Coffee regions that are grown above 1500 meters above sea level (MASL) are considered "very high elevation". These coffees are typically from Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and some areas of Costa Rica. These are the coffees that will have pronounced berry, tropical fruit, and delicate floral notes and will have a "bright" acidity.
Coffees that are grown between 1200 - 1500 meters are considered "high elevation coffees". These are the ones with chocolate and darker fruit, for example, stone fruits and apple. These have a complex acidity to them.
Coffees grown between 900 - 1200 meters are medium elevation coffees. Notes of chocolate, vanilla and nut dominate here. These are smooth and sweet with lower acidity.
Coffees grown below 900 meters are typically Hawaiian coffees such as Kona, and Maui, but Panama also fits here.
Here is a basic list of coffee regions by continent and their altitudes for easy reference. Of course, there are different regions within each country that have differing elevations that support coffee growing which is why flavor notes can vary from one part of the country to another. (For example, Terruna Nayarit & Oaxaca regions of Mexico.) Even the slope on a particular farm might vary by 50-100 feet resulting in different flavor notes from coffees grown on the same farm.
Central America
Mexico - 900- 1600 MASL
Costa Rica - 1200-1900 MASL
El Salvador - 1200-1500 MASL
Guatemala - 1200-1700 MASL Honduras - 1100 - 1600 MASL
Nicaragua - 1200 MASL
Panama - 700-1070 MASL
South America
Brazil - 900-1100 MASL
Colombia - 1200-2300 MASL
Peru - 1000 - 1800 MASL
Africa
Burundi - 1800 MASL
Ethiopia - 1500-2200 MASL
Kenya - 1400-2000 MASL Tanzania - 1400 - 2000 MASL Uganda - 1200 MASL
India - 1300 MASL
Island
Dominican Republic - 1200 MASL
Haiti - 1200 MASL
Java - 1200 MASL
Kona - 250 - 760 MASL
Papua New Guinea - 1200-1800 MASL
Sumatra - 1000 - 1400 MASL
Elevation is just one part of many that comes together just right in order to create beautiful, truly special coffees. Even still, for many producers, traders, roasters, and coffee drinkers, it offers a significant clue about the potential of a coffee.
]]>There are several uses for burlap bags, the most common are:
WEED CONTROL
For the best weed control, pick the weeds out first, then lay the burlap down over freshly tilled beds. However, you can just place the burlap on top of the weeds. If you are using the burlap in paths, place some sand, soil, bark or rocks over the burlap. If you are using the burlap in the garden beds, cut slits in the burlap, then place your plants into the soil. Cover the burlap with mulch or use U-shaped pins to anchor the bags. We recommend that you cut the coffee sack open for a single long piece.
For tough weeds in your garden, place a layer of newspaper or cardboard down over the weeds first, then place the burlap over that. This acts as a barrier from weed seeds coming in contact with the soil.
The burlap is permeable and allows water to filter through to the soil. It will degrade naturally, if buried in the soil giving it vital nutrients. It’s best to replace the burlap the following growing season.
WEATHER PROTECTION
Burlap can protect plants and scrubs from cold winds and frost or from scorching heat. This can be done several ways.
Protect against frost by creating a burlap “tent” around the plants that need to be protected from cold winds. First, create a teepee with sticks around your plant being sure to leave a few inches between the plant and the sticks. Be sure the sticks are firmly secure in the ground, then wrap the teepee with the burlap.
Another method is to place a length of burlap on top of tender low-lying crops like lettuces to protect from frost. Remove it once temperatures warm up.
In hotter weather, burlap bags can make great sun-shades. Cut open your large burlap coffee sack along the two long sides to create a long piece. Attach the burlap to some poles such as a treated 2x2 (a little more than the height of your plants) with a nail. Place this over a veggie bed when the summer sun is too hot for salad greens. Providing this shade may prevent bolting of some plants.
For root vegetables, place a single layer of burlap directly over your plants and secure with plant stakes or large rocks.
PEST CONTROL
Need to keep critters such as rabbits, deer, mice, and other pests from nibbling on garden plants? Burlap is a terrific deterrent. One effective way to use burlap is to make a cube frame using 2x2 boards with burlap stapled to it to create the faces of the cube. Make it large enough so the burlap doesn’t touch the plants, and tall enough to keep small critters. For deer, you will need to add a “roof” face.
Sheets of burlap placed over the garden bed and secured with tent pegs or stones work nicely to protect newly-sown seeds from critters. Once seedlings are established, remove the burlap.
LINERS FOR PLANT BASKETS and DECORATIVE BASKETS
Did you know that burlap makes an excellent and attractive liner for wire planter baskets. Burlap being naturally strong and breathable, prevents soil from seeping out of the planter when watered, yet allows the excess water to drain.
To create a decorative planter, place your liner (if using one), soil, and plants into a burlap sack or the center of your piece of burlap, pull up the sides of the plant until the soil is fully contained within, and loosely tie a rope around the top.
Because burlap is strong and breathable, it is the perfect wrap for root balls of trees and shrubs.
GROWING AND STORING CERTAIN PLANTS
Potatoes are surprisingly easy to grow and thrive when placed into a tall burlap sack with some soil.
Tomatoes and peppers are also easy to grow using a burlap bag. Simply place some good quality soil in the bag, add the plants. Be sure to fold down the top edge to allow for sunlight.
You can store your root vegetables in burlap sacks. The nice, dry, dark, moisture-free place is breathable and does not mold. Depending on the vegetable, either place the vegetables directly into the sack and fold over the top to keep it sealed. Alternatively, you can add sand to the sack and burry your vegetables in the sand. Both methods should protect and prolong the life of your winter veggies.
Coffee and gardening, two of the best things, don't you agree.
]]>It stands for Weiss Distribution Technique. (WDT) and is named after John Weiss, who developed this technique. Frustrated with the excessive clumps created from home grinders, he developed this method in 2005 as a way to evenly distribute the coffee grounds in the portafilter before brewing. The premise being that evenly distributed grounds creates a more even extraction by eliminating channeling, resulting in a better cup.
This tool is small, but effective in un-clumping and redistributing the grounds evenly. There are three methods used:
Since it has gained popularity and depending on your school of thought and preference, several types of WDT's have been made. If you are interested in using this tool, make sure it has the following characteristics:
If you use the Deep method, the needles need to be long enough to be able to reach the bottom of the portafilter basket so that they can evenly distribute ground coffee throughout the entire basket
The WDT is simple to use.
As a side note, this can create more puck resistance, so adjust your variables as necessary if the shot flows too slow.
It can also be used with pour-over methods. It's called the Wet Weiss Technique.
To help the coffee achieve a faster bloom, you can use the WDT tool to stir your coffee bed. It will help to get all the grounds wet and help achieve a more even extraction. Then use the WDT again after the first pour. It will release the gas that is stuck in the coffee bed, helping to improve extraction.
If you use the Breville Barista Express espresso machine, like we do, you will find this tool extremely helpful as those particular machines are known for rather clumpy grounds.
You can find so many styles available with different price points on Amazon and Etsy.
Ever had a charcoal latte? It's been all the rage since 2018.
The charcoal latte is touted as a detoxifying drink due to the purifying properties of charcoal. The millions of tiny pores in the charcoal trap toxins and chemicals.
It has a really unique flavor but MUST be enjoyed with caution. Charcoal is a powerful detoxifying agent. Hospitals use it for treatment of drug overdose and poisoning. According to Dr. Axe charcoal is used as a teeth whitener, a digestive cleanse, a mold cleanse, and for alleviating gas and bloating. Charcoal removes all poisons and chemicals including prescribed medications, so it's recommended if you'd like to try a charcoal latte, enjoy it at least 2 -3 hours apart from taking your prescriptions.
There are several variations of the charcoal latte:
The Plain Black & White Steamer
2 capsules (about 1/2 teaspoon) of activated charcoal and steamed milk of choice. For a darker black - use up to 1 teaspoon charcoal.
Break open the capsules into your mug and add a tiny bit of water to create a black liquid. Add your steamed milk of choice.
The Rosie Charcoal latte
2 capsules of activated charcoal (opened) (1/2 - 1 teaspoon)
1 Tablespoon rose simple syrup
1 shot espresso
Steamed milk of choice
Dried rose petals for garnish (optional)
Break open the charcoal capsules and add to your mug. Add brewed espresso and rose simple syrup. Swirl to mix. Add steamed milk choice. Garnish with crushed dried rose petals.
The lavender - Honey Charcoal Latte
2 capsules of activated charcoal (1/2 - 1 teaspoon)
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon lavender simple syrup
1 shot of espresso
Steamed milk of choice
Lavender buds for garnish (optional)
Break open charcoal capsules and add to your mug. Add brewed espresso and swirl to mix. Add simple syrup. Steam your milk of choice with honey. Add to espresso. Garnish with lavender buds.
The Iced Sweet Black & White
2 capsules of activated charcoal (1/2 - 1 teaspoon)
1-2 Tablespoon raw honey or maple syrup
Milk of choice
1 shot chilled espresso
Ice
In a blender, blend together the charcoal, honey and milk. Fill a glass with ice. Pour chilled espresso over ice and add the blended ingredients.
3 Tips:
- Always use food grade activated charcoal (and rose petals and lavender buds too)
- It's been recommended to drink a charcoal latte in the evening when it's less likely to strip your body of nutrients - the perfect pairing with decaf espresso. :-)
- We recommend enjoying ONLY 1 and only once in a while.
Coffee cherries are the fruit of the coffee plant. Traditionally, they have been processed using three methods: washed, honey, and natural. In recent years, however, innovative producers have started experimenting with new, unconventional and alternative processing techniques such as anaerobic fermentation.
The WASHED method - removes the outer pulp and mucilage and is then dried.
The HONEY method - removes the outer pulp and only some of the mucilage then is set to dry. Once it reaches a certain moisture level, the rest of the mucilage is removed and then continues to dry. (it's so named for the sticky "honey-like" mucilage. There isn't any actual honey involved in this process.)
The NATURAL method - doesn't remove any of the outer layers before drying. The cherry is dried to a certain moisture percentage and then the pulp and mucilage are removed.
The ANAEROBIC method - the cherries (either whole or de-pulped) are fermented in oxygen free tanks for a specified time, then dried.
Different processing methods produce different acidity, body, and flavor profiles.
Once we receive the green coffee, the parchment and the silver skin are removed during the roasting process in the form of chaff. Regular coffees have more chaff than decaffeinated ones.
Making the oil is super easy. There are two basic methods that call for just a few ingredients and tools.
If you want a faster approach, you should try out the warm infusion method. People mostly recommend this one for making the oil in large quantities. With just a few steps over four hours, coffee-infused oil can be ready for use.
1. First, put your ground coffee beans in the mason jar and pour the carrier oil over them.
2. Now, place a towel in the slow cooker so that it rests on the bottom.
3. Fill the cooker with enough water to cover about half of the jar, and then place the jar in the water.
4. Remember not to put the lid on the cooker. Turn on low.
5. Allow the oil and coffee grounds to infuse for four hours.
6. Turn off the heat. Using an oven mitt or potholder, remove the jar with caution.
7. Strain the oil through a cheesecloth (or cold brew bag or fine mesh sieve.)
8. Discard the strained grounds.
9. You can now begin using your coffee-infused oil.
If you have the patience to wait a few weeks, go ahead and use this method.
1. In the mason jar, immerse the coffee grounds in your carrier oil and place a cap on the jar.
2. Store the jar in a cool place away from any sunlight.
3. Every few days, make an effort to gently shake the jar so that the coffee grounds are occasionally stirring. Continue this for two to three weeks.
4. After two weeks, use a cheesecloth or substitute and carefully strain the infused oil to remove the coffee grounds.
5. Your cold-infused oil is ready.
So why make coffee oil?
The antioxidants, particularly vitamin E help moisturize the skin. Because of this, it's the perfect ingredient to use when making a number of different body care products, such as the coffee lip balm, (like the ones we include in your orders during the holiday season) body butter, body scrubs, under-eye lotions, and body lotions.
Recipes for skin care products that use coffee infused oils are easily found on the internet (Hello Pinterest!) and make ideal gifts. Of course, if you have a die-hard DIYer on your gift list...you could give them the coffee infused oil so that they can make their own skin care products.
There are several ways to tell if you coffee is fresh roasted. The smell, the roast date on the package, and the bloom.
When roasted coffee is fresh it is said to off-gas. This off-gassing is the release of carbon dioxide. This can be witnessed when you brew a pour over, Chemex, or French press. When you add hot water to the ground coffee in the filter, it lets off gas and expands and "blooms" releasing bubbles and puffing up. This takes about 60 seconds.
Coffee is best used within a month of the roast date. However, with espresso brewing it is best to allow it to rest and off-gas, waiting 3-5 days before brewing.
]]>
There are 3 habits you need to break to enjoy a better cup of coffee.
Always wash your equipment immediately after brewing according to the brew method manufacturer's instructions. Coffee oils can build up and alter the flavor of your coffee. If you brew with espresso be sure to wipe our your portafilter and dry it thoroughly. Be sure to check your water tanks too. Water left standing in the tanks for several days risks encouraging mold growth.
You might be used to ordering sweet coffee drinks from your local coffee shop. These coffee drinks are often blends of origins and roasted quite dark. Milk and sugar cover a multitude of sins. (a bit burnt or inferior beans that are used.) Your taste buds might need to get used to specialty grade, single origin, light or medium roasted coffee, but drinking it black first before adding cream and sugar is the best way to drink it. The only way to know if your brewing recipes are good is to drink them black first. Several parameters could be changed to dial in the recipe and yield a delicious cup. Once you know that the recipe is good, then you can add milk and sugar to your preferred taste.
Pre-grinding your coffee beans is convenient it's true, but the moment you grind your beans, it exposes more surface area to oxygen. It also releases the oils and other compounds in coffee that are also exposed to oxygen. This process is called oxygenation and it is responsible for staling coffee. The best way to keep your coffee as fresh as possible is to grind your coffee just before brewing.
Specialty coffee is superior in quality and comes with a higher price tag because of that. By avoiding these mistakes, it will help to ensure a delicious cuppa.
]]>Caffeine is a stimulant and increases neuron activity in the brain. These neurons send messages to the pituitary gland which alert the adrenal glands to pump out adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline and cortisol are responsible for the fight or flight mode.
The stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol are an involuntary and essential response that is a natural, physical result to stress. It begins at the HPA (Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal) axis, and dictates the release of stress hormones – epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine, and cortisol. It’s these hormones that push you into action when real danger is present.
When you consume caffeine, the stimulant masquerades as an emergency, prompting your adrenals into action when there’s no need for these stress hormones.
It only takes 100-200 mg of caffeine to set this response into motion. For reference, one 8 oz. cup drip coffee contains approximately 155 mg of caffeine. Most people don’t just have one small 8 oz drip coffee.
When your cortisol is high too often, your body is in a constant hyper-alert state, which leaves you feeling exhausted and reaching for another cup of coffee. It becomes a continuous loop of tired - coffee consumption -energy - crash - repeat. Adrenal glands that repeatedly pump out hormones, get fatigued and taxed.
If you are feeling overly tired, remember to be mindful on your caffeine intake, especially after noon. Caffeine has a half-life of 5 hours. You want to be sure the caffeine is out of your system long before bedtime. (This isn't medical advice, just friendly advice.)
You can still enjoy coffee, by either switching your afternoon coffee to a decaf or switching entirely to decaf. Believe it or not, once you have gotten over your caffeine addiction, you will experience not only more energy, but steady energy levels throughout the day.
Honoring your body's natural rhythms of wakefulness and rest that are not altered by the caffeine stimulant will allow your body to function optimally.
]]>1. Start with whole bean and grind just before your brew.
Whole bean coffee stays fresher for longer than ground coffee. When you grind coffee beans, it creates more surface area that is exposed to oxygen. The acids and oils inside the bean are also exposed to air and begin to oxidize. At this point, the coffee begins to stale - the flavors and aromas start degrading rather quickly. Always grind your coffee just before you brew it.
2. Use the best grind size for your brewing method.
The grind size determines how fast the water will flow through the grounds and extract the soluble compounds in the coffee. Rocks and sand make a good visual demonstration. Water will flow through rocks (which represents coarse ground coffee) faster than it does sand (fine ground coffee) This also matters because the rate of flow affects the time that the coffee is in contact with the water. Both are essential for correct extraction.
If the grounds are too coarse, you risk under extraction. If the grounds are too fine, then you risk over extraction. Under-extracted coffee tends to taste more sour and acidic, while over-extracted coffee will taste bitter.
Use the COFFEE GRIND SIZE chart below to find the perfect grind size for your brew method.
Cold Brew |
Very Coarse |
French Press |
Coarse |
Chemex |
Medium Coarse |
Drip |
Medium |
Pour over (flat bottom) |
Medium |
Pour over (cone) |
Medium Fine |
Aeropress |
Fine |
Moka Pot |
Fine |
Espresso |
Fine |
Turkish |
Extra Fine |
3. Use filtered water.
Regular tap water contains chemicals such as chlorine that can alter the flavors of your coffee. This can happen a couple of ways. The chemicals in water such as chorine and fluoride react with the compounds that are in coffee. Secondly, due to those chemicals, the water itself is already “off flavored”, and that carries through to your brewed coffee. Furthermore, your tap water can be hard or soft with the presence or absence of minerals which can also alter your final cuppa. Using a water filter will greatly help. We recommend the Berkey Water Filter system.
4. Clean your coffee equipment.
This seems obvious but starting with clean equipment is a must. There are rumors floating around that coffee oils left on equipment impart more flavor to your brewed coffee. That statement is TRUE, but it’s not flavor that you want. Always clean and dry your coffee equipment according to the manufacturer's instructions.
5. Get out of your coffee rut, by trying a different single origin or a different brew method.
We know you have your favorites, but sometimes trying a different single origin can lead you to a new favorite. Experimenting with brew recipes (how much coffee, how much water, and brew time can result in different flavor development. Brew ratios are a personal preference, so the perfect brew ratio (water to coffee) is the one YOU like best. Switching your brew method can also liven up your coffee ritual. Be brave try one you've never used before.
6. Use your whole coffee beans within a month of purchasing.
Fresh roasted coffee is the best tasting coffee. Roasted coffee releases carbon dioxide known as off-gassing. Depending on how you store your coffee, this process can take 1-5 days. For espresso, it’s best to wait about 3-5 days off roast before brewing your coffee to let the degassing process complete. Methods where you want to see the “bloom” (which is the release of carbon dioxide) do well a day or two off roast.
If you must grind ahead of time (say you work graveyard and you don’t want to wake the whole family when you go to make your coffee) then grind ONLY what you’ll need for that brew.
Another option for storing coffee to prolong its shelf-life is to use a vacuum sealer. Vacuum seal the whole bag of coffee, then place the coffee in the freezer for longer life. (Remember that moisture and light affect the freshness of your coffee - so keep the beans in their Talking Crow bag that is opaque to avoid the freezer light. The vacuum seal should keep out the moisture.
Here's to a great cup of coffee.
When you think of summer - what comes to mind?
We think of carefree days. Days spent lying on a blanket and cloud-watching, beach days, kids selling lemonade on the corner, and evenings sitting around a fire-pit toasting s'mores.
What better way to celebrate summer than with a S'mores Shaken Iced Coffee?!
Here's a recipe for you. There are a few different versions. Try them all and pick your favorite to enjoy this summer.
METHOD #1 is from Pull and Pour Coffee and uses a Toasted Marshmallow Simple Syrup.
To make the Toasted Marshmallow Simple Syrup:
We recommend using our Brazil in either decaf or regular for this espresso coffee recipe.
Enjoy this drink on a hot summer night when you'd like a treat.
]]>These are toxins formed by molds that grow on crops like grains, peanuts, chili peppers, sweetcorn, sunflower seeds, cassava, wheat, fruit, spices, and coffee beans.
People are regularly exposed to trace amounts of harmful substances including mycotoxins. As long as the exposure remains low, the liver can process them not allowing them to build up in the body.
The production of molds and mycotoxins increases greatly in areas or regions with high moisture and humidity. Since optimum coffee-growth is also achieved in tropical regions with high moisture, coffee beans tend to get exposed to these toxins rather easily.
The two toxins that are prevalent to coffee are aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A.
Studies have shown that the mycotoxin levels in coffee have not been shown to rise to the level of being dangerous for our health. If, however, you struggle with mold related illnesses, you may want to pursue an elimination diet to pinpoint the source. It will be difficult to eliminate all possible traces and trying to do so may cause extra anxiety and stress.
One thing is for sure, low-quality (not specialty grade) beans that have been improperly sourced or processed are likely to contain mycotoxins. The majority of contamination occurs due to poor storage or during the drying and processing.
When coffee cherries are harvested too early (often to due coffee shortages or weather issues that demand an early harvest it can create the perfect storm for mold to crow due to its lack of maturity. Furthermore, coffee that is shade-grown and rather dense, often remains wet allowing for mold to grow. Ultraviolet light and air flow are crucial to keeping mold at bay.
Proper storage is key. Good ventilation and temperature/humidity control are crucial. Keeping green coffee under 12.5% moisture is helpful to reduce mold growth. Specialty coffee producers are very mindful of this.
Tests showed that roasting to very dark significantly reduced levels of mycotoxins, however, at this level the coffee tastes quite burnt and no longer contains any of the healthy benefits.
What's our part in this? We, here at Talking Crow, make every effort to monitor moisture levels of all our green coffees in our warehouse and keep them at acceptable levels.
We responsibly source all our coffees. All are specialty grade. The producers take pride in their coffee and value this title. They have specific growing, harvesting, processing strategies to avoid the growth of mold and other defects with their coffees. Most are organic and traceable down to the lot. All of our caffeine-free coffees are decaffeinated at the Swiss Water Process plant. Aflatoxin A, is controlled in their facility by their Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC) plan. Moisture content is a critical control point and controlling the moisture content of the decaffeinated coffee allows them to confidently ship coffee that does not have a risk of mold or Mycotoxin growth. They are certified by Foundation Food Safety System Certification 22000 (FSSC 22000) and receive yearly audits to make sure that they are following our HARPC and other food safety plans.
Our coffees are high-quality, specialty grade, well-sourced, and well-processed beans that ensure maximum protection from toxins or any other harmful substances.
]]>So that's our story, our mission, and our values and we got started.
Cheers,
Carol and Eric
1. Coffee grown in Vietnam (which by the way, is mostly Robusta, which is more bitter and has nearly twice the caffeine content than Arabica coffee beans). Vietnam currently produces 20% of the world's coffee.
2. It's a specific brewing method.
In order to brew up a Vietnamese coffee you need just 3 ingredients:
Here is exactly how to brew up a delicious Vietnamese coffee
This method is best done with a pour over style of brewing, but a drip coffee maker can work as well.
The process of brewing this way remains the same as how you would regularly prepare a pour over or drip coffee, however, you must adjust the recipe to account for the ice.
The key to this style of brewing is the correct ratio of coffee to water to ice - so it's best to use a scale to weigh out each ingredient.
We found this to be a great recipe which gives you the ideal ratio of 1:16 (coffee : water) and it’s easy to remember.
However, others say that a coffee to water ratio of 1:17 is good, with 65% of the total water being hot, while the remaining 35% should be ice. To calculate this ratio, begin with your coffee amount - in this case 30g coffee. Multiply by 17 to give you the amount of water (510 g). Multiply 510 by 65% (331 ml) for the hot water and 35% for the amount of ice in weight. (178.5g)
Regardless of which recipe you choose, you will need the following equipment:
Instructions using a pour over method:
Instructions using a Drip Coffee Maker:
Once you’ve got the hang of it, you can make adjustments to your taste.
Other Tips to keep in mind for the BEST Flash-Brewed Coffee:
The first method is the most obvious. You can place your vessels on the top rack of your dishwasher. This is true for Aeropress, Chemex (without the wood collar), pour over brewers and drip coffee carafes. The disadvantage of this method is that it is difficult to find dishwasher soap that is fragrance free. Without scrubbing, It also doesn't always get things completely clean.
The next method is to hand wash using unscented dish soap and a washcloth or sponge. Be sure to rinse the equipment well with water to eliminate any soapy residue. If the Chemex is your preferred brew method, they make a brush specially designed to reach inside for cleaning. It would be a worthwhile investment.
If you prefer not to use soap, you can simply use water and the scrubby side of a sponge.
For stubborn stains, you can try a vinegar/baking soda solution. (2:1 - vinegar : baking soda.) Combining these two substances will create a foamy/frothy solution that will get rid of tough coffee stains. Be sure to rinse well to avoid any off flavors from the vinegar.
The last method to try is to use ice and salt. Fill your glass carafe about half-way and add a couple of tablespoons of salt, and swish the ice/salt around. This method is particularly helpful with drip coffee carafes that have been sitting on the hot plate for long periods of time.
No matter which method you choose, cleaning your equipment immediately following brewing will yield the best results as it won't allow any build-up to happen. .
Cheers!
]]>There is a super easy way to make your own espresso powder.
You can also use espresso powder in dry rubs and spice blends, to add flavor to steaks, chicken breasts, and even braises and stews.
Try experimenting with adding it to salad dressings, pot roasts, and barbecue sauces. You can even use it to make coffee infused salt.
Summer will be here before you know - that means BBQ season! Sip on a cold brew while you grill... that's known as "CHILL and GRILL!" :-)
Central America: Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama.
Coffees from Central America are well-balanced, medium bodied and mild. They have a medium acidity with a clean, bright cup, often with chocolate notes at the finish.
South America: Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador.
South American coffees are similar to Central American coffees. They are mild-bodied.
(FYI - Colombian is the coffee most people are familiar with, however, Brazil produces the most coffee worldwide.)
Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, and Yemen.
African coffees are complex and bright with sweet and fruity notes and floral aroma.
Asia: Bali, Papua New Guinea, Sumatra, Myanmar, Java, India, Vietnam
Asian coffees tend to be full bodied, rich and earthy.
Island: Hawaii, Haiti/Dominican Republic, Jamaica
Due to the low elevation these coffees are low acid often with undertones of vanilla.
The differences in weather, sunshine, rainfall, altitude, soil chemistry and processing methods all contribute to the distinct flavors that characterize a region.
We hope this helps you when you are deciding on which coffee origins to enjoy.
First, they create a Green Coffee Extract (GCE) by soaking the green beans in water. This GCE is monitored closely. The Green Coffee Extract contains all the soluble solids of coffee except caffeine.
Next the coffee to be decaffeinated is cleaned and soaked so that it is rehydrated to prepare for the target moisture level that is ideal for caffeine removal. This step removes dirt, dust, and the silver skin.
The third step is where the caffeine is drawn away and filtered out. GCE is continuously circulated around the green coffee for a period of 8-10 hours until there is no more than 0.1% caffeine remaining in the green coffee. The step relies on solubility of the coffee and osmosis. The caffeine molecule in the caffeinated green coffee is pulled by osmosis towards the Green Coffee Extract which is missing the caffeine molecule. As it moves towards the GCE it is trapped in a proprietary carbon filter system. The carbon is sent to a regeneration furnace to burn away the caffeine, so that the filter can be reused.
Then the GCE is renewed and refreshed to be used again. Making this whole process environmentally friendly.
Most decaf coffees still contain some caffeine. The USDA only requires decaffeinated coffee to be 97% caffeine-free, but Swiss Water Process decaffeinated coffee is 99.9% caffeine free! Guaranteed. A 12 oz cup of Swiss Water Process Decaf has around 2 mg of caffeine, which is negligible.
Because this method only uses clean, clear glacial water from the mountains in British Columbia (not from Sweden, as some might think) and is 100% chemical free, it is completely safe – even for pregnant and nursing mothers.
The Swiss Water® Process maintains certifications (Organic, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, 4C, Kosher, and Halal),
Every decaf single origin coffee that we offer is processed with Swiss Water! You can rest assured that our decafs are ALWAYS and ONLY Swiss Water Process because no one wants a side of chemicals with their specialty coffee!
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Picture this… you stroll into your favorite coffee shop, vibey music playing in the background. You order your favorite latte and sit down at a table by the window. A friendly server brings you your drink and you can’t help but smile at the perfectly designed art splayed across the top. Perfection.
You think to yourself. I want to learn how to do that. But anyone who has tried knows that those beautiful tulips and stacked hearts are not easy to create.
There are a few things that make for great art – the pitcher and the micro-foam being at the top. So let’s talk about choosing the right pitcher or jug as they are also called. There are hundreds of styles to choose from – all have different shapes, designs, colors, weights, and materials so where do you start?
The first thing to consider is size. The two main sizes are 12 oz and 20 oz. As a general rule you want a pitcher that is about 2-3 times the size of the cup you will be pouring into. Your milk should sit just below the base of the spout, which is about one-third of the way up the jug. If you fill it too high, the milk will overflow when you are steaming it, and if you fill it too low the steaming wand won’t be submerged properly to achieve the desired milk consistency for latte art.
Still related to size, is the width. The jug needs to be wide enough so that you can create a whirlpool, which breaks down the bubbles in the milk and allows it to be evenly heated and aerated creating that finely textured milk that is velvety smooth and looks like shiny wet paint. If the milk pitcher is too narrow there won’t be enough room for the milk to move around.
The next consideration is spout shape. The two main shapes are “classic” which are shorter and rounder, while the “sharper” spouts which are narrower and more pointed.
The classic spouts are good for beginners. They help with smooth, consistent pours. These are good for the basic heart design. The sharp spouts give more control for detailed designs such as rosettas or swans and are good for the more experienced.
But wait, there’s more. There are both handled and handleless pitchers. Whether or not you want a handle depends on how you like to hold the pitcher when you pour. Some prefer the handleless for more control and precision because it allows them a better grip towards the top of the pitcher. If you are considering a handleless pitcher keep in mind that the jug heats up and you need to be able to hold this pitcher when steaming milk to high temperatures.
The next consideration is the material of the pitcher. The most common material is stainless steel which not only holds up well to be being heated to high temperatures, but also retains heat well. There are some with Teflon coating which can help with handling the hot pitcher and may be helpful.
The last thing to consider is its design. Design not only involves function but form as well. It’s gotta look good, and something that you’ll not only enjoy using, but be proud to display.
Here's to your beautiful latte art.
]]>Brewed coffee contains diterpenes, which are lipids that can raise LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol), triacylglycerols, and liver enzymes. The two best known diterpenes are cafestol and kahweol.
According to studies, unfiltered coffee contains 30 times more diterpenes than a cup of filtered coffee. Diterpenes release during the brewing process, however, the process of filtering easily and effectively removes most of these chemicals. Here are some brew methods that use filters:
Either paper filters or metal filters can be used. Paper filters are a little better for filtering out any diterpenes while retaining all the polyphenols from your coffee. This will give you the flavor and health benefits of coffee without raising your cholesterol. Metal filters will also work, however, choose ones with small screen holes. The finer the holes in the filter, the more effective the filtration will be, and the more effective filtration will yield a lighter, cleaner, brighter cup with fewer diterpenes.
Metal filters are either made of stainless steel, aluminum or even gold. While initially these are pricier than paper filters, they do last a long time with proper care. Paper filters on the other hand, remove most of the harmful contaminants, are inexpensive, and most are fully compostable. If you choose paper filters, always be sure to rinse your filter before you start your brew.
The coffee methods to stay away from if you have high cholesterol are Turkish coffee, French press, and cold brew as these have the highest amounts of diterpenes. Turkish coffee is an unfiltered method. While French press does have a screen, the grounds are in direct contact with the water while brewing (so basically unfiltered). Additionally, even though there are filters available now for cold brew, the long brew time (12+ hours) has potential for higher levels of diterpenes.
Coffee in general has some great health properties, (antioxidants, polyphenols, and micronutrients) but if you have high cholesterol, you may want to reconsider your brew method.
Cheering you on to good health!
Note: This is not intended to be medical help, please seek the advice of your medical professional.
Bulletproof coffee or Keto Coffee is simply coffee with butter, (preferably grass-fed) added to it. It is high in fat and has no carbohydrates. Those on ketogenic diets often drink bulletproof coffee as a breakfast meal substitute because it has a rich, full flavor and due to the fat from the butter, helps with feeling full and satisfied. Not only that, it also reduces cravings, and burns fat. The grass-fed butter contains the fatty acid Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), and has been reported to help to improve brain function, reduce the risk of diabetes, limit your chance of heart disease, and even certain cancers.
So where did the idea of adding butter to your coffee come from? You have to go back to the 9th century in Ethiopia when people began grinding the roasted beans and mixing them with ghee, which clarified butter. Over time Ethiopians continued to add ghee to their brewed coffee, sometimes with spices or salt.
Some Bulletproof recipes include MCT (medium chain triglycerides) oil and cinnamon in addition to the grass-fed butter. If you have a milk frother, use it to blend and mix the ingredients to produce a frothy, foamy mouthfeel of creamy deliciousness.
Caffeine acts like an appetite suppressant, but you will still receive the health benefits when using decaf coffee as well.
Here are a couple of recipes for you to try.
Or
*Add cinnamon to taste, if you wish.
]]>There are several reasons why you might want to do consider this.
If any of these are true for you, you should consider doing a caffeine detox.
FACT: your body and mind are not meant to be “on” all day, every day. The body works best when you respect its natural cycles. There’s a time for energetic activity and alertness, and a time for relaxation and rest. That rest period is when your body performs much of its detoxification and repair. Allowing for these natural rhythms will reduce your dependency on caffeine, as well as the damaging impact it may be having on your health.
But quitting this habit is HARD because many of us develop specific patterns with our caffeine consumption.
Caffeine is a stimulant that works on your central nervous system, meaning it affects everything. Caffeine is hard to give up because we depend on it on several levels.
Unfortunately, most people experience some form of withdrawal symptoms when reducing caffeine. Whether you choose to wean off gradually or go cold turkey there are some things you should do.
If you plan to wean yourself off caffeine, do it gradually. You can approach it a couple of different ways.
Here are 3 TIPS to help:
TIP #1 - Replace the eliminated coffee amount with water. (An easy way to up your water consumption.)
TIP #2 - Reduce your intake of caffeine by 10-30 mg or ¼ cup every 2-3 days.
TIP #3 - Mix regular with decaf to create a “half-caf”. This can help psychologically as it allows you to have the same number of cups and the same size cup you are used to while still decreasing the caffeine content.
The advantages of weaning is that withdrawal symptoms are not as severe and it is less shocking to your system. However, the detoxing can take a long time and it requires that you be intentional about tracking how much you consume.
Alternatively, you can quit caffeine cold turkey. While this can be the fastest way to detox, it does come with a price and a huge shock to your system. Unfortunately, doing it this way will almost certainly cause severe withdrawal symptoms such as severe headache lasting from 1 day to a week or more, nausea, fatigue, sluggishness, daytime drowsiness, irritability, and depression.
These symptoms usually peak from two to four days and are often uncomfortable enough to force people to resume consuming caffeine despite adverse side effects like insomnia and stomach upset. Keep in mind that these symptoms usually abate after a week without caffeine.
While detoxing from caffeine isn't pleasant, but with the goal of good health in mind, it's worth it!
Cheering you on!
]]>We know you enjoy your morning coffee, but may we suggest that it’s the ritual of it that you enjoy most? (the anticipation, the wonderful aroma, holding the hot mug in your hands, that first delicious sip.) You can enjoy good health and good coffee at the same time by choosing Swiss Water Process decaf – it has all the flavor, without the caffeine.
]]>Astounded, Kaldi gathered some of the berries and brought them home to his wife. She considered them “heaven sent” and advised him to share the berries with the nearby monks of monastery.
However, the monks did not receive Kaldi warmly there. In fact, one monk referred to his coffee beans as "the Devil's work" and tossed them into the fire. The aroma that wafted up from the roasting beans caught the attention of several monks, and they removed the beans from the fire and crushed them to extinguish the embers. In an attempt to preserve them, they put them in an pitcher filled with hot water.
More monks were attracted by the aroma of the brewing coffee. After trying it, they experienced the energizing effects for themselves and continued to drink it to keep them awake during prayers and devotions.
The Ethiopian coffee ceremony is an important part of Ethiopian culture. It involves several steps and three rounds.
The 2-3 hour ceremony is performed by the woman of the house, and is considered the most important social occasion in many regions. It is not only done for special celebrations, and welcoming guests into the home, but the coffee ceremony is such an integral part of their day it is done morning, noon, and evening each day. It is regarded as a sign of respect and friendship to be invited to a coffee ceremony where guests discuss a wide variety of topics from politics to gossip, but also includes tribute to the ceremony performer and her brew.
The ceremony usually follows a specific format and plays both a social and spiritual role that emphasizes the importance of the Ethiopian coffee culture. It is said that as a result of coffee’s spiritual properties, the spirit is also transformed during the three rounds of the coffee ceremony.
The ceremony begins with the hostess preparing the room by spreading fresh aromatic grasses and flowers across the floor and burning incense to ward off evil spirits. The incense is burned throughout the ceremony.
Next she fills a jebena - a black clay coffeepot - with water and places it over hot coals. She then takes a handful of green (unroasted) coffee beans and carefully cleans them in a heated, long-handled, wok-like pan by holding the pan over a small fire, and stirring and shaking the husks and debris out of the beans until they are clean.
Once the beans are clean, she slowly roasts them in the same pan. Her goal is to keep the roast as even as possible. She does this by shaking the beans (much like one would shake an old-fashioned popcorn popper) or stirring them constantly. Roast level is chosen by the hostess. Some choose a medium roast just after first crack, others choose a dark roast where the beans become black and oily. The aroma from roasting is powerful and considered to be an important aspect of the ceremony.
Using a mukecha (pronounced moo-key-cha) a small, heavy wooden bowl - similar to a mortar, and a zenezena, a wooden or metal cylinder with a blunt end - similar to a pestle, the hostess will crush/grind the beans to a coarse grind.
With the water in the jebena now ready for the coffee, the woman will add the ground coffee. The mixture is brought to a boil and removed from heat.
The hostess prepares a tray of handle-less cups that are very close together and pours the coffee in a single stream from about a foot above the cups, ideally filling each cup equally without breaking the stream of coffee. This technique prevents the coarse grounds from ending up in the coffee cups.
Sometimes, the youngest child may serve the oldest guest the first cup of coffee. Afterward, the performer serves everyone else. Guests may add sugar if they’d like, but milk is not typically offered. After adding sugar, guests drink the coffee and praise the hostess for her coffee-making skills and the coffee flavor. This is known as “bunna tetu.
There are typically two additional servings, each getting progressively weaker. The first serving as known as ABOL, the second is TONA, and third is BARAKA. Each serving is said to transform the spirit, and the last serving is considered to be a blessing to those who drink it.
Some versions of the ceremony add spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves to the coffee beans as they are being roasted. Some versions filter the roasted coffee grounds. Some serve salt instead of sugar, and in some regions butter or honey may be added to the brew. Sometimes, snacks of roasted barley, peanuts, popcorn or coffee cherries may accompany the coffee.
photo courtesy of Fresh Cup Magazine and Boon Boona Coffee
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Then top with lightly whipped cream (and chocolate shavings, if desired.)
An alternative way to begin is to hold the glass at a 45 degree angle with one hand, pour the chocolate syrup near the mouth of the glass, then slowly turn the glass around so that you have chocolate syrup running down the glass from every angle. Continue as above. (You probably won't see the layers doing it this way, but you'll get a different presentation of chocolate.)
Since this feels like something you could enjoy as an after-dinner dessert drink, we recommend using our single origin specialty decaf Mexico.
Es muy bien! Enjoy!
]]>Fast forward to married life with babies. I’ve been married 32 years and have eight children (some grown, some still at home). With each pregnancy, morning sickness made it easy to give up coffee, but the newborn days, with their long nights and too little sleep, were another story. I needed that morning cup and that progressed to one mid-afternoon as well, just to get through the dinner hour.
I’ll never forget sitting in the lobby of a doctor’s office reading a magazine which had an article about caffeine and how it affected the adrenal glands. It was all new information to me, and I wasn’t ready to believe it. I needed my coffee and I wasn’t going to give it up.
It was after our fifth baby that I began being more intentional about my health, and that of my family. I sought out health information – changed our diet from the standard American diet to more nutritious whole foods, but I still allowed myself the treat of a latte with flavoring.
As our diet became cleaner, and I made label-reading a habit, I switched from latte flavorings to honey for a bit of sweetness in my coffee. Still at a two-cup-per-day habit, I realized that I was consuming a lot of calories by way of milk and honey in a latte so I switched to drinking Americanos (espresso with water) with a splash of cream and no honey.
About the time my seventh child was about a year old, I was dragging. The fatigue was REAL. The naturopath passed it off as a mama with many children. Since I homeschool all the kids, I figured her assessment was reasonable, but I knew tired, and this was different. She ran some tests and noticed my thyroid was low – still in the normal range, but low. “We’ll keep a watch on it.” With no definitive answers to my fatigue, I continued on and relied heavily on my caffeine habit to get me through my busy days.
Whether it was because I was in my mid-forties, in perimenopause, having my eighth baby… or simply all of that combined, my health deteriorated. The fatigue was worse, and now I had brain fog, I often felt dizzy, I couldn’t complete my thoughts out loud. It was scary. I sought out a new naturopath who listened a bit better, and after some testing, it was discovered that I was extremely anemic, had antibodies to gluten, and my adrenals were failing. It was a lot to take in, but at least I had answers and a treatment plan. Tops on that plan - I had to give up caffeine.
I’ll be honest, the switch was hard. It was an emotional thing, I think. Fully aware of my daily responsibilities and all that is required of me, and not having a lot of energy to get it all accomplished was a little daunting especially knowing I wouldn’t have coffee as a crutch. However, I wanted to feel better and be all there for my family.
If you’ve ever had decaf, then you know most of it tastes pretty awful. I’m convinced it’s from the chemicals used in the decaffeination process. At the time, I didn’t even know there were different methods. I had heard that formaldehyde was used. (ew! – it’s not anymore, thankfully!) As I transitioned into drinking decaf only, I went back to adding in cream to help with the taste. The weird thing was that as I would sip my morning cup of coffee, I would get this sensation of a lump in my throat – like something was stuck in my throat.
It was about this time that Eric approached me about coffee roasting – as a “retire to” career we could do together. We took classes from Specialty Coffee Association and became certified coffee roasters by the SCA. Some of the classes were offered at the Swiss Water Decaf plant in Burnaby, British Columbia. Sampling the decaf there, I had an epiphany…no funny feeling in my throat. The Swiss Water method of decaffeination only uses pure water – no chemicals. Not only did I not have that feeling when I drank decaf from Swiss Water, but it actually tasted really good.
This is what we experience whenever we go on a date to a coffee house. There are always choices for him. He can choose from different origins, different roast levels, and different brew methods, but not for me… for decaf there is only one option, and more often than not, it isn’t Swiss Water. So we had another epiphany. In an area saturated with coffee roasters, we want to focus on giving people lots of choices of really great tasting chemical-free decaf. Our motto of “coffee is for everyone – caffeine isn’t” was born.
Recovering from adrenal fatigue is a slow process, and thyroid issues are tricky, but can I just tell you how freeing it is to no longer have to rely on caffeine for energy. I no longer feel the dip in energy mid-afternoon, and while I still crave that first cup of coffee in the morning it’s only because it tastes so good!
I hope my story helps you along in your health journey. Good decaf doesn’t have to be an oxymoron.
My advice? Look for the blue Swiss Water logo for guaranteed chemical free decaffeinated coffee that is 99.9% caffeine free. We’ve got you!
Side note information -
Ethyl acetate (EA) is touted as a “natural” method of decaffeination because the solvent is derived from ripening fruits, however, because of the impracticality of gathering natural ethyl acetate and its cost, the solvent used is synthetically made.
Methylene Chloride (MC) is a solvent used in paint stripping and metal cleaning, but has been deemed GRAS (generally regarded as safe) by the FDA in the amounts used for decaffeinating coffee.
Typically, if the method of decaffeination isn’t mentioned on the bag – it’s done using MC.
]]>One evening in 1943, a flight had to turn back to Foynes Air base mid way through its journey. Chef Joe, feeling empathy for the cold and weary passengers, decided to whip up something special for them to drink. The story goes that a silence descended as everyone enjoyed this delectable concoction. According to legend, the name of this drink came about when a surprised American sampled the beverage and called out, "Hey Buddy, is this Brazilian coffee?" Joe replied with, "NO, that's Irish Coffee". Irish Coffee became a huge success and the airport specialty.
Some years later, travel writer, Stanton Delaplane introduced the Irish Coffee to the United States by persuading Jack Koeppler, a bartender at the Buena Vista Hotel in San Fransisco to recreate it. However, Koeppler couldn't keep the cream from sinking when he tried to make the drink. With perseverance and determination to get it right, he traveled to Limerick, Ireland to meet Chef Joe to learn the correct way to make this delicious coffee.
Want to try your hand at creating this famous Irish drink?
Here's what you'll need to make a traditional Irish coffee:
or try a Bailey's Irish Cream Coffee
If you prefer a non-alcoholic version (recipe from Savor the Flavour
So why do people drink on St. Patrick's Day? Inquiring minds want to know...
The holiday was created to honor Saint Patrick on the anniversary of his death. The Christian people held a great feast for which Lenten food and alcohol restrictions were temporarily removed, which is why drinking has become synonymous with the holiday.
Go ahead wear your green and enjoy an Irish coffee today!
Sláinte!... that's "Cheers!" in Irish Gaelic.
Carol