What's the difference between Turkish and Italian coffee?

If you mean the products you see at a grocer, the answer is simply grind. "Turkish coffee" is a finer grind setting than espresso, so that the final product very closely resembles dust. "Italian coffee" is likely either espresso ground to be used with an espresso machine or literally "imported from Italy".

Turkish coffee is for use with a special, Turkish brewing process. The coffee dust is mixed with water in a special pot called a cezve or an ibrik. The solution is brought to a boil. Then the coffee is scooped or poured from the pot. Turkish coffee is drunk unfiltered, so you drink the actual coffee like you would with cocoa.

Espresso is brewed by forcing water through coffee grounds at pressure. The pressure extracts oils and compounds from the coffee to create the famous Italian coffee called espresso. The grounds have to be relatively course compared to Turkish to support this process; too fine grinds in an espresso machine would clog the machine. Espresso is partially filtered, meaning you don't drink most of the actual coffee grounds.


Do Automated Pour Over Machines provide the same flavor profile compared to manual pour over method?

Several "automatic pour-over" machines have recently come onto the market from manufacturers such as those you listed.  They are something of a hybrid between the ubiquitous, conventional "automatic drip" machines and manual pour-over methods.  That is, the automatic pour-over machines attempt to perform the same sequence of steps recommended for manual pour-over, but in an automated fashion.

For example, compare the Blue Bottle pour-over drip guide. This suggests a multi-step process of pouring. With water at a particular temperature, do the following:

heat the cone and wet the filter;
pour a small amount of water to wet the grounds and "bloom", then wait;
pour the rest of the water slowly in the middle of the grounds pile.

Some other guides recommend pouring in circular motions, or in multiple iterations, or at a particular rate, or in certain places.  See also the question about pour-over techniques.

Regular auto-drip machines, on the other hand, simply drop water in one go over all of the grounds in a somewhat uncontrolled manner.  This also relates to a question: does auto-drip taste different than pour-over? That's a separate, open question.

This article from LifeHacker gives a comparison between the new-fangled automatic pour-over machines and how they compare to real, manual pour-over, and another from HuffPo about the Chemex model. Their conclusions are varied (see article for more) but:

they're more expensive than conventional drip;
some models have controllable settings for certain parameters (e.g., bloom time; temperature)
they provide precise repeatability for certain parameters such as rate, contact time with grounds, water temperature.

Ultimately, they provide attention to detail that can be done by hand; some do this better than others. However, most just heat water and drip it over the grounds somewhat better than a conventional drip coffee maker.

If you...

don't want to learn the "style" or "art" to manual pour-over, or
if you appreciate the nuances of manual pour-over (over auto-drip), but can't quite focus attention on details that really distinguish manual pour-over,

these machines might be for you.


What is the standardized naming of this type of coffee?

The drip-type coffee is available in many countries in Europe. A list of names:

Filterkaffee in Germany / Austria / Switzerland
filterkaffe in Denmark and Sweden
filterkoffie in the Netherlands
kawa filtrowana in Poland
café filtre in France / Switzerland / Belgium
café filtro in Spain
caffè preperato con il filtro in Italy / Switzerland

Can you see a pattern here: Always a combination of coffee and filter/filtered. The terms are so closely related that if you order "filtered coffee" an attentive waiter should be able to help you even if you don't know the precise term at your destination.

Note that if you order "coffee" without specifying the preparation, you will be served the local "default". This will actually be filtered coffee in many countries of Northern and Central Europe, in Italy, as counter-example, you will get what you'd call "espresso", likewise in Spain or Portugal: small, strong.

Asking for caffè americano will perhaps get you an espresso diluted with hot water in some places in Italy (sources vary whether it's a remenant from WW II or started with international tourism), sometimes caffè all'americana ("coffee American-style") will get you drip coffee. Likewise in touristy areas of Spain, café americano might get you a diluted coffee.

Further north you won't be understood. They will probably direct you to the nearest Starbucks.

Source:
Living and travelling in Europe for decades plus some research for the precise terms.


Why are Robusta beans considered 'low brow'?

Because they are low brow, that is lower quality and much less desirable. Robusta beans are generally regarded as inferior to Arabica and command about half the price. Many coffee producers will proudly proclaim that their coffee is 100% Arabica as a hallmark of quality.

Arabica beans produce a richer taste and have a better balance of sweet acidity. Sugar, fruit, berry and chocolate flavours are common and the characteristic winey taste of higher of higher quality coffee is due to Arabica's excellent acidity. Also the much remarked upon and pleasantly appealing aroma of roasting coffee is due to Arabica beans. Brazil is the largest producer and Arabica beans represent 75% of all coffee sold in the world.

Robusta by contrast has a stronger, harsher full bodied and more bitter taste with a grainy flavour profile and earthy or peanut aftertaste. Traditional Italian espresso blends typically incorporate about 10% Robusta because Robusta beans create more crema. The majority of Robusta beans go towards the bulk manufacturer of instant coffee where price trumps quality concerns.

Robusta beans contain more caffeine, are easier to grow and produce substantially higher yields. Vietnam is the largest producer.


What are the standard espresso parameters (dose, mass/volume, time, etc.)?

The question is a very complex one, so I will try to answer with a standard approach of dialing in your espresso. Generally speaking what you should aim for is a espresso that is full bodied, sweet, fruity with crisp acidity, a syrupy mouth feel and an amazing aftertaste that stays with you long after you finished the cup. What you don't want to get are any sour (underextraction), bitter (overextraction), ashy flavors and a hollow aftertaste that leaves you wanting more.

You can get to that sweet spot different ways, using the single shot or double shot portafilter. There are some general guidelines though that you might want to follow.

Generally using a double shot porta filter delivers better results. You are more flexibel in adjusting the grind size for example. In basically all specialty coffee shops, double shot baskets are used for making espressos. Surely this has to do with efficiency as well, since you can make 2 shots at the same time. I would suggest you try to find the sweet spot with your combination number 4 (or number 1 if you really don't want any more than a single espresso).
The first thing you have to consider is your recipe. Using a double shot basket what you should aim for is a dose:yield ratio of around 1:2. That means if you start with 20g of coffee (in the double basket), aim for a 40ml yield (for a double espresso). A very common recipe would be to start with an 18g dose and aim for a 36g yield. That would be a double shot or two single shots. If you pull shorter you will get a ristretto (short espresso) and if you push through more water, it would be a lungo. The yield is not fixed, you may adjust it depending on the coffee and taste. It is just a basis for dialing in properly, a baseline.
Once you decided on a recipe you should lock in the dose. Changing the dose, changes everything else, so you want to keep it as consistent as possible. However the grams are not fixed and will change all the time. If you change the coffee type/brand/origin/roast etc. you will have to adjust again. Even variables such as temperature, humidity and how much coffee is in the basket above the grind chamber will influence your grinders behavior and therefore the dose. The only definitive remedy is weighing out every single dose and shot (for home use at least whenever you use new coffee to find a setup that delivers consistently good results with this brand or type, albeit it will not consistently be optimal).
Now that you have the dose and recipe fixed you want to get an extraction time of somewhere between 20 and 30 seconds. Adjust the grind size (keep in mind that your dose changes as well, when you adjust the size, since the grinder measures the time of grinding and not the weight of the coffee) so that you reach the desired extraction time with the given recipe. Don't overdo it though and stay in the espresso grind range.
Keep in mind that you tamp correctly. Level out the grounds before tamping with slight shaking, hitting the basket on the sides and using your fingers. Try to tamp as straight as possible, the distance between the basket and the edge of the tamper should be equal on all sides. A tilted puck will extract badly. You don't have to tamp terribly hard, just until you don't feel the coffee bed changing any more. Anything more is redundant.
Pull a shot, taste and reflect if the result is the coffee you want. If it is, good for you, most likely it isn't though and you will have to adjust again.
If it isn't the coffee you want, try to figure out what's wrong with it. Is it too sour? Probably underextracted. Try to grind slightly finer, so the extraction process takes a few seconds longer to get to the yield you want. Does it taste bitter and hollow? Probably overextraced, in this case do the opposite.
Forget everything of the above and follow your taste buds! If one or more of those things doesn't produce taste profiles that you like, just kind of ignore them and try something else.

This is a general approach of how to dial in your grinder and produce a nice shot. It is not the only one, it is definitely incomplete and it will not be able to replace experimenting and experience.

Also don't bother too much about the pressure at the beginning, try to get consistent results that you like when pulling shots and after a while you will learn and understand your machine better. Also don't forget to flush the group head and portafilter before use, so old coffee oils are removed and you get up to temperature.

Cheers.


The Italian word macchiato literally means "marked" or "stained" (related to the word "immaculate" [1]), so really it is an indication to add a small quantity of the "staining" liquid, be it espresso or milk.

A caffe macchiato (also called espresso macchiato) is a shot of espresso (or two) with a "stain" of steamed milk and sometimes a little foam to indicate there is milk hiding under the espresso's crema.

A latte macchiato is the opposite concept, where steamed milk is "stained" by a shot of espresso.

As with any of these drinks, the variations are endless, so recipes and even ratios would be specific to a particular cafe.


In Mayoclinics article, they say that healthy adults can have up to 4 cups of coffee a day. However, if you're experiencing side effects - such as: a migraine headache, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, restlessness, frequent urination or inability to control urination, stomach upset, fast heartbeat, muscle tremors) - to consider cutting back the amount of coffee you intake. This is true not just for those that have more than 4 cups of coffee a day, but for all who drink coffee. Some people are more susceptible to coffee's effects than others, so if you feel woozy or unsteady even after two, maybe it's a good idea to cut back. If coffee is affecting your sleep schedule, also cut back. If you use it to wake up in the morning or rely on it, perhaps going to bed sooner is a better option as sleep deprivation is one of the largest catalysts in becoming an unhealthy adult. This is not to say you should change yourself overnight, but change gradually if you decide to do so.

This said, here are some health benefits of coffee.

With this my own experience: I personally find myself drinking 4 cups of coffee a day. While they're not all standard cups, if I break it down I drink up to 32oz of coffee a day. I find that if I ever have coffee past 15:00 I have insomnia that night and I'm just too jittery to fall asleep.


Based on your photo your pot appears to be made from aluminum based on the white corrosion.  This will make cleaning it a bit harder overall but no worries!  A great product that will take care of this issue for aluminum or stainless (many other materails as well) is Bar Keepers Friend.

From Wikipedia's article on Bar Keeper's Friend:

  Unlike more abrasive cleaning powders such as Comet and Ajax, Bar Keepers Friend uses oxalic acid as its primary active ingredient. A similar abrasive cleaning product, Zud Heavy Duty Cleanser, also contains oxalic acid. Prolonged use and extended skin contact may cause irritation, peeling and contact dermatitis, which is avoided by wearing gloves. The product can also be an eye irritant.

I just used BKF to clean my stainless percolator pot and it did a great job it looks new!  I had baked on brown residue and it took it off in less then a minute.  Now my pot looks almost new.

For your specific pot I would get a good scrub brush and some BKF and give it a few minutes scrub and it will look new again!  I think BKF may be one of the most underrated tools for us coffee junkies.  It gets everything so clean, it even has taken those impossible stains out of the bottom of some of my well used coffee cups.

To prevent corrosion issues in the future the best course of action is to clean it and dry it completely after each use and not let coffee or water sit in it for prolonged time.


Why are Costa or Starbucks lattes so good?

I'm not familiar with Costa, but I am with Starbucks. Let me offer my ideas in what's different.
Starbucks stores use fully automatic espresso machines with semi automatic frothing wands. The espresso machines make true espresso, unlike all of the brewing options you mentioned. This is the main reason the coffee is better.
The frothing wand also uses steam to froth the milk which creates a wonderfully creamy texture in the milk. Stick and pitcher frothers can't make the performance.
There's also grind. Starbucks stores use high quality coffee grinders that grind the coffee quite consistently. Coffee used for espresso is ground on demand for each shot. Your coffee at home might suffer if you're not grinding right before your brew or if you're grinding with a lower quality grinder.
Lastly, drink recipes. Starbucks cups are printed with volume markers to help baristas match recipes exactly. When you buy a latte at Starbucks, the ratio of espresso to milk is ideal and is the same every time. Unless you're measuring at home and know what that ideal ratio is, you're likely not hitting the right recipe.
To get coffee shop type lattes at home, you need a real espresso machine. A single boiler unit with a steam wand will do the trick, but nothing short of one will.


From Wikipedia:

  The "crema" is produced by emulsifying the oils in the ground coffee into a colloid, which does not occur in other brewing methods.

Using the right material from the start

Personally, I think this definition could use some updating. Crema exists because of the freshness of the coffee, in relation to it's roast. It contains the gasses we find from roasting, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen gasses. You will notice that if you dig up coffee that is months old and brew it as espresso, there will be little crema. Bottoml ine, if you want crema, you need fresh coffee.

Extraction

The other factor in producing crema, is correct extraction. If you have a poorly extracted shot of espresso, it will be primarily water, with some seriously over-extracted coffee. An even extraction will produce the highest yield of crema.


What water temperature and pour speed are best for pour-over method?

You're highlighting two differences between the two methods:

temperature of the water, and
rate of pouring the water (equivalently, how "full of water" is the cone).

Short story: Use water just off the boil (about 96°C / 205°F). I prefer your "slower" pour method over your friend's... read on for why.

Longer story:
Keeping all other factors identical, here's my take on each. I aggregate information from my own experience and from several other sites (including Blue Bottle and Stumptown and Serious Eats and Coffee Geek).

Temperature. Most agree that water for pour-over should be just off the boil, but exact temperature is both difficult to measure and to maintain. Exact recommendations differ, but most (including the 4 above) are approximately in the range of 93-97°C / 200-207°F. At this temperature, you extract the best balance of the "right stuff" from the beans. Much hotter or colder than this and it will have an "off" taste, such as more bitter. For example, try brewing coffee at 80°C / 175°F and see how it tastes compared to coffee brewed with 96°C / 205°F water.

With my technique and equipment, anyway, it would be essentially impossible for me to measure or maintain a temperature this accurately. Removed from the heat, the kettle itself will immediately start to cool; the water will cool between the pour spout and when it hits the grounds in the cone; the water will cool more when sitting on the grounds. For this reason, I take water from a boiling kettle and begin to pour at my leisure. It might be a few degrees too hot at first, but it will probably finish a few degrees too cool.

Rate of pouring the water. This seems to have more debate, e.g., on the 4 sites I listed above. Some pour only enough water at a time to have water just covering the grounds (like you and Blue Bottle), and some pour all the way up to the top of the cone (like your friend and Stumptown) -- however, a disadvantage of this all-at-once method is that some of the coffee will get pinned to the side of the cone for the final "drainage" and will not spend as much time in contact with the water; therefore some of your friend's coffee grounds will be underextracted. I do something of a hybrid: pour at such a rate as to keep the output at a steady rate. The dripping rate will decrease as the filter gets somewhat clogged with grounds, so I keep very slowly raising the water level in the cone (just exceeding the rate of output); I find this produces the best result. Other ideas are to stir (as Coffee Geek suggests) or pour in batches (as Serious Eats suggests).

All that said, other factors (e.g., the quality and freshness of beans) are overwhelmingly more significant than the manner of pouring.

You may also want to consider rinsing your filter, and see more about wetting the grounds for coffee bloom.


Why does instant coffee need more milk/sugar to get desired taste?

This question is fairly ambiguous as you've simply described the result as a 'desired taste' so I cannot tackle the question from a specific angle. However, the differences you describe may be a symptom of the fact that there are big differences between instant coffee and your pour-over.

Actual coffee. Your pour-over must be done with coffee grounds and so you are producing a cup of coffee freshly extracted from the grounds and subsequently freshly enjoyed. Not to mention the quality of the beans used might simply be of a higher quality than that used in instant coffee manufacturing.

Pour-over. The brewing method itself is often known to produce much more nuanced flavours as it allows the brewer control of water flow as opposed to other automated brewers. This means that you can better extract the sugars and compounds that give coffee its aroma and flavour. Instant coffee is not fresh and the general manufacturing process is done en masse so the level of control that you would have to fine tune your cup of pour-over coffee will simply not be present in instant coffee. Also, due to the extra processes involved in freeze-drying and packaging the instant coffee, many flavourful compounds can be lost well before it reaches your cup.

The factors noted above can change the resulting cup you enjoy and therefore change the amount of milk or sugar you will need in order for you to achieve your desired taste. Since the pour-over method can extract more sugars and delicate compounds that make coffee so delicious, it will also reduce the requirement of extra sugar.


Back to before the beans, My Caffeine Farm

The caffeine content of your coffee will depend on the variety, the method of extraction and the roast of your beans.

You can see on this paper about caffeine contents of turkish coffee on table 7, that unroasted coffee releases almost no caffeine, while dark roast gives the best release.

This article also has an interesting comparison on the caffeine content of different varieties.

I've talked to coffee producers who've told me that Geisha has 35% less caffeine than tipica, and there is a variety of Laurina that has only 25% of the caffeine found in tipica.
I haven't been able to find data on this, but I did find a little data that points to it being in the right neigboardhood.


Is there a method to make flavored coffee without syrups?

I believe there are several ways to make flavoured coffees without syrup or sweetener.

For example, I make vanilla coffee by mixing fresh vanilla seeds with finely ground medium-roast coffee, and seal the mixture for some time (duration depends on the weather). The result is quite nice, with a slight touch of vanilla. This is not a product---just for personal use and still exploring. The difference with syrup or essence or flavouring is that the touch feels lighter and more natural.

A basic mechanism here is to mix ground coffee with some spice, and let the mixture sleep for flavour to spread.

Another mechanism is to put some spice directly in a container with roasted beans. This seems more appropriate for spices like cinnamon (no need to extract seeds like for vanilla).

I have not tried to mix spices with green beans, as the roasting stage changes a lot of things, but that should be an interesting path.


Reduce power of popcorn popper for roasting coffee

Rather than playing with electricity and wiring you could actually just move the roasting bed/area away from your heat source and accomplish close to the same thing.

I started roasting with a popper as well.  The hole in the popper was roughly 3 inches so I got a 3 to 4 inch duct adapter, a 4 inch flour sifter and mushed it all together, similar to this.  The result was that I moved the coffee away from the heat source.  The sifter also allows you to stir and get more even results.  I think I went from 4 to 5 minute roast time to 7 or 8 minutes with this method and the parts were very cheap.

I believe the forum post for that picture actually has additional mods close to what you may be looking for if you actually want to take your popper apart and try rewiring it.


Keurig Coffee Maker gets clogged and slow

Due to the age and usage of your Keurig machine, I would say that you are experiencing two possible problems - one at a time or perhaps both.

The Problems:

The motor in the pump in your Keurig machine may simply just be getting worn out. If this is the problem, you should be able to hear it struggling to pump water out through the K-Cup. If you need a comparison, try comparing it to a newer model and see how it sounds. If de-scaling (see next problem) does not work, then you may need to replace the motor/pump. It may just be easier at that point to buy a new Keurig machine.
The machine seriously needs to be de-scaled. I would recommend running a solution of 25% lemon juice and 75% water through the machine. Make sure to run around 250 - 500 mL (about one to two cups) of this solution from the tank all the way through to a cup. Then rinse with atleast 1 L of of normal water (about 4 cups).

CAUTION:

As I have stated in other answers, breathing the fumes from this can be extremely dangerous for your mucosa (parts of the eyes, nose, mouth, throat, respiratory tract, and lungs). Do not breathe in the steam or fumes.

This is not a huge concern with lemon juice (which is why I recommend it), but if you were to use vinegar or a commercial de-scaler, this would be a huge concern.

Just be smart about it. You don't want to end up with permanent damage to your respiratory tract.

Other possible problems (harder to fix):

It could be possible that a seal somewhere in the pump has worn out and air is entering the system as it is being pumped. This would involve replacing a seal and taking the machine apart though.

There may be some other component, that I can't think of, that is damaged. Try the above solutions and leave a comment. Let me know if anything works.


When and how should I clean my moka pot?

If you stop washing your mocha pot completely, you'll see a bit of a residue buildup  on the inside of the pot from many past cuppas imparting their special oils to surface. This "seasoning" is said to protect the brew from any off flavors that might be imparted by the bare metal of the pot.

Whether this effect can be quantified by a perceptible difference in taste, I see no reason to part with tradition; it is a badge of honor and the sign of a well-used pot. At the very least, you are saving yourself a lot of trouble in having to clean it out each time. You can certainly clean the outside with an appropriate cleaner if the patina isn't to your liking, but I would just rinse the inside with hot water. Liquid detergents have a way of imparting their own taste, and dishwashers will can quickly oxidize aluminum pots like the Bialetti.


Basics
Decaffeination (decaf) is the removal of caffeine from coffee beans, cocoa,  and other caffeine-containing materials. While soft drinks which do not use caffeine as an ingredient are sometimes described as "decaffeinated", they are better termed "uncaffeinated" because decaffeinated implies that there was caffeine present at one point in time. Decaffeinated drinks contain typically 1–2% of the original caffeine content or sometimes as much as 20%.
In the case of coffee, various methods can be used. The process is usually performed on unroasted (green) beans, and starts with steaming of the beans. They are then rinsed with a solvent that extracts the caffeine while leaving other constituents largely unaffected. The process is repeated from 8 to 12 times until the caffeine content meets the required standard (97% of caffeine removed according to the international standard, or 99.9% caffeine-free by mass as per the EU standard). Coffee contains over 400 components important to the taste and aroma of the drink, so it is difficult to remove the caffeine without affecting other components.
Want to know even more?
Advanced
Well, then, let's talk about the two most common types of decaffeination:
Swiss Water process
The use of water as the solvent to decaffeinate coffee was originally pioneered in Switzerland in 1933 and developed as a commercially viable method of decaffeination by Coffex S.A. in 1980.
This method is different in that it does not directly or indirectly add chemicals to extract the caffeine. Rather, it relies entirely on two concepts - solubility and osmosis - to decaffeinate coffee beans. The process begins by immersing a batch of green coffee beans in very hot water in order to dissolve and extract the caffeine. The water is then drawn off and passed through an activated charcoal filter. The porosity of this filter is sized to only capture larger caffeine molecules, while allowing smaller oil and flavor molecules to pass through it. However, this extraction process will also extract desirable oils and other solids from the beans, resulting in beans with no caffeine and no flavor in one tank, and caffeine-free but with flavor water in another tank. The Swiss Water process method attempts to overcome this difficulty by first discarding the flavorless caffeine-free beans, and then reusing the flavor rich water to remove the caffeine from a fresh batch of coffee beans. Water saturated in this way is referred to as green coffee extract or GCE. It is created using a separate batch of green coffee beans, which are immersed in water and then discarded. In a pre-loading tank water, cane sugar and formic acid are mixed and heated and used to preload carbon filter columns. The GCE is then filtered over the columns to extract caffeine from it. A fresh batch of green coffee beans is then immersed in the GCE to remove caffeine but retain other components. The other components can be retained because the water is already saturated with flavor ingredients, therefore, the flavors in this fresh bath cannot dissolve - only caffeine moves from the coffee beans to the water. This results in decaffeination without a massive loss of flavor. The process of filtering the GCE to remove caffeine and immersing the beans is repeated until the beans are 99.9% caffeine free by mass, meeting the required standard. This process takes 8 to 10 hours.
CO2 process
it is technically known as supercritical fluid extraction. This method is the most recent method developed by Kurt Zosel, a scientist of the Max Plank Institute, and uses liquid CO2 in place of chemical solvents.
The supercritical CO2 acts selectively on the caffeine, releasing the alkaloid and nothing else. Water soaked coffee beans are placed in an extraction vessel. The extractor is then sealed and liquid CO2 is forced into the coffee at pressures of 1,000 pounds per square inch to extract the caffeine. The CO2 acts as the solvent to dissolve and draw the caffeine from the coffee beans, leaving the larger-molecule flavor components behind. The caffeine laden CO2 is then transferred to another container called the absorption chamber where the pressure is released and the CO2 returns to its gaseous state and evaporates, leaving the caffeine behind. The caffeine is removed from the CO2 using charcoal filters and the caffeine free CO2 is pumped back into a pressurized container for reuse on another batch of beans. This process has the advantage that it avoids the use of potentially harmful substances. Because of its cost, this process is primarily used to decaffeinate large quantities of commercial-grade, less-exotic coffee found in grocery stores.
There are like 3 more common processes but I believe 2 is enough, even for coffee enthusiasts like us.
Sourced from https://en.wikipedia.org
This is not my opinion although I don't have decaf, but just something I picked up on the net:


Why does coffee heal headaches in some people but causes it in others?

Different people react to chemicals and stimulants in slightly different manners.  It's entirely possible that the raise in blood pressure caused by caffeine may be exaggerated in some individuals (especially those who are caffeine naive) and cause headaches.

On the other hand, caffeine may reduce or prevent headaches in other individuals through several mechanisms:

  Caffeine is also a common ingredient in many medications used for
  treating migraines, due to the fact that it makes analgesics work more
  efficiently, causes a faster absorption, and allows for a reduced
  dosage which decreases possible side effects of certain analgesics.

It's also possible for people who are caffeine addicted (daily coffee drinkers) to begin withdrawal symptoms if they don't get caffeine/coffee.  One of these symptoms may be headache.  Consuming caffeine again can alleviate these withdrawal symptoms.


Which decaffeination process changes the flavor of the coffee the least?

Based on the article here and some brief experience with roasting decaf myself, I'd agree that the methylene chloride method seems to produce more flavorful beans.  That being said it's hard to make a direct comparison due to the difficulties in getting a single batch of beans and getting them processed for decaf at multiple facilities.  I think your best bet is to find a green coffee seller that you trust and see what they have to offer.


What machine is Caffe Vergnano using to make my coffee?

Elektra Belle Epoque P1C:

See this page: http://www.elektrasrl.com/belle_epoque_2grel_cr.php

You can still buy these, they are very expensive of course, I don't think there is anything particularly special other than the design and finish: http://www.elektrasrl.com/belle_epoque_details.php

The home version is this one: http://www.elektrasrl.com/fam_retro_1grsa_c_a1c.php

Which will set you back over 1000 English pounds: http://www.myespresso.co.uk/product.php/27/elektra-mini-verticale-semi-automatic-espresso-machine---chrome

You may be wondering how come I answered this so quickly, it is because I have also been to the very same cafe you showed, the one on shaftesbury avenue, and was intrigued myself. The finish of the machine is hand made so it takes time for one to be delivered to you. I don't think there is anything particularly special about it but one of the nice things is the internal covered area for storing and warming cups. The internal guts are no different to other modern espresso machines.


Whenever I froth my milk and pour it into the espresso, it dries and makes water under it. How do I fix that?

Based on the following comment:

  No Im asking whenever I serve Lattes or capps the froth usually rises to the top and leaves water and espresso under the froth. Im told that this is wrong and Im frothing the milk wrong

I surmise that you're using a steam pipe and you're frothing the entire drink with the espresso already in the cup. The problem you're experiencing (as I understand it) is that you don't get a nice emulsion, you get some water from the steam at the bottom.

Based on that, I'd recommend the following:

Froth the milk separately, for example in a metal frothing jug. Add it to the espresso after frothing.
Use cold milk, this froths better.
When steaming the milk, your technique is very important. Specifically, you want the tip of the steam wand to be just below the surface of the milk. (This isn't important if you have a special steam wand which also blows in air.)


Why can't I have enough crema with my espresso machine? Doesn't it provide enough pressure?

First things first, the ingredients of the crema is partly the answer of this question.

The foam on top of any coffee beverage (espresso, Turkish, aeropress or any other) is formed simply the same. A lipid/water emulsion forms the outer sphere and some gas is inside this sphere. All these spheres stick to each other with tiny coffee bean fragments invisible to human eye. Let's focus to the gas. The gas is mostly Carbon dioxide that is produced during the Maillard reaction when the coffee beans are roasted.

Ok, now we know the chemistry behind. There are three (actually four, but water is there all the time) main contents for our recipe to produce crema:

Lipids
Coffee bean fragments
Carbon dioxide

Lipids and Carbon dioxide are formed by roasting. Fragments are the very very fine powders emerge as the side product of grinding. Fragments don't leave the ground coffee. Lipids, too. But, Carbon dioxide flies away in time.

Normally, after roasting the beans, it is better to wait for two to four days (based on many criteria just like bean type, roast level, brewing technique, etc.) for the Carbon dioxide level of the roasted beans to settle. Then, the flavor of those beans will be delicious. After that time, Carbon dioxide fades away and the roasted beans start to stale.

As you can reason, if your beans have less Carbon dioxide, your final cup of coffee would have less crema. If you have freshly roasted (e.g. 3-days old) coffee, your final cup of espresso would have a thick foam.

It is also known that water pressure affects the crema volume, but should not affect as much as you mentioned here. Even at 7 bars, a decent crema forms according to this study.

And a note, if your machine has difficulties producing enough pressure, more tamping will probably results over-heated water flowing very slowly through the grounds, causing them to burn and all of the lipids to evaporate, could not form the spheres of the crema. As a result, you probably worsen the crema production, coffee odor fills the room but you cannot drink that flavor. Now, all you'll get is boiled coffee juice.

TL;DR The amount of crema is mostly correlated with the freshness of the coffee, not the pressure.


How can I get a clean taste while drip brewing?

The Kalita and Chemex equipment are designed for pour-over brewing. If you are using them as vessel-recipients of water from an automated dripper, it will not produce the kind of cup you desire due to the randomness at which it applies water over the bed of coffee.

If you are doing pour-over, there are a few major parameters that you will have to control to produce clean cups. Note that you will require a gooseneck kettle in order to have proper control over the water flow.

Grind. Ensure that you are using a burr grinder that is of decent quality, meaning that it can grind to a good consistency with a low number of fines. Fines are smaller granules of coffee produced in the grinding process as the beans are crushed and can over-extract to bring out bitter flavours. Your grind size should also be of medium level.

Water Temperature. This is one of the most important factors of the bunch for pour-over brewing in my experience. It's the parameter that you will change to fine tune how many compounds are being dissolved as you brew once you have a grind size that is in the right ball park. You should experiment with this as it will depend on the grind size and dose you use but I like to keep it at around 90 degrees Celsius.

Agitation. This measures how much you move and disturb the coffee. The more you agitate it by pouring, the more you continuously expose the coffee grounds to the water and encourage extraction. Controlling this will be another experimental variable for your specific parameters.

Aside from the above three that I believe to be the most important factors in what makes a clean pour-over brew, you should also take into account, the brew time, coffee-to-water ratio, coffee dose and obviously coffee origin and freshness.


How to (re-)calibrate an espresso machine and grinder setup?

This answer addresses a "standard" semi-automatic espresso machine with a separate grinder. Specifically the LaMarzocco and Astoria grinder, but the ideas should generalize to other machines of the same class.
Cleaning
Of course, wipe down everything and get all pitchers and spoons clean. Blast out all the milk and "wetness" from the steam wands. Inspect and clean all portafilters* (get one clean, and then use it while you clean the others), and if necessary backflush the groups with water (with "bumping" so you blast water around the seals to get any buildup there clean).
*especially under the basket.
Calibrating
The abstract procedure here is described using the Hackers' terms Frob, Twiddle, and Tweak.

http://catb.org/esr/jargon/html/F/frob.html
To fully calibrate the setup, we'll need to make three passes over all the controls.

Frob. In the frob pass, we make just "coarse" adjustments to get everything roughly correct. (reinterpreting the hacker usage. This isn't aimless.)
Twiddle. In the twiddle pass, we adjust each parameter up and down a little, in a more "scientific" manner: while adjusting any one parameter, the rest are left alone so they behave as "controls" for the quick little "experiments" to check each change.
Tweak. In the tweak pass, everything should be mostly correct by now. Just apply any finishing touches.

The controls we have available are the grind, dose, and water quantity. Following the David Schomer method, I strongly advise that the tamping pressure should be constant. Always tamp the same way: from the elbow, so you don't stress your wrists.
In the David Schomer method, the dose is controlled by counting "clicks" of the doser. You keep the doser compartment as empty as possible, grinding only what you need so everything stays fresh, locked in the bean). Count how many clicks gets you to "full", maybe a little heaping. This number is your base dose. Keep it constant for now. And this constitutes the "frob" of the dose.
Set the group in programming mode and Pull a shot, setting the water level to yield 2 oz. This is the "frob" of the water quantity.
If the extraction time was off, adjust the grind. This the "frob" of the grind, so you can make bigger movements if you need to (exercise your judgement), but remember only adjust finer while grinding, so you don't lock the burrs on a tough bean. Pull a few shots until the time is (roughly) correct.
So, we've done our "frob" pass. Now "twiddle." Adjusting the grind to control the extraction time probably threw off the water quantity a little bit. So do a "twiddle" of the water quantity by entering programming mode and pulling a shot. Actually, you shouldn't need to "twiddle" per se: there's no *up and down" here, but I think the terms still represent a useful mnemonic for the general procedure.
Then do a "twiddle" of the grind. You want the grind to be as coarse as possible within its "range", if you know what I mean. All the grounds in the doser are quickly going stale. A coarser grind yields little pieces of coffee bean that are slightly larger, with a lower surface/volume ratio. Lower surface area means less interaction with the air, and the grounds resist going stale a little better.
There should be no need to "twiddle" the dose at this point. We're adjusting the other controls so the dose remains at comfortable spot.
Now, one final pass to "tweak". Pull a shot, and examine its quality. Particularly look for the tell-tale white "overextraction stain" where the last drips struck the crema. You want to tweak the water quantity to stop just before the color changes. This tweak gives you "ristretto-quality" shots.
Adjusting on-the-fly
Remember that we did not mess with the dose much in the above steps. But the other parameters were setup so the dose is "comfortable". This lets us make small adjustments to the dose in order to "ride the wave" of the machine and keep all the shots in the time range. Remember not to brew shots while the boiler is cycling.
The same three adjustments, frob, twiddle, and tweak, apply also to dynamic adjustments. Frob, the coarsest control is the water quantity, which should no longer need adjusting at this point. Twiddle, the medium-grain control is the grind setting. Unless a freak thundershower rolls-in and totally changes the pressure and humidity of the atmosphere, you should only need to make small adjustments and only to recalibrate the dose to a comfortable level. Tweak, the finest control is the dose.
If a shot pulls 1-second too long, tweak your dose ever-so-slightly shorter. Either count 1-fewer click, or count your clicks just a hair faster.
If a shot pulls 1-second too short, tweak your dose ever-so-slightly longer. Either count 1 more click, or count your clicks just a hair slower.
If the dose gets too low (by visual inspection: exercise your judgement), twiddle the grind a little coarser so you can achieve the same density with more mass.
If the dose gets too high (exercise judgement), twiddle the grind a little finer so you can achieve the density with less mass. (Volume is constant.)

I actually haven't worked on this machine in almost 10 years. So this is all based on my memory of that one amazing day when I pulled 20sec (+/-1) shots for eight solid hours.
On a different day, I recalibrated after a thunderstorm started by pulling the grinder 8 clicks (!) coarser. And got it back to 20sec after 2 or 3 pairs.
That's how I know. But I learned this all from David Schomer's book.
--
Appendix: The "David Schomer" method or "ritual"
This is what I remember from the amazing book, Espresso Coffee: Professional techniques by David Schomer. And hey Matt, I want my copy back!
A. Preheat and Clean.

Pull an ounce or so of water through the old spent puck to heat the group.

Yank the portafilter and knock the old puck into the compost bin.

Wipe the basket and run a splash of water through the group without the portafilter to rinse the upper screen. (You can catch this water with the portafilter before wiping to rinse more of the grounds so your clean towel stays clean longer.)

B. Grind and Dose.

Turn on grinder to start to fill the doser (which should be as empty as practical).

Immediately start pulling clicks of the doser until the basket is full, or a little heaping.

Turn off grinder.

C. Distribute and Tamp.

With clean hands, distribute the grounds evenly with a finger (I use my ring finger, but whatever works).

Tamp lightly to shape the puck.

Tap the edge with the handle end of your nice aluminum tamper that you bought yourself and brought to work to help. This gets the little bit of coffee around the edge that the tamper missed.

Tamp firmly, from the elbow. About 30 pounds of pressure.

Reinsert the portafiler.

D. Brew.

Click the button to start brewing.

Immediately discard the hot water from the shot glasses which is still there from step A.1.

Watch the pour and stop it early if you need to, to catch the sweet spot.

And finally, I apologize for my excessive use of emphatic "quotation marks".


Each coffee has it's own special taste and distinctive flavours. Whether it is pre-ground Maxwell House or small-batch roasted single origin, there will be different flavour profiles and smells.

The "quality" of coffee is mostly determined by the bitterness and taste. Fresh, great quality coffee is often bright and has complex flavours that fill your palette. Diner coffee is usually bland and more bitter.

In high-quality beans, the enjoyment of the coffee is then more down to personal taste. That is, whether someone likes a bright, almost tea-like single origin from Ethiopia, or a deep-bodied Sumatran coffee with herbal notes.

This Kopi Luwak coffee will certainly have it's own distinctive taste, that's for sure. Will it taste better than cheap coffee like Maxwell house? Yes, probably. Will it be the best coffee you've ever had? Maybe not, and that is just fine. People drink this coffee because it is rare and sought after, not neccesarily because they are looking for the best cup.

As for brewing it, I would suggest trying it a number of ways, because each brewing method brings out different flavour profiles. French press will allow you to experience the body that is likely from a South-east asian coffee and will allow the natural oils onto your palette. Pour-over will take away some of that body but accentuate the herbal tones and bring out the top-end in terms of flavours. Espresso is always interesting, and the concentrated method could yield some surprising flavours.

If you have the means to try it, I would. It's a neat experience and if you are keen on coffee, tasting more coffee, no matter where its from, is always a good thing.

As for cleaning your equipment, just make sure to do a regular cleaning of your espresso machine/french press to remove any residue. This doesn't have to be intensive, just make sure there are no leftover grounds. For you grinder, I would disassemble as much as possible and wash and dry the parts. Grinders always retain a decent amount of grounds, and those mixing in with the expensive Kopi Luwat could change the flavour.

Here are three videos where people try this coffee:

Tested

Travel Blogger??

News Anchor

Hope this helps!


Which nespresso capsule has the most caffeine in it?

So.. I've done a lot of research on caffeine levels or at least reading various books that skirt the topic.  Interestingly, the caffeine amount in a particular roast is slightly different than most peoples conceptions, including my own up until a few months ago.

First off, caffeine levels in dark vs light roasts are often said to be different.  From a chemical perspective caffeine is chemically stable to 455 degrees Fahrenheit (it's melting point).  Due to this, caffeine is not removed during the roasting process unless you are roasting to a Spanish roast, or burned beyond all recognition.  As such, the caffeine inherit in a particular lot of green coffee tends to stay the same amount per bean regardless of roast depth.

The twist..

Roasting will roughly double bean size, and burn off between 12 and 18% of the total weight of a bean.  Due to this, technically, a darker roast has more caffeine by weight than a lighter roast, which is opposite of what I hear a lot of people say.

Now.. on to your question.. If the pods are by weight, I suppose a dark roast will have marginally more caffeine.  Where you get a significant difference in caffeine amounts is when you start looking at different types of coffee.  Robusta coffees for instance tend to be low grown and have adapted to the environment by having higher concentrations of caffeine.  The reason is simply that caffeine is the coffee plants natural pesticide.  That being said, Robusta coffees also tend to be very bitter, hence why they are predominantly used in cheap coffee blends in place of arabica.  The bitterness is directly related to the elevated caffeine, as well as very high concentrations of CGA.

My recommendation is pick what tastes good, because honestly, you aren't going to get a significantly higher amount of caffeine per roast, or lot of beans.


I found this:
"Caffeine within coffee can act as a stimulant, which might induce bile production that increases bowel movements. And some artificial sweeteners, and lactose, may have a laxative effect."

From: https://iffgd.org/lower-gi-disorders/diarrhea/common-causes.html


What is the process for brewing egg coffee?

I decided to give this a shot and made up a recipe myself:

I started out by simply making a press pot of coffee:

then, after letting the coffee cool and steep for a few minutes, mixed up and tempered two eggs (shell and all) by spooning in some of the coffee and grounds:

This part starts to look pretty nasty, but persevere:

Whip the eggs into an emulsion (or close to it; this will be much easier with a whisk), and pour them into the press pot. Once you're done you should have an eggy crema on top (I think I needed one or two more eggs for the entire press pot):

As far as I can tell, it just tastes like coffee (the egg is hardly noticeable, and just tones down the flavor a bit like cream or milk). Using one or two more eggs (for a full pot like this) would probably have helped. Also, make sure you let the coffee cool enough before tempering your eggs, or you'll just wind up with scrambled egg floating in coffee despite the fact that you tempered it.


What happens if I use a Nespresso capsule with the "wrong" amount of water?

You will either over-extract or under-extract the coffee.

Over-extraction occurs when you run too much water through and you will be able to see this as the coffee turns pale and eventually you will end up with almost clear (or barely tinted) water running through. Over-extracted coffee tastes bitter. Really badly over-extracted coffee can sometimes exhibit metallic or plastic taste.

Under-extraction is a much better option. The resulting coffee will be thicker, stickier and less bitter. The downside is that you are not getting the maximum utilisation from the beans and you could have made more acceptable coffee with those beans.

A ristretto is a short extraction with minimal water and ideally at a slightly lower pressure. An espresso should be the same coffee, but the extraction would use more water and often a slightly faster flow rate / higher pressure.

The caffeine content will mostly be dependent on the beans used and the quantity of coffee in the pod. A longer extraction may increase the caffeine content slightly, but not enough to be noticeable.


Milk appears to separate from steaming, how do I fix this?

If the milk is cow fresh... You will have to put it through a process called homogenization. It is normally done when the milk is pasteurized for us who are chained to grocery carts. Homogenization is where the fat of the milk becomes emulsified and it keeps the cream from separating out. The following article contains a description of the process:
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-homogenize-milk/
Best of luck.


Do we know when the first cappuccino was brewed and how it acquired its name?

It was in Vienna, by a Capuchin Monk who is a friend of the owner of the first coffee shop of the city.

Please see this previous answer.


What do all the symbols on my coffee lid mean?

I am pretty sure it says NO TL316 LID.  That's the item/stock number for that particular size lid (based on a Google search, also available in black!). There are basically two sets of initials for the same thing Decaf, (C)ream, (S)ugar, (C-S) Cream and Sugar, and then one set has the B for Black.  Presumably these could be grease penciled or highlighted on a large order.

I honestly have no idea on the 19.  It may be some sort of internal tracking mechanism for manufacturing, because other examples from a Google image search have different numbers there.


One is coffee de-oiled and re-mixed, the other is instant coffee with added sugar, however only plastic pods instead of aluminum + plastic.


Environmental/human ethics of common brands

The major standards are a bit confusing honestly.  Fair trade provides a baseline above the commodities rates, but they don't ensure that the farmer is getting the most for their product.  Furthermore, the farm has to be able to be certified for conforming to certain environmental conditions prior to being certified.  Many coffee farmers are so far off the beaten path that they simply cannot afford to be certified.  I believe that conscientious importers provide a far better compensation to the farmer.

It looks like Fair Trade assures something between 15 and 35 cents above commodities rates.  This is far below what a roaster will pay for specialty grade coffee.  While fair trade is a good baseline, if you purchase specialty coffee, you are most likely buying coffee that was purchased for significantly better than fair trade rates.  To give you an idea.. I pulled up a random invoice I had in my inbox and it was $1.70 above commodities rate.  Furthermore, importers provide on the ground support to farmers in the form of varietal education and recommendations, disease prevention, washing technique improvements, all of which net the farmer tangible benefits because their coffee will improve in quality, and thus, sell for more.

So.. if you are looking for good ethical compensation for farmers, I would say look for local specialty roasteries.  These roasteries are purchasing high quality coffee from a high quality importer which means that there are people on the ground helping farmers achieve better quality, and thus better compensation.

The link below is a pretty interesting article from a greens buyer I am thinking about working with.  I found it a very interesting read that gave some insight into what importers actually do, and highlights why a lot of coffee farms are not certified..

40 hours in the life of a greens buyer

I know this explanation doesn't directly answer your question, but hopefully it sheds some light on the behind the scenes of how coffee buying works.  Fair Trade, Organic, Rainforest Alliance are all great programs, but they can also exclude a lot of hard working farmers, that produce fantastic products, and are very conscientious of the environment etc.

One last bit of food for thought.. My roastery cannot advertise our product as Organic because our kitchen is not certified Organic (I've been officially open only for a few months, after a years worth of building my business and haven't been able to get certification lined up yet).  Despite this, half of my products are certified Organic.  Looking at it from the business perspective, I would love to advertise my product as Organic, but just haven't been able to navigate the red tape, and I am sure there are other small businesses that are in the same boat.


Is there a way to distinguish decaf from normal coffee?

Only "Brew a pot and see if it wakes you up in the morning, or not." I can't think of any other test that is practical at home.
Other practical solutions -

Mix them and have half-caf until you buy new coffee.

Just buy new coffee, as if it was forgotten in the move.

And perhaps mark the containers in some way.
In the overall cost of moving, it's a small expense.


How fine should I grind coffee for drip/pour over coffee

In general consistency is more important than a specific setting.

The key is that you can actually control both the size of the grind and actually achieve a homogenous grind allowing you to increase the consistency in the coffee when you brew it as you can assertively control the service area being exposed during the brewing process. Since you stated that you have a burr grinder you are off to a great start. There is no defined, agreed upon coarseness of grind for pour over coffee, but I would definitely say that you would want a courser grind than you would for espresso. Experiment to find the sweet spot by making sure you use exactly the same water, coffee bean roast, and number of beans (and thus volume) between different grind settings to find what meets your flavor best.

If you are particularly worried about "getting it right" or do not want to do a ton of experimentation an easy and quick way to jump to a grid would simply to go to a coffee shop, buy a bag of whole beans, ask them to grind it and query them for how coarse of a grind is.


What coffee and roast are best for Turkish?

I believe the answer will be subjective. But, I can answer based on some tradition and history.

The coffee beans were originated from Yemen in Ottoman Empire. At least, Yemen was a hub. (This fact is even mentioned in folk songs. See here and here.) Historically, Robusta beans were not around, yet. Americas were not explored. So, if you want to follow the tradition, stick with African originated Arabica beans. Still, one should note that if you go for the current Turkish commercial ground coffee brands (like Mehmet Efendi, etc.) on the market, most of them include mostly Robusta beans from South America to keep the costs low. This is ugly face of horeca, I assume.

(African originated Arabicas are also my personal preference. My favorite is Ethiopian Harar. As far as I experienced, it is even better than Kopi Luwak for Turkish coffee. Also, this may be a hint. Kopi Luwak is known for low acidity. So, low acidity beans were not good for my taste even it was Kopi Luwak. On the other hand, Kopi Luwak was great while brewed with pressure.)

For roasting the beans, you generally do not need to burn the beans to eliminate the acidity. So, light roasts are OK for Turkish coffee. Majority of commercial brands prepare City roast and the minority prepare American roast (I think). If you taste burnt flavor in a package, it is clearly over roasted; you must be suspicious about the quality of the beans.

(My personal preference is a bit darker than that. City roast to full city roast.)

Last words: I think, as Turkish coffee is just a brewing method, it is up to the drinkers taste either to add sugar/gum/cinnamon/milk or not, either to use Robusta or Arabica, either to roast light or dark. I mean, if the drinkers find it more delicious, they can boil it up for hours (It exists!) before drinking. This is about the taste, so no boundaries. :)


Does using two paper filters in a drip machine strengthen flavour?

Yes, because it allows more time for coffee to be extracted as it stored in a longer time for coffee to drip. However, other parameters also have effect regarding this issue (such as, type of bean, roasting profile, temperature, brewing method)
But using double filter since it also filter the "flavor", making it stale (you may lose the pleasant acidic, fruity flavor, or other unique flavor your bean may offered) and double filter can make your coffee over extracted thus unpleasant bitter flavor.
If you want your coffee strong you may want other experiment

Use fresh coffee bean
the older the coffee, they tend to lose their flavor. The fresher, the better. You have to store your bean properly too, keep it in air-tight container, avoid direct sunlight
wait  to grind your bean, until the last minute coffee lose a bit of its flavor after grinding. Ground coffee is also more sensitive to the moisture
Use different kind of bean You may use robusta, it naturally has more "caffeine" compared to Arabica, therefore can "hit" you harder
Use different kind of roasting profile the darker the roast, the bitter it is, but it has less caffeine.

when brewing

Pre-warming the equipment or insulating it basically the hotter the temperature you get bitter flavor, to avoid the "upleasant bitter" you may adjust the water temperature according to your preferences. Temperature loss often occurs as a result of heat absorption by the equipment itself (and therefore stale flavor), so pre-heat the equipment would prevent it
Use finer grind Coarser grind can make your coffee under extracted
Adjust the amount of your coffee
Adjust the steeping time

In the end it comes down to your preference(s). No single technique is right for everyone. Enjoy your coffee immediately after brewing

My explanation might not answer your question directly, double filter affect your coffee, yes it is. But other factors simply can be neglected


Why does espresso taste different to percolator coffee?

Espresso tastes different than percolator coffee, but not necessarily better.  Espresso extraction produces a more concentrated drink with a different set of compounds that you would get with percolator extraction.  With a shorter extraction time and higher pressure, espresso will have a slightly different set of compounds than you would get from the same coffee with percolation.

Some people prefer a more concentrated taste, however, some do not (many people think espresso is "too strong" when drank straight, thus the popularity here in the US of mixed espresso drinks).  This doesn't mean it's necessarily better.  Some types of beans are not well suited to espresso extraction and will actually produce a better cup when brewed with other methods.

All coffee can be benefited or hindered by brew/prep method, but the quality of the bean and it's roast have quite a bit of influence in the matter.  Badly grown, processed and roasted coffee will not magically be made better by espresso extraction.  It might actually end up worse because concentrating it can highlight it's flaws.


Apparently they used some sort of a pour over method, I'm not very sure about it though because they wouldn't expose their trade secrets to me ;).

What I am sure is it is common practice for the Vietnamese to sell from concentrate, because they brew a batch in one go then refrigerate it until it is used, not unlike cold brews. If you're a fan of espresso, you can drink the concentrate straight up.

Source: A Vietnamese coffee seller during a trip


For certain high-intensity flavours, often people use extracts (think stuff like "vanilla extract") or essential oils (i.e., oils that are the "essence" (or are infused with same) of a given plant or something). This allows you to use a very small amount of the flavouring substance in something like coffee or confectionery or so.

However, certain extracts or might just be artificial themselves, and give you that same "off" after-taste. This might be what's in your bag of beans/grounds and why you're in this predicament in the first place. The ingredient label might have some hints but is probably not helpful ("natural and/or artificial flavourings" perhaps). Here's one (judgemental) example of how the ubiquitous hazlenut flavoured coffee (from Serious Eats) could be made.

For butterscotch that you cite, for example, you could use something like butterscotch extract (example from Amazon). You could also use some other caramel or butterscotch syrup, or even make your own.

For particular flavours, after you've identified them, you might ask over at Seasoned Advice. But I'm glad you asked here first :)

Happy hacking!


How does a snack with a coffee slow down the caffeine's effect?

It's probably due to the fact that your organism has nutriments from the snack to absorb at the same time , if everything mixs in your stomach then absorbtion will also be mixed . It's pretty much the same with alcohol.


What temperature to froth/steam OAT milk to? {Rancilio Silvia}

I believe the PID setting at 280 F is set to control the boiler temperature. For steaming there may be another setting, but it's probably unnecessary - as long as steam leaves the wand you can steam your oat milk.

I place my hand on the side of my metal jug to judge when I think my oat milk is steamed to perfection (I think I like it slightly cooler than most). I made myself an oat milk flat white just now and measured the final temperature at 58 C (136 F). I believe some may prefer it at up to 158 F, just like with cow's milk (there may even be some who prefer it slightly cooler).

Regarding the 280 F setting, I'd recommend setting it to 205 F, tasting an espresso shot and if it's bitter go a little lower toward 195 F. If you taste sourness you need the boiler temperature hotter or, perhaps, to grind the coffee finer.


how to make “Creme Caramel” coffee flavored?

That is  either a Flan, or a  Creme Caramel.
The difference between flan and Creme Caramel
Flan is a custard based dessert. All though it is loved in many countries not just Asia  its origins are not Asian but ancient Rome.  there are many versions of it around the world.
The history of flan.
The history of Creme Caramel.

It is known as flan in Spain and Mexico and as cream caramella in
Italy. Flan and crème caramel, both a mixture of sugar, flavorings and
a milk product, differ in that flan is Spanish in origin and is made
with sweetened condensed milk while crème caramel is French in origin
and is made with whole milk or cream.

The caramel topping may have hints of coffee flavor but technically it is not made with coffee.  It is melted sugar, melted to a slightly burnt state called caramelized sugar.
If like Flan then you will probably like creme brulee.
This is the cooking stack exchange, right?


Does eating a cookie created using coffee beans has the same effect as drinking coffee?

No, because there is no fluid in the cookie.  Eating a coffee cookie will have the same effect as eating a roasted coffee bean.

Virtually no caffeine will be lost during baking, unless you bake hot enough to burn the cookies.  Caffeine's melting point is 460F (237 °C).  That is well above what your cookie will reach internally while in the oven.


How long can I store ground coffee in the fridge?

Coffee should never be stored in the fridge!

In the same way that baking soda absorbs smells, coffee will absorb smells and flavors in your refrigerator. These compounds can be extracted when you brew your coffee and will contribute to undesired flavors.

Proper storage of coffee is to put your beans into an airtight container, and store around 25C out of sunlight (EX: your cabinet).


What are some strategies for handling the transition between different-aged beans in a coffee shop Espresso grinder?

You will just have to find some form of compromise. I think the best way would be to empty the Hopper and then fill it with the new beans (also sometimes you might want to switch up the espresso?). You should figure out how your grinder behaves once it's getting more empty and with this knowledge you can quite easily adjust the extraction such that the quality will not decrease too much.

The most likely case is that the dose will decrease slightly. You could put a scale next to the hopper and if you feel like your espresso is running faster, check if the dose changed because the hopper is getting empty and adjust your grinder accordingly. I think checking the dose and grind occasionally throughout the day is a good way to up your espresso game in any case. It helps me learn a lot about the coffee and setup. There's tons of variables, like humidity and temperature that will change the behavior of the grinder.


How much caffeine is lost after 24 hours?

Caffeine does not break down (at any appreciable rate) when left alone in a drink. It requires the enzymes in your body to break it down, so when you take the drink out of the fridge, it'll be just as caffeinated as when you put it in.

However, your drink will still be stale, because there are plenty of other organic compounds in the coffee that will break down over that time, affecting the taste. Also, assuming you reheat the coffee, the reheating will have further effects, making it taste very bitter.

Either make yourself a smaller coffee (16oz is a lot!) or drink it all when it's fresh.


quality of water for cold brew and packaging

This question differs greatly on a couple key factors. First, whether it is just for your own use, and second, how long you want to keep it for.

If you are drinking this yourself, you can make it and bottle it however you like. Whether that means doing what is easiest with what is available or going all out and buying supplies, it's up to you. If you are giving it to others or possibly selling it (your question is pretty ambiguous), then you want to try and create the most delicious cold brew you can at the most economical price. Glass definitely looks a lot better, and as I will talk about next, brings better flavour when kept refrigerated.

If you want to drink it the day or two after you make it, then a plastic bottle is probably fine, but the main difference is how well the bottle keeps out light, and lets out air. It may seem as though plastic is completely air tight, but there can be gases exchanged through plastic that can change the composition of the coffee chemistry. If you want a liquid to stay fresh for longer, glass is always a better bet than plastic.

  Can i pack cold brew in a high quality PET bottle?

You CAN make cold brew however you want. Tap water and PET bottles are fine for easy home brewing. It is, however, widely acknowledged that water plays a much more vital role in coffee brewing than previously thought, and when your coffee grounds are in contact with water for many hours as is the case in cold brew, you can suffer from that. Good water and glass bottles will always be better than tap water and plastic bottles.


Is there a composition available about how the main parameters influence coffee taste?

in the post roasting scenario here is a succinct article:

https://theconversation.com/the-perfect-cup-of-coffee-boils-down-to-four-factors-30208

As your taste is unique experimentation will be required.  I roast and brew ... it took me months to get to my formula.  I will also mention the quality of water.  I have settled on a balanced H20 'smart water'.


Which of these espresso variant contain more caffeine?

To say which of these has the most caffeine is a little bit complex, as it depends on if you mean how much caffeine per ounce vs. how much caffeine in the drink in its entirety. To start, let's explain the drinks.

1. Espresso

Espresso is the key to this whole discussion. Each of the four beverages you referenced is (or contains) Espresso. Espresso is a method of brewing coffee, by which pressurized water is passed through a compacted "puck" of fine grounds. In a traditional espresso shot, roughly 0.25 oz of grounds are used to create about 0.85 oz of Espresso. Caffeine levels vary depending on the coffee beans, but as a mainstream reference, Espresso made by Starbucks contains approximately 75mg (they use slightly different measurements, however).

2. Ristretto

Ristretto is a form of Espresso in which less water is used. So you take the same puck of 0.25 oz of finely ground coffee, but instead of making 0.9 oz of Espresso, you make a more concentrated 0.5 oz (or so). Because the strongest Espresso is the first to be brewed, this is the most concentrated form of espresso, and as such has the most caffeine per ounce of any drink on this list. That said, one shot of Ristretto is is less caffeinated than one shot of Espresso simply because there's less of it. As such, if measuring by the amount of caffeine per shot, this is the least caffeinated drink on this list.

3. Lungo

Lungo is the exact opposite of Ristretto. Instead of being an Espresso made with less water, it's an Espresso made with twice the water. As such, a single shot of Lungo has the most overall caffeine of any drink on this list, but is less concentrated than either standard Espresso or Ristretto.

4. Americano

This is Espresso with water in it. No, really. A solo Americano has the exact same amount of caffeine as a solo Espresso, however it is watered down, and as such is the least concentrated drink on this list. You could hypothetically make an Americano from Ristretto or Lungo shots instead of standard Espresso, and in doing so make it less or more caffeinated (respectively).

In Summary

Assuming all are made with the same number of shots, the most caffeinated drinks overall are:

Lungo
Espresso / Americano (tied)
Ristretto

The most caffeinated drinks per oz are:

Ristretto
Espresso
Lungo
Americano


Do I need to clean my drip brew coffee maker's filter every time?

Looks like a standard metal mesh reusable filter! The mesh is probably stainless steel, perhaps with a gold-tinted coating, sandwiched between a plastic frame. They're alternatives to paper filters for filter/drip coffee. I find the outcome to be a little gritty/grainy; more like French press than a regular paper filter.

In general, if your filter is still performing well, I think you're probably fine with a shake-out, rinse, or occasional scrub. However, any residue might impart off-tastes in your next brew (hopefully what's left is just coffee remnants!). The leftover coffee stuck to your filter (that you didn't wash off) will oxidise, taste stale, etc. (See also this question about coffee going stale -- one answer says it only takes minutes! And this question about what's happening with stale coffee.)

Wet coffee grounds will mould if allowed to sit too long as you report. So if you leave coffee in it, very wet, for a long time, you might be inviting flora and fauna that you don't want. You reported this in your question, but I'm surprised if it would happen very quickly. Clearly, when you have mould growing, you'll want to give it a good scrub. If you store your filter (grounds knocked out, even if not washed) in such a way that the filter can dry out more quickly (e.g., hanging, separate from the coffee maker, propped up to permit air flow, etc.) it seems that mould would have a harder time to grow.

As for getting clogged and occasionally needing a really thorough cleaning... I use a similar device for brewing tea, and it gets clogged sometimes. In fact, I wrote this question/answer on Cooking.SE recently about how it had become clogged after a decade of use; see that for more on how to get such a metal mesh really clean.

A probably-obvious alternative is to use a paper filter. You could toss the whole thing into your compost bin (filter and spent grounds and all!) and everything on the coffee maker will dry out more quickly.


I finally noticed that the chaff collection unit is actually several pieces that don't fit as well as they could.  I took it apart and sealed the seams with high temperature engine gasket sealant.  I then used the sealant to connect the vent hose to the top of the chaff collector (also a very rough fit).

I still have some problems with cold air inflow on the vent through the house wall, but I can disconnect the vent hose from the house vent and stuff it with rags or other temporary insulation material if I choose.

All said and done the machine is leaking far less than half the smoke it was previously.  It seems the chaff collector was a main part of the problem.  This makes sense as the exhaust there is making a 90 degree turn, expanding into a chamber, then compressing back into another pathway.

UPDATE:

Complete misunderstanding of the problem.  The exhaust vent is sized down and WILL connect and properly seal on a piece of exhaust pipe fitting.  I am not sure why the company sized it this way, but sealing the seams and using a piece of exhaust joint (rather than slipping the vent hose/pipe over the exhaust) works like it was probably designed to.


Although I have not a real answer as for is hard to tell without specifically knowing the metal/metal treatment/alloy, posting to Chemistry SE might help. To me it looks like a plated Aluminum that got oxidized where the protection dropped.  Aluminum oxide is self protecting so you should not worry much, your filter cup has still a very long lifetime.


Should I grind my coffee beans at home, or en masse in the coffee shop?

That's pretty straightforward: if you're not too lazy and have the equipment at hand, always grind only the amound needed just before brewing.

Check out this answer for impressive data.

Now if your beans are year old already, this might not make a huge difference --- but there's no way that grinding it all at once could help you have ``somewhat fresh cups''.


Is it a good idea to keep a coffeemaker if I only occasionally drink coffee?

Cleaning is a hassle, sure. But something else to consider is the recurring cost of the coffee itself. Where I live, a bag of coffee costs almost as much as a coffee maker. Cheap coffee makers can be found for as little as $10 - $20. Small French presses are around $20 to $30.

According to wikipedia:

  A customary "cup" of coffee in the U.S. is usually defined as 4 fluid ounces, which is the commonly used as the measure for an amount of coffee.

So if you really mean just a few "cups" per week, then it might not be worth it to buy a coffee maker, because your bagged coffee will probably get stale before you can even use it all. Just grab a drink from your local coffee shop occasionally.


I'm a big coffee drinker and after many different brands and roasts tried, I'm very sure coffee taste notes on the bag or website are literally just marketing and not descriptive of the coffee at all.

It's a dark roasted blend of Ethiopian, Sumatran, and Peruvian beans. It's probably going to taste like a tame (less bitter) but strong black. Don't expect anything wild like Kicking Horse, etc., and don't expect anything absurd, like fruity or chocolatey.

Coffee generally does like this: it tastes generally like coffee. Differences between blends are typically minor and nuanced things that can't be described well with words. There are notable exceptions, but still, the differences are hard to describe.


What are important factors to consider for a bean-to-cup machine?

Some major factors for consideration:
1) Manufacturer and warranty - with more integrated parts I've had to return or replace my fair share of these (and finally moved to separate machines for better taste and performance at the cost of convenience).
2) Capacity - how much are you brewing and for whom?
3) Adjustability - ability to vary the grind based on the bean / strength of coffee you desire.
4) "Cleanability" - how easy is it to disassemble the machine to clean it - with these integrated machines it is essential that you break them down and clean them frequently to maintain good taste and performance.