Coffee Guide

Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the difference

As I sit here one the deck with my daily morning cup of coffee, I realize? just a few years ago I?d have had a cup of dark strong, stovetop brew with some milk to ease the taste. No more!! Now there?s almost every kind of coffee available that you can imagine.

Roasting at Home

First, we?ll start with the fact that you can buy green coffee beans and roast them to your liking right in you own home. One way to roast coffee beans at home is to skillet fry the beans until they are brown. They need to be cooked somewhere between 460F degrees and 530F. Beans must be kept moving so it won?t cook them unevenly. The roasting must stop at the right time and cooled down quickly. This is the old method but definitely won?t taste like today?s methods and needs proper venting.

Another way to roast coffee beans is with a hot-air corn popper. Hot-air poppers roast pretty quickly causing a bright, medium roast and strong flavored dark roasts. Giving a clear-cut taste opposite of beans roasted in a gas oven or in a stovetop popper. This may be a little easier than other methods. There is less to worry about, such as setting the temperature just right.

Although a great taste, there is a down side to using these poppers. First of all only not all poppers are designed to roast coffee. You should only use the ones with the proper roasting chambers. This way makes a less amount each time than other methods. Roasting with the popper will also cause smoke to be more difficult to vent. Most of these poppers can be used to make French or Espresso coffee, which is darker but are not recommended. This may cause your popper to be over worked and shorten its life.

Roasting beans in a gas oven was also popular. You could roast more at a time and the oven did the venting for you. Just set the ovens temperature like baking. This had to be a much easier way and the results were rather good. Don?t forget, the timing and cooling process for all roasting is very important and may be different in other blends to achieving the goal for a great cup of coffee.

The only way you are going to find out which technique you might enjoy to use is to find a whole bean coffee roasted style that you already like, then try to make it yourself at home. Do a little experimenting!

Brewing Methods

Next let?s move on to the many different brewing methods. There are several different ways in which to brew coffee. Before you choose a coffee maker you need to understand first what you demand out of the machine. It will be a question only the person using it can answer. Let?s examine the differences a little closer.

The filter drip is the most popular method used to brew coffee because it is easy to operate and consistent. Water is poured in a chamber where it is heated and slowly poured over the ground coffee. This can be done two ways. It can be electronically dripped or manually poured over the grounds. Some electric machines can be preset to have the coffee ready for you when you wake up in the morning. Others may prefer the taste of hand-brewed coffee for a different flavor.

The French drip is another form of drip coffee making, which is made without paper filters. A separate top sits above the porcelain coffee pot and acts as the strainer as the water soaks into the grounds. Working its way through the strainer, coffee liquid makes its way to the bottom pot for hot steaming coffee.

The Percolator was the preferred way to make coffee in the 1950′s. Now coffee drinkers see the light that the coffee made this way was thin, watery and bitter. Most people may remember it by the perking pot and the aroma it gave off.

The Neapolitan flip device is made up of two segment. The whole product comes in aluminum, copper or stainless steel. An area in between the two segments holds the coffee grounds. The lower part is poured with water and put directly on the stovetop to heat. While boiling the steam goes through a hole under the grounds. After that, the pot is removed from the stove, flipped over to drip the water on the grounds, which go into the serving pot. The down side to this is that it only makes about 3 or 4 cups per serving.

There are two different types of espresso makers, stovetop and household electric counter top model. A nice characteristic about the counter top model is it can steam milk for cappuccino and latte?s. Stovetop on the other hand have two parts similar to the Neapolitan flip method only no flipping needed.

French Press is a trendy European way that allows for more oils and coffee solids that give you a cup of coffee with a lovely smell and has a dense body. More of your strong coffee drinkers would prefer this technique. Although good and strong, some grounds may enter the coffee during process.

Vacuum procedures are more involved and are used for ceremonies mostly by the Japanese. They are rare and very hard to find. The Middle Eastern way is popular of course in the Middle East and also Greece and Turkey. Their form of making coffee is also very different and comes out to be dark, thick and syrupy tasting. Because it is so rich, one or two cups a day would probably be all I could drink.

Last but not least on the list, the cold water method Simply soaking the coffee grinds in cold water for about a day, straining the grounds, and storing the liquid in a refrigerator for a few weeks. When you want a cup, boil some water and add liquid to desired taste.

Makes a rather mild cup for those of you who like it that way.

If you?re not into roasting the beans yourself, your choices are still many. Coffee manufacturers have given us an almost unending list of different blends and flavors. How the coffee?s ground after its roasted will have a major effect on the taste of the coffee. There are regular, coarse and finely ground coffees. The taste is also affected by the combination of the type of coffee used. The two categories of trees from which the coffee beans come from are called Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica is a milder coffee and the Robusta a much stronger coffee.

Another important addition to the coffee world has been the addition of many flavorings, and flavored creamers. If you haven?t browsed through coffee selections lately, you owe it to your taste buds to check out the many varieties and flavors of coffee.

Hilda Maria is the mother of five great children. She understands the need for a great cup of coffee in a flash and enjoys using a coffee maker and fresh green coffee beans to get it.

Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the difference

As I sit here one the deck with my daily morning cup of coffee, I realize? just a few years ago I?d have had a cup of dark strong, stovetop brew with some milk to ease the taste. No more!! Now there?s almost every kind of coffee available that you can imagine.

Roasting at Home

First, we?ll start with the fact that you can buy green coffee beans and roast them to your liking right in you own home. One way to roast coffee beans at home is to skillet fry the beans until they are brown. They need to be cooked somewhere between 460F degrees and 530F. Beans must be kept moving so it won?t cook them unevenly. The roasting must stop at the right time and cooled down quickly. This is the old method but definitely won?t taste like today?s methods and needs proper venting.

Another way to roast coffee beans is with a hot-air corn popper. Hot-air poppers roast pretty quickly causing a bright, medium roast and strong flavored dark roasts. Giving a clear-cut taste opposite of beans roasted in a gas oven or in a stovetop popper. This may be a little easier than other methods. There is less to worry about, such as setting the temperature just right.

Although a great taste, there is a down side to using these poppers. First of all only not all poppers are designed to roast coffee. You should only use the ones with the proper roasting chambers. This way makes a less amount each time than other methods. Roasting with the popper will also cause smoke to be more difficult to vent. Most of these poppers can be used to make French or Espresso coffee, which is darker but are not recommended. This may cause your popper to be over worked and shorten its life.

Roasting beans in a gas oven was also popular. You could roast more at a time and the oven did the venting for you. Just set the ovens temperature like baking. This had to be a much easier way and the results were rather good. Don?t forget, the timing and cooling process for all roasting is very important and may be different in other blends to achieving the goal for a great cup of coffee.

The only way you are going to find out which technique you might enjoy to use is to find a whole bean coffee roasted style that you already like, then try to make it yourself at home. Do a little experimenting!

Brewing Methods

Next let?s move on to the many different brewing methods. There are several different ways in which to brew coffee. Before you choose a coffee maker you need to understand first what you demand out of the machine. It will be a question only the person using it can answer. Let?s examine the differences a little closer.

The filter drip is the most popular method used to brew coffee because it is easy to operate and consistent. Water is poured in a chamber where it is heated and slowly poured over the ground coffee. This can be done two ways. It can be electronically dripped or manually poured over the grounds. Some electric machines can be preset to have the coffee ready for you when you wake up in the morning. Others may prefer the taste of hand-brewed coffee for a different flavor.

The French drip is another form of drip coffee making, which is made without paper filters. A separate top sits above the porcelain coffee pot and acts as the strainer as the water soaks into the grounds. Working its way through the strainer, coffee liquid makes its way to the bottom pot for hot steaming coffee.

The Percolator was the preferred way to make coffee in the 1950′s. Now coffee drinkers see the light that the coffee made this way was thin, watery and bitter. Most people may remember it by the perking pot and the aroma it gave off.

The Neapolitan flip device is made up of two segment. The whole product comes in aluminum, copper or stainless steel. An area in between the two segments holds the coffee grounds. The lower part is poured with water and put directly on the stovetop to heat. While boiling the steam goes through a hole under the grounds. After that, the pot is removed from the stove, flipped over to drip the water on the grounds, which go into the serving pot. The down side to this is that it only makes about 3 or 4 cups per serving.

There are two different types of espresso makers, stovetop and household electric counter top model. A nice characteristic about the counter top model is it can steam milk for cappuccino and latte?s. Stovetop on the other hand have two parts similar to the Neapolitan flip method only no flipping needed.

French Press is a trendy European way that allows for more oils and coffee solids that give you a cup of coffee with a lovely smell and has a dense body. More of your strong coffee drinkers would prefer this technique. Although good and strong, some grounds may enter the coffee during process.

Vacuum procedures are more involved and are used for ceremonies mostly by the Japanese. They are rare and very hard to find. The Middle Eastern way is popular of course in the Middle East and also Greece and Turkey. Their form of making coffee is also very different and comes out to be dark, thick and syrupy tasting. Because it is so rich, one or two cups a day would probably be all I could drink.

Last but not least on the list, the cold water method Simply soaking the coffee grinds in cold water for about a day, straining the grounds, and storing the liquid in a refrigerator for a few weeks. When you want a cup, boil some water and add liquid to desired taste.

Makes a rather mild cup for those of you who like it that way.

If you?re not into roasting the beans yourself, your choices are still many. Coffee manufacturers have given us an almost unending list of different blends and flavors. How the coffee?s ground after its roasted will have a major effect on the taste of the coffee. There are regular, coarse and finely ground coffees. The taste is also affected by the combination of the type of coffee used. The two categories of trees from which the coffee beans come from are called Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica is a milder coffee and the Robusta a much stronger coffee.

Another important addition to the coffee world has been the addition of many flavorings, and flavored creamers. If you haven?t browsed through coffee selections lately, you owe it to your taste buds to check out the many varieties and flavors of coffee.

Hilda Maria is the mother of five great children. She understands the need for a great cup of coffee in a flash and enjoys using a coffee maker and fresh green coffee beans to get it.

Sulawesi (Soo-luh-way-see), also known as Celebes, is an island that is part of the country of Indonesia. The islands of Indonesia can be divided into three groups; the greater Sunda islands, the Lesser Sunda Islands and the Moluccas. The Greater Sunda Islands are a chain, including: Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Sulawesi. The island consists of four finger-like mountainous peninsulas, with the highest point reaching 11,336 ft. Sulawesi, just each of Borneo, is Indonesia?s most mountainous island. Volcanoes, some of them still active, rise on the northern peninsula. Inland, Sulawesi?s valleys and plateaus have fertile farmlands and rich grazing land, while the coastal waters provide a bountiful catch. The equator passes through the northern part of Sulawesi and more than 50% of the surface of the island is covered in rainforests.

Ujung Pandang, is the principal city on the island. It was once an important colonial spice center. In fact, when Columbus arrived in America he was really looking for a western sea route from Europe to the Indies. The region known as the Indies includes Sulawesi. Although spices are no longer the islands most important export commodity, Ujung Pandang is still the chief trading center for eastern Indonesia.

Because the rugged terrain divided one section from those in another, the population of more than 14 million consists mostly of small groups of people with different languages, customs and religious beliefs. More than 250 languages are spoken in the whole of Indonesia, including Bahasa Indonesia, the country?s official language. Around 88 percent of Indonesia?s people are Muslims, and 10 percent are Christians. However, many hold other beliefs that combine worship of ancient ancestors and nature, with Islam or Christianity.

Most of the people are Malays whose ancestors came from the mainland of Southeast Asia. The great majority of the people live in small villages and farm for a living. Farmers raise such crops as coffee, corn, rice, yams and tobacco for export. The Dutch introduced coffee to Sulawesi in the late 1690?s.

The Sulawesi available at U-Roast-Em.com is from Toraja, a mountainous area near the center of the island and the oldest coffee-growing region on the island. Sulawesi Toraja is a splendid coffee, much like the best Sumatran coffees. It is a little lighter in body and a bit livelier in acidity. If you enjoy the exotic coffees of Indonesia, or if you are just looking for something new, our Celebes Toraja is an experience waiting just for you.

Jim Cameron is a 30-year veteran in the specialty coffee roasting industry. Jim has authored many articles on various aspects of the industry and traveled abroad to speak at international gatherings of coffee professionals. Semi retired, Jim now writes on the subject of roasting and makes green coffee beans available to the home roasting market at his web site: http://www.u-roast-em.com

Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the difference

As I sit here one the deck with my daily morning cup of coffee, I realize? just a few years ago I?d have had a cup of dark strong, stovetop brew with some milk to ease the taste. No more!! Now there?s almost every kind of coffee available that you can imagine.

Roasting at Home

First, we?ll start with the fact that you can buy green coffee beans and roast them to your liking right in you own home. One way to roast coffee beans at home is to skillet fry the beans until they are brown. They need to be cooked somewhere between 460F degrees and 530F. Beans must be kept moving so it won?t cook them unevenly. The roasting must stop at the right time and cooled down quickly. This is the old method but definitely won?t taste like today?s methods and needs proper venting.

Another way to roast coffee beans is with a hot-air corn popper. Hot-air poppers roast pretty quickly causing a bright, medium roast and strong flavored dark roasts. Giving a clear-cut taste opposite of beans roasted in a gas oven or in a stovetop popper. This may be a little easier than other methods. There is less to worry about, such as setting the temperature just right.

Although a great taste, there is a down side to using these poppers. First of all only not all poppers are designed to roast coffee. You should only use the ones with the proper roasting chambers. This way makes a less amount each time than other methods. Roasting with the popper will also cause smoke to be more difficult to vent. Most of these poppers can be used to make French or Espresso coffee, which is darker but are not recommended. This may cause your popper to be over worked and shorten its life.

Roasting beans in a gas oven was also popular. You could roast more at a time and the oven did the venting for you. Just set the ovens temperature like baking. This had to be a much easier way and the results were rather good. Don?t forget, the timing and cooling process for all roasting is very important and may be different in other blends to achieving the goal for a great cup of coffee.

The only way you are going to find out which technique you might enjoy to use is to find a whole bean coffee roasted style that you already like, then try to make it yourself at home. Do a little experimenting!

Brewing Methods

Next let?s move on to the many different brewing methods. There are several different ways in which to brew coffee. Before you choose a coffee maker you need to understand first what you demand out of the machine. It will be a question only the person using it can answer. Let?s examine the differences a little closer.

The filter drip is the most popular method used to brew coffee because it is easy to operate and consistent. Water is poured in a chamber where it is heated and slowly poured over the ground coffee. This can be done two ways. It can be electronically dripped or manually poured over the grounds. Some electric machines can be preset to have the coffee ready for you when you wake up in the morning. Others may prefer the taste of hand-brewed coffee for a different flavor.

The French drip is another form of drip coffee making, which is made without paper filters. A separate top sits above the porcelain coffee pot and acts as the strainer as the water soaks into the grounds. Working its way through the strainer, coffee liquid makes its way to the bottom pot for hot steaming coffee.

The Percolator was the preferred way to make coffee in the 1950′s. Now coffee drinkers see the light that the coffee made this way was thin, watery and bitter. Most people may remember it by the perking pot and the aroma it gave off.

The Neapolitan flip device is made up of two segment. The whole product comes in aluminum, copper or stainless steel. An area in between the two segments holds the coffee grounds. The lower part is poured with water and put directly on the stovetop to heat. While boiling the steam goes through a hole under the grounds. After that, the pot is removed from the stove, flipped over to drip the water on the grounds, which go into the serving pot. The down side to this is that it only makes about 3 or 4 cups per serving.

There are two different types of espresso makers, stovetop and household electric counter top model. A nice characteristic about the counter top model is it can steam milk for cappuccino and latte?s. Stovetop on the other hand have two parts similar to the Neapolitan flip method only no flipping needed.

French Press is a trendy European way that allows for more oils and coffee solids that give you a cup of coffee with a lovely smell and has a dense body. More of your strong coffee drinkers would prefer this technique. Although good and strong, some grounds may enter the coffee during process.

Vacuum procedures are more involved and are used for ceremonies mostly by the Japanese. They are rare and very hard to find. The Middle Eastern way is popular of course in the Middle East and also Greece and Turkey. Their form of making coffee is also very different and comes out to be dark, thick and syrupy tasting. Because it is so rich, one or two cups a day would probably be all I could drink.

Last but not least on the list, the cold water method Simply soaking the coffee grinds in cold water for about a day, straining the grounds, and storing the liquid in a refrigerator for a few weeks. When you want a cup, boil some water and add liquid to desired taste.

Makes a rather mild cup for those of you who like it that way.

If you?re not into roasting the beans yourself, your choices are still many. Coffee manufacturers have given us an almost unending list of different blends and flavors. How the coffee?s ground after its roasted will have a major effect on the taste of the coffee. There are regular, coarse and finely ground coffees. The taste is also affected by the combination of the type of coffee used. The two categories of trees from which the coffee beans come from are called Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica is a milder coffee and the Robusta a much stronger coffee.

Another important addition to the coffee world has been the addition of many flavorings, and flavored creamers. If you haven?t browsed through coffee selections lately, you owe it to your taste buds to check out the many varieties and flavors of coffee.

Hilda Maria is the mother of five great children. She understands the need for a great cup of coffee in a flash and enjoys using a coffee maker and fresh green coffee beans to get it.

Sulawesi (Soo-luh-way-see), also known as Celebes, is an island that is part of the country of Indonesia. The islands of Indonesia can be divided into three groups; the greater Sunda islands, the Lesser Sunda Islands and the Moluccas. The Greater Sunda Islands are a chain, including: Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Sulawesi. The island consists of four finger-like mountainous peninsulas, with the highest point reaching 11,336 ft. Sulawesi, just each of Borneo, is Indonesia?s most mountainous island. Volcanoes, some of them still active, rise on the northern peninsula. Inland, Sulawesi?s valleys and plateaus have fertile farmlands and rich grazing land, while the coastal waters provide a bountiful catch. The equator passes through the northern part of Sulawesi and more than 50% of the surface of the island is covered in rainforests.

Ujung Pandang, is the principal city on the island. It was once an important colonial spice center. In fact, when Columbus arrived in America he was really looking for a western sea route from Europe to the Indies. The region known as the Indies includes Sulawesi. Although spices are no longer the islands most important export commodity, Ujung Pandang is still the chief trading center for eastern Indonesia.

Because the rugged terrain divided one section from those in another, the population of more than 14 million consists mostly of small groups of people with different languages, customs and religious beliefs. More than 250 languages are spoken in the whole of Indonesia, including Bahasa Indonesia, the country?s official language. Around 88 percent of Indonesia?s people are Muslims, and 10 percent are Christians. However, many hold other beliefs that combine worship of ancient ancestors and nature, with Islam or Christianity.

Most of the people are Malays whose ancestors came from the mainland of Southeast Asia. The great majority of the people live in small villages and farm for a living. Farmers raise such crops as coffee, corn, rice, yams and tobacco for export. The Dutch introduced coffee to Sulawesi in the late 1690?s.

The Sulawesi available at U-Roast-Em.com is from Toraja, a mountainous area near the center of the island and the oldest coffee-growing region on the island. Sulawesi Toraja is a splendid coffee, much like the best Sumatran coffees. It is a little lighter in body and a bit livelier in acidity. If you enjoy the exotic coffees of Indonesia, or if you are just looking for something new, our Celebes Toraja is an experience waiting just for you.

Jim Cameron is a 30-year veteran in the specialty coffee roasting industry. Jim has authored many articles on various aspects of the industry and traveled abroad to speak at international gatherings of coffee professionals. Semi retired, Jim now writes on the subject of roasting and makes green coffee beans available to the home roasting market at his web site: http://www.u-roast-em.com

Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the difference

As I sit here one the deck with my daily morning cup of coffee, I realize? just a few years ago I?d have had a cup of dark strong, stovetop brew with some milk to ease the taste. No more!! Now there?s almost every kind of coffee available that you can imagine.

Roasting at Home

First, we?ll start with the fact that you can buy green coffee beans and roast them to your liking right in you own home. One way to roast coffee beans at home is to skillet fry the beans until they are brown. They need to be cooked somewhere between 460F degrees and 530F. Beans must be kept moving so it won?t cook them unevenly. The roasting must stop at the right time and cooled down quickly. This is the old method but definitely won?t taste like today?s methods and needs proper venting.

Another way to roast coffee beans is with a hot-air corn popper. Hot-air poppers roast pretty quickly causing a bright, medium roast and strong flavored dark roasts. Giving a clear-cut taste opposite of beans roasted in a gas oven or in a stovetop popper. This may be a little easier than other methods. There is less to worry about, such as setting the temperature just right.

Although a great taste, there is a down side to using these poppers. First of all only not all poppers are designed to roast coffee. You should only use the ones with the proper roasting chambers. This way makes a less amount each time than other methods. Roasting with the popper will also cause smoke to be more difficult to vent. Most of these poppers can be used to make French or Espresso coffee, which is darker but are not recommended. This may cause your popper to be over worked and shorten its life.

Roasting beans in a gas oven was also popular. You could roast more at a time and the oven did the venting for you. Just set the ovens temperature like baking. This had to be a much easier way and the results were rather good. Don?t forget, the timing and cooling process for all roasting is very important and may be different in other blends to achieving the goal for a great cup of coffee.

The only way you are going to find out which technique you might enjoy to use is to find a whole bean coffee roasted style that you already like, then try to make it yourself at home. Do a little experimenting!

Brewing Methods

Next let?s move on to the many different brewing methods. There are several different ways in which to brew coffee. Before you choose a coffee maker you need to understand first what you demand out of the machine. It will be a question only the person using it can answer. Let?s examine the differences a little closer.

The filter drip is the most popular method used to brew coffee because it is easy to operate and consistent. Water is poured in a chamber where it is heated and slowly poured over the ground coffee. This can be done two ways. It can be electronically dripped or manually poured over the grounds. Some electric machines can be preset to have the coffee ready for you when you wake up in the morning. Others may prefer the taste of hand-brewed coffee for a different flavor.

The French drip is another form of drip coffee making, which is made without paper filters. A separate top sits above the porcelain coffee pot and acts as the strainer as the water soaks into the grounds. Working its way through the strainer, coffee liquid makes its way to the bottom pot for hot steaming coffee.

The Percolator was the preferred way to make coffee in the 1950′s. Now coffee drinkers see the light that the coffee made this way was thin, watery and bitter. Most people may remember it by the perking pot and the aroma it gave off.

The Neapolitan flip device is made up of two segment. The whole product comes in aluminum, copper or stainless steel. An area in between the two segments holds the coffee grounds. The lower part is poured with water and put directly on the stovetop to heat. While boiling the steam goes through a hole under the grounds. After that, the pot is removed from the stove, flipped over to drip the water on the grounds, which go into the serving pot. The down side to this is that it only makes about 3 or 4 cups per serving.

There are two different types of espresso makers, stovetop and household electric counter top model. A nice characteristic about the counter top model is it can steam milk for cappuccino and latte?s. Stovetop on the other hand have two parts similar to the Neapolitan flip method only no flipping needed.

French Press is a trendy European way that allows for more oils and coffee solids that give you a cup of coffee with a lovely smell and has a dense body. More of your strong coffee drinkers would prefer this technique. Although good and strong, some grounds may enter the coffee during process.

Vacuum procedures are more involved and are used for ceremonies mostly by the Japanese. They are rare and very hard to find. The Middle Eastern way is popular of course in the Middle East and also Greece and Turkey. Their form of making coffee is also very different and comes out to be dark, thick and syrupy tasting. Because it is so rich, one or two cups a day would probably be all I could drink.

Last but not least on the list, the cold water method Simply soaking the coffee grinds in cold water for about a day, straining the grounds, and storing the liquid in a refrigerator for a few weeks. When you want a cup, boil some water and add liquid to desired taste.

Makes a rather mild cup for those of you who like it that way.

If you?re not into roasting the beans yourself, your choices are still many. Coffee manufacturers have given us an almost unending list of different blends and flavors. How the coffee?s ground after its roasted will have a major effect on the taste of the coffee. There are regular, coarse and finely ground coffees. The taste is also affected by the combination of the type of coffee used. The two categories of trees from which the coffee beans come from are called Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica is a milder coffee and the Robusta a much stronger coffee.

Another important addition to the coffee world has been the addition of many flavorings, and flavored creamers. If you haven?t browsed through coffee selections lately, you owe it to your taste buds to check out the many varieties and flavors of coffee.

Hilda Maria is the mother of five great children. She understands the need for a great cup of coffee in a flash and enjoys using a coffee maker and fresh green coffee beans to get it.

Sulawesi (Soo-luh-way-see), also known as Celebes, is an island that is part of the country of Indonesia. The islands of Indonesia can be divided into three groups; the greater Sunda islands, the Lesser Sunda Islands and the Moluccas. The Greater Sunda Islands are a chain, including: Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Sulawesi. The island consists of four finger-like mountainous peninsulas, with the highest point reaching 11,336 ft. Sulawesi, just each of Borneo, is Indonesia?s most mountainous island. Volcanoes, some of them still active, rise on the northern peninsula. Inland, Sulawesi?s valleys and plateaus have fertile farmlands and rich grazing land, while the coastal waters provide a bountiful catch. The equator passes through the northern part of Sulawesi and more than 50% of the surface of the island is covered in rainforests.

Ujung Pandang, is the principal city on the island. It was once an important colonial spice center. In fact, when Columbus arrived in America he was really looking for a western sea route from Europe to the Indies. The region known as the Indies includes Sulawesi. Although spices are no longer the islands most important export commodity, Ujung Pandang is still the chief trading center for eastern Indonesia.

Because the rugged terrain divided one section from those in another, the population of more than 14 million consists mostly of small groups of people with different languages, customs and religious beliefs. More than 250 languages are spoken in the whole of Indonesia, including Bahasa Indonesia, the country?s official language. Around 88 percent of Indonesia?s people are Muslims, and 10 percent are Christians. However, many hold other beliefs that combine worship of ancient ancestors and nature, with Islam or Christianity.

Most of the people are Malays whose ancestors came from the mainland of Southeast Asia. The great majority of the people live in small villages and farm for a living. Farmers raise such crops as coffee, corn, rice, yams and tobacco for export. The Dutch introduced coffee to Sulawesi in the late 1690?s.

The Sulawesi available at U-Roast-Em.com is from Toraja, a mountainous area near the center of the island and the oldest coffee-growing region on the island. Sulawesi Toraja is a splendid coffee, much like the best Sumatran coffees. It is a little lighter in body and a bit livelier in acidity. If you enjoy the exotic coffees of Indonesia, or if you are just looking for something new, our Celebes Toraja is an experience waiting just for you.

Jim Cameron is a 30-year veteran in the specialty coffee roasting industry. Jim has authored many articles on various aspects of the industry and traveled abroad to speak at international gatherings of coffee professionals. Semi retired, Jim now writes on the subject of roasting and makes green coffee beans available to the home roasting market at his web site: http://www.u-roast-em.com

Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the difference

As I sit here one the deck with my daily morning cup of coffee, I realize? just a few years ago I?d have had a cup of dark strong, stovetop brew with some milk to ease the taste. No more!! Now there?s almost every kind of coffee available that you can imagine.

Roasting at Home

First, we?ll start with the fact that you can buy green coffee beans and roast them to your liking right in you own home. One way to roast coffee beans at home is to skillet fry the beans until they are brown. They need to be cooked somewhere between 460F degrees and 530F. Beans must be kept moving so it won?t cook them unevenly. The roasting must stop at the right time and cooled down quickly. This is the old method but definitely won?t taste like today?s methods and needs proper venting.

Another way to roast coffee beans is with a hot-air corn popper. Hot-air poppers roast pretty quickly causing a bright, medium roast and strong flavored dark roasts. Giving a clear-cut taste opposite of beans roasted in a gas oven or in a stovetop popper. This may be a little easier than other methods. There is less to worry about, such as setting the temperature just right.

Although a great taste, there is a down side to using these poppers. First of all only not all poppers are designed to roast coffee. You should only use the ones with the proper roasting chambers. This way makes a less amount each time than other methods. Roasting with the popper will also cause smoke to be more difficult to vent. Most of these poppers can be used to make French or Espresso coffee, which is darker but are not recommended. This may cause your popper to be over worked and shorten its life.

Roasting beans in a gas oven was also popular. You could roast more at a time and the oven did the venting for you. Just set the ovens temperature like baking. This had to be a much easier way and the results were rather good. Don?t forget, the timing and cooling process for all roasting is very important and may be different in other blends to achieving the goal for a great cup of coffee.

The only way you are going to find out which technique you might enjoy to use is to find a whole bean coffee roasted style that you already like, then try to make it yourself at home. Do a little experimenting!

Brewing Methods

Next let?s move on to the many different brewing methods. There are several different ways in which to brew coffee. Before you choose a coffee maker you need to understand first what you demand out of the machine. It will be a question only the person using it can answer. Let?s examine the differences a little closer.

The filter drip is the most popular method used to brew coffee because it is easy to operate and consistent. Water is poured in a chamber where it is heated and slowly poured over the ground coffee. This can be done two ways. It can be electronically dripped or manually poured over the grounds. Some electric machines can be preset to have the coffee ready for you when you wake up in the morning. Others may prefer the taste of hand-brewed coffee for a different flavor.

The French drip is another form of drip coffee making, which is made without paper filters. A separate top sits above the porcelain coffee pot and acts as the strainer as the water soaks into the grounds. Working its way through the strainer, coffee liquid makes its way to the bottom pot for hot steaming coffee.

The Percolator was the preferred way to make coffee in the 1950′s. Now coffee drinkers see the light that the coffee made this way was thin, watery and bitter. Most people may remember it by the perking pot and the aroma it gave off.

The Neapolitan flip device is made up of two segment. The whole product comes in aluminum, copper or stainless steel. An area in between the two segments holds the coffee grounds. The lower part is poured with water and put directly on the stovetop to heat. While boiling the steam goes through a hole under the grounds. After that, the pot is removed from the stove, flipped over to drip the water on the grounds, which go into the serving pot. The down side to this is that it only makes about 3 or 4 cups per serving.

There are two different types of espresso makers, stovetop and household electric counter top model. A nice characteristic about the counter top model is it can steam milk for cappuccino and latte?s. Stovetop on the other hand have two parts similar to the Neapolitan flip method only no flipping needed.

French Press is a trendy European way that allows for more oils and coffee solids that give you a cup of coffee with a lovely smell and has a dense body. More of your strong coffee drinkers would prefer this technique. Although good and strong, some grounds may enter the coffee during process.

Vacuum procedures are more involved and are used for ceremonies mostly by the Japanese. They are rare and very hard to find. The Middle Eastern way is popular of course in the Middle East and also Greece and Turkey. Their form of making coffee is also very different and comes out to be dark, thick and syrupy tasting. Because it is so rich, one or two cups a day would probably be all I could drink.

Last but not least on the list, the cold water method Simply soaking the coffee grinds in cold water for about a day, straining the grounds, and storing the liquid in a refrigerator for a few weeks. When you want a cup, boil some water and add liquid to desired taste.

Makes a rather mild cup for those of you who like it that way.

If you?re not into roasting the beans yourself, your choices are still many. Coffee manufacturers have given us an almost unending list of different blends and flavors. How the coffee?s ground after its roasted will have a major effect on the taste of the coffee. There are regular, coarse and finely ground coffees. The taste is also affected by the combination of the type of coffee used. The two categories of trees from which the coffee beans come from are called Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica is a milder coffee and the Robusta a much stronger coffee.

Another important addition to the coffee world has been the addition of many flavorings, and flavored creamers. If you haven?t browsed through coffee selections lately, you owe it to your taste buds to check out the many varieties and flavors of coffee.

Hilda Maria is the mother of five great children. She understands the need for a great cup of coffee in a flash and enjoys using a coffee maker and fresh green coffee beans to get it.

Home Coffee Roasting ? Makes all the difference

As I sit here one the deck with my daily morning cup of coffee, I realize? just a few years ago I?d have had a cup of dark strong, stovetop brew with some milk to ease the taste. No more!! Now there?s almost every kind of coffee available that you can imagine.

Roasting at Home

First, we?ll start with the fact that you can buy green coffee beans and roast them to your liking right in you own home. One way to roast coffee beans at home is to skillet fry the beans until they are brown. They need to be cooked somewhere between 460F degrees and 530F. Beans must be kept moving so it won?t cook them unevenly. The roasting must stop at the right time and cooled down quickly. This is the old method but definitely won?t taste like today?s methods and needs proper venting.

Another way to roast coffee beans is with a hot-air corn popper. Hot-air poppers roast pretty quickly causing a bright, medium roast and strong flavored dark roasts. Giving a clear-cut taste opposite of beans roasted in a gas oven or in a stovetop popper. This may be a little easier than other methods. There is less to worry about, such as setting the temperature just right.

Although a great taste, there is a down side to using these poppers. First of all only not all poppers are designed to roast coffee. You should only use the ones with the proper roasting chambers. This way makes a less amount each time than other methods. Roasting with the popper will also cause smoke to be more difficult to vent. Most of these poppers can be used to make French or Espresso coffee, which is darker but are not recommended. This may cause your popper to be over worked and shorten its life.

Roasting beans in a gas oven was also popular. You could roast more at a time and the oven did the venting for you. Just set the ovens temperature like baking. This had to be a much easier way and the results were rather good. Don?t forget, the timing and cooling process for all roasting is very important and may be different in other blends to achieving the goal for a great cup of coffee.

The only way you are going to find out which technique you might enjoy to use is to find a whole bean coffee roasted style that you already like, then try to make it yourself at home. Do a little experimenting!

Brewing Methods

Next let?s move on to the many different brewing methods. There are several different ways in which to brew coffee. Before you choose a coffee maker you need to understand first what you demand out of the machine. It will be a question only the person using it can answer. Let?s examine the differences a little closer.

The filter drip is the most popular method used to brew coffee because it is easy to operate and consistent. Water is poured in a chamber where it is heated and slowly poured over the ground coffee. This can be done two ways. It can be electronically dripped or manually poured over the grounds. Some electric machines can be preset to have the coffee ready for you when you wake up in the morning. Others may prefer the taste of hand-brewed coffee for a different flavor.

The French drip is another form of drip coffee making, which is made without paper filters. A separate top sits above the porcelain coffee pot and acts as the strainer as the water soaks into the grounds. Working its way through the strainer, coffee liquid makes its way to the bottom pot for hot steaming coffee.

The Percolator was the preferred way to make coffee in the 1950′s. Now coffee drinkers see the light that the coffee made this way was thin, watery and bitter. Most people may remember it by the perking pot and the aroma it gave off.

The Neapolitan flip device is made up of two segment. The whole product comes in aluminum, copper or stainless steel. An area in between the two segments holds the coffee grounds. The lower part is poured with water and put directly on the stovetop to heat. While boiling the steam goes through a hole under the grounds. After that, the pot is removed from the stove, flipped over to drip the water on the grounds, which go into the serving pot. The down side to this is that it only makes about 3 or 4 cups per serving.

There are two different types of espresso makers, stovetop and household electric counter top model. A nice characteristic about the counter top model is it can steam milk for cappuccino and latte?s. Stovetop on the other hand have two parts similar to the Neapolitan flip method only no flipping needed.

French Press is a trendy European way that allows for more oils and coffee solids that give you a cup of coffee with a lovely smell and has a dense body. More of your strong coffee drinkers would prefer this technique. Although good and strong, some grounds may enter the coffee during process.

Vacuum procedures are more involved and are used for ceremonies mostly by the Japanese. They are rare and very hard to find. The Middle Eastern way is popular of course in the Middle East and also Greece and Turkey. Their form of making coffee is also very different and comes out to be dark, thick and syrupy tasting. Because it is so rich, one or two cups a day would probably be all I could drink.

Last but not least on the list, the cold water method Simply soaking the coffee grinds in cold water for about a day, straining the grounds, and storing the liquid in a refrigerator for a few weeks. When you want a cup, boil some water and add liquid to desired taste.

Makes a rather mild cup for those of you who like it that way.

If you?re not into roasting the beans yourself, your choices are still many. Coffee manufacturers have given us an almost unending list of different blends and flavors. How the coffee?s ground after its roasted will have a major effect on the taste of the coffee. There are regular, coarse and finely ground coffees. The taste is also affected by the combination of the type of coffee used. The two categories of trees from which the coffee beans come from are called Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica is a milder coffee and the Robusta a much stronger coffee.

Another important addition to the coffee world has been the addition of many flavorings, and flavored creamers. If you haven?t browsed through coffee selections lately, you owe it to your taste buds to check out the many varieties and flavors of coffee.

Hilda Maria is the mother of five great children. She understands the need for a great cup of coffee in a flash and enjoys using a coffee maker and fresh green coffee beans to get it.

Sulawesi (Soo-luh-way-see), also known as Celebes, is an island that is part of the country of Indonesia. The islands of Indonesia can be divided into three groups; the greater Sunda islands, the Lesser Sunda Islands and the Moluccas. The Greater Sunda Islands are a chain, including: Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Sulawesi. The island consists of four finger-like mountainous peninsulas, with the highest point reaching 11,336 ft. Sulawesi, just each of Borneo, is Indonesia?s most mountainous island. Volcanoes, some of them still active, rise on the northern peninsula. Inland, Sulawesi?s valleys and plateaus have fertile farmlands and rich grazing land, while the coastal waters provide a bountiful catch. The equator passes through the northern part of Sulawesi and more than 50% of the surface of the island is covered in rainforests.

Ujung Pandang, is the principal city on the island. It was once an important colonial spice center. In fact, when Columbus arrived in America he was really looking for a western sea route from Europe to the Indies. The region known as the Indies includes Sulawesi. Although spices are no longer the islands most important export commodity, Ujung Pandang is still the chief trading center for eastern Indonesia.

Because the rugged terrain divided one section from those in another, the population of more than 14 million consists mostly of small groups of people with different languages, customs and religious beliefs. More than 250 languages are spoken in the whole of Indonesia, including Bahasa Indonesia, the country?s official language. Around 88 percent of Indonesia?s people are Muslims, and 10 percent are Christians. However, many hold other beliefs that combine worship of ancient ancestors and nature, with Islam or Christianity.

Most of the people are Malays whose ancestors came from the mainland of Southeast Asia. The great majority of the people live in small villages and farm for a living. Farmers raise such crops as coffee, corn, rice, yams and tobacco for export. The Dutch introduced coffee to Sulawesi in the late 1690?s.

The Sulawesi available at U-Roast-Em.com is from Toraja, a mountainous area near the center of the island and the oldest coffee-growing region on the island. Sulawesi Toraja is a splendid coffee, much like the best Sumatran coffees. It is a little lighter in body and a bit livelier in acidity. If you enjoy the exotic coffees of Indonesia, or if you are just looking for something new, our Celebes Toraja is an experience waiting just for you.

Jim Cameron is a 30-year veteran in the specialty coffee roasting industry. Jim has authored many articles on various aspects of the industry and traveled abroad to speak at international gatherings of coffee professionals. Semi retired, Jim now writes on the subject of roasting and makes green coffee beans available to the home roasting market at his web site: http://www.u-roast-em.com