Coffee Brewing

There are many methods of brewing coffee and I will describe the most popular and best methods here, but first, if you want a great cup of coffee, you need to start with high quality, freshly roasted coffee beans. Last month I talked about buying whole bean coffee in small amounts and the proper storage to maintain freshness. The next step is to grind the coffee as close to when you will brew it as possible.
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Keeping Coffee Fresh

Coffee is best when it is made with fresh beans. Here is most important thing you need to know to get a great cup of coffee:

Use whole bean coffee and grind it just before you brew it.
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It ain’t as easy as it used to be

Remember when ordering a coffee was simple – no choices and no fancy names? Times have changed and now there is a whole new vocabulary when it comes to coffee. I have people come up to me and have no idea what to order and even less of an idea of what it will taste like. So I will dedicate this first article to defining some terms. I hope to take the mystery out of it for you.
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Coffee storage and brewing

Freshness is the key to good coffee. According to my “Coffee Basics” book over 90% of the coffee in this country is sold stale (how very sad). The aromatic oils start to disappear right after roasting. It is best to buy smaller amounts of freshly roasted coffee regularly, rather than large amounts less often.
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“ISN’T IT ALL JUST COFFEE?”

It seems like even our simple cup of coffee has become complicated. Names like Yirgacheffe and Harrar; terms like acidity and body have possibly made us long for the days of Juan Valdez and Mountain Grown Coffee. It was simple, but armed with just a little information, coffee can provide a regional experience and can tell a story about the place from which it came. In other words it can give us a personal taste of ‘place’.
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The journey of the bean

Have you ever really thought about your coffee? We make a pot, pour a cup, maybe drink part of it, it gets cold, we pour it out and pour some more. Coffee is relatively inexpensive and readily available. Even fresh roasted specialty coffee (Arabica) is only pennies per cup when prepared at home. We pretty much take it for granted. Read more

Koffee Korner - February 2010

The most important thing to consider about decaffeinated coffee, how was this decaffeinated?
There are several ways to take the caffeine out of coffee, some are better than others. How it is processed will effect the flavor, body and characteristics of the coffee.
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Shade Grown Coffee

By Georgia Guse

{Editor’s Note: This is the very first column of our new “Koffee Korner”, written by gourmet coffee bean roaster, Georgia Guse of Guse’s Gourmet Coffeehouse! Each month, you will be treated to insider professional information regarding the almighty coffee bean and not-to-be-left-out tea leaves!! Read more