Coffee

Gourmet coffee is the latest craze, and if you have ever sipped a premium gourmet cup of Joe, then I am sure that you know why. Gourmet coffee is primarily made of Arabica coffee beans, which are the higher-quality choice in coffee beans on the market. Gourmet coffee is also often called specialty coffee, and you will find it crafted by a variety of roasters, including artisan roasters and micro-roasters.

To find out more about how gourmet coffee is made, it is important to note the roasting process. The longer that your coffee beans are roasted, the darker they will become in color. The long roasting process will also cause a higher shrink rate, meaning that it will take more of the coffee beans to make 1 pound. This does vary depending on whether or not it is a light or dark roast.

A light roast is roasted for a shorter period of time, so it will not be as dark, and it will not shrink as much. A darker roast will be roasted for a longer period of time to develop smokier and deeper flavors, so the beans will shrink more as a result. Therefore, if you have a dark roasted gourmet coffee, then it will take more coffee beans to make a pound. When gourmet coffee is roasted, it will normally shrink 20%, and a darker roast can shrink as much as 25%. Lightly roasted coffees have the potential to shrink up to 11% during the roasting process.

In truth, most specialty coffee is under roasted to cut costs in production. Gourmet coffee sales have shown that many customers do prefer fully roasted coffee, but many roasters still do under roast their coffee beans to save money in the process. When coffee is being roasted, it does have an optimum degree to which it is roasted, which will bring out the best characteristics and flavor profile for each individual coffee bean. This is the part of the process that will offer you the best taste and aroma, so it is an important aspect of roasting.

You will be able to tell if your coffee is under roasted because it will have a flat and green flavor with astringent undertones. If your coffee is over roasted, then it will taste more burnt and smoky as a result. When a specialty coffee is over roasted, it also has the detrimental effect of losing all of its unique flavors from the region that it came from. Any coffee connoisseur will be able to tell you the specific flavor characteristics of a coffee based on the region in which it was grown in, but when a gourmet coffee is over roasted, then the ashy and charcoal flavors will overpower those unique flavor characteristics so that it is difficult to set apart.

For the best tasting specialty coffee, take the time to research the roaster so that you can trust that your coffee beans will be roasted to perfection. It truly is the only way to enjoy a delicious gourmet cup of Joe!

For the widest variety of Bodum French Presses, check out Mark Ramos’ website, The Coffee Bump.

Author: Mark Ramos
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Whether enjoyed steaming hot, or blended with ice; whether it is a morning necessity or an occasional treat, coffee has been a universally consumed drink since the ninth century in Ethiopia. Once the plant was discovered, it spread throughout the world like a wildfire. It was used for religious ceremonies, as medicine, and was soon to become part of the average person’s routine. Over the centuries, the brewing process has changed and been perfected, and the varieties and flavors of coffee have grown immensely. But what has stayed the same throughout these years is the underlying, unique flavor of coffee and the world’s general love for it.

The history of coffee can be traced back to as early as ninth century Ethiopia. Legend has it that the first to discover coffee were shepherds, who noticed an increased liveliness in their goats when they consumed a certain berry. Coffee spread to Egypt and Yemen from Ethiopia. By the fifteenth century, it had permeated the entire Middle East and northern Africa. This drink became incredibly popular in the Islamic Empire, where wine was prohibited. Initially, it was only used by Arab Sufi monks to rouse them through their nights of prayer, but it gradually became available and in demand of the general public. Arabia held a monopoly on the coffee plant until 1650, when it was broken by an Indian pilgrim named Baba Budan. Baba is said to have smuggled seven coffee beans out of Arabia, which were grown in Southern India. The offspring of these coffee trees are still being cultivated to this day. From the Muslim world, coffee was brought to Italy, where it gradually moved throughout Europe.

Modern brewing techniques are said to have begun in fifteenth century Arabia, and have been honed and fine-tuned with newer technologies to the complex brewing process in use today. After coffee berries ripen and are ready for harvest, they are hand picked and then processed (the flesh of the berry removed). Then, the beans are fermented to remove a slimy layer still coating the seed, known as mucilage. After fermentation, the beans may or may not be washed with large amounts of water to eliminate the residue from the fermentation process, depending on the brand of coffee. At this point, they are known as green coffee beans. Coffee may be bought green, but all coffee is roasted before consumption. There are different grades of roasting, depending on the time spent on the roast. Darker roasts contain less fiber, and are therefore smoother, while lighter roasts are generally bitterer due to an increased caffeine level. However, lighter roasts contain more aromatic flavors, which are eliminated in further levels of roasting. The different grades are light, cinnamon, medium, high, city, full city, French, and Italian.

Studies show that when it comes to the nutritious value of coffee, there are actually more benefits than risks. Various studies demonstrate that drinking coffee reduces the risk of several chronic and life-threatening diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and cirrhosis of the liver. Recent research by Finnish and Swedish scientist has shown that middle-age, moderate coffee drinkers (those who drink three to five cups per day) had a reduced risk of contracting Alzheimer’s disease or dementia by as much as 65%. It is unclear how exactly drinking coffee lowers this risk, but it may be because of coffee’s strong antioxidants, which are known to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Also, coffee protects the nervous system, which leads to a decreased chance of dementia. It also prevents diabetes, a disease commonly related to Alzheimer’s. However, too much coffee is simply too much-it should be enjoyed in moderation.

Coffee has proven itself to be rich in its history, uses, types, and taste. It can complete a morning, or complete a life. From centuries of distribution throughout the world from continent to continent, it has been as contagious as an epidemic. The coffee epidemic, however, is not one likely to end for a few more, or maybe even hundreds, of centuries to come.

Anitha Ahmed
Coffee in a Bean Shell
To see a large selection of coffees and coffee accessories from all over the world, please visit http://www.Coffeeta.com. It’s a one-stop shop for coffee lovers.

Author: Anitha Ahmed
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Likely the most basic type of coffee machine that people might recall from their childhood is the percolator. This machine isn’t really complicated. There is a pot, with a built in filter made of metal and basket with a tube going from the base of the pot up into the basket. When the water in pot’s body boils, the water is sucked up the tube into the basket of coffee. As the boiling water seeps into the coffee grounds, best coffee is made. In the early days these were built to be placed onto a open burner but nowadays they are built for table top use and are plugged in.

An mechanical drip machine is likely the most popular today. They are placed on you bench top and include a glass carafe for the coffee to drip into. There is a heated plate under the jug to keep the coffee warm. You pour water into the tank, and after the machine is powered on, the water is forced through the basket area where the coffee grounds are put in a filter. These are easy to operate and make a decent pot of coffee. But is this the best coffee.

Most people just cannot get moving in the morning without their daily shot of coffee. There are many different types of coffee machines that you can make that first pot of coffee and they all have their pro’s and cons’s. But which one is able of making the best coffee? Do you have to invest a lot of money for a good coffee machine or will a less expensive one work just as well

The latest coffee machine in the shops is the pod system. Every machine has its own particular brand of pod and that is the only type of pod that can be used in that specific machine. The pods themselves come in a reasonably wide variety of flavors so it is not hard to find the coffee you like. Usually a pod will produce one cup of coffee, which is great if you only want a single cup of coffee. If you enjoy having an entire pot available, a pod coffee machine may not be the best machine for you.

Acquiring a machine that works best for you won’t be difficult. There are a fairly wide variety of coffee machines available to purchase and many have very nice features that you may pay extra for, but are probably worth it. Imagine coming home in the evening to a fresh, full decanter of coffee just waiting for you. All you have to do is buy a good quality coffee machine and you’ll be all set.

Ryan Somerton, the owner of Mighty Bean Coffee is passionate about all things related to coffee. Are looking for some tips or even coffee machines to better your coffee drinking endeavors, chances are you can find it at MightyBeanCoffee.com
check out more about Best Coffee Machines.

Author: Ryan Somerton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I love coffee. I always have. I like some coffees better than others, but I don’t know why. I’ve decided to conduct my own taste test to determine which qualities in coffee I like and which ones I don’t.

Coffee tasting is a lot like wine tasting. The correct term for coffee tasting is “coffee cupping.” The recommended method for “cupping” requires coffee to be ground into an 8-oz. porcelain or glass cup. Water is then poured in the cup and the coffee steeps for a few minutes. The grinds rise to the top, forming a crust which is broken with a silver spoon. The coffee’s aromas are evaluated first; then, after the coffee has cooled a bit, the taster (cupper) slurps the liquid, evaluates the flavors, and spits the coffee out to avoid caffeine intake.

That’s not quite the way I drink coffee. I make it by the pot and drink it by the gallon. Nevertheless, if I’m going to try to determine which qualities I like most in a coffee, it would be helpful to define the four terms used to evaluate coffee: acidity, aroma, body, and flavor.

ACIDITY: sensation of dryness that the coffee produces under the edges of your tongue and on the back of your palate

Acidity refers to the sharp and pleasing aftertaste, often referred to as the liveliness of the coffee. It is a desirable quality that describes the brightness of flavor. Acidity ranges from low (smooth) to high (lively). A coffee without any acidity is referred to as flat.

AROMA: the feeling that the steam produces similar to the “bouquet” of a wine

Aroma is the smell of the coffee. Without our sense of smell, we would only have our taste buds, which are only capable of detecting the four basic taste sensations of “sweet”, “sour”, “salty” and “bitter”. The more subtle nuances of coffee flavor such as “floral” or “winy ” come more from the aroma or smell of the coffee.

BODY: the body is the thickness, heaviness, viscosity, or richness perceived on the tongue.

FLAVOR: the perceived taste of the coffee

Flavor is the overall perception of the coffee and is also a balance of the acidity, body and aroma of the coffee.

This is very much like wine tasting, except I have to make the coffee myself.

Diena Zavetsky has been a coffee gourmet for over 15 years. She is the owner of Hot Gourmet Coffee, a subsidiary of dmskye. She believes that whole bean coffee should be ground just before brewing to get a fresh coffee flavor.

Author: Diena Zavetsky
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Many people do not understand the obsession that people seem to have with adding things into their coffee. You probably know one of these people who takes their coffee straight. They are likely to never add so much as a drop of milk to their coffee. They usually will state that adding anything just takes away for the natural superior taste the coffee has and is detrimental to its character.

However, many people disagree and believe by adding in flavors and creams that they are only enhancing the quality of the coffee. In fact, even the professionals who truly do enjoy a straight cup a little mixer now and then is a nice thing that they enjoy.

As if there are not enough different coffees before adding stuff into it, right? By adding things the number of different coffees probably triples or more. It can make even the biggest coffee expert wonder how in the world they will ever understand all the different coffees. People love adding things to their coffee, though, and it is something that is sure here to stay.

It isn’t even just adding things in, either. Some people like to mix different blends to get a whole new hybrid blend. Of course, the big thing now seems to be flavorings. People will add almost any flavor to their coffee – mint, chocolate, alcohol, vanilla, almond, cherry, whatever is around. Coffee does seem to suit almost any flavoring pairing, even spicy, like cayenne for the bold coffee drinker. The additions of flavorings just make the coffee more interesting and unique to the individual drinker. There are even a variety of ways to serve coffee that mixes it up.

The different methods of brewing create cappuccinos, espressos and other brews. Even ice has found its way into coffee in an acceptable manner. Iced coffees are hotter than ever in the United States and something that seems to be here to stay. These iced coffees are usually very strongly brewed due to the fact the added ice melts and dilutes the coffee. Starting with a strong brew will produce a good tasting coffee and not just a brown glass of water. They often have flavoring added and usually have some milk or cream added to them as well. They are basically just poured into a tall glass and drank cold. They are perfect for the coffee lover that hates hot drinks.

Most people will find a favorite and stick with it. Eventually they start to become known at their local coffee house and say give me the regular without a weird questioning look. People can often become set in their ways when it comes to coffee. So if you are confronted by a coffee drinker who still takes their coffee straight, give them respect and understand they have probably been drinking it that way for years and are just not ready for change.

Linden Walhard often publishes short articles on problems associated with single serving coffee maker and one cup coffee brewer. You can have a look at his contributions on single cup coffee makers at http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com and various other sources for single cup coffee makers news.

Author: Linden A. Walhard
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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