Coffee

Who doesn’t love a refreshing cup of coffee to start the morning? It can be a great way to warm up during a cold morning, give a needed energy boost early in the day, just be part of your usual morning routine, and – when consumed in moderation – has health benefits. The problem is for about ten percent of people the high acidity level makes it difficult for their stomachs to digest their morning cup. There are solutions available for making low acid coffee. Whether you buy beans that have been specially roasted to produce low acid coffee or if you are using a special brewing technique to reduce the acidity anyone can enjoy a morning coffee regardless of their stomach!

For people looking for a natural approach to low acid coffee, some coffee beans are roasted with mushroom extracts from Ganoderma or Reishi mushrooms to enhance the flavor and reduce the acidity to make the coffee easier on sensitive stomachs. The mushrooms and beans are steamed naturally to reduce the acidity without compromising the flavor of the coffee. This is an herbal roasting method that still leaves the same taste, aroma, and caffeine levels. These mushrooms have been used for thousands of years to improve mood, increase focus, and help detoxify the liver. Chemically altered beans can have the same effect on acidity levels but may have altered taste, aroma, and reduced caffeine.

Besides altering the beans or roasting them with mushroom extracts to lower the acidity, you can change the way you brew to get a more low acid coffee. The toddy maker, also known as Cold-Brew coffee maker, actually makes a cold coffee concentrate. A drip coffee maker involves putting coffee beans into a filter and having hot water pass through the filter slowly to extract the coffee flavors. A press style coffee maker involves steeping the coffee in hot water for several minutes before pressing the grounds to separate them from the coffee and pouring it off. On the other hand, a toddy maker uses concentrated coffee and adds it to hot water. You can store this concentrate in a refrigerator to make your coffee later. This cold brewing methods leads to a lower acidity level in the finished coffee, making this low acid coffee easier for people with sensitive stomachs.

Coffee has a wonderful flavor, can give you a good energy boost in morning, and even has many good qualities for your health. When consumed in moderation without adding unnecessary calories from too much cream or sugar it can be good for your heart, help reduce your risk of cancer, relieve pain, boost your mood, and even help prevent cavities. Even if you have a sensitive stomach you may want to consider having an occasional cup of low acid coffee. Just remember to look for low acid coffee beans or a ganoderma enriched instant coffee.

Just remember to look for low acid coffee beans or ganoderma enriched instant (ready brew) coffee. Remember that the acidity can be reduced artificially and naturally. Or you can try a cold brewing method for low acid coffee. Just look for beans that are specially marked as low acid coffee beans or a toddy maker and even people with sensitive stomachs can enjoy their morning java.

Phillip Bynes is a proud husband, father, licensed massage therapist, and Family First Entrepreneur. As an active member of the health and wellness community, he provides resources to people who absolutely love coffee and embrace an opportunity to replace that unhealthy cup of coffee with a low acid ganoderma enriched coffee that can provide substantial health benefits. Learn more at www.DrinkCoffee4Life.com.

Author: Phillip Bynes
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The coffee bean roaster is fast becoming a “must have” in today’s kitchens. The flavor and freshness of coffee is at its best when it is roasted in small batches at home.

Roasted coffee is very susceptible to oxygen damage when it sits on store shelves and in café bins for days or weeks at a time. It spells disaster for specialty coffee beans creating stale, flavorless coffee.

Today, the coffee bean roaster is a coffee enthusiasts dream, bringing the freshness and quality of roasting fresh gourmet coffee at home. It is the beginning of a new era in coffee history and a major step in the return of great tasting coffee.

You’ll be surprised to learn how easy and fast it is to roast your own specialty coffee beans at home. Once you experience the flavor of fresh gourmet coffee like this you’ll want to share it with everyone you know.

There are basically two types of home coffee bean roasters: fluid bed roasters and electric, radiant heat drum roasters.

Fluid bed roasters work like hot air popcorn poppers. They have a glass-roasting chamber so you can watch as the coffee beans are roasted and stop at the desired roast. These are good for beginners and a great way to get started in home roasting.

The radiant heat drum roaster is more like the professional coffee roasters use. These do not allow you to watch as the beans are roasted so you have to roast by smell or sound.

How about having a roasting party with friends or the family? Home roasting is a lot of fun. You can try some of the best coffees in the world and roast them just the way you like them. What’s even more fun and tasty is creating your own custom blends.

So if you haven’t tried home roasting, get ready for an amazing treat. Your coffee drinking experience will never be the same once you taste the fresh gourmet coffee you made with your home coffee bean roaster. “Enjoy”

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This article is supplied by Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com where you can easily shop and compare coffee makers so you can purchase exactly what youre looking for at great values.

Author: Gary Gresham
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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It is widely believed that coffee is a native of the Ethiopian rain forest, which lies in eastern Africa in the southern part of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean on its northern side. But, that was over hundred years ago. In present times, there are over 50 countries across the world where coffee is cultivated on a substantial scale. Some of these are Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guatemala, Vietnam, Indonesia and Yemen besides Ethiopia, of course.

A common fact that many people, including regular coffee drinkers, do not know is where coffee comes from. These same people may say it comes from plants, but little knowing that these are actually trees!

Yes, that is true! Coffee grows on trees, though these trees may not always be tall as many coffee farmers prefer to keep their trees short because it is easier at harvesting time to deal with shorter trees. Just like the climate in the original country where coffee was first grown, the South American rainforest area too, provides similar shade as required for the optimum yield in coffee plantations.

Thus, it can safely be said that the best coffee in the world is that grown near the equator, as it requires tropical environment to produce best results. Apart from shade, coffee trees need a fair bit of water, and sun though no special soil conditions. In some areas, coffee farmers may use fertilizer to increase productivity but doing so may be detrimental for the environment.

However, national coffee boards of the above mentioned countries which are top producers of coffee beans reveal that the best beans come from coffee trees planted in tropical plantations at high altitudes, which typically have rich soil. This is why countries along the equatorial zone have the best coffee plantations.

However, as mentioned earlier, location, including altitude, is not the sole criteria governing the quality of coffee. Its flavor as well as its quality is dependent on other factors too, such as the plant variety used, the chemical composition of the soil it is grown in, amount of rainfall experienced in the region and the availability of sunshine.

It is a vital combination of the right mix of these complex components along with the manner in which the cherries are processed post-picking that determines the quality of coffee one receives from a particular region and sets the distinction of coffee obtained from different countries. Sometimes, due to the complex nature of these variables, the coffee obtained from the same plantation may also yield different quality and flavor.

A little known fact about coffee beans is that these are actually berry seed, and very small in size, therefore referred to as cherries. Each berry will typically contain 2 green coffee beans but sometimes these may be mutated. After these berries turn red, it means they are ripe for picking and this is the ideal time for harvesting them, as opposed to ‘strip picking’ which some farmers indulge in to save on labor, but this early picking before coffee berries ripen causes the coffee obtained from them to be of an inferior quality.

However, the time invested in harvesting ripe coffee berries can be considerable, taking up to 7 days or more for a farmer to single-handedly pick coffee for filling a 100-pound bag of beans, by hand. Now, when one thinks of nearly 7 million tons of this brown concentrate, being produced annually, one can well imagine the number of laborers required on coffee plantations to pick enough berries to meet this demand!

Learn more about the History Of Coffee on our Blog.

[http://www.automaticcoffeemachinesguide.com/the-short-history-of-coffee/] You can also find Automatic Coffee Machine Guides and Reviews, plus much more information all about the humble coffee bean!

Author: Martin Salter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee aficionados, all around the world, can agree that the type of coffee bean you use to brew is the determining factor on the quality of the coffee brewed. Whether you are a coffee snob or not, it’s important to educate yourself on what’s available on the market today.

Exotic locations and blends are well advertised because of the quality each possesses in the bean and oils. Places like Hawaii, Sumatra, Tanzania and Kenya are often seen on packaging, that boasts rich smooth flavor. But no one can argue that Kona Coffee is labeled one of the best varieties of coffee beans in the world.

What makes this coffee bean so special? Kona Coffee is harvested on the windy mountains of Hawaii. Mostly from the Hualalai and Mauna Loa mountains, these coffee beans are hailed to be the best tasting coffee world round. This is the only place where Kona Coffee is grown. They are harvested and processed into 100-pound bundle sacks and flown to places all around the globe.

These shiny green beans are left unroasted. This enables the bean to keep its flavor and aroma for the duration of the delivery. Often times, the Kona Coffee bean is blended with other lesser beans to enhance the overall flavor. This combination is known to be Kona Blend. Still delicious in flavor and texture, this Coffee Kona blend is only about 10% pure Kona bean. Although some coffee purists may cry out in vain, most people don’t mind the taste of this blend. In fact, most people seem to not care but just enjoy the coffee nonetheless. Only those who are willing to pay the premium for a 100% cup of Kona Coffee can enjoy it in all its glory. It will cost a fortune.

The Secret to Kona Coffee

But in all honestly, how does the Kona Coffee Bean set itself apart from the rest of the coffee on the market? Surely, there are other rival beans? Mainly due to the tropical climate and rich volcanic soil can the Kona Bean have its distinct richness, unmatched by any other bean?

The body of the Kona Coffee is full with flavor and has minute subtle cues of win and spices. Amongst all the Kona Coffee Bean Types, Peaberry is the most wanted variety. However, the Peabody variety didn’t originate from Hawaii. Reverend Samuel Ruggles brought it over there back in the early 1800, during his missionary working in the area. As time went on, coffee production was a way of income for the people. Despite the rise and fall of coffee through the years, Kona is still ranked and coveted by coffee lovers worldwide.

However, coffee buffs also know that the roasting plays just as important a role in the quality of the coffee made. It goes hand in hand with in the quest of the perfect cup of Kona coffee. Roasting is considered an art form. It can transform the bean into the embodiment of pure enjoyment for the taster. Growing the perfect coffee bean requires the same care and expertise as the roaster. Weather conditions and soil lay the foundation for it. This is the reason why the Kona Bean is seen as unmatched due to the ideal climate and fertile soil it’s farmed in.

Now you can understand why Kona is so praised by coffee lovers all around the world. If you haven’t considered enjoying a cup of Kona Coffee, why not start today? There are many delicious blends available at your local coffee shop and grocery store. You won’t regret it.

Want Starbucks flavor at home? Check out my blog for Breville Espresso Reviews and other Breville Espresso Machines. Timothy Schwartz, The Coffee Brewster, reviews and puts his taste buds and wallet on the line.

Author: Timothy Schwartz
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There is an obstacle course involved with brewing a great cup of coffee. When you wake up for work at 6:00 AM and you have 30-45 minutes to hit the road, how are you going to get a good, hot cup of brew in your hand when you do? The chances are, you could be brewing in a way that delivers flavor far superior to what you are getting now, and in the same amount of time, or even less.

To help you decide what brewing method, or methods, will best match your needs, start by asking these questions:

1) What are the occasions do you normally drink coffee, and what is the relative importance of taste and convenience?
2) How much money are you willing to spend on coffee, a coffee maker, or various brewing equipment?
3)Can this particular brewing equipment produce great coffee?

For most coffee lovers, the biggest hurdle to overcome as you begin to get serious about coffee is the fact that you own an electric drip coffeemaker, and the vast majority of the electric drip brewers sacrifice some of the taste for convenience. If good taste is your ultimate goal, you may want to think of an investment of time rather than dollars. Grinding fresh coffee beans, and measuring coffee precisely, will become second nature after about a week. If you will be going to the trouble of buying fresh, perfectly-roasted coffee beans, then you should brew coffee to get every precious bit of flavor and aroma you are paying for.

A great drip maker combines the essential brewing elements in a specific way. You need a filter that contains a large amount of fresh grounds for each 6 ounces of coffee brewing. The water should be heated to 195-205 degrees F. The water should be allowed to saturate the grounds gently and thoroughly. The total brew cycle, from start to finish, must take from 4 to 6 minutes. If it takes longer than 8 minutes, the coffee will be over-extracted and bitter.

It is almost impossible to brew drip coffee that meets the above criteria using your typical home electric brewer. This is what leads to the frustration so many coffee lovers come across when they try to duplicate good coffee-bar coffee at home. Brewing manually, where you can control the brewing process, is still the absolute best way to get a great cup of coffee. Since almost no coffee maker under $150 can produce great coffee, you will have to sacrifice some flavor when using one. Spend some money on a coffee maker that gets the best reviews, regardless of price, always use quality coffee, and you will come closest to the best cup of coffee possible in an automatic coffee maker.

Greg has been writing articles for over 4 years. Please visit his latest website about coffee at http://www.bestdripcoffeemaker.com with information on finding the best drip coffee maker and other coffee products and discussions that any coffee lover would be interested in.

Author: Greg Parsons
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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