Buying Tips
When purchasing coffee, always ask when it was roasted. Many common
misconceptions exist when it comes to judging the freshness and optimum time to
experience a roasted coffee at its peak of perfection. Generally coffee is best
if used a day or two after roasting, and if kept in an air-tight container,
flavour should not diminish significantly until after ten days. Old
coffee beans will have little or no aroma, or will take on
a somewhat unpleasant aroma.
Grinding Tip
Never grind more coffee than you will use for immediate brewing. Once the beans
are ground, the flavorful oils are exposed to the damaging air. As these oils
dissipate, so will the flavour
of your coffee. Once ground, coffee will begin to lose its flavour almost
immediately. Different methods of brewing will require different grind
consistencies. Typically, coffee used for drip brewing should be ground to a
consistency similar to granulated sugar. The complete drip cycle should occur
within four to six minutes. If the drip cycle is completed in less than four
minutes, grind your coffee finer. If the cycle takes longer than six minutes,
grind your coffee coarser. When using a French press, the coffee will need to be
ground extremely coarse. Espresso requires an extremely fine grind...almost
powder-like with a slight grittiness. The key to the proper espresso grind is
the extraction time. After the proper dose and tamp, one ounce of espresso
should be extracted in approximately 25 to 30 seconds. Like drip coffee, if the
one ounce extraction occurs in less than 25 seconds, grind your coffee finer. If
the extraction occurs in longer than 30 seconds, grind your coffee coarser. Talk
to you local coffee professional for additional information.
Storage Tip Never store your coffee in the refrigerator. Coffee will absorb
flavors and
aromas from other food products in your refrigerator. Freezing coffee can also
have a damaging effect, and we do not recommend this practice unless you will
not use-up your supply of coffee for a prolonged period of time (two weeks or
more). Coffee should be stored in a clean, dry, airtight container, in a cool,
dark place.
Dosage Tip
When making brewed coffee, allow 2 to 2 1/2 level tablespoons for each 6 ounces
of water (3 tablespoons for 8 ounces). For espresso, allow 7 to 8 grams for a
single shot, and 14 to 16 grams for a double shot.
French
Press Tip
You will want to grind or have your coffee ground to a very coarse consistency
for this method. If your grind is too fine, you will over extract your coffee
and a bitter flavour may result. It will also be difficult or impossible for you
to push the plunger down in your pot if the grind is too fine. Now here is an
application for your French press that you probably don't know about. Heat a cup
of milk (non-fat works best) in a sauce pan on your stove or in a microwave. It
should be heated just until it is too hot to put your finger in it. Don't
overheat or you will scald the milk. Next, pour the milk into your clean, empty
French press. Insert the plunger, and pump the plunger up and down like a butter
churn for several minutes. The milk will expand and increase in volume by three
or four times, creating beautiful frothed milk for cappuccinos and lattes.
Moka Pot Tip
It is an old Italian secret to mound the coffee grounds high in the filter
basket of the Moka pot before screwing the two pieces together. Do not compact
the coffee! To ensure a tight seal, be sure to wipe the rim of the bottom of the
pot with your finger to remove any grounds. When the top half of the pot is
screwed on, the grounds will be compacted by the filter screen. You should end
up with a dry, compacted puck of coffee grounds at the end of brewing.
Filter Drip
Tip
Be sure to use a filter which is designed to fit your filter basket. Bleached
white paper filters are most common, however unbleached brown filter papers are
usually available. Permanent gold-plated wire mesh filters also work very well
and are environmentally friendly.
Espresso
at Home
When selecting a machine for home, look for one that will drive the water
through the coffee with the aid of a pump vs. a steam driven machine. A good
pump machine will usually cost $200 to $1,250, but the investment is worth it if
you are serious about enjoying tasty espresso. It is our opinion that a steam
driven machine (the typical $89 model) will not produce a palatable product. We
suggest you use a Moka pot if you have a limited budget to invest in equipment.
Beautiful milk froth can be created for cappuccinos with a plunger pot (see
French press).
In Kitchen
Drink of the Month
Mexican Melange Latte -- pour 1/4 ounce each of almond, coconut, banana, and
cinnamon syrups into a cup. Add espresso, and fill with steamed milk. Top with
shaved chocolate.
Did you Know?
Coffee is a seed of a berry. A common myth alleges that it was originally
discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi. After watching his heard of goats
become frisky after eating berries from this unknown bush, he ate them himself,
and found these berries gave him a renewed vigour.
Coffee and
Health Issues
Coffee has been studied for more than a century. For every report that alleges a
potential health risk, another may discredit or show benefits. It is generally
agreed that pregnant women should limited their coffee consumption. Did you know
that drinking a cup of coffee can help calm an acute attack of asthma? Coffee
has many positive effects.
GRINDING
The fresher the grind, the
more flavorful and aromatic the brew. Ground coffee loses its integrity
rapidly, so grind only the beans you need. Consult a member of The Coffee
Beanery staff about the proper grind for your coffee maker.
WATER
Use only clean, cold tap
water, or quality bottled spring water. Do not use mineral water, distilled
water, or tap water with an odour. If you are using a manual brewer, use
water just off the boil.
EQUIPMENT
Whatever brewing method you
choose, keep equipment clean, inside and out. A good soak in baking soda and
water followed by a thorough cleaning is helpful for glass pots. There are
also cleansing solutions made especially for automatic drip brewers.
PROPORTIONS
The Coffee Beanery
recommends a 1:1 ratio. Meaning, 1 tablespoon of freshly ground coffee per
1-cup measure on the coffee maker. (For most coffee makers, a 1-cup measure
equals 5 ounces.) For stronger coffee, increase the ratio of coffee to
water. Experiment to find your preference, but note that ratios may vary for
different coffees.
SERVING
To prevent coffee from
burning or staling, we recommend leaving it on a warmer no longer than 20
minutes. Use a carafe or thermos to keep coffee warm. Unlike commercial
coffees served scalding hot to mask bitterness, the subtle flavors of our
Arabic coffees actually grow more distinct as the coffee cools. Try
re-warming your cup, not the coffee.
FLAVORING
The
flavoring of coffees is an ancient tradition dating back to 13th century
nomadic Arab tribesmen who added a pinch of cardamom before brewing.
Experiment with spices (nutmeg, cinnamon) and flavorings (vanilla, almond)
to create your own signature coffees. Or enjoy any of the Coffee Beanery's
delicious blends, hand-flavored still warm from the roaster
ENJOYING THE
WORLD'S COFFEE.
There
are few things on earth as simply and utterly fulfilling as a wonderful cup
of coffee - especially when your coffee is from The Coffee Beanery. These
are the finest Arabic beans in the world, small-batch roasted for perfect
flavour. The care you take with your coffees at home will only increase the
pleasure of your experience.
SELECTING BEANS
You
can taste the whole world at The Coffee Beanery, one sample at a time. As
your palate develops, you'll be able to fully appreciate the flavours,
complexities, and custom blend. Hint: buy small
quantities more often, for maximum freshness.
STORAGE
Air
is a coffee bean's worst enemy. Store ground or whole beans in an airtight
container in a cool, dark aster.
A PROMISEThe
coffee you buy from us is always the authentic coffee as labeled.
At The Coffee Beanery, our commitment to uncompromising quality and good
taste is your assurance that our beans come hand-picked from Arabic coffee
trees grown on the best coffee estates and plantations around the world. If
you wish to read more about this topic,We have divided our extensive selection of the world’s finest
specialty coffees into the five groups. Special Note on
Availability: Because coffee is an agricultural product, the availability of
any listed variety can sometimes be limited or hampered by harvest
conditions. Some rare varieties are in very short supply. When we cannot get
a coffee, we may be temporarily out of stock.
General
Tips
1
Start with freshly roasted, whole bean coffee. Coffee decays rapidly once it has
been roasted, and even faster after it has been ground. Even a few hours can
make a big taste difference! So please, do yourself a favor and
buy a coffee grinder.
2 Use
"good" water. Water that tastes or smells funny will adversely affect your
coffee's flavour. If your tap water tastes OK, then go ahead and use it, but if
not, use either filtered or bottled water. To see how much difference this can
make, try making your favorite brew using tap water and
then try brewing a pot using bottled water, we're sure you will notice the
difference.
3
Select the correct grind. Different coffee brewing methods require different
kinds of grind. How coarse or fine coffee is ground is critically important
to making good coffee!. Coffee ground too fine will delay the brewing
process and produce a bitter cup; conversely, coffee ground too coarse will
speed up the brewing process and produce a watery, less robust beverage. You
must also be aware that temperature and humidity will affect the coffee
brewing process. A grind that works well on a cold day may need to be
adjusted when it's hot. Although inexpensive rotary blade grinders work
well, for a more precise and consistent grind we recommend a burr-type
grinder, particularly where an extra-fine grind is needed such as when
grinding for espresso.
4
Keep your coffee brewing equipment clean. Coffee oils quickly build up and
over time become rancid. The rancid oils will then taint your coffee's
flavour. Clean your coffee maker regularly!
Coffee Brewing Methods.
The
following list is not intended to cover all the myriad brewing techniques
that have proliferated around the globe. We include here only the most
common ones for which brewing equipment is readily available. The
descriptions are very basic and are intended for use as a general guide
only. For specific brewing instructions on any particular brewing apparatus,
we recommend that you follow each manufacturer's specific instructions.
Drip Coffee
Whether
automatic or manual, the basic idea is to allow gravity to filter hot water
through ground coffee suspended in a filter of some porous material (paper,
tight wire mesh, etc.). Filters can be either flat bottomed or cone shaped.
If flat bottomed, the grind should be medium; if a cone, then the grind
should be fine. We have found that in most cases the cone shaped filter
tends to make a better brew. When using an automatic drip machine, do not
leave the brewed coffee on the burner!!! It will continue to cook and will
become bitter in a few minutes. Transfer the brewed coffee to a good thermos
for flavor's sake.
French Press
The
French press consists of a beaker shaped container with a fine wire mesh
plunger unit attached to the lid. This coffee maker is one of the more
popular devices available and comes in sizes ranging from single cup to
eighteen cups. In this method, first the glass beaker should be preheated by
running it under hot water. Then put in the amount of medium to fine ground
coffee needed, add water heated just off the boil and stir. Let the coffee
steep for three to four minutes and stir again. Finally, put the lid-plunger
apparatus on the beaker and push the plunger down gently as far as it will
go. This method may sound complex, but it's really simple. Please keep in
mind that the coffee used in this method cannot be ground too fine. If
ground very fine the plunger will tend to jam.
Espresso
The
idea behind espresso is to extract maximum flavour out of the grind using
minimum water. This can only be accomplished at fairly high levels of
pressure. If you are considering purchasing an espresso machine, be advised
that, as with almost everything, you get what you pay for. Lower priced
machines generally have lower levels of pressure and will not be able to
produce the same caliber of beverage. One way to gauge a machine's relative
extraction abilities is to see how fine a grind it can handle. An optimal
machine should be able to produce a one to one and one- half ounce pull of
espresso in eighteen to twenty-three seconds when using a very fine grind.
Although you can adjust the grind to work "optimally" for any
machine, you must remember that because of the brewing time, the coarser the
grind is, the less flavour will be extracted. Choose your espresso machine
carefully!
Here
are some tips that will help produce the best results. The coffee must be
finely ground, as fine as your espresso machine will allow. The
grounds should be tightly packed in the porter filter. This is where most
people have trouble, if the grounds are too tightly packed, the water will
not be able to get through properly producing a bitter, burned tasting pull.
If the grounds are too loosely packed, you will get a watery, weak tasting
pull. To get it right you may have to experiment a little. Don't try to pull
more than the standard one to one and one-half once brew from the grounds;
over-extracted espresso tends to be weak and bitter tasting.
Stove
Top Espresso
This
simple unit works well on the same basic steam pressure principle as the
standard espresso machine but does not produce quite the same caliber of
brew. These units do produce a hearty triple-strength brew that is
comparable to the lower-end home espresso machines, but at a much lower
price. The Stove Top Espresso pot consists of two pieces that screw together
with a filter chamber in the middle. Originally these units were made from
aluminum and tended to add an unpleasant taste to the coffee. Newer units
can be found that are made from stainless steel that do not taint the
coffee. To make a brew with this unit, first fill the base with water up to
it's safety valve. Fill the filter chamber with finely ground coffee, do not
pack it down. Place the filter chamber in the base and screw the top on
tightly. Place the pot on the heat. When the coffee starts to pour out of
the stem in the top, reduce the heat to low. When you hear a gurgling noise,
all of the water is out of the base. Remove it from the heat and wait for
the coffee to stop pouring from the stem. These units have a rubber gasket
that will need to be replaced from time to time, and remember not to leave
the pot on the heat after all the water is gone from the base.
Storing
Your coffee
As
mentioned earlier, coffee beans tend to lose their flavour rather quickly
and even faster after being ground. This is especially true if steps are not
taken to preserve that flavour. The first step that you can take to preserve
your coffee's flavour, is to keep it whole bean until needed. If you do not
already have one, purchase a grinder for your coffee. The second step is to
keep your coffee in a sealed container that prevents the coffee from being
exposed to the surrounding air.
IZON
COFFEE - MOBILE ROASTERY TRAIN - FAIRTRADE FLO ID # 20300 - 100% Certified
Organic Beans
Mobile Roastery Espresso
Train - Christchurch - South Island - New Zealand. -
ALERT: (RED ZONE Postal Address: P.O. Box 13325, Christchurch, New Zealand
misconceptions exist when it comes to judging the freshness and optimum time to
experience a roasted coffee at its peak of perfection. Generally coffee is best
if used a day or two after roasting, and if kept in an air-tight container,
flavour should not diminish significantly until after ten days. Old
coffee beans will have little or no aroma, or will take on
a somewhat unpleasant aroma. 
of your coffee. Once ground, coffee will begin to lose its flavour almost
immediately. Different methods of brewing will require different grind
consistencies. Typically, coffee used for drip brewing should be ground to a
consistency similar to granulated sugar. The complete drip cycle should occur
within four to six minutes. If the drip cycle is completed in less than four
minutes, grind your coffee finer. If the cycle takes longer than six minutes,
grind your coffee coarser. When using a French press, the coffee will need to be
ground extremely coarse. Espresso requires an extremely fine grind...almost
powder-like with a slight grittiness. The key to the proper espresso grind is
the extraction time. After the proper dose and tamp, one ounce of espresso
should be extracted in approximately 25 to 30 seconds. Like drip coffee, if the
one ounce extraction occurs in less than 25 seconds, grind your coffee finer. If
the extraction occurs in longer than 30 seconds, grind your coffee coarser. Talk
to you local coffee professional for additional information. 
