There are basically 2 different types of coffee beans, Arabica and Robusta. However, the flavor and aroma of each one will depend upon the area it was grown. The best coffee will always be fresh beans which you roast yourself. However this may not always be possible. It is possible to purchase freshly roasted coffee beans of any type. There are many shops today that roast fresh coffee beans on a daily basis. Good quality beans will always look and smell very good. Therefore the best tools for finding good coffee beans are the eyes and nose. If it smells and looks great, then it most likely is.

No matter what type of coffee it is, all great coffee beans come down to one thing, and that is the roast. The way the bean is roasted will decide on the quality and taste of the coffee. If you were to go to any coffee bean store, the first question they may ask is what type of roast you want? Therefore it is important to learn and research about all the different types of roasts. However, the most common types of roasts are “house roast”, “Espresso”, “cinnamon” Italian and French roast. House roast is also known as American roast and it is a medium roast coffee bean. Espresso roast is another name for Italian roast, and it is the darkest roast of them all. It will also go by the name full city roast.

Cinnamon roast is the lightest roast, and it does not contain any cinnamon in it. Cinnamon roast is considered to be highly acidic compared to the rest; hence it tends to be the bitterest tasting of all the different coffee beans.

A coffee maker seems a very simple device. It should be little more than a couple of heating elements and a water pump. This may lead one to believe that buying a cheap coffee maker makes sense. There are certainly some cheap coffeemakers. In fact, if you look you can likely buy one for less than ten dollars but the old axiom that you get what you pay for is still true.

One of the first things that you can discover when you decide to skimp on a coffee maker is that there is a very big difference between good coffee and bad coffee and the right coffee maker will have a huge effect on the quality of the coffee that you make. Little things like the speed that the water goes through the grounds will effect how strong your coffee is as well as how much coffee you have to use.

Another things that you will want to consider is the amount of time that the coffee maker is going to last. The truly cheap coffee makers are meant to be largely disposable and they do not last long. This may not be a problem if you only make coffee on rare occasions but if you have coffee every morning then this is going to be an issue. For example, if the heating element under the carafe stops working your coffee simply is not going to last very long. Though many of the elements of a coffee maker are simple they can still break.

Another thing to consider are the extras. If you buy the cheapest coffee maker you are going to get nothing extra. On the other hand, there are a lot of things that can be added. Having it keep heated water in it all the time can mean you don’t have to wait as long for your coffee. You could also potentially set the coffee maker to brew a pot of coffee every morning at the same time so you will have it waiting for you.

The final question is that of the things that can be left out in order to save the change. More than one coffee maker does not come with a coffee pot. If you already have one that is fine but if you have to buy one the savings are less than they appear.

If you are a coffee lover then saving a few dollars on the coffee maker simply is not worth the loss of time, quality and even money over the long term, spend the extra dollars.

Coffee prices are at an all time high today. This is making it even more important to find the best way to store coffee. There are different debates about which methods to use to keep coffee grounds or coffee beans freshest. Coffee needs to be stored properly in order to remain fully fresh, and keep its bold taste.

The container that you choose will affect the taste of the coffee. Metal or plastic is not the best for storage of your coffee. I would suggest finding a ceramic or glass storage container. If you’re trying to store roasted coffee beans, make sure they are in an airtight sealed container. Even then, it will only stay fresh for a few weeks. Coffee that has been ground will not last very long. Ground coffee usually will stay fresh only a few days. It is better to grind your coffee beans each time you make a cup of coffee. The coffee will remain fresher. When storing ground coffee, it is best to remember that it is affected by the air and light. Keep it stored away from the light, and make sure it is airtight.

Some folks think that freezing coffee is a good method for storing coffee. Freezing coffee allows water or ice to attach to the coffee packaging, forming ice crystals. Ultimately when the ice thaws, water seeps into the coffee beans, and ruins the taste. A refrigerator is not a good storage place for coffee. Heat, water, light, and oxygen all will have a poor affect on the taste and quality of coffee.

Green beans last the longest if stored properly. Place the beans in a dry and cool area, in a sealed airtight container, and they may last for a year or more. The problem is most people do not want to use green beans for brewing a cup of coffee. It requires too much prep work.

A roasted coffee bean lasts longer, then one that is not roasted. It will stay fresher when stored out of the light. It is good to open the storage container, to let the gas escape, that has accumulated from the roasted beans.

Another good container to use for coffee bean storage is a type of canister that has vacuum pump action. The vacuum pump will pull out the air from inside the canister. This type of container allows for the flavor and quality of the coffee beans to last much longer.

As you can see there are many different ways to store coffee, and too keep in the freshness.

The Arabica coffee beans are desired for their quality flavor compared to coffee beans that are grown commercially and have less caffeine. The plants are grown wild and are 9 to 12 m tall with white flowers and the fruit of the plant is 10 –15 mm in diameter. When the coffee plant develops it becomes bright red to purple and most have several seeds, these seeds are the coffee beans.

The Arabica coffee beans generally ages within 7 years and requires about 40-59 inches of rainfall during the year. The plants are often grown within 1,300 to 1,500 m in altitude, although some farms are at sea level and some are located at 2,800 m in altitude. The white flowers that are produced on the plant occur two to four years after they have been planted and the fragrance of the flower is similar to jasmine.

The flowers produce more berries when provided with sunny days, unfortunately this is not desired by the farmers due to the fact that more berries can damage future growing seasons and lead to a substandard crop. This occurs from the plant increasing nutrients for the benefit of the berries as opposed to the plant itself. Farms can stop this from happening by pruning and maintaining the plant.

The Arabica coffee beans are used to create a gourmet blend and its superiority comes from the labor intense process required to cultivate the beans. Other types of coffee that is considered an inferior grade is grown in lower altitudes, contains about 30-40% more caffeine and the trees produce more of the coffee bean crop. It is also a more affordable type of coffee bean.

Arabica coffee beans are known for having low acid content and a thicker mix, often these beans are blended with coffees from Central America and East Africa that have higher acid to create better coffee.

Arabica beans are complicated to nurture and each plant emits 0.5 to 5.0 kg of beans, this will depend on the growing season the plant must contend with and the plants history of bean production. One plant will generally yield 1 pound of coffee each year. It takes approximately 500-600 pounds of beans to make a 100 pound bag of coffee. The history of people drinking coffee beans has been recorded from Arabian academics who penned that the drink was beneficial for extending work hours. It was the Arab people who discovered brewing the beans into a drink form and this was borrowed by the Egyptians and the Turks, it continued throughout the world.

Coffee is the second-most globally traded commodity. Since it is such an active commodity on the market, many people are looking to get involved in investing with it. But before you invest in this commodity, it is important to understand fluctuations in prices, and when the best time to buy would be.

Coffee is grown on trees in the tropical areas of the world. After the beans have been picked, the green coffee beans are bagged and shipped. The commodity is then traded on world stock exchanges and basic fluctuations are affected by demand.

Besides demand, however, the biggest factors involved in fluctuation of coffee prices are based in weather patterns, politics, transportation costs, and speculations of production levels. Of all these, weather is the most unpredictable factor, and potentially has the greatest effect.

A drought or freeze, can destroy the trees that the coffee is grown on. This can cause the prices of coffee to rise dramatically, as demand remains the same but the supply is lowered. Inclement weather can also greatly hamper the transportation of the goods from the producer. Even the news of a possible drought or freeze can greatly stir the price of coffee.

Of course, while weather can have an impact on the prices of coffee, political turmoil will affect it as well, and sometimes quite dramatically. Many of the countries that coffee is grown in are engaged in hostilities, and skirmishes at borders will impact the supply.

With these things in mind, it is possible to determine the best strategy for getting involved in this commodities market. Keeping an eye on the news and events happening in the areas that coffee is grown in can give you a lead on the perfect time to buy.

For example, if your research shows that the upcoming year will be a particularly rough hurricane season, buying the commodity before the season begins could lead you to a great advantage when the storms set in. When the prices reach their peak, you could sell off all of the commodity that you cheaply purchased.

Keeping an eye on the politics of the areas, especially the news about outright war, would also be a good way to take advantage of upcoming political climates.

Understanding how the market can fluctuate from day to day will help you to take advantage of opportunities to get involved in the coffee commodities market as they come.

In an unstable economy, buying a coffeemaker is one of the best investment decisions you can make. In such a fast-paced world, coffee can be your best friend. However, as we all know, consistent trips to the coffee shop can get extremely pricey. A simple 16 oz. cup of coffee five times a week could cost you up to 663 dollars in a single year. If you are one of the millions of people who order specialty coffee, you would be spending around 1059 dollars per year. Don’t forget the amount of gas you would waste driving to and from the coffee shop and the amount of time you would waste standing in line. Buying a DeLonghi coffee maker will save you precious time and tons of money. Everyone has different coffee preferences, and DeLonghi has a selection to fit every need.

If waking up to the aroma of freshly brewed Americano coffee is your idea of a perfect morning, you will want to look at DeLonghi’s ICM models. The ICM65 and ICM65T come fully equipped with a programmable timer, water level indicator, permanent gold filter, freshness indicator, aroma button for a perfect pot of coffee every time, 12 cup capacity, and a stainless steel thermal carafe. The ICM30, ICM40, and ICM40T coffee makers each come with a comfortable handle, complete frontal loading, 12 cup capacity, and cup storage tray. The ICM40 and ICM40T come with the added amenity of a 24 hour electronic timer for advanced programming. The ICM2, ICM2B, and ICM4 each hold up to ten cups, and come with a water level indicator on both sides of the machine. The ICM4 even comes with a programmable timer.

If cappuccino is more in line with your tastes, take a look at DeLonghi’s line of steam coffee makers. The EC9, EC7, and EC5 are Delonghi’s steam coffee models. Each of these models come with a safety cap and complete cappuccino system. The EC9 comes with an advanced Instant Froth Dispenser (IFD) system. Along with these luxuries, the EC7 and EC9 come with a Vario System that helps you choose the strength of your coffee.

DeLonghi has a huge selection for all those espresso drinkers out there. With 13 EC models and 4 Icona ECO models, these espresso makers have features to suit every need. All espresso models come with the new 2-in-1 Crema Filter Holder that is suitable for E.S.E pods as well as ground coffee. Some additional features offered include IFD systems, exclusive 2-pump systems that allow you to make both espresso and cappuccino at the same time, cappuccino systems, drip trays, cup warmers, and removable water reservoirs.
DeLonghi’s super automatic coffee makers are extremely advanced devices that allow you to make everything from cappuccino to latte and macchiato. These appliances have amazing memory systems that allow you to input your favorite combinations for later use. Most of these machines are self-cleaning and offer practical storage alternatives. These machines even have an easy-to-read graphic touch display, handy cup warmers and water tank removal.

Other options include DeLonghi’s Nepresso, Combination, and Moka machines. Whether your preference is for simple Americano coffee or for something a little fancier, DeLonghi has a coffee maker to fit your specific needs. So next time you are out looking for an amazing coffee maker, stop by and browse the amazing options that DeLonghi has to offer. You might even save so much money that you’ll be able to treat yourself to something special.

Brewing coffee manually produces the best-tasting, purely-brewed coffee anywhere. Because you control the water temperature, the amount of water that hits the grounds, and the length of time the water is in contact with the grounds, your brew will be unmatched with any automatic brewing machine. You will use beans that you grind yourself, using quality coffee beans, to get the best results.

To brew manual drip coffee, start by bringing a quart of fresh, cold water to a boil. The easiest way to do this is by using an electric tea kettle, which heats the water faster than a burner or microwave. While the water heats, assemble the brewer and grind your beans.

Spoon 1 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 1 cup of water into a #6 cone-shaped filter. This larger filter allows freshly-roasted and high-density coffee more room for the water to soak properly into the grounds. Place the filter with coffee grounds on top of at least a 1-quart thermos, and brew directly into it.

By choosing a 1-quart thermos, grinding and measuring are made easy. Your average blade grinder contains about 2 ounces of coffee when filled to capacity. This is perfect for the 1-quart pot of coffee you will be preparing. Because the coffee brews in about 4 minutes, you should grind your beans for about 25 seconds, then dump them in the filter cone.

When the water in the kettle reaches a boil, and the kettle whistles, pause for a little bit to achieve a temperature that is just below boiling, which is the ideal temperature for brewing coffee. Wet the grounds with coffee. They will quickly form a cap. After a few seconds, the cap will settle, and you then pour more water over the grounds. Each time the water level in the filter lowers, pour more water, until the kettle is completely empty. You will find the pouring process lasts about 4 minutes, which is what you were looking for in the first place.

Your fragrant, steaming, and delicious pot of coffee is now ready for you enjoyment!

It’s the stereotypical routine. You wake up, smash your alarm clock, smell the coffee brewing on your automatic drip-brewer, trundle downstairs and begin your day with a hot java. Quaint, cozy and all-American. But there’s a catch. Should your conscience be bothering you about your coffee? If it is not fair-trade coffee, the simple answer to this question is: Yes.

Today, many coffee lovers and non-coffee lovers alike have heard the term ‘fair trade coffee.’ You see it in the grocery stores, in your local coffee shop, and Starbucks uses it as an excuse to charge $90 for a 16 oz. cappuccino. But what is this stuff? What is fair-trade coffee? It is a wonderful, revolutionary way of doing business that truly needs to spread to other industries as well.

First off, what many people are beginning to realize is that many of the coffee plantations, especially in South America, are basically sweat shops. Workers are paid terrible wages and are forced to work in horrendous conditions. Often, due to the market demands of increasing one’s profits, the coffee farmers have to sell their coffee for less than they spend in production. The problem is obvious: a cycle of increasing poverty and unfairness for these smaller farms. Thus, the huge coffee production facilities which make less quality coffee and have questionable practices are drumming out these smaller farmers. Although this is capitalism, it is not good capitalism. Fair-trade coffee does not dictate a bunch of controls on capitalism, it simply proposes the idea of capitalism with conscience.

Fair-trade coffee basically insures and requires that certain strict requirements are met in the buying and selling of coffee. One of these requirements, currently, is that an importer must pay no less than $1.26 per pound of coffee in order to be termed Fair Trade. Furthermore, importers are required to give credit to farmers and even help them improve their practices. As a recent development, Fair Trade certifications are pushing a move to organic coffee farming practices.

In essence, fair-trade coffee is the coffee industry with a regulated and accountable conscience. In fact, consumers are even seeing this practice expand to other industries. Our hope should be that fair-trade practices become more of the rule, rather than the exception. It is not a fantasy that, if this happened, it could quite simply change the world. So remember that fair trade means capitalism with conscience.

Home Coffee Roasting Is Simple!

There are several home coffee roasters available ranging from $50-$700. These work great but are not necessary to for home roasting. You can start home roasting with common household cooking equipment. For the more inventive there are several ways to build your home roasting contraption.

In this article we will discuss the simplest way to roast your own coffee. All you need is a small pot or pan, a wooden spoon, a cookie sheet, and some quality green beans.

First heat your pot over medium heat. After a few minutes place 2-4 ounces of green coffee beans into the pot. Begin to stir the beans with your wooden spoon. This helps keep the roast of the beans even. After about 6 minutes the beans should have a cinnamon color. Around the same time you should notice a pooping sound. This is known as the first crack.

At this point the beans are drinkable. If you prefer a medium to dark roast (most coffees are medium to dark) you will need to roast the beans a little longer. For a medium roast wait until the beans have a milk chocolate color. For darker roasts wait

Until the beans begin to crack again. This is called the second crack.

Ultimately it will take trial and air to find the roast you like best. This is the art portion of roasting coffee.

When the coffee is roasted to the desired level remove it from the heat. Immediately dump the coffee beans onto a cookie sheet. And cool them with a fan. It is important to cool the beans quickly as possible since they hold heat and will continue to roast, causing a bitter taste.

Let the beans sit in an open container for 12-24 hours before drinking or storing. This lets the beans to blow off excess carbon dioxide and allows the flavor of the beans to mature.

Now sit back and enjoy the freshest cup of coffee you have ever had.

Notes and Tips:

During the roast the coffee will produce chaff. Lay down some tin foil around the stove to make clean up easier.

Cool the beans outside. This allows them to cool quicker and makes less mess.

Create a Roasting journal. Track things like beans used, temperature, and time to produce more consistent results.

Make sure to buy a high quality coffee grinder for your newly roasted beans. Enjoy!

Over 330 million people drink coffee every day. How many of those people are drinking improperly prepared and bitter coffee? Could you be one of them?

To avoid brewing and drinking bitter coffee, first some information about the coffee plant is in order. There are over 40 different types of coffee plants, out of which “Arabica” and “Coffee Robusta” form the most popular varieties. Most coffee enthusiasts, tasters, and manufacturers will acknowledge that (generally) the Arabica bean is of a higher quality than the Robusta, so it is encouraged that one uses Arabica. Robusta is usually used in mass production.

The process of coffee making has been long debated over the years. Boiling pots of water gave way to percolators, which gave way to the era of espresso shots for three dollars a pop. But, most coffee drinkers agree that the most efficient and most effective way of brewing coffee is through the drip method via a drip coffee maker, or standard coffee pot.

Bitterness is a taste that is registered on the back of the tongue. Bitterness in coffee is not always bad, and is a constant/inescapable presence in the bouquet of coffee tastes. Bitterness can decrease the acidity of coffee, but when too much is in a brew, it can overpower the taste of the coffee and occasionally render it undrinkable.

Some tips for the maintenance of less bitter coffee are as follows:

1. Clean your drip coffee maker at least once a month. This cleaning can ensure that coffee oils, which develop on the inside of the drip coffee mechanism, are cleaned. If these coffee oils are not cleaned, they may become rancid, and greatly effect the taste of the coffee. A thorough cleaning will also remove hard water deposits around the inside of the pot, which can also negatively effect the taste of coffee.

2. Use fresh beans. Either buy whole, pre-roasted coffee beans from a local market, or buy green (unroasted) beans and roast them yourself a few-days-worth at a time. Use the beans you grind as soon as you grind them. If they are left ground, their exposure to air changes their pH level, and subsequently their taste.

3. Buy the right kind of beans. Medium roast will, generally, produce less bitterness than dark roast.

4. Most coffee bitterness comes from over-extraction, which many people confuse for coffee strength. Over extraction occurs when the lighter flavorful coffee oils have been extracted, in addition to the bitter coffee oils present deep within the bean. The most common occurrences for over extraction are using water that is too hot, using too little coffee, and brewing coffee for too long.

5. Water is most of coffee. If you use boiling water, it will scald/burn the beans, and a bitter taste will result. If your drip coffee maker is known for burning coffee, then try wetting the coffee grounds with 1/4 cup of cold water. But, most coffee makers that produce bitter coffee cannot adequately heat cold water to 190-200 degrees F, the prime coffee brewing temperature. If this is the case, try using heated water. Bottled water is best, but some people prefer deionized water, which contains no minerals at all.