Coffee

For years, the idea of roasting your own coffee beans has been kept a mystery by the coffee roasting industry. It had been deemed “too hard” or “too complicated”. Well these are new times and the truth is out; it’s easy, fun and economical and it can be done in a number of ways using items you probably already own!

There is nothing like a cup of coffee that has been freshly roasted, ground and brewed to perfection. There are a growing number of enthusiasts who are roasting their own coffee beans and enjoying the benefits of truly fresh coffee at about one-third of the price of beans from your local coffee shop.

All that is needed to roast your own coffee beans at home is green coffee beans, available from a number of sources, an oven, cookie sheet, oven mitt, metal colander and a wooden spoon. Preheat your oven to 500F, spread raw beans evenly one layer deep on a cookie sheet, place on middle rack of preheated oven and watch them roast. In about 8-10 minutes there will be a crackling noise and smoke with a coffee essence. At this point the roast moves quickly and you need to pay close attention. About 2-3 minutes after the crackling, your coffee beans should be at the shade you like them. Carefully (using the oven mitt) remove the cookie sheet from the oven and pour the beans into the metal colander. Stir the beans with the wooden spoon to help cool quickly. Do this over a sink or outside, as there is chaff that comes off the beans during roasting. And remember; NEVER leave your roasting coffee beans unattended.

Almost any appliance used to pop popcorn can be used to roast coffee beans. The hot air poppers are great, however, you may want to roast outside or in your garage as they blow the chaff out and can be messy. There are a number of manufacturers of home coffee roaster, including several that use a gas grill and rotisserie.

The internet is full of sources to purchase raw beans, but you want to make sure that the supplier you use knows their beans and “cups” their coffee before selling it to you. One of the most reputable sources for green coffee beans is U-Roast-Em, Inc., a high quality, no frills supplier with 30 years in the industry. They can be found at http://www.u-roast-em.com on the web. Many other sources can be found using your favorite search engine. If you’re interested in using a gas grill to roast your beans, check out http://www.rkdrums.com or http://www.buzzroasters.com. For electric, countertop-type coffee roasters, visit http://www.freshbeansinc.com.

Green, raw coffee beans last for years when properly stored. This allows you to build a collection of fine coffees to choose from as well as buy larger amounts of the great coffees and save more money. Keep your bean collection in a cool, dry place out of any direct sun light and they will last until you roast them. As coffee ages it loses acidity and becomes more mellow. Many like the rich mild cup of a coffee that has had a couple years to rest and mellow. More important than the year of the crop is the quality of the bean, the preparation at origin, transportation and warehousing in country of consumption. If all of these things are done correctly, your green coffee will last for years. Suppliers who know how to cup samples of coffee beans are able to determine if all of these criteria are done correctly before they purchase the beans.

Home roasting is one the fastest growing hobbies in the country and for good reason. It’s fun, easy, saves you money and delivers a cup of coffee like you never thought was possible. Join in the fun and start roasting your own coffee beans.

Jim Cameron is a 30 year veteran in the specialty coffee roasting industry. Jim has authored many articles on various aspects of the industry and traveled abroad to speak at international gatherings of coffee proffessionals. Semi retired, Jim now writes on the subject of roasting and makes green coffee beans available to the home roasting market at his web site: http://www.u-roast-em.com

Author: Jim Cameron
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you buy coffee at a cafe every day, you might be surprised how much money you could save by making it at home. You can even have a better cup of coffee if you make it yourself. You know it’s fresh, and you can choose your favourite coffee bean. Coffee makers don’t have to be expensive. If you want to learn how to choose a perfect cheap coffee maker, just consider your needs and shop around. You can find an inexpensive way to make coffee at home that brews a cup of java at least as good as what you’d pay two or more dollars for outside!

The simplest, and least expensive coffee maker is the single-cup cone filter. You simply place the unit over your cup, place a filter in the plastic cone, put in some ground coffee and pour hot water over it. You can, of course, make more than one cup. If you have company, the coffee can easily make two or three cups of coffee. You can add as much or little coffee as you want, depending on how strong you like it or how many cups you are making.

Another kind of inexpensive coffee maker you can get is the kind that brews fresh coffee into a travel mug. These models often come with permanent filters, so you don’t have to buy the disposable paper ones. This is a good coffee maker to take with you to work if you want good fresh coffee instead of what they happen to be brewing at the office coffee pot (if there even is one!).

You can also get a coffee press type machine, where you add fresh ground coffee, pour hot water over it and press. These coffee makers are fairly inexpensive, and can also create a very fresh tasting cup of coffee.

No matter what method you use, much will depend on two things. First, the coffee bean itself. Second, the grinding process. You should use a good quality grinder, and determine how fine or coarse you want it to be.

If you want to know how to choose a perfect cheap coffee maker, consider whether you want to be able to make a single cup at a time, or a larger number of cups. If you want to be able to brew a whole pot of coffee at a time, you are better off getting a good but inexpensive traditional coffee brewing machine. You can find all of these choices in retail stores as well as online.

Mary Smith is a coffee lover, who likes nothing more than spotting and sharing a bargain. She keeps her eye on the best buys for coffee lovers at Cheap Coffee Makers, a site to visit if you want a quality coffee machine at a good price. Check out the expert reviews, including the highly regarded Delonghi EN680 Single ServeEspresso Maker.

Author: Mary Carper Smith
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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If your coffee maker goes out on you, or you simply want to try another method of fantastic coffee brewing, consider brewing a Turkish cup of Joe! This authentic coffee can be traced back all the way to the Ottoman Empire, and it is a staple of the Turkish culture today. Before you become overwhelmed or intimidated, know that brewing Turkish coffee is much easier than it looks, and it will provide you with a unique and one-of-a-kind brew product.

Start out by pouring cold water into a small Turkish coffee pot. Use 1 cup of cold water for each cup of brewed coffee that you want to create, and then add a half cup of water extra that will be boiled out in the brew process. It is best to start out with cold water for the best taste in your brew. After that, freshly grind your coffee beans to almost a powder, which is the consistency needed for authentic Turkish coffee. Measure out 1 teaspoon of fresh coffee grounds per cup of water, and stir well. Add cardamom pods to the mixture for authentic flavors.

From there, add 1 tablespoon of sugar for every 2 teaspoons of coffee grounds in the mixture. It is important to add the sugar before the brew process to provide the correct Turkish flavor and taste in the brew. Place the pot on the stove over low heat, and gently bring it to a boil. Make sure that it does not boil over, but allow the froth to rise to the top of the pot. Pour this mixture into small Turkish cups until they are a third full.

Last of all, place the pot back on the stove on low heat, and allow it to again come to a boil to create foam. Pour the foamed coffee into each cup evenly so that each Turkish coffee contains froth. Allow the coffee product to settle for a few moments so that the fine coffee grounds can move to the bottom of the cups, and then drink right away for a fresh and delicious Turkish coffee flavor. This is a coffee that is not strained or filtered, and it provides even more depth and complexity to the brew product because the essential oils of the coffee beans will remain in the final brew.

Since this coffee has sugar while it is brewed, there is no reason to stir it. Stirring the coffee will only move around the coffee grounds, so it is better to leave it untouched when you drink it so that the coffee grounds can settle to the bottom of the cup. It is best to enjoy this authentic Turkish coffee with medium roasted coffee beans that have been freshly roasted. For an even fuller flavor in your coffee, you can use a handheld coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the beans into a powder. Take the time to try different consistencies in the texture of your Turkish coffee for a delicious flavor and taste in your brew!

Another popular accessory for coffee is the commercial coffee maker! For a great selection, check out Mark Ramos’ website, The Coffee Bump.

Author: Mark Ramos
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The drip coffee maker was first introduced by the Mr. Coffee company in the early 1970′s and continues to be a popular brand of machines even though there has followed a plethora of coffee brewing options. Mr. Coffee was the prototype of subsequent automatic drip machines that provide a wide array of features and options that meet the particular whims of just about all coffee lovers. Today, choosing the best drip coffee maker generally depends on personal preferences by consumers that are usually dictated by machine features, brewing capacity, and price.

Typical Features

All drip machines are made with heating elements both for heating water for dripping and an element for warming the carafe after it is filled with fresh coffee. Brew baskets are also a common feature among coffee brewing equipment. Baskets usually require either a generic filter or special filter to strain the coffee as it drips through to the carafe below. Some machines are built with a special feature that does not require consumers to purchase disposable filters, but filter the coffee through a stainless steel or plastic grid system. A spray element is also necessary to spew heated water onto the dry grinds.

Optional features include such things as timers to automatically start brewing, built-in coffee grinding systems, and water filtration systems. High end drip coffee systems are more likely to offer these extra features than a basic drip machine.

Brewing Capacity

There are any number of systems that allow for various amounts of cups to be brewed rather quickly. There are single serve coffee makers, 2 cup brewers, 10 cup systems and commercial sized drip coffee machines that will brew for a whole crowd at one time. Pod coffee makers have become extremely popular since they allow a single serving of coffee to be brewed without adding coffee, changing the filter or wasting coffee. These machines operate by holding water in a tank and sending only enough water through the brewing system to make one cup. Pods are manufactured to fit various brewers and are vacuum packed only to be opened by the automated brewing system after the pod is properly placed in the unit. Pod coffee systems are especially preferred by gourmet lovers since various pod flavors can be purchased to be enjoyed at any time.

Price

There are many price variations depending on what drip coffee unit is chosen. A simple, basic unit can easily be purchased for under $10 while a high end pod coffee machine can cost upwards of $400. Of course, there are moderately priced pod systems as well, but generally the more expensive, the more features are included. However, price is not a deterrent for anyone who wants the best drip coffee maker for their own particular needs since a good coffee maker need not cost a lot in order to effectively brew good tasting coffee.

There are many online sales and discounts for quality drip coffee makers if you take time to shop around for the best deals. When choosing the best drip coffee maker for your needs, be sure to compare features, capacity and prices before making your final decision.

P.S. Orr has been writing articles for 6 years on a variety of topics of interest. Come visit the latest website at http://www.singleservecoffeemakerstore.com/ which helps people find the best deals on a personal coffee maker and more information about gourmet coffee machines.

Author: P.S. Orr
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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