View entire thread: Tips needed. Overseas coffee shop
Posted by q80ahmad on 2006-06-19 04:38:44 Post Subject: Tips needed. Overseas coffee shop
Good day to all,
We are considering opening a coffee shop in Kuwait. The competition is stiff here with brand names like Starbucks, Costa coffee, Coffee bean and second cup coffee, but people would always consider trying something new. Our idea is to provide a new experience in coffee shops and trying to target college students.
Could anybody help on how to best buy the coffee, roast it and brew it for a place as far as Kuwait (considering the distance and the unbearable heat in the summer)?? Some insights on best inventory practices will also be appreciated. If there are any recommended books or journals, It would be so much of a help as well.
Best regards and many thanks,
Ahmad
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Posted by q80ahmad on 2006-06-19 04:38:44 Post Subject: Tips needed. Overseas coffee shop
Good day to all,
We are considering opening a coffee shop in Kuwait. The competition is stiff here with brand names like Starbucks, Costa coffee, Coffee bean and second cup coffee, but people would always consider trying something new. Our idea is to provide a new experience in coffee shops and trying to target college students.
Could anybody help on how to best buy the coffee, roast it and brew it for a place as far as Kuwait (considering the distance and the unbearable heat in the summer)?? Some insights on best inventory practices will also be appreciated. If there are any recommended books or journals, It would be so much of a help as well.
Best regards and many thanks,
Ahmad
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View entire thread: Coffee for a Gift
Posted by La Crema Coffee on 2006-01-06 14:23:57 Post Subject:
For futrure reference: wouldn't you rather buy from a handcrafed coffee roaster? We/I at La Crema Coffee roast the finest coffee around. I also custom roast, a variety both types/orgins and roast levels like: french or light .
I have fought it out in the Washington Coffee War and so far I'm gaining ground. Do you what simply the best? the La Crema is your choice.
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Posted by La Crema Coffee on 2006-01-06 14:23:57 Post Subject:
For futrure reference: wouldn't you rather buy from a handcrafed coffee roaster? We/I at La Crema Coffee roast the finest coffee around. I also custom roast, a variety both types/orgins and roast levels like: french or light .
I have fought it out in the Washington Coffee War and so far I'm gaining ground. Do you what simply the best? the La Crema is your choice.
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View entire thread: Coffee Blends Poll
Posted by topher on 2005-11-26 17:05:12 Post Subject:
I'm lost...do you want us to pick our favorite coffee or do you want us to come up with a blend with the coffees above...it is hard to be so cut and dry...there are a lot of other factors...percentage of each coffee...roast profiles...oh well just don't understand the question I guess...sorry
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Posted by topher on 2005-11-26 17:05:12 Post Subject:
I'm lost...do you want us to pick our favorite coffee or do you want us to come up with a blend with the coffees above...it is hard to be so cut and dry...there are a lot of other factors...percentage of each coffee...roast profiles...oh well just don't understand the question I guess...sorry
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View entire thread: Coffee jitters
Posted by Jackson on 2007-05-10 20:31:30 Post Subject:
Darryl,
It is most likely the concentration of coffee per ounce of water when brewed. The more coffee in the brew basket will give higher levels of caffeine.
Another possibility would be using Robusta coffee instead of Arabica. Robusta beans have almost twice the amount of caffeine as Arabica coffee.
Roast styles have little or no impact on caffeine levels in coffee.
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Posted by Jackson on 2007-05-10 20:31:30 Post Subject:
Darryl,
It is most likely the concentration of coffee per ounce of water when brewed. The more coffee in the brew basket will give higher levels of caffeine.
Another possibility would be using Robusta coffee instead of Arabica. Robusta beans have almost twice the amount of caffeine as Arabica coffee.
Roast styles have little or no impact on caffeine levels in coffee.
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View entire thread: Need Roaster Advise in the 10-15 Kilo Range....
Posted by MobjackJaVA on 2007-10-17 15:35:47 Post Subject: Need Roaster Advise in the 10-15 Kilo Range....
Hello Everyone.
I am looking to purchase a used roaster in the 10-15 Kilo Range to start a wholesale coffee roast business. I have researched Deitrichs, Ambex, Jopers, and Probats.
I''ve been debating on purchasing new vs old.....manual vs. automated (more about increasing multitask time)...and brand.
Can I get some experienced feedback on strengths and weaknesses of these machines? For instance, I''ve heard that Deitrichs can \"explode\" because gas gets backed up in it if your connection wears out. Jopers are impossible to get parts for. Used probats aren''t automated. Ambex aren''t built to last. I''ve heard positives about each machine....just sharing some of the concerning input to gain clarity. I''m on information overload and need some clarity......
Thanks
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Posted by MobjackJaVA on 2007-10-17 15:35:47 Post Subject: Need Roaster Advise in the 10-15 Kilo Range....
Hello Everyone.
I am looking to purchase a used roaster in the 10-15 Kilo Range to start a wholesale coffee roast business. I have researched Deitrichs, Ambex, Jopers, and Probats.
I''ve been debating on purchasing new vs old.....manual vs. automated (more about increasing multitask time)...and brand.
Can I get some experienced feedback on strengths and weaknesses of these machines? For instance, I''ve heard that Deitrichs can \"explode\" because gas gets backed up in it if your connection wears out. Jopers are impossible to get parts for. Used probats aren''t automated. Ambex aren''t built to last. I''ve heard positives about each machine....just sharing some of the concerning input to gain clarity. I''m on information overload and need some clarity......
Thanks
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View entire thread: Where can I buy good coffee online?
Posted by jlyon10 on 2008-07-22 14:16:04 Post Subject: coffee online
If you want fresh coffee, roast your own. You can buy green beans online also. Visit my site.
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Posted by jlyon10 on 2008-07-22 14:16:04 Post Subject: coffee online
If you want fresh coffee, roast your own. You can buy green beans online also. Visit my site.
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View entire thread: color of crema and small dots on it???
Posted by CafeBlue on 2007-03-07 20:52:57 Post Subject:
muzoon;
Your good questions with decent specific detail is helping you get useful and well-reasoned feedback from Alun and Matt.
Check out the WBA barista competition score/evaluation sheets for more pointers. Review the all judge's and competitor's information.
Your shot time and dose are in the right range. The tamping pressure is a little on the high side, but of course all these factors are inter-related. If you alter tamping pressure a little lighter (say in the 15 to 20 kilos pressure range), then the grind will need to be a little finer to compensate. You will still want the shot time to be about 24 seconds.
Your beans at a day to 2 weeks from roast date is prime freshness standard, but perhaps it is ground too soon? Some cafe's grind coffee to fill the espresso grinder's dosing chamber, then lose cup quality, aroma and crema due to staling in the doser. Brew immediately upon grinding for best results. That means most skilled baristi will use doserless espresso grinders, or keep virtually empty doser hoppers. That means the barista is essentially filling the portafilter by multiple sweeps of the dosing paddle, then levelling and tamping. You do not mention specifics regarding your espresso machine and grinders. If you are using super-automatic machines, then several other factors may also impact results.
I am guessing, without seeing the shots or at least photos, but here are a couple possible factors to spots. Most likely, the spots are loose grinds picked up on the portafilter spout when tamping. KEEP THE WORKSTATION CLEAN AND CLEAR OF SPILLED GRINDS. When tamping, brace the portafilter rim (not spouts) on the edge of the counter with the spout "dangling off the edge". You may prefer to use a computer mouse pad or a similar rubber pad for a tamping surface...keep the pad clean, then you can place the spout on the pad for tamping, without damaging the spout tip. Your roast may have some beans that are too darkly roasted. The spots MIGHT be caused by portafilter and screens not clean enough, then some of the deposits break loose and enter the brewed coffee. The spots MAY be desirable characteristics of a well pulled shot, like "tiger-striping" in the crema. Photos would help.
The blend you listed adds up to 90%. Perhaps you meant that each ingredient is 1/3 or 33.3%? Perhaps you do not mind posting or PM the remaining details to me?
The green coffee you listed is all described as reasonably high grade, hard bean, washed process arabica.
Modify your blend - ingredients and/or ratios. Increasing the Brasil and decreasing the Guatemalan should increase the sweetness and moderate the acidity, while shifting the color a little darker in tone. Perhaps 40-45% Brasil and 15 or 20% Guatemala will give you an idea of my meaning.
Adding some natural prep or aqua-pulped or semi-washed coffee would boost the body, fruity tones, and yield a darker color tone. Your green suppliers may have appropriate coffee for you to experiment with. You could try similar coffee to your current ingredients. For example a pulped natural Brasil, or a natural Brasil (arabica, not conillon) at say 15 0r 20%, while you keep the Brasil type 2/3 washed component at 15 or 20%. You could try a similar approach with Ethiopian Djimmah, Limmu, or Sidamo/Yrrgacheffe natural (dry preparation) substituting part or all of the washed Sidamo you use now. Be careful to buy exceptioanlly high grade natural prep coffee, or else the physical defects will de-grade the cup quality with off-tastes (muddy, fermented, moldy, earthy, dirty, murky, etc.).
Modify your roast profile. Even without changing the blend ingredients or ratios, a different roast profile can have significan impact on cup characteristics. Reducing the heat application rate will yield a smoother, sweeter espresso. Hard beans like you are using can easily handle a 16 to 22 minute roast duration in a Probat. The trick is to make the roast take longer by adding heat to the beans more slowly, and ending up with a roast that is about the same color as your current roast (not darker). You may need to adjust burner rate, air flow or damping vanes/valves to make the roast profile changes. You might only need to alter the temperature set-points that you use to switch from higher heat rates to lower heat rates. Roasting for espresso is as much about control and finesse of heat application - as it is about skill in green buying and blending.
You may have heard cautions to avoid "baking" the coffee. "Baked" taste occurs when the coffee takes too long to roast because the heat is too little to maintain a continuously increasing bean temperature. So, stretch the roast time longer, but avoid "stalling" the roast.
Alternatively, you might also try a slightly darker coffee roast - a LITTLE further into 2nd crack.
Lots of possibilities...I hope you try a few (scientifically, vary one parameter at a time in order to control your changes) and let us know what results. I would love to hear your feedback after you try a few things.
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Posted by CafeBlue on 2007-03-07 20:52:57 Post Subject:
muzoon;
Your good questions with decent specific detail is helping you get useful and well-reasoned feedback from Alun and Matt.
Check out the WBA barista competition score/evaluation sheets for more pointers. Review the all judge's and competitor's information.
Your shot time and dose are in the right range. The tamping pressure is a little on the high side, but of course all these factors are inter-related. If you alter tamping pressure a little lighter (say in the 15 to 20 kilos pressure range), then the grind will need to be a little finer to compensate. You will still want the shot time to be about 24 seconds.
Your beans at a day to 2 weeks from roast date is prime freshness standard, but perhaps it is ground too soon? Some cafe's grind coffee to fill the espresso grinder's dosing chamber, then lose cup quality, aroma and crema due to staling in the doser. Brew immediately upon grinding for best results. That means most skilled baristi will use doserless espresso grinders, or keep virtually empty doser hoppers. That means the barista is essentially filling the portafilter by multiple sweeps of the dosing paddle, then levelling and tamping. You do not mention specifics regarding your espresso machine and grinders. If you are using super-automatic machines, then several other factors may also impact results.
I am guessing, without seeing the shots or at least photos, but here are a couple possible factors to spots. Most likely, the spots are loose grinds picked up on the portafilter spout when tamping. KEEP THE WORKSTATION CLEAN AND CLEAR OF SPILLED GRINDS. When tamping, brace the portafilter rim (not spouts) on the edge of the counter with the spout "dangling off the edge". You may prefer to use a computer mouse pad or a similar rubber pad for a tamping surface...keep the pad clean, then you can place the spout on the pad for tamping, without damaging the spout tip. Your roast may have some beans that are too darkly roasted. The spots MIGHT be caused by portafilter and screens not clean enough, then some of the deposits break loose and enter the brewed coffee. The spots MAY be desirable characteristics of a well pulled shot, like "tiger-striping" in the crema. Photos would help.
The blend you listed adds up to 90%. Perhaps you meant that each ingredient is 1/3 or 33.3%? Perhaps you do not mind posting or PM the remaining details to me?
The green coffee you listed is all described as reasonably high grade, hard bean, washed process arabica.
Modify your blend - ingredients and/or ratios. Increasing the Brasil and decreasing the Guatemalan should increase the sweetness and moderate the acidity, while shifting the color a little darker in tone. Perhaps 40-45% Brasil and 15 or 20% Guatemala will give you an idea of my meaning.
Adding some natural prep or aqua-pulped or semi-washed coffee would boost the body, fruity tones, and yield a darker color tone. Your green suppliers may have appropriate coffee for you to experiment with. You could try similar coffee to your current ingredients. For example a pulped natural Brasil, or a natural Brasil (arabica, not conillon) at say 15 0r 20%, while you keep the Brasil type 2/3 washed component at 15 or 20%. You could try a similar approach with Ethiopian Djimmah, Limmu, or Sidamo/Yrrgacheffe natural (dry preparation) substituting part or all of the washed Sidamo you use now. Be careful to buy exceptioanlly high grade natural prep coffee, or else the physical defects will de-grade the cup quality with off-tastes (muddy, fermented, moldy, earthy, dirty, murky, etc.).
Modify your roast profile. Even without changing the blend ingredients or ratios, a different roast profile can have significan impact on cup characteristics. Reducing the heat application rate will yield a smoother, sweeter espresso. Hard beans like you are using can easily handle a 16 to 22 minute roast duration in a Probat. The trick is to make the roast take longer by adding heat to the beans more slowly, and ending up with a roast that is about the same color as your current roast (not darker). You may need to adjust burner rate, air flow or damping vanes/valves to make the roast profile changes. You might only need to alter the temperature set-points that you use to switch from higher heat rates to lower heat rates. Roasting for espresso is as much about control and finesse of heat application - as it is about skill in green buying and blending.
You may have heard cautions to avoid "baking" the coffee. "Baked" taste occurs when the coffee takes too long to roast because the heat is too little to maintain a continuously increasing bean temperature. So, stretch the roast time longer, but avoid "stalling" the roast.
Alternatively, you might also try a slightly darker coffee roast - a LITTLE further into 2nd crack.
Lots of possibilities...I hope you try a few (scientifically, vary one parameter at a time in order to control your changes) and let us know what results. I would love to hear your feedback after you try a few things.
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View entire thread: Fishy, rotten smelling Folgers beans
Posted by javahill on 2005-04-19 21:08:35 Post Subject:
Folgers has a few things working against it. First, the beans. They are most likely cheap arabias (70 percent of the world crop is arabia and only the top 10 percent is specialty coffee) and/or robusta. Robusta is like the name suggests a hardier plan, resistant to disease and able to be grown at lower altitudes. They tend to have a much higher moisture content then high grown coffee, so it will taste thinner.
As far as the aroma, here is one of those spoilers. If you don't want to feel like you did after you found out there was no tooth fairy or Santa Claus, then by all means stop reading now.
When coffee is vacuum packed (all canned coffee and those brick-like bags) all the aroma is sucked out of the coffee. So where does the coffee smell come from? They inject it. Yup. The coffee smell was extracted from the coffee, concentrated and then shot back in. They manipulate smell like the Marlboro Man dicks with nicotine.
Sometimes they get it wrong.
So stick with people who start with great green coffee, roast it and package it fresh without a vacuum process. Either fresh packed or nitrogen flushed will produce the same result. If you're compelled to shop for coffee in a supermarket, look for one of those button filters, usually on the front of the bag. Squeeze it and check out the smell. Ground coffee will put off a better aroma because there are more surfaces of the coffee exposed to give off aroma.
I know there are purists who poo-poo bagged coffee, but they've got a commercial axe to grind. We regularly buy coffee samples and take them into our lab to test for packaging integrity, O2 contamition and taste. It is entirely possible to buy well packaged nitrogen flushed coffee that is 2-3 months old and unless you have a palate like Ken Davids or Lindsey Bolger, you're not going to know the difference. If you have a palate that good, you're not buying Folgers.
If you bought 2 cans/bags of Folgers, I would put in another caution. If you start buying better coffee, either go through all the absurd steps of dividing it in little zip lock bags, squeezing the air out and freezing them until you need them or open one bag at a time and go right through it in a week and after each use, just squeeze the air out of the bag, roll it up and clamp down the tin tie.
Of course, everyone who really has a world-class palate will have a set of standards that normal human beans read about. And then there are the people who read about the gifted few with world class palates and do their level best to imitate their actions. But that ain't you or me. If that is you, great. Do whatever you need to do to have fun and enjoy your coffee on your terms.
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Posted by javahill on 2005-04-19 21:08:35 Post Subject:
Folgers has a few things working against it. First, the beans. They are most likely cheap arabias (70 percent of the world crop is arabia and only the top 10 percent is specialty coffee) and/or robusta. Robusta is like the name suggests a hardier plan, resistant to disease and able to be grown at lower altitudes. They tend to have a much higher moisture content then high grown coffee, so it will taste thinner.
As far as the aroma, here is one of those spoilers. If you don't want to feel like you did after you found out there was no tooth fairy or Santa Claus, then by all means stop reading now.
When coffee is vacuum packed (all canned coffee and those brick-like bags) all the aroma is sucked out of the coffee. So where does the coffee smell come from? They inject it. Yup. The coffee smell was extracted from the coffee, concentrated and then shot back in. They manipulate smell like the Marlboro Man dicks with nicotine.
Sometimes they get it wrong.
So stick with people who start with great green coffee, roast it and package it fresh without a vacuum process. Either fresh packed or nitrogen flushed will produce the same result. If you're compelled to shop for coffee in a supermarket, look for one of those button filters, usually on the front of the bag. Squeeze it and check out the smell. Ground coffee will put off a better aroma because there are more surfaces of the coffee exposed to give off aroma.
I know there are purists who poo-poo bagged coffee, but they've got a commercial axe to grind. We regularly buy coffee samples and take them into our lab to test for packaging integrity, O2 contamition and taste. It is entirely possible to buy well packaged nitrogen flushed coffee that is 2-3 months old and unless you have a palate like Ken Davids or Lindsey Bolger, you're not going to know the difference. If you have a palate that good, you're not buying Folgers.
If you bought 2 cans/bags of Folgers, I would put in another caution. If you start buying better coffee, either go through all the absurd steps of dividing it in little zip lock bags, squeezing the air out and freezing them until you need them or open one bag at a time and go right through it in a week and after each use, just squeeze the air out of the bag, roll it up and clamp down the tin tie.
Of course, everyone who really has a world-class palate will have a set of standards that normal human beans read about. And then there are the people who read about the gifted few with world class palates and do their level best to imitate their actions. But that ain't you or me. If that is you, great. Do whatever you need to do to have fun and enjoy your coffee on your terms.
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View entire thread: What to worry about?
Posted by tintinet on 2003-09-15 18:47:35 Post Subject: A Find on the Net Regarding Coffee- Oh, Myth!
It Doesn't Cause Cancer... It's Not Addictive...Nor Fat-free ...the Myths And Facts About Coffee
2003 September 09 Printer-friendly format Email this article to a friend
By AMY ANDERSON
AN AUSTRALIAN study claims that coffee can increase stamina and help weight loss. It, most health experts warn against drinking it. So what is the truth about coffee? AMY ANDERSON separates myth from fact . . .
Coffee is fat-free - MYTH AFTER brewing, espresso coffee contains 2.5 per cent fat. Filter coffee contains 0.6 per cent. It's mainly the milk or cream taken with the coffee that adds fat.
Coffee makes you more physically active - FACT CAFFEINE - the main active ingredient in coffee - acts as a mild stimulant on the central nervous system. This, in turn, is responsible for boosting alertness when individuals are tired - during nightshift work, on a long journey, or after lunch when the body's circadian rhythm is at its lowest. It is also why drinking coffee before taking part in sport can make you perform better.
Coffee is just a quick stimulant - MYTH THE stimulant effect of coffee peaks in the blood 15 to 45 minutes after drinking - but may persist for hours. How fast your body deals with caffeine depends on your metabolic rate, but its expulsion is slowed by pregnancy, medications such antacids and the Pill.
It's always hard to give up coffee - MYTH A TINY percentage of the population, who may be sensitive to the mild stimulant effects of caffeine, may experience withdrawal symptoms, such as headache and lethargy, if they suddenly stop drinking coffee.
These symptoms can be avoided by cutting down gradually over a few days.
Most people just feel slightly less alert in the mornings when they stop drinking coffee.
Drinking coffee is an aid to weight loss - FACT CAFFEINE has been shown to lead to a temporary increase in the metabolic rate and the rate of fat breakdown. Although increases in energy expenditure caused by caffeine are small, they may be of benefit in some weight loss programmes.
Coffee can make you more mentally alert - FACT CAFFEINE can boost the speed of rapid information processing by 10 per cent, and a cup of coffee after lunch helps to counteract the 'post-lunch dip' in ability to sustain concentration. It can also make you less drowsy when you have a cold, and can stimulate sensory nerves.
Coffee is certain to make it hard to sleep - MYTH THE effect of caffeine on the ability to fall asleep differs hugely between individuals. Some people who drink coffee in the evening find they have no problems sleeping; others find its stimulant effect means it takes them much longer to fall asleep.
However, a higher proportion of poor sleepers than good sleepers appear to metabolise caffeine particularly slowly. This is why doctors often recommend that people who are having problems getting to sleep refrain from drinking coffee in the late afternoon or early evening.
The darker the roast, the stronger the coffee - MYTH THE darkness of a coffee roast depends on how long it has been left to roast for, and lighter roasts often have a stronger flavour.
Darker roasts are more acidic, which can make the taste better or worse, depending on your personal preference.
Coffee is a diuretic - MYTH WITH normal consumption of three or four cups a day, studies have found the diuretic effects of coffee to be negligible.
It's only when there's a high intake that appears to have a diuretic effect.
Drinking coffee causes cancer - MYTH THOUSANDS of research projects have been carried out to investigate any links between coffee consumption and the development of cancer. In 1997, the World Cancer Research Fund published a comprehensive review of diet and cancer. It stated: 'Most evidence suggests that regular consumption of coffee and/or tea has no risk of cancer at any site.' Some studies have found that a freshly brewed cup of coffee may actually help your body to fight cancer. Antioxidants in both regular and decaffeinated coffee - many of which are produced during the roasting process may have beneficial effects.
Antioxidants can reduce levels of damaging free-radicals and have been shown in studies to have both cancer and age-fighting effects.
Coffee causes Parkinson's disease - MYTH CONSUMPTION of increasing amounts of coffee or caffeine is associated in studies with a significantly lower incidence of Parkinson's disease - a condition which affects a region of the brain causing a tremor of the hands, an abnormal gait, rigidity of the legs and arms, and often altered mental function.
Coffee can be used as a beauty treatment - FACT THE Japanese have been known to bathe in coffee grounds fermented with pineapple pulp to reduce wrinkles and improve skin.
Coffee can cause high blood pressure - MYTH HABITUAL coffee drinkers have been shown to have a similar blood pressure to non- coffee drinkers. However, some people who have not consumed coffee for a period of time and who then start to drink coffee may experience a small, short-term rise in blood pressure. This rise would be no greater than that experienced when engaging in active conversation or laughing.
Drinking coffee may raise cholesterol levels - MYTH RAISED cholesterol levels have been shown to be responsible for heart disease. However, the only method of brewing coffee which is known to have a significant effect on cholesterol levels is the Scandinavian 'boiled' method, where the coffee grounds are boiled with water and then served without filtering.
Drinking coffee may lead to osteoporosis - MYTH IT HAS been suggested that osteoporosis, a disease which causes crumbling of the bones, may be exacerbated by drinking coffee, because caffeine causes calcium to be excreted from the body, so weakening the bones.
However, a UK Government report on nutrition and bone health concluded that such concerns were not well founded.
Indeed,because many people drink their coffee with milk - an important source of calcium drinking coffee may contribute to total calcium intake.
Copyright: (C) 2003 Daily Mail. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
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Posted by tintinet on 2003-09-15 18:47:35 Post Subject: A Find on the Net Regarding Coffee- Oh, Myth!
It Doesn't Cause Cancer... It's Not Addictive...Nor Fat-free ...the Myths And Facts About Coffee
2003 September 09 Printer-friendly format Email this article to a friend
By AMY ANDERSON
AN AUSTRALIAN study claims that coffee can increase stamina and help weight loss. It, most health experts warn against drinking it. So what is the truth about coffee? AMY ANDERSON separates myth from fact . . .
Coffee is fat-free - MYTH AFTER brewing, espresso coffee contains 2.5 per cent fat. Filter coffee contains 0.6 per cent. It's mainly the milk or cream taken with the coffee that adds fat.
Coffee makes you more physically active - FACT CAFFEINE - the main active ingredient in coffee - acts as a mild stimulant on the central nervous system. This, in turn, is responsible for boosting alertness when individuals are tired - during nightshift work, on a long journey, or after lunch when the body's circadian rhythm is at its lowest. It is also why drinking coffee before taking part in sport can make you perform better.
Coffee is just a quick stimulant - MYTH THE stimulant effect of coffee peaks in the blood 15 to 45 minutes after drinking - but may persist for hours. How fast your body deals with caffeine depends on your metabolic rate, but its expulsion is slowed by pregnancy, medications such antacids and the Pill.
It's always hard to give up coffee - MYTH A TINY percentage of the population, who may be sensitive to the mild stimulant effects of caffeine, may experience withdrawal symptoms, such as headache and lethargy, if they suddenly stop drinking coffee.
These symptoms can be avoided by cutting down gradually over a few days.
Most people just feel slightly less alert in the mornings when they stop drinking coffee.
Drinking coffee is an aid to weight loss - FACT CAFFEINE has been shown to lead to a temporary increase in the metabolic rate and the rate of fat breakdown. Although increases in energy expenditure caused by caffeine are small, they may be of benefit in some weight loss programmes.
Coffee can make you more mentally alert - FACT CAFFEINE can boost the speed of rapid information processing by 10 per cent, and a cup of coffee after lunch helps to counteract the 'post-lunch dip' in ability to sustain concentration. It can also make you less drowsy when you have a cold, and can stimulate sensory nerves.
Coffee is certain to make it hard to sleep - MYTH THE effect of caffeine on the ability to fall asleep differs hugely between individuals. Some people who drink coffee in the evening find they have no problems sleeping; others find its stimulant effect means it takes them much longer to fall asleep.
However, a higher proportion of poor sleepers than good sleepers appear to metabolise caffeine particularly slowly. This is why doctors often recommend that people who are having problems getting to sleep refrain from drinking coffee in the late afternoon or early evening.
The darker the roast, the stronger the coffee - MYTH THE darkness of a coffee roast depends on how long it has been left to roast for, and lighter roasts often have a stronger flavour.
Darker roasts are more acidic, which can make the taste better or worse, depending on your personal preference.
Coffee is a diuretic - MYTH WITH normal consumption of three or four cups a day, studies have found the diuretic effects of coffee to be negligible.
It's only when there's a high intake that appears to have a diuretic effect.
Drinking coffee causes cancer - MYTH THOUSANDS of research projects have been carried out to investigate any links between coffee consumption and the development of cancer. In 1997, the World Cancer Research Fund published a comprehensive review of diet and cancer. It stated: 'Most evidence suggests that regular consumption of coffee and/or tea has no risk of cancer at any site.' Some studies have found that a freshly brewed cup of coffee may actually help your body to fight cancer. Antioxidants in both regular and decaffeinated coffee - many of which are produced during the roasting process may have beneficial effects.
Antioxidants can reduce levels of damaging free-radicals and have been shown in studies to have both cancer and age-fighting effects.
Coffee causes Parkinson's disease - MYTH CONSUMPTION of increasing amounts of coffee or caffeine is associated in studies with a significantly lower incidence of Parkinson's disease - a condition which affects a region of the brain causing a tremor of the hands, an abnormal gait, rigidity of the legs and arms, and often altered mental function.
Coffee can be used as a beauty treatment - FACT THE Japanese have been known to bathe in coffee grounds fermented with pineapple pulp to reduce wrinkles and improve skin.
Coffee can cause high blood pressure - MYTH HABITUAL coffee drinkers have been shown to have a similar blood pressure to non- coffee drinkers. However, some people who have not consumed coffee for a period of time and who then start to drink coffee may experience a small, short-term rise in blood pressure. This rise would be no greater than that experienced when engaging in active conversation or laughing.
Drinking coffee may raise cholesterol levels - MYTH RAISED cholesterol levels have been shown to be responsible for heart disease. However, the only method of brewing coffee which is known to have a significant effect on cholesterol levels is the Scandinavian 'boiled' method, where the coffee grounds are boiled with water and then served without filtering.
Drinking coffee may lead to osteoporosis - MYTH IT HAS been suggested that osteoporosis, a disease which causes crumbling of the bones, may be exacerbated by drinking coffee, because caffeine causes calcium to be excreted from the body, so weakening the bones.
However, a UK Government report on nutrition and bone health concluded that such concerns were not well founded.
Indeed,because many people drink their coffee with milk - an important source of calcium drinking coffee may contribute to total calcium intake.
Copyright: (C) 2003 Daily Mail. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
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View entire thread: Links to buy top espresso beans?
Posted by pstam on 2005-01-24 08:10:18 Post Subject: easy to know
I would have to ask why you are using Italian espresso when you have some perfectly good, large and reputable roasters such as Render opperating in China? It seems odd that anyone with access to fresh espresso blends would chose an Italian blend in bag which (like Lavazza) uses a good part robusta in the blend? Try fresh...you will never go back!
A very simple principle.
Fresh and good coffee is perfect, while fresh bad coffee means nothing.
In China, there a lot of roasters. I tried some of them, and even have friends of some of them. But I never find good coffee roast, not even mension about the blend.
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Posted by pstam on 2005-01-24 08:10:18 Post Subject: easy to know
I would have to ask why you are using Italian espresso when you have some perfectly good, large and reputable roasters such as Render opperating in China? It seems odd that anyone with access to fresh espresso blends would chose an Italian blend in bag which (like Lavazza) uses a good part robusta in the blend? Try fresh...you will never go back!
A very simple principle.
Fresh and good coffee is perfect, while fresh bad coffee means nothing.
In China, there a lot of roasters. I tried some of them, and even have friends of some of them. But I never find good coffee roast, not even mension about the blend.
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View entire thread: Air roasted or drum roasted?
Posted by BeanGrinder on 2005-03-01 22:05:29 Post Subject:
Can I whip this dead horse on one more point? I don't think the practical aspects of roasters has been addressed much here. I have MANY things to pay attention to as a coffee shop operator. I roast coffee for my shop as well as bagged coffee sales and so on. Here's my point...
I started my shop with the Monster/Sonofresco. Nice - folks could watch their coffee roast and it got some attention. Then, one day the controller board blew out - no idea what happened. I was dead in the water. Next, the chaff collector (a glass container) broke and OUCH was that expensive to replace. The next thing to go was the delicate temp sensor on top. I just finished replacing that $75+shipping part. All of this within the first six months of owning this brand new technology. And cleaning? Jeez...this fluid bed roaster is nice, but you have to give it a sponge bath after almost every batch. After a couple of batches of espresso roast I have to take it apart and fully clean the whole thing! Especially the heat sensor...that is so delicate and yet MUST stay clean - build up on that probe will really throw off the roasting process. It's vulnerable, too...a tiny wire probe in the upper stack of the roaster. I can see how it is really easy to break. All of that to roast a 1.3lb batch of coffee.
I needed more capacity and bought a (nostalgic?) drum roaster. I have to say that I feel like I'm more in control of the roasting process. There is very little maintenance - I open the screw-down trap doors and vacuum out the chaff once in a while. Every other days I wipe out the cooling tray with a little PuroCaf solution. That's it. Now I'm roasting 4.75lbs per batch - I allow space for expansion, even though the capacity is 5lbs.
But here's the real cincher. My customers did not know that I had started serving drum roasted coffee, but the comments started coming in. Some of the regulars wanted to know if we had switched their coffee on them - because they really liked this new stuff! One customer actually said, "The taste of this coffee has more depth of flavor." Another customer said the exact same thing, only used the word "dimension". Why? I'm guessing it has to do with variable degree of pyrolysis in the beans. It is not as evenly roasted, which is why there is a more varied flavor. In a sense it's like post-roast blending two or three roast levels of the same bean, instead of having just one uniform degree of roasting.
I have to admit, I prefer the drum roasted coffee. At Topher's suggestion two months ago, I did a blind taste test and I could tell a difference. I had to try it - otherwise I'd be stuck with the nostalgia of the shiny metal drum and never know the "truth".
But the point of this long dissertation is to say that, for the vast majority of my customers, air roasted coffee is fine. There are a few who know coffee well enough to notice the difference, but they never complained about the air roasted beans to begin with. No, the point of my post is that there is room in the world for both types of roasters and not just room in a museum. Further, when considering a roaster, some consideration has to be given to the attention that the roaster will require and the cost to maintain it. I had a college kid working with my fluid bed roaster, but now I don't trust anyone to use it but me. I can't afford for it to be handled in the same fashion as the drum roaster.
But this will all be a moot point soon...I'm designing a fluid-bed / drum roaster...the best of both worlds! Hey, Maxtor...want to help me build it? I got the idea the other day when my wife made me do my own laundry. A perforated drum with forced hot air! I think I feel a new forum thread coming on..."Coffee Roasting in your Maytag"!
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Posted by BeanGrinder on 2005-03-01 22:05:29 Post Subject:
Can I whip this dead horse on one more point? I don't think the practical aspects of roasters has been addressed much here. I have MANY things to pay attention to as a coffee shop operator. I roast coffee for my shop as well as bagged coffee sales and so on. Here's my point...
I started my shop with the Monster/Sonofresco. Nice - folks could watch their coffee roast and it got some attention. Then, one day the controller board blew out - no idea what happened. I was dead in the water. Next, the chaff collector (a glass container) broke and OUCH was that expensive to replace. The next thing to go was the delicate temp sensor on top. I just finished replacing that $75+shipping part. All of this within the first six months of owning this brand new technology. And cleaning? Jeez...this fluid bed roaster is nice, but you have to give it a sponge bath after almost every batch. After a couple of batches of espresso roast I have to take it apart and fully clean the whole thing! Especially the heat sensor...that is so delicate and yet MUST stay clean - build up on that probe will really throw off the roasting process. It's vulnerable, too...a tiny wire probe in the upper stack of the roaster. I can see how it is really easy to break. All of that to roast a 1.3lb batch of coffee.
I needed more capacity and bought a (nostalgic?) drum roaster. I have to say that I feel like I'm more in control of the roasting process. There is very little maintenance - I open the screw-down trap doors and vacuum out the chaff once in a while. Every other days I wipe out the cooling tray with a little PuroCaf solution. That's it. Now I'm roasting 4.75lbs per batch - I allow space for expansion, even though the capacity is 5lbs.
But here's the real cincher. My customers did not know that I had started serving drum roasted coffee, but the comments started coming in. Some of the regulars wanted to know if we had switched their coffee on them - because they really liked this new stuff! One customer actually said, "The taste of this coffee has more depth of flavor." Another customer said the exact same thing, only used the word "dimension". Why? I'm guessing it has to do with variable degree of pyrolysis in the beans. It is not as evenly roasted, which is why there is a more varied flavor. In a sense it's like post-roast blending two or three roast levels of the same bean, instead of having just one uniform degree of roasting.
I have to admit, I prefer the drum roasted coffee. At Topher's suggestion two months ago, I did a blind taste test and I could tell a difference. I had to try it - otherwise I'd be stuck with the nostalgia of the shiny metal drum and never know the "truth".
But the point of this long dissertation is to say that, for the vast majority of my customers, air roasted coffee is fine. There are a few who know coffee well enough to notice the difference, but they never complained about the air roasted beans to begin with. No, the point of my post is that there is room in the world for both types of roasters and not just room in a museum. Further, when considering a roaster, some consideration has to be given to the attention that the roaster will require and the cost to maintain it. I had a college kid working with my fluid bed roaster, but now I don't trust anyone to use it but me. I can't afford for it to be handled in the same fashion as the drum roaster.
But this will all be a moot point soon...I'm designing a fluid-bed / drum roaster...the best of both worlds! Hey, Maxtor...want to help me build it? I got the idea the other day when my wife made me do my own laundry. A perforated drum with forced hot air! I think I feel a new forum thread coming on..."Coffee Roasting in your Maytag"!
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