purchasing a gourmet coffee sampler that comes with a large amount of different coffee flavors in one convenient package. Averagely they include about four to six different types of gourmet coffee, and can even come with some gourmet tea and pastry as well. They turn out to be the perfect gift at any time of the year no matter what occasion. Often they even come with some token gift items such as special coffee mugs and assorted trinkets.

There you have it, a perfect gift for anyone who drinks coffee. Even if they they are a lover who you are close to who has been wishing for a gourmet coffee maker, Or simply a recently met acquaintance. Maybe even a co-worker who has been doing a great job. Gourmet coffee can fit almost any budget and any person.

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Sunday, August 24, 2008

All About How Coffee Roasting Is Done

By Robert Carlton


The fact that frequently results are as good as pros and roasting coffee beans is even easier will result in happy home wine makers!

Although, even a popcorn popper or a frying pan can be used there are range of roaster types which are available. Though, you must be certain to begin with extremely clean equipment. Left over butter or fish oils can ruin the coffee taste.

Compared to the lighter roasts, dark roasts lack the acid taste and contain lesser caffeine. Of course, be sure to begin with superior beans.

You must be ready for a bit of smoke as the beans will have to be heated between 460F and 530F. Either with a stove top exhaust or a small room fan you can easily manage that part. Probably, with no one home and the windows open is how your first experiments must be done as there will be an odor beyond the smoke too.

The heat must be turned up after the beans are put in the roaster! (Those over-sensitive fire alarms at home should be taken care of and be temporarily disabled.)

The thermometer is built into some roaster models although for those frying pan experiments or for when it's open you may want to have an extra. For this purpose thermometers used for candy making work well.

The beans will turn brown from yellow during the process. The individual choice about your liking of how dark your roast should be depends on how brown it can get.

When it bursts a loud crack will be heard by you as both water and oil moisture heat up putting a pressure on the bean surface. This is normal and there is nothing to worry. After the heating progresses for four to seven minutes you can hear for every 30 seconds or more this stirring.

As the roasting continues the inside sugar will start to caramelize (burning slightly and turning brow). The matter of taste is what the degree depends on. For every 30 second or so the color must be checked.

Occasionally a second loud crack will happen if for long enough the roasting continues. A little overdone for some palates and quite dark beans will develop at this stage. Boiling the sugar away while simple burning the beans is what you are doing if you continue beyond the second crack. For most the outcome will be too harsh.

Agitate after in a metal colander you have poured to cool. Some method for removing the produced chaff (as the beans are agitated the fine skin that detaches from the bean) during the roasting process may be wanted by you. One option is the mesh cooking screens.

See that the beans are not clinging to the surfaces by stirring them to move them around by being sure to get one that allows you that in case you want the roasting style to be popcorn popper. A cast iron skillet works superbly for the stove top style. Get ready for lots of viewing and stirring. Rapidly the roasting occurs! Then the beans will be ready for your coffee makers and cappachino machines.

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The Producers Of Coffee Beans From Around The World

By Guy Morris


There is no place on earth where coffee drinking has not reached spreading its wings from its original land of discovery in Ethiopia. However, since coffee beans need plenty of sunlight and rainfall to prosper, they can only be panted in regions with tropical and sub-tropical climate.

A Turkish saying describes coffee in the following words, - black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love - which is found on a narrow zone near the equator from 23 Degrees North to 25 Degrees South. As a product coffee which comes from beans grown in more than 70 countries runs a close second to oil in terms of dollar volume.

By far Brazil is the largest producer of coffee beans making an output of 28% of the total on an average. World famous Columbia falls far behind as a second producing 16%, with Indonesias output standing at just 7%. The fourth largest producer still reduces to half at 4% output.

Coffee trees produce the best beans at higher altitudes but can also adjust to different kinds of regions.

In Brazil, coffee plantations stretch across huge areas where hundreds of people look after the plants. In Columbia, the uneven mountains and limited economic facilities render transportation to processing centers by Jeep or mules before making it back to our coffee grinders.

While in Columbia what we see is mountains lined by trees, in Hawaii coffee trees are planted on Mauna Loa volcanos slopes. The dark ash of the volcano is rugged but ideal for the plants thriving under the scorching afternoon sun shaded at times by tropical clouds. Periodic island downpour provide plenty of required rainfall.

Indonesia is made up of thousands of islands where coffee has been produced since the 17 century when it was introduced by the Dutch colonists. Many other countries may have access to the best technology, but no can compete with the great warmth of the sun and damp micro climates that is found here. In the largest islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi countless one or two acre farms make Indonesia come third in the production of coffee all over the world.

Contrary to Brazil, plantations in Mexico are mainly small farms but with over 100,000 of them the total still stands strong enough to make the country an immensely contributing factor. The majority of them are placed in the south, like, Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas, with the significant Altura beans named after their place of origin at high levels of altitude.

Though small producers, Africa, Kenya and Ivory Coast, are famous all over the world for the large, dark beans grown here. In the foothills of Mount Kenya are found some of the biggest beans which are used for making a very famous fruity coffee. The Ivory Coast specifically is important as the highest producer of robusta, frequently used in espresso coffee.

Coffee is ubiquitously found throughout the world and is extremely well-liked no matter if it the Indian Monsoon Malabar, the Tanzanian Peaberry, the Brazilian Liberdade or the Costa Rican La Fuente.

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