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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True coffee lovers always drink their coffee black, yes? Wrong. Today, there are more flavors and blends of coffee than there in any wine selection, so let loose and start enjoying the 101 different ways to taste the marvelous gift of coffee.

The creativity of blends is nearly endless. One Indonesian blend combines Sumatran and the coffee beans of Papua New Guinea to create a tasty, full-bodied brew. What a surprise to those who never knew that Papua New Guineans even grew coffee. But, Sumatra can be mixed with more than just other Indonesian beans. Another great mixture is Sumatran with Colombian Patron to produce a delicious, dark roasted blend that combines to coffee perfection.

In addition to blends, flavorings can also make for a delicious coffee treat. Adding almond, vanilla and even cherry to a Brazilian can soften the acid and sweeten the brew, while a banana hazelnut flavoring turns a regular robusta into a bit more than a decent cup of coffee. Yet, a huge coffee breakthrough is the Tahitian vanilla latte, a dangerously delicious treat.

As far as making a mocha, the variety of chocolates is equivocal to that of the wide array of different beans. A Yemeni mixed with a hint of dark chocolate can enhance an already wonderful blend. Or, perhaps try an American roast with a hint of Ghiradelli milk chocolate when something heavy is to be avoided.

Coffee variations are as plentiful as they are delicious and delightful, but they are not limited to just beans, flavorings and roasts. Several different liqueurs and liquors offer even another twist for coffee lovers.

For instance, a Jamaican forms a solid base to which you can add brown sugar, dessert pears, and a good amount of rum or brandy. Or, try using apricots instead of the pears for another twist. Another tasty treat is to try Amaretto’s sweetness with a Costa Rican blend, that is if you prefer to get intoxicated and sober all with the same beverage.

Coffee and cocoa is a favorite for those who enjoy their coffee cut. You can enjoy it cold or hot, as Mexican coffee and cocoa beans can combine for a delicious treat in any season.

The coffee innovations do not end with cocoa. Frozen cappuccinos are becoming increasingly popular. They can wake you up when drowsy and refresh you when you need that something special to awaken your taste buds. Try adding a bit of chocolate mint flavoring for an extra zing.

It really is not clear why a true coffee lover would want decaf, but for these coffee drinkers there is still a wide selection of coffees from which to choose, including Decaf Marrakesh, Italian Espresso and even a Dutchman. Regardless of your caffeine preferences, broaden your coffee horizons to enjoy the many blends, flavors and options available today for your coffee maker Coffee is not just “coffee” anymore!

Robert Carlton’s papers can be found on large numbers of web sites with reference to toddy cold brew coffee maker and toddy cold brew coffee maker. You can find his observations on toddy coffee maker at different sources for toddy coffee maker news.

Author: Robert J. Carlton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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You’ve probably heard the term “gourmet coffee”, but do you really know what makes some coffees gourmet while others aren’t? It all goes back to the coffee bean, which isn’t a bean at all. Instead, it’s a seed of the coffee plant. Coffee has been around in some form for at least the last thousand years. Legend has it that it was first discovered in Ethiopia and later spread throughout Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. One of the first American settlers brought a plant to the new world to start a plantation. The people of the United States now consume more coffee than any other country, and the new, single-cup coffee makers are revolutionizing the way we make coffee.

The two main types of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. Only ripe berries are used in gourmet coffees, because these are the berries that will have the best flavor. The beans are painstakingly hand-picked to make sure that only the ripe ones are chosen. Gourmet coffee is made of Arabica coffee beans that have been roasted long enough to get the oils flowing. That’s where all the taste is. The longer the beans are roasted, the deeper and richer the taste. Gourmet coffees utilize the best of these beans that have been roasted to perfection. The strength of the coffee being produced also depends on the size of the grind with finer grinds delivering darker coffee.

Different kinds of blends are mixed together per manufacturer recipes to achieve the different tastes. That’s why when you shop for gourmet coffee pods for your single cup coffee maker you’re able to find so many different blends to choose from. That’s what it means when companies offer you house blends, signature blends, organic blends, and the like. The companies producing the gourmet coffees have selected the finest coffee beans they can find, roasted them, put them through rigorous taste testing, and ended up with fine blends they can label gourmet.

When you purchase coffee pods for your 1 cup coffee maker, you expect to get the best of the best, and that’s what you’ll be paying for. Since the process of creating gourmet coffee is very labor intensive, from hand-picking to extended roasting time to the sampling of different blends, you pay premium prices for it; however, many people think the end result is well worth the expense.

Paul Julian writes about one of the coolest inventions ever, the single cup coffee maker, at http://www.CoffeePodsAndKcups.com.

Author: Paul Julian
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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