Coffee

If you want to taste coffee in a whole new way, try making it with a French Press coffee pot. Most people are used to their coffee being brewed in an electric, drip coffee maker a la Mr. Coffee. This method has one flaw in the brewing process that takes away from the true essence of coffee: the paper filter. The paper retains some of the coffee essence, and deprives you of coffee’s true potential. Granted, we cannot simply dump ground coffee into a cup, pour in hot water and start drinking; the grounds must be separated from the liquid that is consumed. Coffee grounds are bitter, gritty, and stick to your teeth. The French Press method removes the grounds, but lets all of the flavor of the coffee come to life.

Although French Presses come in various shapes, sizes, materials and manufacturers, the Chambord model by Bodum is a good example of a ubiquitous style found throughout the industry . The handle attaches to the holder for the glass carafe. The carafe holds the coffee and hot water. The carafe looks like a beaker from a chemistry lab, with a spout for easy pouring. The “pressing” apparatus of the French Press sits atop the beaker. It consists of a dome which covers the coffee as it brews. The plunger is a skinny metal post with a plastic ball at the top that slides through a small hole in the middle of the dome. At the bottom of the post is the filter, a wire mesh disk.

A quick note about ingredients. A cup of coffee is made of coffee beans and water. Therefore, start with freshly roasted whole beans ground just before brewing. Whole beans maintain their freshness twice as long as ground coffee. The water is just as critical: make sure it is cold, fresh, and filtered.

Let’s assume a 12 oz. cup is being prepared. Using 1-1 ½ tablespoons of whole beans, set your grinder to coarse. This produces the largest grounds possible, and allows water to extract the maximum flavor from the coffee. It also reduces the amount of smaller grounds that will end up in the bottom of the cup.

Dump the ground coffee into the carafe. Before adding hot water, take a moment to inhale the aroma of the dry coffee. The aroma of freshly ground coffee will take you to a better place.

Next, heat your water (12 ounces). The optimal brewing temperature is 195-205 F. If you don’t have a thermometer, simply bring your water to a boil and wait thirty seconds.

Pour the water into the beaker and stir for a couple of seconds. This will agitate the mixture and allow the coffee to brew more completely. Place the plunger apparatus on the carafe, but do not depress. Set a timer for four minutes. This amount of time allows all of the flavor and oils to be extracted perfectly from the coffee.

At four minutes press down the plunger completely, then pour the freshly brewed coffee into your mug.
Look at the coffee before adding any condiments. The coffee will appear more complex (richer) than if it were brewed in a drip coffee maker. There will even be a thin layer of crema (light brown froth) resting on top of the liquid. Put your nose close to the cup and breathe in the aroma. The smell is stronger, more pure than if the coffee passed through a paper filter. Taste the coffee before adding sugar etc. When you reach the end of the cup you will notice some residue. These are simply micro-grounds that made it through the mesh filter.

You can purchase French Presses that double as travel mugs. There are also double-walled glass, and stainless steel thermal units as well. Some are beautifully crafted and look like museum pieces. The reason for this is that coffee made in this manner is the height of the coffee brewing experience. So, if you love coffee, you owe it to yourself to purchase a French Press and make the best-tasting coffee in the easiest possible way. Prices start at around 13 dollars for a two cup (12 oz.) unit.

Brent Kloster is co-owner of Falls River Coffee, which sells fresh roasted coffee, loose leaf tea, and brewing equipment online at http://www.FallsRiverCoffee.com.

Author: Brent Kloster
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Brewing a great cup of coffee requires 4 things: the best coffee beans you can find; a grinder; a brewing device; and pure, cold water. Here is a guide for creating a perfect cup of coffee right at home.

Many people buy their coffee from the grocery store. Most selections are drinkable. However, the issue with grocery store coffee — even national brands — is freshness. Once roasted, any coffee’s quality decreases with time, like fresh baked bread. An incredible cup of coffee demands not only fresh, but high quality beans. Coffee shops that roast, or roaster-only operations have the freshest coffee. Find a local shop/roaster, or search online.

Coffee purchased from these retailers will consist of specialty Arabica beans that meet very high standards of both quality and growing conditions. “Specialty” is an actual grade of coffee – the highest. Beans that meet this standard have almost no noticeable defects.

The person roasting is an artisan, a member of the Roaster’s Guild, which is part of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). (The SCAA is a trade association that promotes excellence in the specialty coffee industry through education and training.) To him or her each pound is precious and their survival relies on your satisfaction. Roasting is done in small batches and the fresh coffee is shipped directly to your home. Air, light, and nearby food odors are coffee’s arch enemies, so use air-tight storage and whole beans will maintain freshness about 2-4 weeks; ground coffee about 2 weeks.

A little more about coffee. Arabica coffee is grown in countries on or near the equator — including the U.S. (Hawaii). Central, South America and the Caribbean also produce coffee in this hemisphere. African, Arabian, Asian, and Indonesian countries produce in the eastern hemisphere. The coffee for you will depend on the flavor profile that suits your taste. Do you prefer a bright, acidic Costa Rican with a quick finish, or a heavy yet smooth Sumatran that lingers on your tongue? Lighter roasts, or dark? Coffee from a specific country is called single origin; when coffees from different countries and with different flavor profiles are mixed they are called blends. Thus, blends often have names that don’t always reflect their origin, like Breakfast Blend, or Uncle Ben’s Blend.

Unless your palette has traveled the coffee world there are likely many countries whose coffee you have yet to try. Map out your coffee travels. Perhaps start with the office favorite, Columbian, and then expand to a pleasant, fruity Ethiopian. Experience the difference between a Guatemalan and a Nicaraguan. Or a Kenyan and a Tanzanian.

For the best tasting cup of coffee it is best to buy whole beans and grind them just before brewing. Coffee can be ground by whirling blades — a blade grinder, or crushed by two sets of precisely milled metal teeth called burrs. A burr grinder is considered superior to the blade style because it grinds more evenly.

If you want to brew coffee in a way that brings out all of its body, richness, and flavor use a French press. Regardless of price, they all do the same thing the same way. Operation is very simple: dump in your coarsely ground coffee, add hot water (the correct brewing temperature is 195-205 Fahrenheit), stir, and wait 4 minutes (enjoy the aroma while you wait). Then press down the plunger and pour the coffee into your cup.

Let’s say you don’t want to mess with the press. The traditional kitchen countertop, drip coffee maker is easier to clean and more practical when brewing for groups of people. Choose a unit that has a thermal carafe instead of a glass pot with a hotplate. Also, look for a removable brewing basket (easier to clean) and an auto-shutoff feature (for safety).

Filtered water is critical for great tasting coffee. A cup of coffee is about 97% water. Regardless of the brewing method always use filtered water — not direct tap or distilled. Tap water contains many chemicals, for example, chlorine, which taint coffee.

Condiments are limited only by your imagination. Possibilities include sugar (white granulated or raw), dairy, non-dairy, soy milk, flavored syrup, cinnamon, cardamon, and the list goes on. Or just drink it black.

Lastly, how long will that pound last? The standard brewing method is 1 tablespoon (approximately ¼ oz) of ground coffee per 6 ounces of water. (You can adjust the ratio to your taste.) Most mugs hold 12 ounces, requiring about ½ oz of ground coffee. Assuming one mug per day, (30 mugs times ½ ounce) that’s roughly one pound per month.

With the combination of great beans, equipment, and water, you can brew coffee that exceeds your expectations every time. Remember, it’s all about the coffee: seek the best.

Brent Kloster is co-owner of Falls River Coffee, which sells fresh roasted coffee, loose leaf tea, and brewing equipment online at http://www.FallsRiverCoffee.com

Author: Brent Kloster
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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