Coffee

Most kitchens will have some sort of Coffee Machines in them. Personally I have three. One Coffee Machine that is out permanently and two Coffee Machines that like it in the cupboard! As time goes by I am sure to gather more Coffee Making equipment as I am a self confessed coffee addict. But I am not alone.

Nowadays, coffee is all the rage. Not only do you have to choose among the dozens of franchise coffee shops, coffee types, espresso, cappuccino, and all other kinds of java, you also have to worry about what kind of coffee machines to work with. You can still get the old-fashioned drip machines, but the even more old-fashioned presses and hand brew machines are back in style. Then there are the new fangled pod coffee machines, which infuse hot water through coffee pods, and the top-notch espresso makers.

Drip coffee machines, though, are still one of the easiest types to use for beginners and coffee aficionados alike. They use a method of brewing that can create the most delicious coffee. The key to these machines is using a gold, nylon, or other type of permanent filters. Permanent filters make sure that the flavor molecules from the coffee grinds pass through into the water, but more importantly, the permanent filters do this without adding unwanted flavors. You may have to clean the filters after each use, but this little bit of extra work is well worth it. Honest!

What is wrong with paper filters for coffee machines? They impart an aftertaste into the finished product, and they absorb some of the special flavor molecules and aromatic oils from your coffee beans, which are what gives your cup of joe its tantalizing taste. If you absolutely have to use paper filters try rinsing them with hot water first as this helps to wash away some of the after taste.

When using drip coffee machines, stick with medium to fine grinds of coffee. Be sure to only add the right temperature water to the mix. This means water temperatures that are between 195 degrees and 205 degrees to ensure the best flavor extraction from the coffee grounds.

And if you want to follow the most expert rules for using drip coffee machines, you should remove the grounds from the filter before the last couple of drops of water have filtered through. This prevents your coffee from being over-extracted and overly bitter. One last thing. Before you serve this delicious coffee to yourself or to a guest, stir it.

So go choose a coffee machine that will suit you and enjoy your morning pick-you-up or sip your mellow afternoon cup-a-joe! From one coffee addict to the like minded, enjoy!

Lorna Mclaren has an information and resources website at http://www.alove4coffee.com where you can find out everything you need to know about different coffee.

Author: Lorna Mclaren
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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As simple as coffee is to make there are coffee lovers out there who are constantly trying to improve on the perfect cup.  From something so simple as pouring almost boiling water over coffee grounds seemingly becomes ever more complex.

It doesn’t need to be this way, if you start off with the right approach your coffee is guaranteed to taste better.

First things first, if you love coffee and want to make a better brew then throw away any instant or ground coffee that you have lying around.  Seems drastic I know, but the reason is simple.  This method of making coffee is already likely to be severely compromised due to the grounds already being exposed to air which you would have had no control over.  This in-turn would have caused the coffee to oxidize, thereby potentially ruining the perfect brew, and all this before you had even got your favourite cup out of the cupboard. 

There is a better way…

The only way to limit coffee grounds to prolonged air exposure is to invest in a coffee grinder and grind your own.  That way you can order coffee beans and mill the exact quantity you need, giving you the freshest coffee grounds possible time after time.

So which coffee grinder do you choose?  There are a few different types that you need to know a little about before you can make that decision.

Crusher Style Coffee Grinder:

Probably the cheapest type of coffee grinder, the crusher attempts to compress the coffee bean into grounds by simply forcing it to explode.  Although this approach does work and would be an improvement over store bought coffee grounds, it’s major stumbling block is the end result is irregular, uneven coffee grounds that will limit you to the types of coffee you can make.

Blade Style Coffee Grinder:

Works by mincing the coffee bean over-and-over.  Again, this method doesn’t produce an even, consistent grind, and also because the blade rotates extremely quickly, they can be very noisy.

Burr Style Coffee Grinder:

A coffee enthusiasts dream!  The burr grinder comes in two forms the flat base variant and the conical type. They work by rotating two steel burrs at adjustable heights to grind the coffee. Both types of Burr produce even, consistent coffee grounds and this where your investment should lie.

The major difference between the two is that the conical burr is able to rotate much slower and therefore very little heat is passed directly from the grinder to the coffee grounds.  If you can afford one, invest in a conical burr, you’ll experience better tasting coffee time and time again.

For coffee enthusiasts seeking a website that is dedicated to conical burr grinders that includes a must read review of the popular Rancilio Rocky doserless coffee grinder make sure you visit us today.

Author: Robert Funge
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee loses about half of its flavor in the first 10 days after roasting and even more after grinding. After coffee is roasted, it should degas or breathe (also referred to as aging) for an initial 8 hours in an open container. This allows for the extremely pungent gasses (that heavy coffee smell) to dissipate. These heavy gasses actually cause the coffee to taste overbearing. It’s not bad to drink at this point; it just tastes better in a few days. The coffee should sit in a semi-closed container in a cool, dry and dark place for another 3-5 days to further degas. Freshly roasted coffee is ready to be brewed from day 5 after roasting.

For the next 10 days after the degassing period, the coffee is at its peak of freshness with every ripe note and flavor coming out in its aroma, body, and acidity. At 15-20 days old, you should really begin to finish brewing it as it is now beginning to stale and will taste flat in about 5 more days. At 20-25 days old it’s time to brew it or get more!

Air (oxygen), light, moisture and temperature (other than room temperature) are the culprits that kill your fresh coffee, roasted or brewed. If you follow these tips you will get longer life from your specialty coffee, and undoubtedly enjoy a fresher, fuller-flavored and more superior cup of coffee:

o Whole beans will last longer than ground coffee so don’t grind the beans until you are ready to brew them.

o Remove your beans from the original bag the coffee came in, and put in an airtight container like Tupperware or Glad Ware. A plastic Ziplock-type bag will work (but is not recommended) if containers are not available. The more opaque the container, the better to keep harmful light out (read more about light below). Be sure to wipe container clean with damp cloth (no soap or chemicals) in order to reuse.

o Contrary to popular belief whole beans should never be stored in the freezer or refrigerator. Not even a deep freeze freezer. Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place like a cupboard or pantry. Freezers can cause freezer burn, condensation (moisture) freeze and the coffees natural flavor oils to crack and/or dissipate. These oils are where all the flavor is. Storing in the freezer builds condensation and each time the coffee is taken out of the freezer condensation has more ability to set in because of the temperature change. Excess moisture will cause your beans to stale faster and shorten the life span of your coffee so a cool, dry and dark place it recommended for storage.

o Refrigerators harbor many odors. Coffee is very porous and will act like a sponge to odors whether it’s ground or whole bean. Coffee in your refrigerator will act the same as baking soda if left open or in a poorly sealed container. In an enclosed container even if sealed properly, beans will build condensation the same as in the freezer. Again, moisture will cause your beans to stale faster.

o Extreme light (like keeping coffee in a glass jar on the sink) can cause deterioration of your beans, allowing your final cup of coffee to taste flat or stale. As described earlier, we suggest keeping your freshly roasted coffee in an opaque, air tight container at room temperature. A cool, dry and dark place like in a cupboard or pantry works the best.

o Any degree heat over room temperature will also harm your coffee because heat will actually promote more degassing and that will only shorten the life of your beans. Remember that cupboards are best for storage but none over or next to an oven or stove.

o Before grinding, weigh your beans. Use approximately .75 oz (by weight) of coffee per 8 oz of COLD water. You can +/- the coffee to taste. Fresh, clean tap water or quality spring water is recommended. Do not use mineral water, distilled water or tap water with any type of odor. It will make your coffee taste bad.

o Rule of thumb is to only grind enough coffee to use immediately, however if ground coffee is stored correctly (see above, store same as whole bean), it should stay fresh for a maximum of 3 days. Any longer or stored improperly and it will stale. Stale coffee makes awful coffee!

o After brewing, drink your fresh coffee within approximately a half hour. DO NOT keep it on a hot plate or burner to keep ‘warm’. This will just cook your coffee giving it that strong, bitter taste. If you brew too much coffee, at the very least shut off your coffee maker’s hot plate. In actuality though we do not recommend it, reheating your coffee in the microwave would be better than letting it cook on a hot plate. However as your coffee cools the air will stale it so don’t wait too long! If you put your coffee in a carafe or thermos, this will hold temperature for about 2-3 hours depending on how much you consume or use. You should drink your coffee from one of these holding containers within this time frame because even though the temperature of the coffee keeps for a few hours, the coffee can still cook itself giving it that funny, bitter taste.

You can buy an inexpensive coffee grinder at Target or Wal-Mart for about $20. It is a good idea to only purchase what you intend to be able to grind and brew within a reasonable amount of time, 3-4 weeks at the most.

Coffee stales relatively quickly so following these helpful hints will get you better tasting coffee than you have ever had, ever! Bet you didn’t know there was so much to know about quality coffee, now did ‘ya? Happy coffee drinking!

Tony DiCorpo is a coffee shop owner, operator, barista and entrepreneur. He is also a coffee shop business consultant. He has authored many articles on the specialty coffee business and a coffee shop business plan package that can be found at http://www.tonys-coffee-shop-business-plan.com

Author: Tony Dicorpo
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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