Coffee Guide

Coffee beans are the roasted seeds that coffee comes from. It was first exported to Ethiopia from Yemen.

Coffee beans are distinguished by distinctive flavor, caffeine content, and acidity. These characteristics, in turn, are dependent on the local growth environment, method of processing, and the genetic subspecies or varieties.

Two coffee bean varieties are often blended for more flavor and variety. Among the most popular variety of traditional blends is the Mocha-Java, a combination of beans of the same name. The popular chocolate-inspired beverage called Caf? Mocha is believed to have been invented due to the unavailability of mocha.

A lot of processes and human labor are needed before coffee berries and their seeds can be processed and turned into roasted coffee. These include picking, wherein laborers picked coffee berries by hand and in turn received payment by the basket. Up to seven baskets a day can be picked by an experienced coffee picker. Defruiting involves soaking, scouring the flesh of the coffee berry.

Drying is the process whereby coffee beans are spread over a wide concrete surface and then dried by air and sunlight. The beans are then sorted by color and size. Another process is called aging; some believe that green coffee improves over time, while others dispute this belief saying that it loses its flavor as it ages. The roasting process is an integral part of a great-tasting coffee. The green coffee bean expands its size and changes color and texture when roasted.

On the other hand, the process involved in producing coffee grounds prior to brewing are grinding, chopping, and pounding. Grinding involves tearing the bean. Coffee experts consider burr grinders to be the best way to grind coffee. Chopping the bean into pieces through blade grinders that smash the beans with a high-speed blade is another method. The third process is called pounding, whereby beans are pounded by the use of mortar and pestle.

So the next time you see a coffee bean, you know the exciting journey it went through before finding its way into our cup.

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Excellent coffee will come in handy if you consider purchasing a coffee roaster at home. Coffee lovers have a variety of brands of sizes of coffee roasters to choose from for home brewing. Nothing beats freshly brewed coffee, brewed right in the comfort of one?s home. You may also create your own coffee concoctions and regale your family and friends.

However, it is important to consume coffee from a roaster at once to experience great flavor. Green coffee beans stay fresh much longer than those that have been through a roaster. Green coffee beans stay fresh as long as six months while those that went through a roaster lasted for only a week. Why is this so? Within a week coffee from the roaster oxidizes. Upon cooling, the roaster continues with its internal chemical process.

Once the coffee is already ground, you cannot be assured of its freshness and quality unless laboratory results show you the facts, whereas, if you have your own roaster, your green coffee is guaranteed one hundred percent fresh, which in turns save you money and frequent trips to the grocery store or to your favorite coffee shop.

You will discover that once you have your own roaster, all the other coffee you have tasted will pale in comparison. Ground coffee from the grocery normally contains fillers, diluting its flavor.

Roasters employ different processes prior to giving you that delectable cup of coffee. An air roaster should not be used for a very long time, as compared to drum roasters, since they transfer heat very quickly in a high-velocity stream of air. A drum roaster, on the other hand, needs to conduct and convert heat coming from the coffee at a slower rate to prevent it from being baked and scorched by heat.

So take your pick from among the roasters advertised on the Internet, and be assured of quality coffee anytime, anywhere.

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Some like their cup of coffee steaming hot, while others drool over cold coffee shakes. Choices are endless these days because flavored coffee is the ?in? drink. Like ice cream, coffee now comes in various flavors that are just as delicious. Coffee lovers across the globe are experimenting with these flavors, and with new flavors being developed every day. Some people may prefer their tried-and-true black coffee with no whistles and bells, but other love French Vanilla, cappuccino-flavored, minty, or any number of other flavors of coffee.

Gourmet flavored coffee is prepared after applying oils to the roasted beans. These oils are created specially for flavoring coffee beans. The best oils are prepared using natural ingredients. Although more expensive than the synthetic substitute, natural ingredients preserve the natural flavor and enhances the richness of coffee. Oils manufactured by other chemicals tend to distort the actual taste of your coffee.

The concept of flavoring coffee is definitely not a new one. Long ago, South Americans loved having cinnamon in their cup of ?joe?. Africans are liked their coffee laced with citrus. Today you can choose your pick from chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut, raspberry, mint and many more. They also are manufactured under a variety of creative names like Pumpkin Spice, Holiday Blend, Breakfast Blend, Almond Delight, etc. There are virtually hundreds of different varieties you can choose from.

When buying flavored coffee beans, go for quality. You may pay more, but the cup of coffee you will enjoy is priceless. Perhaps even the diehard regular coffee snob will be lured to your choice of flavored coffee.

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Over five hundred billion cups of coffee are consumed each year making it the most popular drink on this earth. For centuries, this aromatic, spirit-lifting drink has been the beverage to serve at any and all events. Many board meetings and friendships have thrived over a cup of coffee. Extracted from the seed of cherries growing on coffee trees, coffee is grown extensively in fifty-three countries across the equator.

Specialty gourmet coffee is very popular among coffee drinkers today. As a matter of fact, statistic show that it is one of the fastest growing food retailers netting approximately $8.5 billion a year. People enjoy the taste of the sophisticated beans used in the making of this delightful gourmet drink. The beans are grown at very high altitudes on Arabic trees and feed on volcanic ash. A cool climate and lots of moisture result in a high quality bean group. The soil the beans are grown in produces the very distinct flavors of the gourmet beans. Gourmet coffee has a more balanced flavor and richer taste than the standard mass-produced coffee. The beans go through a rigorous process of certification that is very strict to help keep the quality high. To help keep standards high, the Specialty Coffee Association of American was created in 1982, for the specialty coffee trade.

You can find gourmet coffee in most grocery stores, specialty shops, restaurants and coffee shops. If you are a true connoisseur, you might compare gourmet coffee to a wonderful bottle of wine.

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Gourmet coffee beans are that delicious step most vital to creating that morning cup of java. Whether your choice is a regular or decaf, coffee beans are those little beans that when ground, boiled, and seasoned to perfection, make our early morning experience more lively and exciting. Of course, not one coffee bean will ever suit everyone, but thanks to coffee bean manufacturers, there is a coffee bean suited to every taste. Around the world, the choices associated with a good coffee bean is determined by the selections of the population served. However, there are a few selections that are universal.

All gourmet coffee beans are created from selected Arabic coffee beans. Only Arabic coffee beans have the quality necessary for gourmet coffee beans. Arabic coffee beans are grown in selected high, dry, and hot zones around the world. Only these such conditions allow for the perfect Arabic coffee bean that is perfect for gourmet coffee. The opposite is true of the Robust bean. The Robust coffee bean is not the same high quality as the Arabic and therefore is not appropriate for gourmet coffee beans.

All gourmet coffee beans are handpicked. Gourmet coffee beans are always handpicked at the peak of ripeness to insure that they arrive fresh to the coffee drinker. Machinery damages the delicate coffee bean. Therefore, the only option is to handpick each bean. Although handpicking takes significantly more time and effort, the coffee bean manufacturers believe that the consumer deserves only the best.

The coffee retail shops worldwide specialize in providing the coffee drinker only the best for the valued customers. Coffee retail shops offer specialized coffee to their many customers: each with their own individual tastes and favorites. Along with the specialized coffee is the flavored gourmet coffee. With flavors such as Vanilla Mocha and Minty Caramel Chocolate, gourmet coffee shops enjoy tantalizing their coffee drinkers. Many coffee shops will create unique names for their gourmet coffee beans. Then, once named, will package the coffee beans in an appropriately labeled package.

Gourmet coffee is big business. Worldwide, millions of coffee drinkers either buy their own coffee for personal use, or they choose to go to a favorite coffee shop to purchase their daily cup of java. Either choice brings billions of dollars annually to coffee manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and shops. Keeping up with popular flavorings and coffee types allows the coffee industry to stay on top of the customers needs; in essence, keeping up with popular trends in coffee, allows the coffee industry to make additional millions each year in coffee and coffee products.

The important factor in any good coffee is how much you enjoy your coffee when you consume the product. If you are happy with what the coffee industry provides you with, you will keep buying their products. Whether you like flavored or natural, whole beans or ground, Dark or light, smooth or robust, the coffee industry will surely provide you with a coffee bean that will tantalize your sense and keep you coming back for more.

Tana has been an avid coffee and tea drinker her whole life. She has tried more than 100 different varieties of coffee and tea. At her site, Tana reveals to you her delicious secret blends of coffee and tea that she has experienced through her years. To learn more about premium gourmet coffee visit http://www.thelittleteahouse.com

Decaffeinated gourmet coffee is a drink that is free of caffeine. This is made possible through chemical processes like the European process or the Swiss water process. According to the FDA guidelines decaffeinated coffee must have 97% of the caffeine removed from the beans. The caffeine is usually saved and sold to soda companies and other beverage companies for the purpose of caffeinating their synthetic novelty beverages.

The European process of decaffeination involves soaking the beans in water and washing them with methylene chloride. The chemical effectively absorbs the caffeine from the beans. The treated beans are then dried and roasted. The European process leaves hardly any caffeine in the beans after roasting. Although coffee processed by this method has more flavor, some people don?t feel comfortable drinking something that has been treated with chemicals.

The Swiss water process doesn?t involve any chemical treatment. Beans soaked in water are treated with activated charcoal. This effectively filters the caffeine from the beans that are then dipped into a decaffeinated solution to reabsorb all the substances except caffeine. Drying and roasting follows, giving you a chemical free decaffeinated coffee. Unfortunately some essential oils are also removed with this process leaving you with a less of a flavor taste.

You may be surprised to hear that a cup of decaffeinated coffee is high in acidity and may cause stomach problems. It also is known to decrease bone density and increases the risk of heart attacks. So take it easy on the decaf; just because it’s caffeine-free, that doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

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The type of coffee grind that you use is important in order to properly match the type of brewing method you will be using. The objective is to get the most flavor out of your ground gourmet coffee beans when infused with hot water. The fast rule of thumb is the faster the infusion the finer the grind.

The various grind categories are fine, medium and coarse. The finer grinds don’t need to be in contact with water for as long as the coarser grinds. The coarsest grind is used in the classic pot method, the plunger and drip coffee filter methods require coarser grinds. The espresso brewing method need the least amount of time and requires the grind to be very fine.

If you tried using an espresso grind in your drip filter machine, the water will take much longer to filter through and the flavor will not improve. If you would like to make a stronger or weaker brew it is easier to just add or reduce the amount of ground coffee than to vary the grind.

It cannot be emphasized more that grinding coffee immediately before brewing makes a huge different in the freshness of your coffee. The effective life of ground coffee is only a few days after grinding. Oxygen and moister in the air quickly deteriorates ground coffee as it oxidizes and looses its flavor. After deterioration expect to taste stale and coffee with a reduction of flavor.

Grinding beans at home is very easy to do. There are a larger variety of bean grinders available on the market that can either look as a nice appliance in your kitchen or can be quickly put away.

The oldest bean grinders are the mortar and pestle. This takes a while to use and the grind is not consistent. But since we are in living in the electronic age there are simpler and faster methods.

Electric motor grinders can either have blades or two crushing burr plates. The blade grinders are the least expensive and can be found at places such as Wal-Mart for under $15. The burr grinders are little more expensive. An attractive burr grinder can be found at finer food or kitchen appliance stores for $50 and above. Check out place such as Williams-Sonoma, Bed Bath and Beyond or Linens and Things.

Burr vs. Blades

The extra expense of a burr grinder will translate into a better grind. A blade does not really grind but slashes the beans into smaller and smaller particles. The blade particles are inconsistent; around the edges are fine powder and larger chunks in the center.

Blade Grinder

The blade grinder is the best option as someone’s first grinder. It is the least expensive and can be quickly put away after use. The two major draw backs are that they are messy as the grounds spill from the container when you open it and the inconsistent grind mentioned above. Still, having a blade grinder will cause a major difference in the flavor your experience from your gourmet coffee beans if you are currently buying ground coffee.

How to Use a Blade Grinder

When you use a blade grinder do not hold your finger on the button the entire time but push it in intervals. Grind in quick bursts of 2-5 seconds so that it prevents the beans from heating up too much. Also hold it with two hands with one over the top container and shake it up and down as you grind to mix up the contents and to give it a better consistency.

For a course grind spin your blade grinder for 7-10 seconds, a medium grind will take 10-14 seconds and a finer grind will take 15-20 seconds. If you drink espresso you will need one of the more expensive burr grinders, a blade version will not produce the consistently fine grind that is required for espresso.

One of the latest developments is a drip coffee machine with a built-in blade grinder. It has a timer you can set so in the morning the beans are automatically ground then pushed into the coffee filter and the brewing will start automatically. All you have to do is add the beans and water in the morning. This is perfect for people on the go. One of the most popular models is the Cuisinart Stainless Steel Grind & Brew, which retails for around $120. The only drawback is that a burr grinder is not available but we have hope for the future.

Burr Grinders

If you are looking for the best method for grinding your gourmet coffee beans go straight for a Burr grinder. The grind is consistent and most of the machines have various grind settings. Many include a bean hopper on top where you can store your beans with an airtight lid. Some have a setting to set how many cups you want to grind and include a receptacle where your coffee grounds are deposited. After grinding you simply pour your coffee grounds from the receptacle into your coffee maker. This type of burr grinder not only produces a great and consistent grind, it also keeps your ground coffee well contained with little spillage.

For the professional users you will find bean grinders that will grind directly into your coffee filter which is ideal for restaurants. Check out versions from Gaggia and Bunn for these types of burr grinders.

The Bottom Line

Stop settling for lower quality pre-ground store bought coffee. If you have not already done so, make the jump and get a quality grinder and buy whole bean coffee to grind just before you brew. If you are on a budget or are not ready for a larger commitment, get an inexpensive blade grinder. If you are a lover of coffee and want the best for your beans, buy a quality burr grinder. A good burr grinder will eliminate some of the hassles and spillage of a blade grinder and will produce a more consistent grind.

Copyright ? 2005 Volcanica Coffee Company. All Rights Reserved.

This article has been provided by Volcanica Gourmet Coffee Beans. Fine gourmet coffee grown on rich volcanic soil at high mountain elevations which produces a rich and delicious coffee flavor unmatched by any other variety. Volcanica offers single origin coffees including Costa Rica Coffee and Blue Mountain Coffee.

As a coffee aficionado, you know that there is more to making excellent coffee than simply brewing coffee You need to choose the highest quality beans to get the highest quality coffee.You also know that choosing the best gourmet coffee beans means that you need to look beyond the brand name on the packet. You have learned that you have your own unique preference, and have learned to look for coffee that suites your individual taste.

Instead of simply choosing from the options that are placed in front of you at your nearest Starbucks coffee shop, you have learned to shop around, choosing coffee beans by variety (most likely arabica coffee) and origin. You no longer are tied to any one coffee roaster, although you have learned to recognize good coffee roasters from bad or excellent. You may even have developed your taste to the point where you select your favorite gourmet coffee beans by estate or plantation.

But to take your appreciation of gourmet coffee beans to the next level, you will need to better understand the process that leads us from the freshly picked coffee cherry to the final product, the green beans, ready to be shipped to coffee roasters for roasting.

When coffee is picked, it is not so much a bean as a fruit. Called a coffee cherry, this fruit has a bitter skin, sweet grape flavored flesh, and a coffee bean at its heart. It is this bean that the farmer must extract to sell, but the process is very delicate. The process of extracting the bean is called milling.

There are two different types of milling that a farmer can use. The first is dry milling. What this means is that the farmer dries out the coffee cherry to extract the dried bean. There are two ways he can do this, by machine or using the sun. Both of these methods are very tricky and require a lot of care to prevent the coffee from spoiling.

Machine drying carries a high risk of spoiling the bean’s natural flavor. In this state, the beans are like sponges, soaking up the flavor of anything in their environment. This can be a problem when the machine is smoky or in poor repair. The fuel used to run the machine is diesel, and often this flavor can find its way into the bean, spoiling the gourmet coffee beans and also contaminating them. Worse yet, some machines run on oil or even old tires!

Natural drying via the sun can produce some truly exquisite gourmet coffee beans, with unique flavors that are rarely experienced in the west. But this method of milling can only be performed when the weather is dry enough (think drought conditions).

Also, it is very important to select the cherries and pick out the poorer quality ones. However, some of the farmers use this method to dry their low quality beans as it is cheaper than using a machine, producing a very inferior coffee that is usually only sold to the domestic market. If you do want to buy sun milled coffee, you should go for the very high end product, as it is more likely to be from a high quality gourmet coffee beans from a good crop.

The other coffee milling process that can be used is wet milling. This process is more expensive, more complex, and routinely turns out better quality gourmet coffee beans. It involves seven stages, and used a lot of water. As a result, there are concerns that this method can pose an environmental risk, as pollutants are washed out into the water supply. However, there are ways to process the water to remove these contaminants and so save the environment. This is where choosing an organic coffee is important, as farmers are made to comply with environmental guidelines.

Once this milling process is finished, the premium coffee beans are green (more of a blue green, actually). Darker beans are discarded at this stage, as are whitish beans. By selecting these top quality coffee beans, it is possible to guarantee the highest quality roast coffee, which means that the ground coffee will be at its best. This process leads eventually to the final product, the cup of coffee that you will be drinking!

Malcolm Blake has written more information about gourmet coffee at http://www.coffeewebinfo.com. Come and find out more about making the best gourmet coffee.

Most coffee beans are grown in sub-tropical climates all over the world. The altitude and region can make a world of difference in the taste of your coffee. The higher grown the coffee plant the better flavored coffee bean you’ll get. The fruit of the coffee plant can only be picked when it is perfectly ripe, not too early and not too late. What this means is a year round supply of ripe coffee beans giving you the best quality and most flavorful coffee all the time.

It is a well known fact that Kona produces some of the best coffee in the world. The Mauna Loa region on the west side of the big island is where the Island’s coffee plant flourishes. With the early morning sunshine, shade in the afternoon, and sufficient amounts of rainfall, growing conditions for the coffee beans are nearly perfect. Also, the volcanic soil and high altitude give this Kona arabica coffee plant everything it needs to thrive. All of these conditions are contributing factors in making this gourmet Hawaiian coffee world-renowned.

Once harvested, either by hand or machine, the picked beans are then dried and sorted. The green beans can now be shipped to the roasters or roasted immediately in preparation for your consumption. To optimize flavor and freshness have the beans roasted when you buy if possible. This is because once they have been roasted the flavor and aroma will deteriorate very quickly. However, vacuum sealing and freezer storage can slow down this process to some degree, giving you 6-8 weeks at the most to enjoy a real full flavored cup of coffee.

Although you can buy beans cheap at the nearest grocery store, you will probably think twice once you have tasted a cup of coffee brewed with freshly roasted beans! Sorry to say, but the coffee brands on the shelf just don?t stand a chance. By the time it reaches the store shelf a huge portion of the flavor is already lost. So for genuine gourmet flavored beans be particular who you buy from.

There are several reputable merchants online that will roast the beans when you place your order and have them shipped to you in a matter of days. This is probably the best way to buy if you don?t have a local shop that can roast the beans on the premises. This way you are assured authentic flavored coffee at its freshest.

Chris Rodriguez is the webmaster for http://www.1st-in-gourmet-coffee.com

We offer valuable tips on buying, roasting, and brewing coffee beans to get the fullest, most enjoyable cup of coffee. We also offer information on healthful green and black teas. For all your coffee and tea needs come and visit our website.

Take a sip of this sinfully pleasurable and intoxicating delight known as Gourmet coffee. You simply can?t resist it. Let the tantalizing aroma and exotic flavors of the choicest Gourmet Coffee beans tickle your taste buds and elevate you to the highest level of beverage satisfaction.

Did you know that globally people consume more than 330 million cups of coffee a day? After water and aerated drinks coffee has toppled tea to become the third favorite beverage of the world. The taste of gourmet coffee is characteristically rich and luxurious. Make your coffee experiences more soothing and satisfying with various striking blends of this premium coffee.

You can select from a wide variety of coffee blends that are made from the choicest gourmet coffee beans. Coffee is predominantly grown in tropical countries. Brazil is the world?s highest coffee producer and produces some of the finest coffee beans. India ranks fifth in the world as a chief coffee-producing region, especially in the southern parts of India.

There are more than 40 varieties of coffee plants out of which only two varieties are preferred for making premium gourmet java. These two exotic varieties are coffee Arabica and coffee Robusta. Arabica coffee beans are more superior quality coffee beans than Robusta. Gourmet Coffee beans are mostly Arabica because of their supreme flavor and smooth texture.

Roasting and grinding of freshly picked green coffee beans are the two very crucial steps in enhancing the rich coffee flavors that?s so very typical of gourmet java. Gourmet Coffee beans are usually lightly roasted so as to retain its exquisite and natural taste. Gourmet beans are usually ground finely to the extent that you can enjoy a flowing, full-bodied cup of rich coffee.

Some of the famous countries from where exotic gourmet java beans are imported to give you that divine cup of pure delight are Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Sumatra, Java, Hawaii, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru.

It takes 3-5 years for a coffee tree to bear fruit or the so-called ?coffee beans?, which are small reddish brown colored beans resembling cherries. Each tree can yield only 3,500 cherries or one pound of coffee per year. Precious little beans of life. Even in this hi-tech world, harvesting of coffee is done manually almost everywhere to retain its pure flavors and scents.

The natural magic potion contained in coffee that rejuvenates and lifts up our spirits so often is called ?caffeine.? Caffeine directly affects the nervous system and helps to relax and soothe our frayed nerves. How about rejuvenating your senses with a cup of perfectly brewed mesmerizing gourmet coffee?

? Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has more articles on coffee and coffee beans at Ultimate Coffees Info such as Are Coffee Enemas the Real Thing?