Gourmet Coffee Beans

So you have aspirations to become a coffee gourmet. But there are yet a few things you need to learn about gourmet coffee beans before you become one. Here are some of them:

Proper Storage

First thing’s first: Coffee? It’s more like wine than you think, especially when it comes to proper storage. That’s because gourmet coffee beans are very sensitive to moisture, light, and above all, air. So if you want to preserve their flavor, make sure you keep the beans where moisture, light, and air can’t get to them.

The best choice you have is an air-tight, opaque container stored in a cool, dark place between 50 and 70 degrees. For even better results, store your gourmet coffee beans in small quantities in valve bags. That way, you can ensure fresh, coffee bean flavor even after long months of storage for those beans that you don’t use right away.

Bean Selection

The best way to get superior tasting coffee is to start with the freshest, highest quality gourmet coffee beans you can find. It’s always advisable to start small, sampling a bit of everything here and there until you find one that you like.

Water

You must know by now that the quality of your gourmet coffee beans can affect the taste of your coffee. So inferior beans will naturally result in inferior coffee just as superior beans will yield superior coffee. But the taste of your coffee is not affected by the mere quality of your beans. The water that you use can also make or break your coffee.

Always use fresh water with your gourmet coffee beans. If you decide to use tap water, make sure that it tastes fine to drink before using it for making fresh coffee. However, if you notice anything funny about the taste of your tap water, then don’t use it. Instead, use a quality bottled water or a water filter.

The Right Grind

Even with the best gourmet coffee beans and the finest bottled water around, your coffee may still taste less than perfect with the wrong grind. In fact, the wrong grind is the one thing that can completely destroy the flavor of your coffee.

When grinding gourmet coffee beans, just remember two things:

* Grind that is too fine will produce bitter and over-extracted coffee.
* Grind that is too coarse will produce weak tasting and sour coffee.

So when grinding gourmet coffee beans, make sure that the beans are ground specifically for the chosen brewing method.

Proportion

And lastly, the most important thing you need to learn about gourmet coffee beans is that it’s all about proportions. Making great coffee is really a balancing act – the right amount of water for the right amount of coffee beans, the right grind for the right method of brewing, the quality of gourmet coffee beans for the right taste of coffee. Once you learn the importance of proportion, then you are on your way to become a coffee gourmet.

Gourmet Coffees

So coffee drinker that you are, you’re probably no stranger to gourmet coffees. But have you ever stopped and wondered what makes gourmet coffees gourmet coffees? Is it the gourmet coffee beans? The roast? The blend? The grind? The flavor? The freshness?

The answer is: it’s all of the above.

The truth is that gourmet coffees are the culmination of every characteristic and consideration you can think of when it comes to choosing quality coffee. After all, why do you think they call it “gourmet coffees”?

The Beans

As you probably know, coffee is a bean. But did you also know that there isn’t just one coffee bean being sold commercially? There are two types – Robusta (Coffea robusta) and Arabica (Coffea Arabica). Robusta is the bean used to produce everyday instant coffee while Arabica is what gourmet coffees are made of.

Why the difference? Because unlike Robusta, Arabica coffees are very particular about their growing conditions: the plant only grows at high altitudes in tropical or sub-tropical climates.

So?

So these growing conditions combined with the particular soil type does all sorts of nice things to the coffee bean so that when you make a beverage out of these beans, your cup of java gives off unique flavors, aromas, and other characteristics that you commonly identify with gourmet coffees.

Where Are Gourmet Coffees Grown?

As there are specific regions where grapes used for winemaking grow, there are also specific regions that are ideal for growing gourmet coffees. There are actually many countries that grow the Arabica plant, but there are only three major growing areas:

* South and Central America – Gourmet coffees from this region are known for their lively acidity, crisp and sparkling quality, and sweet or spicey side. Some of the more famous gourmet coffees grown in this region include Columbian Supremo, Costa Rican Tarrazu, and Guatemala Antigua.

* Africa and Arabia – As the place where coffee was first discovered, this particular region is known for producing gourmet coffees with a wide range of flavors, mellow taste, and fine balance of acidity and body. Gourmet coffees include Kenya AA, Ethiopian fancy, and Yemen Mocha.

* Pacific or Island – Known for producing rich, full-bodied gourmet coffees, this region is particularly identified with coffees that have a very earthy and nutty quality and smooth, dry finish. Gourmet coffees from this region include Sumatra Mandheling, Jamaican Blue Mountain, and Hawaiian Kona Coffee.

Roasting

Before the beans are roasted, they are just beans, not much different from even those beans taken from coffee plants grown in less than ideal conditions. So how does one turn these green coffee beans turn from just another ordinary bean to something more profound?

The answer lies in the art of roasting.

Roasting to the coffee beans to perfection is what makes gourmet coffees what they are. And there are so many considerations to think of from the process itself to the timing, moisture, and content.

Bunn Coffee Maker

Bunn is one of the most popular holders of quality coffee makers.   This name is well-known throughout the industry that hundreds of Bunn coffee makers or brewers are already marketed and distributed throughout the United States and the world.

If you are currently looking for Bunn coffee makers, then you might be wondering which of the available Bunn products to take.  Note that each Bunn coffee brewer possesses features and characteristics that are to some degree unique from the others.  And, with lots of choices available, finding the best one could then be difficult.

But don’t despair for there is a solution for that.  The key is to know exactly what you want and what you expect from a Bunn coffee maker.  Also consider your budget and select only a Bunn product that meets your budget.  Lastly, know the features of the Bunn coffee makers and make your decision based on what you’ve learned.

To further help you in finding the best Bunn coffee maker, here are some considerations you must note before taking one:

Automatic or Manual?

The Bunn coffee makers come in two main types: automatic and manual.  The automatic coffee makers are designed to make your brewing easy and hassle-free.  Most of the Bunns belonging to this type feature a waterline.  Also, the automatic reservoir is automatically filled up.  There are also others that offer a pour over option, allowing you to brew coffee although the machine is not hooked up to its waterline.  On the other hand, the Pour Over type of Bunn coffee maker is noted for its hot water reservoir.  This feature actually works to allow you to brew coffee in less than 3 minutes.  It is named Pour Over because you still need to pour water into the top machine to brew and make a good cup of your favorite coffee.

Other Types

Aside from automatic and pour over options, the Bunn coffee maker comes in a number of other worth noting types.  The most common type of Bunn brewer is the regular or drip brewer which actually works to brew coffee into pots.  There is also the pod type which brews coffee simply by the cup using coffee pods, which are natural roasted coffees that are packed and encapsulated in paper.  The Bunn’s list of coffee makers also includes the thermal type which actually makes coffee into thermal servers.   Then, there is the satellite Bunn coffee maker and it is this type which is highly capable of brewing large volumes of coffee quickly.   And, for more volumes of coffee, there are the thermofresh, softheat, liquid and urn types of Bunn coffee makers.

Note that all of the above mentioned types of Bunn coffee maker are available in coffee stores and shops worldwide.  You can find them even offline and online.  But before deciding on one, make sure that you are happy and satisfied with what it has to offer.

Choosing the Right Coffee Beans for You

Wondering what kind of coffee to buy? Not sure which of the available coffee products is right for you? Well, finding and choosing the right coffee is as easy as pie only if you know some of the basic facts about coffee and its production. Two of the most important things to know about it are the types of coffee beans and the degree of roast. Once you’ve got the idea behind these concepts, it would be easy for you to choose the right coffee beans for an unforgettable cup.

So let’s start.

When choosing good coffee beans, it is important to note what’s in the name. The coffee beans come in a number of varieties, and each variety possesses characteristics that are to some degree different from the others. Basically, coffee beans can be classified in two types: the coffee Arabica and the coffee Robusta. The former type is known throughout the industry as the older type originating in Ethiopia that possesses a better taste and aroma, while the latter is noted for its bitter taste and distinct flavor. Of the two types, it is the coffee Arabica that is preferred by many consumers as it tastes better than the Robusta.

The right coffee beans can also be identified according to the way the beans are roasted. In the first place, the beans are harvested green. They appear like a dried legume and usually have a little resemblance to the roasted product. They are roasted fresh by the professionals and the longer the beans roast, the darker their color and the stronger their flavor. Given this fact, it is best then to look at yourself and ask how strong you want and prefer. Note that the roasts come in a number of names. For instance, the light roasts include New England, Light and Cinnamon. The color of these coffee beans appears to be somewhat similar to a milk chocolate, and much to your surprise, they contain more caffeine than the dark roasts. According to some researches, about 10% is the increase in the caffeine contained in light roasted coffee beans.

There are also the medium roasted coffee beans, which come in dark brown color with certain spots on the grains. In this degree of roast, only a lesser amount of acidity is obtained. The medium roasted beans also tend to be spicy and nutty in taste. Well, according to some experts, a good medium roast can feature the best qualities of every type of coffee, whether Arabica or Robusta. And, to mention but one, the Costa Rica coffee is one of the best varieties of medium roast.

Finally, there are the dark roasts which appear almost black in color and are very oily and shinny. In this degree of roast, the coffee beans tend to have a smoky and deep flavor. The beans also taste much bitter than the first mentioned degrees, and one of the most well-known varieties that fall under this degree is the Mocha Java, which is marketed throughout the world these days for its strong aroma and taste.

When choosing the right coffee beans, it is important to make sure that beans are freshly roasted. Also, make sure that the coffee beans are never broken, but whole and well-shaped. Most of all go for those that smell good. If your instinct tells you that “this is the good product”, then it probably is.

Specialty Coffee Industry

When you talk about coffee, every one seems to have a share of stories to tell. It is because there are many people who drink coffee with ages 18 and up. As a result of our (yes, I’m a caffeine lover too!) addiction to coffee, coffee shops offering specialty coffees keep on sprouting from every where. Since specialty coffee industry to grow, I’m sure they are making more and more money. And why not, they are serving hundreds of caffeine lovers every day.

The specialty coffee industry is among the fastest growing food industries in the world. If you may have noticed and I’m sure you have even if you don’t drink coffee, you can find many coffee shops in almost every corner in the downtown area. Specialty coffee, sometimes called gourmet or premium coffee, is grown in the world’s most ideal coffee producing climates, like in Costa Rica, and prepared according to exacting standards. And these standards are set by the Specialty Coffee Association of America or SCAA.

SCAA is the trade association for the specialty coffee industry. One of its functions is to set standards for growing, roasting, and brewing. Members of the SCAA include coffee retailers, roasters, producers, exporters, and importers. The manufacturers of the coffee equipment and related products are members as well. SCAA provide its own information of specialty coffee in terms of cupping, brewing roasting, and more. Let’s have a quick look.

Cupping is the method of systematic evaluation of the aroma and taste of coffee beans. It is usually used by growers, buyers, and roasters to evaluate the quality of a particular coffee sample. Proper cupping requires the observance to an exacting set of brewing standards and a formal step-by-step evaluation process. The six characteristics of coffee that a cupper generally looks include fragrance, aroma, taste, nose (vapors released by the coffee in the mouth), aftertaste, and body.

Roasting methods has 6 phases: drying cycle, first crack, roast initiation, pause, second crack, and stopping the roast. There had been numerous roasting methods being developed over the years with only one objective and that is to transfer heat to the coffee bean, initiating a series of chemical reactions that prepare it for consumption.

Brewing that is done the proper way enhances the taste of coffee by allowing you to extract the proper amount of flavor from the bean. There are six essential elements of good brewing: correct coffee- to- water ratio, a coffee grind that matches the brewing time, properly operating brewing equipment, optimum brewing method, high-quality water, and an appropriate filtering medium.

So, that is it. Specialty coffee hit it off in the market for many reasons. For one, it also have standards to follow in order to produce great tasting coffee drinks and simply because they taste better. If the coffee industry maintains its consistency in the implementation of strict adherence to quality, it will continue to soar.

Espresso Coffee

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages all over the world and it comes with different flavors, and types. And, espresso is one of them. The term espresso means pressed-out in Italian, referring to the brewing process. Espresso coffee is a flavorful coffee beverage brewed by forcing very hot, but not boiling water under high pressure through coffee that has been ground to a consistency between extremely fine and powder. It was first made known in Italy back in the beginning of the 20th century, but it was in 1940’s that it became a beverage produced only with steam pressure. The invention of the spring priston lever machine and its subsequent commercial success changed espresso coffee into the very famous beverage that we know of at the present. Coffee lovers or not must have known what an espresso is.

Some people who got so addicted with espresso coffee know the difference between it and the drip coffee. The distinct differences are that espresso has thicker consistency compared to drip coffee; it has higher amount of dissolved solids than drip coffee every relative volume, and a serving size that is measured in shots. Espresso coffee is chemically complex and volatile, with many of its components degrading from oxidation or loss of temperature. Again, those espresso-holic would know that there is a distinguishing factor of a properly brewed espresso and it is the presence of crema. Crema is actually the reddish brown foam, which floats from your cup of espresso coffee. It essentially contains vegetable oils proteins, and sugars. If you have tried a properly brewed one, you must have noticed it.

As the result of high-pressure brewing process, all of the flavors and chemicals in a simple cup of coffee are concentrated. This is why some caffeine lovers prefer one or two shots of espresso coffee instead of one or two cups of plain brewed coffee just to get a quick shot of caffeine. In addition, due to its intense and highly and highly concentrated ingredients, which include caffeine, espresso coffee is also mixed into other coffee drinks, like lattes, cappuccino, macchiatos, and mochas without the need to excessively dilute the resulting drink. All of these various coffee drinks are sold in most coffee shops.

The popularity of different levels of roast in espresso varies significantly. This type of coffee is normally a blend of beans roasted anywhere from very light to very dark with a lot of surface oil evident. Espresso coffee is the most famous type of coffee in Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, France and Southern Europe, obviously Brazil, and to other parts of Europe and North America. It accounts nearly all of the commercial café, coffeehouse, and restaurant coffee business. No wonder it becomes known all throughout the world.

Coffee and Its Varietals

Second to water in popularity, coffee is consumed by billions of people throughout the world. Statistics have shown that about 400 billion cups are consumed annually and that children and adults have been taking it for several good reasons.

Coffee is a popular beverage served in two ways: hot or with ice. It is naturally prepared from the roasted seeds of a coffee plant, and these seeds are known as “coffee beans”. The beans originate from an evergreen tree which has grown and has been cultivated in a number of subtropical areas around the world, including Latin America, the Caribbean Islands, Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Indonesia and other regions in Southeast Asia.

Being cultivated and produced in a number of countries, coffee comes in varieties. Each variety has its distinctive quality and differs according to flavor, acidity, amount of caffeine, and mouth feel. All of these characteristics are highly dependent on the environment where the coffee plants are grown, as well as on the way they are processed and produced.

There are three major varietals of coffee: the C. Robusta, C. Arabica, and the Blended types. Below are short descriptions for each type. Read on.

* C. Robusta – Known scientifically as coffee canephora, the Robusta variety naturally contains 40 to 50 percent of caffeine and is cultivated in some major areas in the world where the second variety, C. Arabica, will not thrive. This type has a bitter taste and has little flavor. Its aroma is deemed as something similar to that of brunt rubber or wet cardboard. And, one of the very pricey and unusual subtype of this species is the Indonesian Kopi Luwak and the Kape Alamid, which is known and highly valued in the Philippines.

* C. Arabica – Noted to have originated from the Arabian Peninsula, the Coffee Arabica is the older type of coffee known to man. It is thought to be indigenous to Ethiopia, and is widely known for its richer flavor and taste. Some of the well-known subtypes of C. Arabica are Colombian, Colombian milds, Costa Rican Tarrazu, Guatemala, Hawaiian Kona, Jamaica Blue Mountain, Ethiopian Harrar, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Sulawesi Toraja Kalossi, Tanzania Peaberry, Sumatra Mandheling, Sumatra Lintong, Java, and Kenya AA.

* Blends – As the name implies, this coffee variety is a combination of both C. Arabica and C. Robusta. Blends are generally considered mainly to create a sense of balance and complexity. With this idea, a number of blends are available nowadays and one of the oldest is the Mocha Java, which is but a combination of coffee beans belonging to the same name. This blend is noted for its chocolate flavor, leading to the blending of the known Café Mocha.

Several other varieties of coffee exist nowadays. All of these varieties are prepared from the blends, which are mixed with other less expensive varieties to provide a new taste and flavor. The Jamaica Blue Mountain and the Hawaiian Kona are but two of the most prominent examples of these recent coffee blends.

Let Us Know More About Coffee!

The aroma scent of coffee brings back many good memories. Especially those of being at a resort where freshly brewed coffee awaits you each morning when you proceed to the restaurant for breakfast. Relaxing mornings, being served and treated like a royal, coffee does wonders for me.

All coffee lovers out there will need their dose of coffee, whether or not it reminds them of being at a resort. It can be an addiction after long, but it is still extremely popular throughout the world.

More About Coffee brings to you the various types of coffee and will hopefully, ignite the coffee lover in those who have yet to try this cup of aromatic liquid.