Coffee Month

Unless you run a restaurant or coffee house, buying coffee in volume just does not make much sense. Many people are attracted to the lower cost of buying bulk from the Costco ( I made this mistake), but it will not be such a deal when it goes bad. Coffee beans (especially pre- ground beans) are highly perishable and in most cases are not stored properly. Optimal flavor and taste usually lasts just a few days after opening. Whole coffee beans will stay fresh a lot longer than ground beans. That is why buying small amounts are recommended, ideally, whole beans. The only draw back with buying whole beans is you have to have a grinder to be able to use them and not everyone has a burr grinder lying around. The cheap grinders that are available are not so good for grinding coffee beans, especially beans for espresso, their motor tends to heat up quickly which could roast the beans more than they already are making them ‘over roasted’ and nasty tasting.

Whether you buy whole beans or ground beans, you should try to buy freshly roasted coffee. See if there are any local roasters in your area. Many retailers make claims about how fresh their coffee is and most of the time they are telling the truth, just be wary of coffee beans that are packed in non-vacuum-sealed container like paper, plastic, or any non-hermetically sealed container. Non-vacuumed sealed containers will only keep the coffee fresh for a few days.

Buying Vacuum-packed coffee is the only way to guarantee any kind of freshness, unless you have your own roasting plant. Vacuum packing does not stop coffee’s aging process. It just slows it down. In ideal conditions, vacuum-packed coffee will stay good for up to a year and a half. The higher quality coffees use either nitrogen-flushed cans or bags with one-way valves to vacuum pack the coffee. However, the coffee should always smell like it is fresh when you first open it. Always smell your coffee when you first open it, things can go wrong during the sealing process, and it could be bad. There is nothing worse than brewing bad coffee.
‘
As I have said before, once coffee is opened it will age quickly no matter how fresh it was when it was packed. Fresh coffee’s main enemy is air and every second it is exposed to air, it looses its freshness. Grounds more so than whole beans, this is because of higher surface exposure. Grinding the beans also takes its toll of the coffee’s freshness, by breaking them down during the grinding.
Store coffee beans in an airtight container, glass jars or cans with plastic lids work well for this, and keep the container in a cool/dry place away from light and moisture. If the container is for-sure airtight, you can store it in the refrigerator for even longer freshness. Whole beans should be put in the freezer in an airtight container.

Freshness is why I always suggest online coffee clubs. Set up your subscription to match your coffee drinking patterns. You will always
Have just enough coffee available to you without it going bad too soon. Plus, you get to choose whether you want it pre-ground or whether you want to grind it yourself. I will have to write about some of the grinders I have in a later post.

What I am drinking now: Tully`s Kona Blend K-Cup (K-Cups are brewed with my Kuerig Brewers)

Tags: Coffee // Comments Off

Many coffee drinkers are stuck in a rut, drinking to same coffee all the time. Usually the one brand they claim as their favorite. However, if you have only tried a handful of coffee brands how do you know there is not one out there you like more. You don’t. In addition, I get board with drinking the same kind of coffee all the time. That is why coffee subscriptions are great. Having got one as a gift a few years back, I got to see how much fun it is get different coffees/teas on a regular basis. I like subscriptions that you do not choose what they send. That way, you are more likely to get something you have never tried.

If you like a certain brand you should check to see if they have some kind of coffee subscription available. Almost all of them have one these days, Starbucks, Dukin’ Donuts, etc. If you do an internet search using the words “coffee subscription”, you get a ton of results.

Shop around; the subscriptions all vary in price. I like ones that include shipping and handling in the price and send shipments frequently (every two months or so). Of course, the ones that ship often cost more. Check out what kind of coffees they offer before you sign on the dotted line, if you are a decaf drinker make sure they offer decaf and stuff like that. I go for the ones that offer free gifts for signing up (like Gevalia’s free coffee maker) over ones that do not. I also like ones that send free gifts through out the subscription (just for being a member), you might as well get all you can from them.

They make great gifts for people that love coffee (men especially). Like I said before coffee subscriptions can be expensive, so if you are thinking about getting one for someone as a gift, be nice and pay for at least half the months in the subscription. You can even get coffee subscriptions that support issues important to you (or the person you are buying it for), which is cool. It may take a little looking around to find the one you want (or one that is close enough to the issue, Example: for animal lovers get one that supports the humane society). People that do stuff like that will appreciate the gesture. There is nothing better than enjoying a great cup of coffee knowing that you are helping a cause.

Note: there are coffee subscriptions that offer “pods” for single serve brewers.

What I am drinking now: Boca Java’s Jamaican Blue Mountain Reserve

Tags: Coffee, Coffee Subscriptions // Comments Off

This is a review of my second Keurig Brewer.

Keurig’s B60 Brewer Special Edition

The B60 brewer is very similar to the other Keurig’s brewers, it has all the features you would expect in a Keurig machine (a cup brews in about one minute), and a few more new features. The one feature I am most excited to see is the three different cup sizes (5.25, 7.25, and 9.25oz for those travel size cups). It is great for entertaining with its single serve brewing, guests love choosing their K-cup flavor. Now you can get reusable K-Cups (My K-Cup) that you can fill with any coffee grounds if you cannot find a K-Cup flavor you like (over 70 varieties to choose from). Each of the My K-Cup’s is good for around 500 brews.

The machine itself measures 13 ¼” H by 10”W by 13D, which isn’t bad. I think it is a little wide, but it is not a deal breaker. The B60 is one of the best looking of the Keurig machines. It also has a durable and good heating and pumping mechanisms.

With the B60, you have control of the brewing temperature and time. The patented one-touch technology allows you to brew your beverage at the standard temperature of 192 degrees F or a cooler 187 degrees F. The lower brewing temperature is great for tea, and regular tea drinkers will appreciate this feature. It has a forty-eight ounce water reservoir that you can remove for easy fill-up. There is also a removable stainless steel drip tray, which makes cleaning up quick.

The 24-hour digital clock that is displayed on a LCD with striking bright-blue backlight is nice. I also like the programmable on/off timer. However having a timer on a single serve machine does seem a bit silly, unless you are on a tight schedule that almost never changes or you always get up at the same time each day. With the indicator you do not even have to think about it, just do what the light tells you to do.

Using the B60 is easy and simple, just open the lid, insert a K-Cup and chose your cup size. Using only 1500 watts, there should be no need to worry about energy consumption. 1500 watts is what most hair dryer’s use, if that helps you understand how much power it uses while it is brewing. The chrome handle and faceplate are a nice touch, they make the machine look fancy. The B60 would fit in great with almost any kitchen or office décor.

Cost, approximately 149.95 and it’s well worth it!

What I am drinking now: Newman’s Own Special Blend Extra Bold K-Cup

Tags: Coffee, Coffee Machines, Reviews // Comments Off