Companies (including Nestle) make creamers that do not require refrigeration.  They are likely available in your local grocer, you just need to check the label and make sure refrigeration isn't required.

If you are paranoid about potential bacterial growth or contamination (like me) you may check into bulk buying the single serving creamers that they use at restaurants.  They require no refrigeration either and are sealed until use.

If you are looking to keep "real cream" cold for 8 to 10 hours, you may want to look into some sort of freezable lunch bag or small ice chest that will stay cold and takes up less space than a mini-fridge.  This would require substantially more effort, but may be worth it if you are particular about your cream.  Also from the comments below, you may look into a double wall vacuum thermos.  They are increasingly popular and come in a wide variety of qualities and prices, so do your research before buying.


I wouldn't use Oxyclean inside.
That "brown foam" that you had in the carafe would be difficult to remove from the inside working without a LOT of rinse cycles.
I simply use a solution of 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water and run that through with great results.
I also use filtered water which helps tremendously keeping things clean.


As far as I know there are no health concerns about coffee aside from caffeine consumption. Unless there are additives in instant coffee that I'm unaware of then there ought to be no substantive difference between the two (French Press and instant).  Instant coffee is simply coffee which was freeze dried either by spraying droplets in the air or crushed after freezing.

Therefore the health concerns, if any, would be relative to the amount of caffeine you consume. You mention that you drink two cups a day. That is below every recommended max consumption I've ever seen (4 cups).


Brewing 900 Cups of Coffee (In 24 Hours)?

Your problem depends more on the shape of the data than the raw quantities. 900 cups in 24 hours is one cup every 40 seconds or so, which isn't so bad, however I doubt that's the distribution of actual orders!

I'm going to assume all of your 300 guests want to have a cup of coffee during a one-hour period. This works out as 5 coffees a minute, or one every 12 seconds.

I'm ignoring factors of manpower, cost etc., and focussing on coffee preparation only :-)

You can get 12-cup french press pots very easily, and probably larger ones. Assuming each one takes ~6 minutes to cycle (prepare, brew for 4 mins, serve, rinse), meaning you can serve 2 people a minute with one pot. 3 pots would allow you to serve 6 people a minute (amortised) and serve 300 people in an hour. A few more pots would make it very comfortable. Assuming you're grinding the coffee fresh, you'll get a far superior brew from this than perk coffee that's been sitting there for 20 minutes.

So serving people fast enough shouldn't be too hard, but boiling water fast enough might be, and for that you just need an urn, with which you can keep a large enough supply of boiling water to just fill up and go.


You are correct, four cups means four servings - but a serving is an espresso cup, not a mug.

In the different coffee cultures around the world, there seems to be some correlation between cup size and strength of the brew, with the amount of coffee beans per serving very roughly the same per serving and varying amounts of water used.

If you are a new coffee drinker, I would suspect that four servings in one go would give you quite a “kick”, but individual caffeine tolerance varies. As for how much you should drink, that’s up to you, unless you have a medical condition where your healthcare provider tells you otherwise or you are a breastfeeding mother (“infant high on caffeine” is an experience you as parent will likely not want to repeat).


Large scale cold brewing - Mesh bag technique - What size mesh is best?

I have had bags made up in China. 30cm x 30cm 100 micron is best for stepping. Put 5kgs of coffee in each bag and filter it a second time straight out of the tap.

Ohhhh and never squeeze the bags.


Let's take a look at what turns coffee grounds and water into coffee:

It's an extraction process where aromatic compounds and oils and caffeine are extracted from the coffee bean into the water. It's a "standard chemical process", done in millions of kitchens and cafés all over the world.

Basic chemistry will tell you that the temperature of the solvent and other environmental parameters like pressure typically determine how fast this happens, but also the ratios of extracted substances, if applicable. Surface area comes into play as well, that's why e.g. coffee for espresso machines is ground finer than for filter machines. Using the same batch of beans in an espresso machine and a drip coffee maker gives you two totally different taste profiles.

The same applies for extraction processes that use cold water, a method termed "cold brew" and discussed on this site as well. By the same rules as explained before, this means you need significantly longer extraction times (we are talking hours here) and should expect a different taste.


I have a Sage with a built-in grinder as well. The grinder isn't great, it has some inconsistency that may clog part of your filter basket just enough to reduce the flow a bit more than you'll like.

I've solved this by adding a wet paper filter before adding the coffee. For this I use paper filters meant for AeroPress, which are only slightly too big for my portafilter (like 2 millimeters too large in diameter). My technique is as follows:

Push some water through the filter basket to warm it up a bit, then dry with a paper towel.
Add a pre-wetted paperfilter to the bottom of the portafilter, press it down with your fingers. It's okay if the sides of the paper filter go up a little bit against the wall of the portafilter.
Add your ground coffee as you normally do and tamp. Then pull the shot.

For me, this allows me to push a bit more water through compared to keeping everything the same without the paper filter. My theory is that it keeps the holes in the filter basket nice and clear so the water gets pushed through more easily.

Seeing that this is a pretty cheap option, I'd give it a shot.


Best stories of coffee consumption in historical times?

A story often shared as the origin of coffee consumption is that of Kaldi and The Dancing Goats, which comes out of Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee.

Kaldi was a herder who discovered his goats would become rambunctious after eating the berries and leaves of a plant. That plant turned out to be the coffee plant.

Upon observing this, Kaldi also partook of the plant's berries, finding it gave him extra energy. Some claim people would crush the berries and mix them with animal fat into rudimentary "protein bars".

Eventually they began drying-out the berries and steeping the seeds (beans) in hot water to brew the first coffee to grace the Earth. Thus begins the storied history of coffee consumption!

Another anecdote relating to coffee involves Pope Clement VIII. His advisors urged him to ban the consumption of coffee, likening it to the "Devil's brew" as it was popular among Muslims.

However, after tasting coffee for the first time, the Pope was so impressed he couldn't bare to think of outlawing it. It's said this led to the spread of coffee drinking among Catholics and Italians in general.

This story should be taken with a grain of salt, as whether or not Pope Clement VIII actually said or did what he said, or whether or not his advisors ever broached the topic is a matter of speculation.

That said, there are many more stories surrounding the spread and popularization of coffee. I'll let others add their own stories, as I know there are many more out there :)


I've burned my stainless steel macchinetta. Is it still safe for use?

Yes, it is perfectly okay to overheat stainless steel.

You can clean it by boiling soap water in it. Here's a link

You should replace the seal (the seal should be replaced ever so often anyways).


There may be some advice on this. My first will be to check the pressure as you can do this with your pretty machine. Please check if you are around 9 bars when pulling the shot.

One reason of delay is, it takes a while for the water to wet the grounds. So, it is normal to wait for a few seconds to see the first drops. However; if it is more than a few seconds, the most possible problems I can think of are:

The pressure is not enough
You have tamped so forcefully
The grind is too fine


Does caffeine raise cholesterol (good or bad)?

Coffee beans contain a chemical called cafestol, which tends to increase blood cholesterol levels, especially LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

Brewing with a paper filter seems to reduce the levels of these cholesterol-raising chemicals in brewed coffee by filtering out these chemicals (e.g., cafestol, kahweol). Levels of cafestol in coffee are higher in non-paper-filtered brewing methods, such as French press and others.

Here's one article that discusses this, and another pointed out by @apaul34208 in comments.

EDIT: Links to actual studies. Here are two studies that discuss this further: one from van Dusseldorp, et al., 1991 that talks about "a factor" (i.e., an as-yet-unidentified compound) that has a cholesterol-raising impact. A later paper (Urgent, Katan 1997) identifies these factors as "diterpene lipids cafestol and kahweol". Specifically, the abstract from the latter article states that "[paper] filtered coffee does not affect cholesterol."


It is possible to completely dissolve coffee grounds while cleaning a metal filter?

I'm not a chemist, but I'm confident that you won't be able to dissolve coffee dust using conventional cleaning methods. I think the chemical solutions you describe are primarily aimed at dissolving oily residue.
If fine grounds are stuck in the filter, I'd try to remove them mechanically. In this case, I think air pressure from a compressor could push them out.


How to train coffee notes tasting for newbie

Sensory skills are one of the most important skills any barista and coffee lover could have. But, just like with any other skill, it takes time to develop. The first and easiest thing you can do is to drink as much coffee as you can and explore the vast world of flavor profiles and complexities of different coffees around the world have to offer. Maybe one day go find a shop selling a Yergacheve or a Genji from Ethiopia and next go find a Sumatra or Papua New Guinea. Recognizing this kind of dichotomy will help you to find major differences in coffee and eventually sharpen your palate.

There is, in fact, a science behind tasting coffee. It's been said in studies that when we taste things we associate them with a color. If you taste butter, you might see yellow. If you taste kale, you might see green, etc. The SCA has a great visual representation of this. You can find it on google or on their website. I would use that as guide.

Also, eat more food and fruits. Get more familiar with food. When you look at the color wheel, you'll probably notice a lot of flavors or fruits that you've never even heard of. Eating more food can help you train your palate for tasting coffee.

Lastly, there is both a subjective and objective aspect to tasting coffee.  If you were drinking a Kenyan coffee and said, "I taste green apple," then objectively speaking, you're tasting what is known as Malic Acid. If you tasted grape, tartaric acid, and so on. This does not come easily or quickly, but keep with it. Don't, out of potential discouragement, start saying you taste things just to say that you taste them. Allow your brain to adjust and sooner than later you'll be a whole lot better at being able to distinguish flavors in coffee.

Hope this helps!


How does Caffeine-free coffee affect your body?

I personally couldn't taste any difference between decaf and regular coffee but depends on the brand. According to some resources is decaf the biggest source of antioxidants in the western diet and it has positive impact on health if you drink 2-3 cups per day. From my personal experience, you can drink probably as much decaf as you want since it doesn't have any negative side effects, regarding regular coffee you might get breath problems and high blood pressure if you drink too much. There are lot of good brands of decaf where you don't taste any difference between it and regular coffee.

sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/decaf-coffee-good-or-bad

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325502.php

https://greatist.com/eat/is-drinking-decaf-coffee-better-for-you


The one-way valve, to squeeze or not to squeeze?

It doesn't actually matter!

The valve on the bag is there to let gas out without letting gas in. The reason for this is that freshly roasted beans will continue to give off a bit of CO2 for a little while. Coffee that's packaged immediately after roasting will give off a bit in the bag, hence the need for a valve.

Oxygen causes coffee to go off, which is why we keep our coffee in airtight containers to preserve it as long as possible. It's why the valve on the bag is designed to prevent air from the outside getting in.

The CO2 that's accumulating in the bags is essentially inert, and won't cause the coffee beans to go off. It makes no difference whether you squeeze it out or not!


What variables in brewing have the biggest effect on taste?

A few other factors to consider:

Freshly ground beans.
How you store your coffee beans. You basically want to keep them reasonably cool and away from oxygen, sunlight, moisture and variations in temperature (which is why you don't keep them in the freezer except for long term storage). Generally in the pantry in an opaque, air-tight container. I one-way valve is recommended as recently roasted beans will emit CO2. I bought a stack of 250g resealable foil bags with the one-way valve from a local roaster and would use each bag a few times. These days I use AirScape canisters.
The water you use. If you wouldn't enjoy drinking your tap water, don't use it to brew coffee. Use the same water you use for drinking water.
The amount of water you put in the Aeropress vs. the amount of water and/or milk you add afterwards (if any).
How vigorously you stir with the paddle. Generally you want to stir just enough to ensure all the grounds are thoroughly wetted, and that there are no air pockets. Stirring too much can over-extract which will increase the bitterness.
When pressing into the cup, do you only press until you hear the air hissing through, or do you keep going and compress the puck, squeezing out every bit of water you can?[1] The latter can over-extract and increase bitterness.
Using paper filters vs. a metal disc filter. Also, some people believe pre-rinsing a paper filter makes a difference.

Obviously there are a lot of variables, and people can become amazingly pedantic. Fun if you don't mind a bit of experimentation.

With regards to water temperature, the general wisdom is that you want the slurry of coffee and water to brew at around 95°C, which is just a bit under boiling for optimal extraction. This video gives some pretty good advice on this. Pre-heating the Aeropress would probably make the biggest difference here[2]. I usually just wait until the water in the kettle stops bubbling before pouring. Apparently it is possible to burn the grounds if you hit them with water that is boiling.

The other bugbear I have is with retention in coffee grinders. Retention is when grounds are left up in the works of the grinder, and often the grounds can come out very staticy and cling to everything and make a mess. This grosses me out as it means old grounds from previous grinding will be dropped in with the fresh grind. Weighing the beans before and after can show a variation of half a gram or more. Urk.[3] However I've found that sprinkling a couple of drops of water on the beans before grinding almost completely eliminates retention for me.[4]

[1] There's a term for over-squeezing the grounds that escapes me at the moment.

[2] Having lived a lot of my life in drought areas, using and then discarding the water to pre-heat my Aeropress or French press is something I find surprisingly hard to do.

[3] I did mention people can become amazingly pedantic, didn't I?

[4] Known as the Ross Droplet Technique


How do I make my Turkish coffee immune to brewing temperature?

Whatever you do, Turkish brewing mostly reflects the proper technique.

Still, if you really consider temperature stability as your first concern; there is something you can do. Try to keep the temperature of the cezve intact.

To do so, you need lots of metal to evenly share and distribute the thermal capacity. But... Turkish coffee brewing must be done so quickly. Somewhere around 80 seconds at all. Then, you also need thermal connectivity; which boils down to thick copper.

Again, copper may be poisonous; so, it is plated. Better option is silver for better thermal connectivity. Second, cheaper option is tin. As you see, even a single cezve may cost a lot.

If you think your technique is advanced, stainless steel may do based on your budget.

Please see this previous answer:

Actual Cezve: advice for buying


Short answer: Slowly. Binary search. But for espresso, Turkish, moka, or AeroPress: I adjust mine to nearly the tightest (smallest) setting possible that still allows me to turn the crank without difficulty.

Method: This is how I adjust mine.

Approximate the setting by eye. Looking at the burrs, gauge about how large you'd like your grounds to be.
Mark this setting (temporarily) with a wax pen or marker.
Grind a bit of coffee and look at the average grind size; determine whether you'd like it coarser or finer.
Change the setting by N (e.g., 4) steps in one direction.
Repeat. Grind a bit more coffee. If you went in the correct direction (finer or coarser), determine whether you'd like it finer or coarser. (Start over if you went in the wrong direction)
Change the setting by going N ÷ 2 (e.g., 2) steps in that direction.
Repeat the grind and check. Terminate if you're happy, or go one step at a time until you are happy.
MARK THIS SETTING AND HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE TO CHANGE IT ;-)

My experience: I have a similar Hario model (this one), which sounds marginally more difficult to adjust than the one you're talking about. I use mine for almost all of my daily coffee grinding. I set it very infrequently: I go through phases between pour-over and moka, and I try not to go through these phases more than once per month to avoid adjusting this thing.

To adjust my model:

Remove top nut.
Remove crank handle.
Remove setting bracket.
Twist the toothed, threaded washer/nut about the threaded shaft to move the nut up (counter-clock, coarser grind) or down (clock-wise, finer grind).
Replace bracket, handle, top nut.

I mark the "set-screw" nut with a marker to remember where I've tried. I try to avoid going more than one revolution either way; on mine, two revolutions goes from moka-fine powder to French-press coarseness.

When you've figured it out... I have put scratch "marks" on the screw for I (moka: fine), II (drip: medium), III (French press: coarse) so that I don't have to guess quite as much. Highly recommend indelible marks on your grinder once you find the setting you like. To change from one setting to the other, adjust to the middle: then go tighter to the "fine" setting, and looser to the "coarse" setting (otherwise, it can be ambiguous).

Other than changing the settings, I like the thing. There was even a Kickstarter that funded a stabilizing mechanism for the bottom to ensure a more-even grind: it launched as EvenGrind (I have no affiliation with it).


How much does keeping beans vacuum sealed matter?

Coffee beans are freshest from about 12 to 48 hours after roasting until maybe one or two weeks later when stored properly in an airtight container.  During the early portion of this period (immediately after roasting to three or four days later) beans will be still giving off some gases, thus the reason for one way valves on coffee bags.  That being the case, vaccuum sealing can extend that time some, but not indefinitely.  Storing your coffee in the freezer actually makes the problem worse since the freeze thaw cycle drys the beans out and forces the oils to separate out of the beans.


Problems with Rancilio Silvia: How could I prevent getting too much or too sour espresso?

That's a pretty extreme contrast for a one-level difference.

A couple things you could try:

Use slightly less grounds if you're on level 23 - this will make your puck a bit easier to push water through.
Weiss Distribution Technique - use a toothpick to break up any clumps you have in the grounds before tamping - try this on level 24, since you may have some channeling going on with the slightly coarser grounds.
Pre-infuse your puck with grounds from level 23 - soaking them a bit early before starting the pull may help you to get a proper extraction. See this youtube video.


Roasted coffee beans (from which you'd brew coffee as usual) are certainly edible -- chocolate-covered coffee beans are an example. They don't need any different or additional processing beyond ordinary roasting; I'm guessing that was what was in your bar. Chew a whole roasted coffee bean; does it taste similar?

If you're asking about green beans, a quick search suggests that raw coffee beans contain some questionable chemicals; however, this question about the edibility of coffee cherries seems to indicate that they're not harmful...


How to avoid channels when pouring espresso

If the espresso is pouring too fast it most likely means you need to grind finer, not tamp harder.

To avoid channels you first need to make sure your machine's pressure is not too high. 9 bars is the usual pressure, but there is evidence that 7 bars will reduce channeling. Many consumer machines come with 12-15 bars of pressure which is simply too high.

Then you need a proper grinder that will have a consistent grind and not produce clumps, otherwise your cake density will not be even.

Your distribution and tamping must be even. Tamping too hard is not necessary. Some people have good results only using a distributor/leveler and not tamping. Make sure your tamper/leveler matches your basket size exactly. Sometimes you need a +0.5mm or +0.3mm over the written size to actually match your basket.

Finally, make sure your shower and basket do not have obstructed holes. You should use Cafiza regularly to clean your group head, portafilter, etc.


This may be an anecdotal answer, but it's coming from a friend that really cares that their aluminium moka pot stays in a prime condition as long as possible:
If you want to minimize visual changes in your moka pot, make sure to rinse it (do not use soap) right after use, wipe it with a dry cloth afterwards, and do not reassemble it until it's dry (as it will trap the remaining moisture in the chamber which causes the aluminium to oxidise, changing the colour). That should slow down the process significantly.


Which grind should be used for brewing coffee without machine?

The explained methodology is traditional Indian-style preparation method.

As far as I know, historically Indians realize that tea and coffee includes many active radicals at the early ages just by observation. (I'm skeptical that it is related to any chemical knowledge.) Then, they started to add milk to these two beverages to neutralize the radical components. That's why Indians have this kind of coffee as well as Chai Latte.

This method may seem similar to Turkish method in the beginning of decoction, but requires much more brewing time. Mostly ended up warm, if not cold, mixed with lots of milk and sugar.

You can watch how this coffee is prepared in this video.

Finally, which grind is best for this type of coffee?

As this is kind of decoction, Turkish grind seems like the first option. But, brewing will take longer. So, I opt for Mokka grind.

Edit: I realized that, the list actually includes South Indian Filter method. So, please choose that option. This option is normally very rare in the rest of the globe. That's probably why I missed that.


Are the last drips after pulling an espresso less tasty?

It's not really the pressure, that's just timing.

It depends on the beans and roast; your comparison point is the first few (after pre-infusion) drips that came out. The last ones are always going to be weaker and quite possibly more acidic because the puck is both drained and saturated at the same time. It's drained of oils and flavors, and saturated with hot water.

Whether or not you can actually detect that difference should it be added to the rest of the shot is a matter of uncertainty, hinging on your sense of taste and the type of coffee used. If it's a dark-roasted robusta blend then you might be able to detect a slight almost 'metallic' or slightly salty flavor, but you'd need an extremely acute sense of taste. The water you use also has a lot to do with this.

It can sometimes be easy to get caught up in what is probably happening, even if you (or most) can't really taste it. If you get more satisfaction out of your coffee because you've managed to improve the taste even just a tiny bit - then great, and keep doing it, because that's what it's all about. Just be critical and test for yourself, with your setup, and your beans :)


Bean-to-cup coffee machines without milk steamer

I have the Hamilton Beach 40792.  It will be hard to find a decent one without the steamer.  Mine cost around $100


Ears feel hot and eyes twitch after a cup of coffee

Muscle twitching, especially in the eyelids, is a very common reaction to caffeine - I myself have that problem when I drink more than 3 cups of coffee in a day. Unless the twitching makes you uncomfortable and anxious there is no need to worry too much about it. If it does worry you, you should consider reducing your daily caffeine intake.
As for the hot ears, I get those when I drink something warm like a tea (or coffee) and when I eat something spicy. This also might be a harmless effect of the caffeine.
Nonetheless I would recommend you go see a doctor, or at least mention it the next time you visit one. What helped me with judging the effect of coffee on my body was to record my coffee intake and record any symptoms that might be caused by coffee. This, coupled with taking my temperature and blood pressure a few times throughout the day helped me to understand how my body reacts to certain beverages.


Ignoring Krups instructions re descaling

Technically you can use whatever you want to descale a machine.

Keep in mind the manufacturer recommends using certain things for a reason. It could be the material inside the machine are sensitive to certain thing, or how much of the descaling solution is left behind.

You should always follow the manufacturer's instructions. Breville for instance recommends using white vinegar (acetic acid) and water at a 50/50 mix for descaling.

If you do not want follow the manufacturers instruction, I would use white vinegar at a 50/50 mix. This method has been used for ages to descale coffee machines.


This is correct and it has a reason. Actually three. Let me explain...

First, I want you to consider the shape of the Hario Buono Coffee Drip Kettle:

Or, a Turkish tea kettle:

As you can clearly see, both have separate spouts. The special design of the spout make the flow of the liquid as laminar as possible while you pour it.

This is our first concern, why don't coffee carafes don't have this special spout that starts from the bottom, makes a curve and ends at the top, apart from the body of the carafe?

In that case, the coffee at rest in the spout will loose so much heat and become cold rapidly. This is not what we desire. We want the coffee carafes to keep heat as stable as possible. So, we want to keep coffee all together, apiece, in one place together. That's why, coffee carafes have only one (not very nice) spout at the top. This is our first reason.
Here comes our second one, for liquids, or in general for fluids, you have a magic number, called Reynolds number. This number is (simply) kind of the ratio in between how particles are carried by the total motion of the coffee (inertial forces) and the resistance against being carried (viscous forces). When inertial forces are too much against viscous forces, your coffee starts to tremble by definition. This is what happens when you start to pour your coffee. Apparently, when the angle in between the carafe's spout and the vertical to the earth's gravitational vector is close to 90 degrees, Reynolds number will be bigger than when it is close to 0 degrees. This explains why emptier carafes have more laminar flow during pouring.
And finally, the third. Fluids also have another magic number called Weber number. This number explains why surface tension effects your pouring. As in the previous case, also surface tension adds an extra complexity to the flow while you pour with greater degrees. The surface tension forces your coffee to form droplets. As a result, instead of having a perfect laminar flow, you end up a turbulent and sometimes intermittent with droplets flow while you try to pour when your carafe is full.

There are also a few other interesting concepts like Ohnesorge number and others. But I hope these could explain it all.


Cleaning a stovetop espresso maker (moka pot) before first use

Check for metal shavings, grind the bottom flat (if needed). Remove the filter and sealing in the top part to check there as well.
Mild soap can be used to remove leftover oils from machining (if present).

For Aluminium moka pots, don't use anything abrasive or even midly aggressive (acidic or alkaline) as it will attack the aluminium, instead use coffe to let a protective oil film build up. Some cloth or paper towels can be used to reduce the "patina" from time to time. Immediatly rinsing with water after use (the top part) will keep coffee from drying and sticking and also keep the oil film intact.

The stainless variants are pretty much immune to wear, except the sealing. However, the filter (in the top part) might also be made from aluminum.


Will I develop a caffeine dependency by skipping 2 days?

You can absolutely develop a dependency.
The important thing to remember is that there are physical and mental aspects to addiction. If you look forward to it hard enough, any amount of time can pass and you can still crave it just as deeply. Sometimes a deep craving can even result in symptoms that shouldn't be explainable by chemical explanations [Psychosomatic effects].

It would also depend heavily on dosing. You would want to make sure that you don't try to compensate for your days off by going on a binge and placing yourself directly under the espresso maker until you've had 3 days worth! In fact, that could make the problem worse because the difference between your "on days" and off days would be so much greater you might await those days the same way a junkie looks forward to their next hit.

droog has the right idea. Try to see if there are ways to rotate in other substitutes for coffee. Maybe you enjoy the hot drink, or you look forward to the short break it takes to prepare it. Regardless, people just don't go well with negative feedback. If you feel as if you are deeply depriving yourself, then change your approach. The way to be successful is to find a way that cuts down your caffeine intake while also not feeling as if you have lost something.


How much does caffeine concentration in a cup of coffee decrease as a function of time (roughly)?

Caffeine is quite stable, it doesn’t evaporate or break down at room temperature (or coffee temperature), apart from dissolving in the water used to brew your coffee. So after an hour or two, the caffeine content is the same1 as right after brewing.

Unfortunately, the same is not true for some of the other substances that have us appreciate coffee, so you may expect the flavor to deteriorate a bit (or a lot, depending on whether you started with a handful of freshly ground slow-roasted beans or a few spoonfuls of Folger’s coffee-flavored sawdust). But that’s not what you were asking about.

———-

1 If we were really nitpicking, we could even say that the caffeine ratio (not content) increases due to a minute bit of water evaporating during the given time frame. But for the average household precision, “stays the same” is sufficient.


Why do espresso grains have to be finely ground and French press grains coursely ground?

Coffee brewing is simple physics and chemistry. In short, soluble compounds and oils migrate from the beans to the water. The extraction will depend on temperature, pressure and contact area between beans and water. There’s also a balance between desired and less desired flavor compounds (e.g. acidic and bitter) that a specific brewing method needs to manage, so you tweak the given parameters.
If you have a coarse grind, the total surface area is smaller, so to get a comparable extraction you need more time (minutes for hot water as in French press, hours for cold water as in cold brew). For finer and fine grinds, you brew shorter (pour over) and probably increase the pressure (espresso).
Of course you can also look at the problem in reverse, like in the question (“how much can method X extract”), and match the grind size to hit the optimum. However, there your assumption that e.g. an espresso machine can extract more is incorrect. The very short time plus the compact grounds means that comparatively little coffee flavor is extracted - but some would say that it’s the best parts ;-)


It is possible to grow coffee indoors. If allowed to grow as a tree they can reach 8 feet tall but if trimmed occasionally you can get the plant to grow more like a bush around 3-4 feet. This will change some based on the exact type.

Coffee plants prefer shade with a couple hours of direct sunlight in the morning. Keeping it by a window should be about right. Depending on your climate you want to be careful taking it outside during winter.

As J Musser mentioned, this will be a long process that will yield very little, but it can be done.

On the plus side, coffee plants are evergreens and look very nice as indoor plants.

You can read more here.

Edit: Stealing @JMussers comments to add to my answer

  One large apartment plant will only produce enough coffee for a few cups worth each year, and that's after years of growth. They do look good, though. My point was, indoor coffee plants aren't that effective. Outdoors, a good plant will produce around 2-3 lbs. of grean beans per year. They are usually planted about 8'x8' apart, or a near equivalent, so 680 plants per acre, = around 1700 lbs of green coffee per acre per year, under good conditions.


Why do the coffee shops give sparkling water along with the Espresso?

Most people drink espresso not just because it is hot, strong and contains caffeine, but because it is very rich and flavorful. The water is intended to cleanse your palate before the first sip so that you can better enjoy the taste of the espresso.


According to this review published in Psychopharmacology, it is very much not a myth.

  The caffeine-withdrawal syndrome has been well characterized and there
  is sufficient empirical evidence to warrant inclusion of caffeine
  withdrawal as a disorder in the DSM and revision of diagnostic
  criteria in the ICD.

More explicitly (emphasis my own):

  Of 49 symptom categories identified, the following 10 fulfilled
  validity criteria: headache, fatigue, decreased energy/activeness,
  decreased alertness, drowsiness, decreased contentedness, depressed
  mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and foggy/not
  clearheaded. In addition, flu-like symptoms, nausea/vomiting, and
  muscle pain/stiffness were judged likely to represent valid symptom
  categories. In experimental studies, the incidence of headache was 50%
  and the incidence of clinically significant distress or functional
  impairment was 13%. Typically, onset of symptoms occurred 12–24 h
  after abstinence, with peak intensity at 20–51 h, and for a duration
  of 2–9 days. In general, the incidence or severity of symptoms
  increased with increases in daily dose; abstinence from doses as low
  as 100 mg/day produced symptoms. Research is reviewed indicating that
  expectancies are not a prime determinant of caffeine withdrawal and
  that avoidance of withdrawal symptoms plays a central role in habitual
  caffeine consumption.

As for health risks, beyond the symptoms of withdrawal, caffeine has been linked to a number of conditions, such as:

Aortic stiffness among hypertensions patients.
Incontinence among women
Insomnia
Cardiac Arrest

So to summarize: Yes, you can be addicted to caffeine. No, it is not a myth. And it seems like you need as little as 100mg a day to be addicted, that is the equivalent of 1.5 espresso shots, according to this link.. Prolonged caffeine use can be harmful, moderation is recommended.


Is it necessary to sort beans after roasting?

It will affect the flavor. Whether that's particularly noticeable depends on the bean, the roast you're going for, and how much variance there is in the roast. Whether it matters to you is a personal decision.

In my experience, over-roasted beans are worth removing from a light roast (I tend to prefer city roast at darkest), even if they're not actually burnt - the flavor of even a few dark beans will tend to overwhelm the more delicate flavors of a lighter roast.

That said, I use a popcorn popper; there tends to be a lot of variation in the results. If you have a better roasting setup, you can probably avoid a lot of the hassle.


I confirm MT San's point on availability. Sugar has become a commodity, but in the past, it was a luxury item. This luxury trait remains with high-end cane sugar, etc.

In the past people either dos not know about powder sugar, or could not afford it. They used instead honey, maple syrup, or other locally (so cheaper) available sweeteners. This habit remains for some people, usually older, as they have started in their youth, and that became their personal standard.

Interestingly honey can be more expensive than sugar today. Sugar is now a major commodity, and the price is really well "engineered". Honey has lower circulation, and the prices are comparatively high. But now the Elderly may have better incomes too.

By the way, no citation here. This is personal observation of my relatives, and a parallel with chicory, which originally replaced coffee in "poorer" regions of some countries, and the custom remains, even though the regions may not be "poorer" anymore.


What changes need to be made to espresso machine so it can function properly in space?

I was able to dig up this press release:
http://www.lavazza.com/en/.content/document/pdf/PR_Italian-espresso-in-orbit.pdf

The first capsule-based espresso system able to work in the extreme
conditions of space is here. It is called ISSpresso and is the
brainchild of two Italian companies — Argotec and Lavazza — in
collaboration with the Italian Space Agency
Turin, 13 June 2014 – “An espresso coffee is what I miss most aboard
the International Space Station.” We have repeatedly heard this
comment from the Italian astronauts who for 13 years have been at
times working in the International Space Station, and today their
espresso wish is about to become reality. In fact, Argotec and Lavazza
are working together with the Italian Space Agency (ISA) to actually
bring the authentic Italian espresso onto the International Space
Station. So in the Futura Mission — the second long-term mission of
the Italian Space Agency aboard the Space Station — another Italian
astronaut of the European Space Agency, Air Force Captain Samantha
Cristoforetti, could not only be the first Italian woman to go into
space, but also the first astronaut in history to drink an authentic
Italian espresso in orbit.
Its name is ISSpresso. It takes its name from the International Space
Station (ISS), where it is to be installed. It is the first
capsule-based espresso system able to work in the extreme conditions
of space, where the principles that regulate the fluid dynamics of
liquids and mixtures are very different from those typical on Earth.
ISSpresso is the product of a project run by Argotec, the Italian
engineering company specialised in the design of aerospace systems and
European leader in the preparation of healthy and nutritious foods for
in-space consumption, and Lavazza, the historic Italian coffee brand.
ISSpresso is a veritable technological and engineering jewel, able to
deliver a perfect espresso in weightless environment. This is why it
was selected by the Italian Space Agency to be used aboard the ISS, in
the framework of the Request for Expression of Interest that the
Agency keeps constantly open to public-private partnership projects
and activities to be carried out in the ISS.
“Italian coffee is a beverage without borders — comments Giuseppe Lavazza, Vice President
of Lavazza — and we have been thinking about taking the espresso into
space for some time. Indeed, as far back as ten years ago we launched
the espresso into orbit artistically with the photographs taken by
Thierry Le Gouès and our Mission to Espresso calendar, which at the
time may have looked like a work of science fiction but was actually
just a vision of the future. In fact, today we are in a position to
overcome the limits of weightlessness and enjoy a good espresso — the
indisputable symbol of made in Italy products — on board the
International Space Station. We are proud to have worked on this major
project with Argotec, through the Lavazza Innovation Center, our
division dedicated to research and product innovation: a scientific
and engineering challenge which we hope will improve the living and
nutrition quality of astronauts engaged on long missions.”
“Our aerospace engineers — stated David Avino, Managing Director of Argotec
— have designed a new-concept coffeemaker, which is safe for the
astronauts and able to function in microgravity conditions, also
thanks to Lavazza’s experience as a leader in capsule extraction 2
systems. The functional project was already completed in June 2013:
Argotec had been working on it for about one year. This is an ultra
high-tech project which has led to innovative solutions, applicable
with immediate returns on Earth as well. ISSpresso is a technological
challenge that meets very stringent requirements, imposed by the
Italian Space Agency, in terms of technical functionality and safety.
In addition to the engineering aspect, Argotec is also taking care of
the European astronauts’ training and nutrition. Food provides an
important psychological support and being able to enjoy a good Italian
espresso may be just the right way to finish off the menu designed
especially for each astronaut, helping him or her to feel closer to
home.”
Roberto Battiston, President of the Italian Space Agency added:
“ISSpresso is a perfect example of the way ISA's decision to make ISS
national usage rights available to public-private partnership
initiatives can result in a valorisation of public resources for
technological, economic, and social objectives. The ISA will bring
ISSpresso aboard the ISS, thanks to bilateral cooperation agreements
with the NASA, as it shares with the project partners the objective of
improving the quality of life of ISS astronauts, as well as the
astronauts who will take part in future long interplanetary
exploration missions. At the same time, we are also proud to
contribute to the promotion of the image and spreading of the
Made-in-Italy brand at international or better “space”, level.”
A coffee break in space. A prototype of the space coffee machine is
currently being tested at Argotec’s laboratories and all the necessary
functional and safety checks. In a subsequent phase, Finmeccanica –
Selex ES will participate in the assessment activities aimed at
launching ISSpresso into orbit with the Futura Mission crew, one of
whom is the Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. The ‘corner
café’ on the ISS will be the hub for socialising on board the Station,
a sort of social network in space, a venue for getting together,
chatting and relaxing: an aspect that should not be ignored in
missions that keep the astronauts away from home for many months in a
very challenging environment. The innovative capsule system will also
be able to prepare not only a regular espresso, but also a caffè lungo
or hot beverages, such as tea, infusions and broth, so that food can
also be rehydrated.
Extra-terrestrial technology. Every tiniest detail
of ISSpresso is designed to respond to a scientific and engineering
challenge: in fact, the machine studies have enabled principles of
physics and fluid dynamics to be tackled, such as the difficulty of
handling liquids at high pressure and high temperature in a space
environment. Just think that the plastic tube carrying the water
inside a normal espresso machine has been replaced with a special
steel tube designed to withstand pressure of more than 400 bar. The
machine is so complex that it weighs about 20 kilograms since there
are back-ups of all the critical components for safety reasons in
accordance with the specifications agreed upon with the Italian Space
Agency. ISSpresso represents a technologically high-value project
which, besides increasing the variety of flavour in the astronauts’
menu, will help improve our understanding of the principles of fluid
dynamics and conditions in microgravity. Some of the solutions adopted
have led to international patents, which will be useful both for
future space missions and immediate terrestrial use...

tl;dr
It looks like its a heavy duty capsule system designed to withstand high pressure that not only makes coffee, but makes tea, broth, infusions and re-hydrates food.

Just found images on The Guardian:

And on http://walyou.com/lavazza-argotec-isspresso/


Volume of water to 2 grams of instant coffee

Those sound like single-serving packets; they are probably intended for a single "cup" of coffee -- somewhere between 150mL - 250mL (5 fl. oz. - 8 fl. oz), depending on how strong you prefer your coffee. Volumetrically, instant coffee is usually on the order of 5-10 mL (1-2 tsp) coffee powder per cup, and this sounds like it's about the same.

I'd suggest starting with 150mL / 5 fl. oz. and try it. Add more water as necessary. Or, in the event that you like it even stronger, use less water next time. For a strength more like mass-market coffee, you might get up to 350mL cup (10 or 12 fl. oz.).

Aren't there directions on the packet or box? Seems like there should be. If so, I'd use those instead. :)


Are robusta and arabica the only bean varieties?

Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora are the only two species of plants whose beans we use to make coffee - Arabica and Robusta respectively.

However, you may have heard of other 'types' of coffee that might be confusing. For example Peaberry Coffee is not actually a separate bean type. 5-10% of harvested coffee berries contain only one bean (instead of two). These are usually discarded, but sometimes are collected and sold separately. They are normally Arabica beans.

Furthermore, since 2008, 9 new species of coffee plant have been discovered. These are not currently cultivated for beans though, as far as I can tell (though some species contain traits which would be desirable1 - self-pollination and caffeine-free beans).

1. Desirable for some people...


Caffein, which is the main active ingredient in coffee is known to be dehydrating. However there is no conclusive scientific evidence that caffein intake in normal dosages has detrimental effects on the quality of your voice.

One study by Akthar et al. (1999) showed that the ingestion of 250mg of caffein, which corresponds to 2 to 3 cups of coffee, produced alteration in the voice of 8 individuals. I would take this result with a grain of salt though, since a study performed with only 8 subjects, without control group or anything, can hardly be called representative or conclusive in any way. Also they say that the effect produced varied substantially between individuals.

Another study by Franca et al. (2013) is showing that the ingestion of 100mg of caffein shortly before using your voice does not have any negative effect on the quality of your voice. I think this is a more plausible study design, 100mg corresponds to a cup of coffee and the experiment is controlled with one group taking placebos.

Finally a recent review (Alves et al. 2017) of the literature on dehydration and vocal quality found that dehydration is, surprise, bad for your voice. They also found however that "systematic hydration is the easiest [...] solution to improve voice quality".

Thus I would conclude, that as long as you take care to stay hydrated, meaning drinking water with your coffee (which everyone should do in any case) moderate amounts of coffee consumption will likely not have any detrimental effect on your voice quality. The evidence for that seems to be mainly anecdotal and not scientific. If you struggle with some vocal chord disease for example or you are in recovery of one, maybe coffee could be ill-advised. Akthar et al. (1999) hint to something like that. There's no proof that it's damaging in those cases either, but just for the sake of being overly careful rather than ending up doing damage (anyways it would likely be only temporary) to your voice, if you are professionally dependent on it, maybe restrain from coffee consumption in cases of diseases etc.

References:

Akhtar, S., Wood, G., Rubin, J., O'Flynn, P., & Ratcliffe, P. (1999). Effect of caffeine on the vocal folds: A pilot study. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology, 113(4), 341-345. doi:10.1017/S0022215100143920
Alves, M., Krüger, E., Pillay, B., Van Lierde, K., & van der Linde, J. (2017). The Effect of Hydration on Voice Quality in Adults: A Systematic Review. Journal of Voice.
Franca, M. C., Simpson, K. O., & Schuette, A. (2013). Effects of caffeine on vocal acoustic and aerodynamic measures of adult females. In CoDAS (Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 250-255). Sociedade Brasileira de Fonoaudiologia.


How to methodically pick out coffee nuances

A well sourced coffee that has been properly roasted and brewed can be amazingly sweet. It's not the same kind of sweetness of cane sugar, but maybe milk is a better example. Milk is not entirely sweet when cold, but as soon as you heat it to around 130F, it's turns deliciously sweet.
In any event, you will want a lighter roasted coffee. I think it can be a strange transition for people's pallets, especially for people that have been drinking a darker roasted coffee their whole lives, it becomes hard to identify a light coffee with the "coffee taste." A lighter roasted coffee preserves the sugars within the coffee, and brings out the wonderful acids and flavors that come from the fact that coffee is indeed the seed of a fruit.
I think if I was you, I would purchase some coffee from a specialty coffee roaster (like: verve, ritual, 49 parallel, Intelligencia) and see if one of them really amazes you in any way, and then try and achieve that same roast profile. Other then that, don't always take those taste profiles to heart! They can certainly be different for anyone, and some often pretty silly.

Good luck!


What coffee bean and roast are appropriate with soy milk?

Though it's not primarily your question, my chief problem with soy(a) milk in coffee is with curdling as described in this question. I have noticed curdling especially in higher-acidity coffee -- e.g., especially in American-origin coffees and lighter-roasted coffees. No matter the preparation, I avoid soy milk in anything lighter than full-city roast. The resulting grainy texture is simply unacceptable! Though admittedly certain brands are less likely to split, especially if steamed, frothed, emulsified etc. as in for certain drinks like latte.

Darker-roast coffees are more common ("popular") in general at mass-market chains, so I think that can also explain some of the prevalence of dark roasts for soy milk.

As for taste, fat content and sugar content vary greatly for soy milk, even when discounting other additives like vanilla or other flavourings... so go for an unsweetened, un-flavoured brand. For my preference, the nuttier taste of soy milk is a good complement for Indonesian or other southeast-Asian coffees, which can be earthy, nutty, toasty, and take to darker-roasting well. Flavour guides such as this one from Serious Eats can help identify general characteristics. If you like a pairing of soy milk with some other food, look for a coffee that expresses that same characteristic!


Why does commercially brewed coffee taste so much better?

I think there could be a few extra factors, besides grind type effecting your final cup.

Are you trying to match the taste you get from an auto drip brewer by making your coffee with a v-60?

Brewing method will change the taste.

It's good to see you are using a scale too. When I make coffee I like to follow this chart for ratio.

I use 21 grams of coffee to 12 ounces of water. It's important to note whenever the word "cup" is mentioned usually that means 6 ounces of water.

Another thing I wonder about is the beans that the coffee house is using. You might be purchasing beans that are not giving you the flavor you are looking for.

Personally, I like single origin coffee for pour overs and drip machines more than I like blended coffee.

You might find this post helpful for selecting the right kind of beans.

Good luck on making a great cup!


Is it safe to give decaf coffee to a child?

You may find similar discussion mostly on the health tag. The most relevant question was previously closed on Coffee SE site as it was opinion-based.

What's the minimum recommended age for drinking a coffee?

Let me add my opinion here: my 2.5 years old niece drinks regular (not decaf) Turkish coffee together with us during her daily routine. Caffeine's effects are similar in adults or in children. And they are more or less the same. However, children have smaller and more sensitive bodies. So, we let her drink really small amounts. She becomes happy to be a part of the family. I can say, everybody in our family grown up like that for generations, none of us experienced caffeine-related problems. (Still, we are not MDs and we are a very limited sample set. This is a coffee board, not a medical opinion body.)

The other related questions may arise, but relevant to adults:

Does coffee cause dehydration?
Does coffee cause gastrointestinal problems?
How many cups of coffee is it safe to consume per day?
What are the side effects of drinking too much coffee?
Can drinking coffee at least once a day increase anxiety?
Coffee on daily basis
Does coffee consumption cause continuous chest pain?

As children are more sensitive, every little effect must be considered seriously. Still, I believe, if observed carefully, it should be safe to drink a bit coffee for a child.


Why is chicory added to coffee beans while grinding?

Chicory was added to coffee in order to stretch the supply of coffee because it was in short supply and expensive. Though it doesn't taste exactly like brewed coffee, chicory has a similar flavor profile and for some the flavor is complementary. Today, chicory use is predominately due tradition, as is the case here in Louisiana where many, especially in the more southern region of the state, prefer their coffee include chicory.


What are the differences between americano and espresso?

An espresso is a shot of coffee produced by forcing hot water at high pressure through coffee grounds. Often, the espresso is the base shot of coffee from which other coffee drinks are prepared, although it is also quite common to enjoy it on its own.

An americano is a coffee drink made by pouring one espresso and then adding hot water on top of it. This hot water weakens the coffee a little and mitigates some bitter notes. It is also consequently a larger drink and retains its heat for longer.

As Ivan mentions in the comments, you may also be interested in the long black. It's a little like a reverse americano, where the espresso shot is pulled over hot water. This retains more of the crema than an americano does.


Accidentially put aluminum moka pot on stove without water ... is it still usable?

You should be totally fine - and you aren’t the first person who did something like this.

Aluminum melts at a whopping 660C (933K) and while pure aluminum is chemically very reactive, the pot with its oxide layer is quite stable, so whatever you did will have left your Moka way below any temperature range where anything unwelcome may happen. Especially as you report that the rubber gasket is unharmed, and that would be the first part to suffer any heat damage.


How to avoid soya milk curdling in coffee?

It seems that the cause of the situation of curdling soya milk in coffee is that the acid from the coffee curldes the proteins and/or fats in the (soya or other) milk, being catalysed by the heat of the coffee; so that's what needs to be mitigated.

There are a couple related questions on Cooking.SE, including this one that suggests adding salt to the coffee will help a little (table salt, or even bicarb / baking soda). I have tried adding table salt to the coffee first, then adding the coffee to the soya milk, and it seems to help (a little, sometimes; YMMV). Another Cooking.SE question also suggests waiting for coffee to cool.

The linked TheKitchn article (linked from the aforementioned previous question and @PythonMaster's answer) suggests that cooling the coffee, or pouring coffee into the soya milk (rather than the other way around) helps via similar mechanisms. In my experience in messing with this, I have not found the order of adding ingredients makes much difference (i.e., putting coffee into the soya milk). It absolutely depends on the type of coffee, also, because different coffees will have different degrees of acidity.  See also this table about relative acidity levels.

However, it is certainly the case that adding coffee into the milk will be helpful in general (compare also to tempering of eggs or adding acid into water rather than the other way around).  In this order, these allow temperature and acid (respectively) to more slowly come into balance between the two substances as they are being combined.

IMHO, I have found the brand (i.e., the ingredients and production methods) of the soya milk to be the biggest factor. I (personally, with not-entirely-scientific -- yet! -- trials) find that soya milk brands that contain emulsifiers (or other additives) are less likely to curdle in coffee.  My only guesses are that

these compounds (emulsifiers, thickeners, or stabilisers, such as carrageenan or xanthan gum) interfere with the coagulation, or
something else in the processing (perhaps, e.g., pasteurisation) has denatured the proteins or otherwise chemically changed the nutrients such that they are less likely (cf., UHT or ultra-pasteurised milk)

I generally prefer to avoid the additives, so this is an unfortunate conclusion for me personally.

Freshness of the milk is also an issue; milk of all types will spoil and slowly start to curdle due to natural processes (fermentation, bacteria, other contamination). There's another question about storing soya milk in the freezer, where we reached similar conclusions.

At the risk of making this an even longer answer, here are some other things to try:

Add cold coffee into soya milk.  Does it curdle?  If so, it seems temperature is not your only enemy.
Check your label; does it have carrageenan or so?  If so, this might not be the metaphorical silver bullet.

I'm interested (fascinated, even; obsessed, maybe?:) ) with this, so I'd really like to hear feedback. Of the dozens of articles I've read on this, I've still not found a proper solution.

Happy experimenting; comments welcomed.


What constituant in coffee has a laxative effect?

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV...

I would guess that it is a combination of a few factors.

Coffee contains caffeine which is a stimulant and most stimulants have some degree of laxative effect.

If nothing else stimulants will raise your metabolism, so even if it isn't immediate you'll be heading to the bathroom sooner than you would without them.
It also looks like caffeine causes stimulation of the bowels specifically.

  coffee can also cause looser stools because increased peristalsis
  leaves less time for the colon to perform one of its key
  functions–reabsorbing water from fecal matter to produce well-formed
  stools. Be aware, however, that other common accompaniments to coffee
  can be culprits in this matter. Dairy products, excess sugar, even
  “sugarless” sweeteners like sorbitol (a well-known substance used as a
  laxative) can cause diarrhea. - Source

Coffee is mostly water

Just drinking a couple full glasses of water on an empty stomach can lead to a softer stool.

The psychological effect

I don't know if there have been any real studies on this, but I strongly suspect that there is some Classical Conditioning going on. Much like Pavlov's dogs who were conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell, if your usual morning routine is to have a cup of coffee and then head to the restroom, over time you end up conditioning your self to do this regardless of whether or not the coffee is really "making you poop".


What's the difference in between the red Bourbon and yellow Bourbon?

They are different varieties (at least 2 of them, red & yellow)

The original Bourbon was the Red. Founded in the Bourbon Island (now Réunion) near by 1790 aprox at carried it by the French to Africa and America (Brazil).

Then, in 1930, a natural mutation of the (Red) Bourbon was found at Sao Paulo (Brazil). This one:

  "Is thought to be either a natural hybrid of Red Bourbon and Botucatu Yellow or a natural mutation of Red Bourbon"

The Orange, it's just another mutation. But I'm certain that is not a ripeness matter, it's a mutation/evolution thing.


How to make a delicious cold coffee from ground coffee?

What you have mentioning is widely known as iced-coffee.

The most widely adopted method is to brew any type of coffee: filter, drip or french-press. Then, adding ice cubes in a cup and pour the coffee to fill the cup. After that, you mix it to homogenize the temperature, add milk and sugar if desired.

Another method is known as Japanese brew. In that method, you prepare an ice cube filled cup beforehand. Then, pull your shot of espresso on top of ice. (Optionally, filter/drip on top of ice.) This method is known to preserve aromas better than the previous.


What's the difference between iced cafe au lait and iced coffee?

One should know that Cafe Au Lait is literally Coffee with Milk in French, and thus - that's the thing about it - Cafe Au Lait has much more milk in it.


Tea vs. coffee paper filters: are they interchangeable?

They will function ok for your intended use. Some fines may get through and produce a bit of sludge in your cup.
Your bigger problem is that you won't be able to fit enough coffee into a standard size teabag to get good dosing. French press dosing is between 1:10 and 1:16 coffee to water ratio, which is 16-25g per 235mL or freedom 8oz cup. For the same size cup, you only need about 2g of tea. Teabags are sized for the latter. You may have to use up to ten per cuppa to fit the desired amount of coffee.


How important is tamping coffee for an espresso machine

Tamping is one of three key controls you have over the espresso brewing process; The others are dose (the amount of coffee used) and grind coarseness.  Together, they allow the coffee machine operator to produce a puck of the correct density and consistency through which the pressurized water can be pushed through.

While techniques vary, the "rule of thumb" is to apply roughly thirty pounds of force evenly across the puck; however, the key is consistency.  Keep your variables the consistent and you'll be able to dial in the best end-product.

I've been able to pull great shots using anything from just the weight of the tamper itself to my full weight pushed onto a puck, keeping all of the other factors where they needed to be to create the correct puck density.

See this video below for more detail: What is the Right Way to Tamp?


I got a Delonghi Magnifica ESAM3300 bean to cup machine recently. It grinds the beans, makes the coffee, and cleans itself.  It is as easy as pods, but I get to use any coffee beans I want, without pods.

The Magnifica costs about $525 US, which is about as expensive as the Breville.  However, when you do the math, it is not that bad, except that it requires a larger up front investment. Plus, you do not need to buy a grinder.

I compared to a Keurig machine which will cost around $100 US, and uses pods that cost between $0.50 or $0.90 per cup. My favorite coffee beans sell for about $12 for 2 lbs (thank you, Costco), which translates to about $0.10 per cup in the Magnifica.

I computed that the Magnifica initial and operating cost will break even with the Keurig cost in much less than a year.  No pod waste either. No coffee grounds all over my counters due to static electricity from a separate grinder.

So far, I love the machine. I get great crema and a lovely cup at the push of a button.

The machine has a dual block system to ensure that the manual steam wand is ready to go.  However, I do not know enough to tell you if the frothier produces appropriate microfoam for latte art.  It makes good cappuccino and latte, as far as I am concerned, but I am not an artist about it.

My sister has had this machine for over 10 years with no problems, so I am confident in the reliability of grinder, infuser, and overall system.

If you can find a store than carries them, you might see if you can get a demo.


What/when/how do you consider coffee as organic?

You were most likely right in saying 'no' straight out.

Coffee is considered organic if no chemical substances were used for its production. This includes herbicides, pesticides, and I believe some fertilizers too. Wikipedia agrees with this.

But even if you're a coffee producer and you're sure you don't use chemical substances and there are no residues in the soil, that's not enough. You have to certify your product and you'll be able to say that your coffee is certified organic. The certification process and agency will depend on where the coffee is grown.

Of course, the certification costs. And some producers might not afford it (thanks to Chris_in_AK for pointing this out).

Since you're only roasting the beans and not producing them, it's not really up to you (you could ask your provider if the beans they're selling you are certified organic). But you could buy beans that are certified organic.


Can I store wet coffee beans in the fridge?

From a food safety perspective, three to four days should be fine. For longer periods, simply freeze them. But...

Wet beans will likely clog up your grinder and it’s probably not a good choice, flavor-wise. The wet beans will likely change flavor during the time in the fridge, and most likely not in a good way.

Drying them again would be better. Either place them in a single layer in a well-ventilated area or in a warm oven with the door slightly ajar. You will lose some flavor each way, but that probably can’t be prevented.


Does coffee cause gastrointestinal problems?

In the article titled "Coffee and gastrointestinal function: facts and fiction. A review.", it is stated that it has pharmacological effects and coffee promotes gastro-oesophageal reflux.

These discussions may be related:

What constituant in coffee has a laxative effect?
Why is coffee a laxative?


A very small thermos may be the answer. Quality made 50 ml (~2 oz.) thermos could be enough for a double shot. I have checked and found a few with a Google search.


Quantifying flavor differences between varieties?

Sort of...
These links, including the redesigned coffee lexicon might help answer your question

http://worldcoffeeresearch.org/images/pdfs/WCR_Sensory_Lexicon_Edition_1_2016.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furan-2-ylmethanethiol

EDIT:

Additional information on the chemistry of coffee taste. This is produced by what we know as the Maillard Reaction -  the Maillard Reaction (MRx). Discovered by a French chemist in 1910 the MRx is what is largely responsible for transforming the mere handful of compounds found in green coffee (unroasted) to the complex aromatic beverage that it is today. As temperatures reach 150°C (302°F) the MRx causes free proteins to combine with sugars to form aromatic compounds such as furans which impart sweet, caramel like notes to the coffee. :

More on this chemical reaction  here: https://www.coffeechemistry.com/library/coffee-science-publications/unlocking-coffee-s-chemical-composition-part-2

Remember. Coffee differs from region to region - water, soil, temperature, altitude, sunlight, humidity, etc. Many, many factors go into how coffee gets its distinct flavor and notes.


I do not believe such a product exists at a consumer level for dispensing coffee.

Hypothetically, you would need a vacuum-sealed container that also incorporates some sort of outlet corridor where the coffee could enter, which would then need to be sealed from the inside before dispensing the coffee. It would be like an "air lock" in a miniature coffee spacecraft.

But if this is simply a labor-saving effort, there are touchless, automatic vacuum-sealed containers that re-establish the vacuum every time you close it (search https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=automatic+vacuum+container).

But on a broader note, if you find reestablishing the vacuum each time a bit more trouble than you would like, you might consider removing a few-days supply at a time, and just storing what you need in a regular air-tight container for your short-term daily use. Vacuum-sealing is optimal for longer-term storage, but I don't think you will find a perceptible loss of quality over a few days if you keep enough for your immediate needs in a regular air-tight container.


Does adding salt to coffee reduce bitterness?

The fundamental science seems to be: Sodium salts suppress the perception of bitterness. It specifically mentions caffeine, which is one of the bitter components of coffee. This About article lists a few more references to the same thing: The sodium ion works by "interfering with the transduction mechanism of [bitterness]."

The point is, it's a change in perception; e.g., the salt is not chemically changing the bitter compounds, just interfering with the bitterness receptors in your tongue. Conversely, the article seems to suggest that the bitterness doesn't reduce the perception of saltiness; this to me suggests that your coffee will taste salty. Caveat emptor! There's a bit more discussion on the saltiness and bitterness sections of the Wikipedia article on taste.

This question from Seasoned Advice discusses the same and provides some additional links. The Good Eats article linked from that question is interesting. A search at Seasoned Advice discusses related topics of salt and bitterness.


Is rate or consistency of flow related to quality when pulling a shot?

A more watery/lighter consistency with a high flow rate is going to leave you with a terrible tasting shot of espresso with too light of crema (this foam on top can tell you a lot about a pulled shot even if it does look as if it came out OK). The opposite applies here to, a super dark and slow pouring shot can occur too.

In my 4 years of coffee house experience using professional grade equipment it all came down to the grind size. You can tell just by the way the shot pours out. If it's quick make the grind a little finer, if it's slow make it a bit more coarse.

And also depending on the temperature in the room can effect the pulls as well, half way through my morning shifts I would have to adjust the grind.


How much caffeine is in an espresso shot?

According to caffeineinformer, there is 77 mg of caffeine in 1½ shots of espresso.

Comparatively, an 8 oz. cup of brewed coffee comes in at 163 mg of caffeine.

There is roughly 1/2 as much caffeine in 1.5 shots as there is in 8 oz. of brewed coffee.


What is a good ratio for nitro cold brew that will not be diluted?

The two big numbers I use when brewing are ratio and time. With these set correctly, you can do batches from 1L to 25L and the only difference is how hard it is to drain/filter.

I cold brew large batches to keg with nitro and also drink it straight and here are a few notes I have about my two numbers.

Time:

The time range everyone says is 12h-24h. I think this is about right and I think the sweet spot for normal brews is about 16h at room temperature. Closer to 24 hours can often taste "over extracted" and will be more bitter, but also more caffeinated. If you're trying to brew stronger, I'd try keeping your ratio the same and adjusting time to see what you want the brew to taste like first. Higher ratio brews seem to also benefit from longer steep times as solubility can become a factor, so usually if I like a coffee at 0.125 ratio for 14 hours and I go to make a 0.200 ratio brew, I'll steep it for 15-16 hours instead to make sure I can dilute it down to how I like it. This is where things tend to be by "feel".

Ratio

Ratio is much more scientific. It's just how much water and how much ground coffee you use. Protip: Use metric units and measure your ratio as Kg coffee : L water. This makes life way easier since you don't buy water by weight, but 1 Kg of water = 1 L of water, so your ratio makes sense. Here are the ratios I regularly use:

0.100: "Beginner" Nitro cold brew. If you want to serve a keg of cold brew and nitrogenate it, but your audience is family or non-coffee enthusiasts, this is a good ratio so that people don't chug a cup of it and feel like their eyes are going to pop out from the caffeine.
0.110: "The book" cold brew: loads of people swear by "1 gallon of water per 1lb of coffee" ratio. That's 0.110. I rarely use it, but here it is for reference.
0.166: Flat, everyday cold brew, fresh. I frequently make fresh cold brew overnight for myself. When I wake up it's room temperature and when it drips through a filter, it has a pleasant CO2 frothiness to it. I drink this over ice, which dilutes it close to 0.125 and if there are leftovers, I'll store them in the fridge and drink them straight later. It's a good ratio if you're not planning anything and want it to be flexible.
0.185: Strong. When I make nitro for enthusiasts, I brew here. This is a really rich, strong flavor. The creaminess of the nitrogen makes up for the fact that it's not diluted. Make no mistake, this is very strong to drink straight.
0.200: Concentrate for 1:1 dilution. I don't typically do water dilution. I rarely brew here, but this concentrate could work with a mix of ice and condensed milk or just cold cream.
0.250: Strong concentrate for 1:1 or higher dilution. If I make concentrate, I make it at this ratio for 16h+. Again, I don't do water dilutions, but over ice and cream or condensed milk, this can really make a good coffee flavored beverage or save space for storage.

Right now, I like Ethiopian beans for flat cold brew. I've tried several beans for Nitro and not had one I didn't like.

Hope that helps!


French Press: Does "plunge speed" affect taste?

Plunging speed will only change the flavour in a minor way. Plunging slowly/carefully will prevent more sediment from getting through the filter as you push it down. Change in amount of sediment in your cup will change the mouth feel of your coffee, and may influence the flavour a little bit. I.e.: If there is too much sediment it may be more bitter.

I have found I do not even need to plunge at all when making French Press, I have started simply carefully pouring the coffee out through the filter without plunging.

Link to cat video performing the French Press method described above.

See answers to a previously posted question on this topic as well!


Will coffee taste different from a cup with lid (blocking the smell)?

Yes.  You should remove the lid for maximum effect.  Somewhere around three quarters of our perception of taste comes from smell.  There are varying figures out there, but most are fairly high.

However, much of that comes from the olfactory sense when the molecules pass from our mouth to our sinuses.  So, having a stuffy nose is more likely to reduce the taste of your coffee than drinking it with the lid on.  That being said, the aroma from brewed coffee tends to dissipate fairly quickly, so you might only need to leave the lid off your cup for the first few minutes of your "coffee experience".


How could I fix espresso that pours too fast?

First things first; I advise you to decalcify your device in advance. This may fix many shady problems and taste issues.

Then...

There may be several issues that may affect your flow. These are what I can say at first sight...

Grind size: Finer and more consistent grinds may help.
Even distribution in the basket: if you don't evenly distribute the grounds, some water may leak around the grounds instead of brewing your coffee. Take care of even distribution.
Tamping: Tamp evenly, consistently and a bit more forcefully when necessary. Some baristas tamp up to 20 kg-f during tamping.

And a final note; for the given amount of grounds, a doppio (double espresso) is quite normal. Doppio should be 60 ml in your cup. In general, 14 - 16 gr of coffee grounds make a 60 ml doppio.


If it's refrigerated, it'll last for at least a week, as long as you didn't pre-dairy it.
  Unrefrigerated, I wouldn't trust it for more than a day. Coffee is a crappy growth medium        and it should start out the next best thing to sterile, but, even covered, its going to start to get moldy.
  Obviously if you add dairy, then you're dealing with that dairy shelf-life, and that isn't very long at all.

First, is your idea of going bad that it has a funny taste and is not as fresh as it once was, or is it that it actually tastes as though it is spoiled? Yes, coffee can go stale when it comes to taste, but it won’t actually be spoiled or dangerous to drink.

Once your coffee is opened and introduced to oxygen, the shelf life timer begins to tick. Storing coffee in hot, humid, or sunlight areas will only make matters worse. The best way to keep your coffee fresh is to store it in a container that is air tight and will remain cool – but not in the refrigerator.

Do you typically buy your coffee ground for you? With a far greater surface area of coffee coming in contact with the oxygen, those grounds are going to stale much quicker than whole beans will. I highly recommend investing in a hand or electric grinder to experience the fresh taste and aroma of beans you’ve ground yourself.

When coffee goes bad, it can become bitter and even rancid. Every bean will react differently to oxidation. If you start to notice your expertly roasted beans losing quality and general yumminess, it may be time to buy some fresh beans. Don’t know how to find amazing, fresh coffee? I wrote a guide on that.

No matter what you do, you will not be able to get that fresh flavor back once it has left the bean. The most important thing to do is keep it locked up tight. However, if you are a true coffee lover, it may not sit around long enough to even think about going bad. Just remember this rule of thumb: about two weeks after roast the coffee will start decaying.

I would close this question as "Too broad" but then.

Sourced from http://www.coffeebrewguides.com/ and https://cooking.stackexchange.com/


Differences in Espresso Machines Steam Wands

I was going to put this in a comment because I believe I am relying on conjecture a bit too much but I ran out of space.

Everything I have read online indicates the air holes are various ways to idiot-proof the steam wand and make it more consumer friendly.  On my old Delonghi EC 155, it had 2 air holes that were used to help incorporate air into the milk.  A common modification of this machine was to replace the entire steamwand with a wand from a higher end machine that lacked all the air holes / plastic contraptions.

A big hindrance to microfoam is the air holes mentioned, or simply, a poorly designed wand tip.  There are videos online of people producing high quality micro foam on the Delonghi EC 155 with a modified wand.


What do producers usually mix ground coffee with to make it cheaper?

I will not go into any political discussion, theory or similar, but I can give you a few historical facts.

There have always been times in the last few centuries when coffee was a rare commodity. And it has always been expensive to some degree, making it "something for special occasions" in the poorer parts of European societies.

People used and still use various "substitutes" from grains (barley, spelt, rice), roots (chiccory, dandelion), fruit (acorns, dates), typically roasted, ground and prepared like coffee beans, resulting in a somewhat bitter, dark drink more or less resembling genuine coffee. (For a more extensive list, see the link above.)

Instead of replacing coffee, they can also be mixed with coffee, "stretching" the yield of the coffee beans.

If you want to check your coffee for "fillers", buy whole beans - none of the coffee substitutes look even remotely like coffee beans.


Since decaf coffee isn't the same as caffeine-free coffee, the key point regarding addiction is the amount of daily servings of decaf coffee that deliver the 100 milligrams of caffeine needed to acquire some sort of dependence 1.

The amount of such cups of decaf will vary according to the brand chosen. According to a study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, and cited in the article Decaf coffee isn't caffeine free, they say that in average, a cup of decaf can hold about one-twentieth of the caffeine you get in a normal drip brewed coffee.

In that same article, they state that drinking more cups of decaf can compensate the lack of caffeine, and still be able to produce addiction.

So, it is indeed a matter of how many cups of decaf you drink.


How do I know how hard to tamp my coffee?

Each new bean becomes a bit of an experiment with each new machine you use.

A rule of thumb is to grind just enough to fill the portafilter so the beveled edge of the tamper becomes flush with the edge of the portafilter using about 15kg of pressure.

A crude diagram:

    ||||||     < Tamper
| [||||||||] | < Tamper 'head' flush with portafilter edge (note, it's flush)
| .......... | < Tamped coffee
| .......... |
+------------+
    /    \     < Goodness pours out here

But how much coffee that is, and just how much over 15kg you need to apply in order to tamp that much coffee to get the right pressure to pull a great shot is a matter of science that you'll need to do. You might want a finer grind instead of more pressure, you have to experiment.

Start with your usual espresso grind setting, a dose appropriate for the size of the filter you're using and then work from there.

You can get grinders that auto tamp for you based on your settings, so when you hit that 'eureka!' moment, you can reproduce it somewhat reliably using the same equipment. For home use? Just be ready to experiment with the first few filters full when you get beans you haven't tried before.

There's no real 'rule' here, other than you want as much coffee as you can get in the filter with the tamper sinking flush given about 15kg-ish of pressure. It varies wildly from there.


What Are The Merits of Different Green Coffee Processing Methods?

Dry Process | This is the oldest method of modern processing.  It requires very little equipment.  It is basically a manual process of letting the coffee cherries raisin up, then peeling them.  It is a labor intensive process.  Dry processing tends to produce body heavy, smooth coffees with complex notes.  Dry processing is used extensively in Brazil and accounts for the distinct different flavor profiles from other South American coffees.  Dry processing is not practical in humid, wet, or temperate areas, as dry heat is necessary to dry the fruit in a short enough amount of time and to assure that mold or fungus does not set in.
Wet Process | This method start with running the cherries through machinery to remove the skin and outer layers of the fruit.  The beans with remaining inner layers of fruit are soaked in water and allowed to ferment.  Additional processing is done  to remove the final inner layers surrounding the bean.  The result is left to dry (usually with additional machine assistance).  Wet processing requires a comparatively large investment in equipment, access to enough water for the process and creates waste water that must also be dealt with.  The process does allow for multiple areas to sort beans (floating during fermentation, in channel after fruit strip, etc) that potentially allow for a more uniform product.  Wet processed coffees tend to be missing the overt fruit notes of a dry process, but this is debatable and can vary based on fermentation methods (additional additives are sometimes used in the fermenting process).
Semi-Dry / Pulped Natural / Wet Hulled / Semi-Washed | This process is similar to the wet process except the fermentation step is skipped and specialized machines are used to strip the final layers from around the bean.  This method can produce beans with the best of both processing methods, but the machines used to strip the inner layers away are also prone to damaging beans.  This is a faster method of processing but again requires machine investment and resource use.

There are many other factors influencing coffee processing that should be kept in mind.  Individual farmers may not have a choice of processing method.  In many places the processing centers for coffee are quite separate from farms and only one processing center may be available.  Local conditions will also largely dictate what methods are appropriate or available.  There are also a myriad of variations on these methods that may produce different results and weather can play a factor as well (think about an area hit by a monsoon while large batches are trying to dry).  At some level, all farmers are trying to get paid for what they produce.  That being the case, most will prefer some combination of whatever local processing method is available and/or cheapest and produces the highest pricing for their product.


How can I make only a single shot on Delonghi EC9?

These are low-end machines. Sometimes they do not ship them with a single shot portafilter to keep the costs low. If this is your case, means, if you don't have a single size portafilter you cannot make a single shot. See the differences on this post:

How should I manage settings for single shot / double shot

My humble advise is, get used to drinking doppios. :)


Does hydration level change the effect of caffeine?

Definitely. This is why you get caffeine jitters when you drink coffee on an empty stomach. Caffeine is a diuretic so it makes you more dehydrated. It is recommended to drink water before drinking caffeine, because caffeine also increases stomach acid and can cause stomach pain.


Where are high-quality coffee beans harvested?

Many places with various climates do or could produce high quality beans. Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador,  Hawaii, Jamaica, Kenya, Indonesia... the list goes on and on.

Coffee is a fruit, a sort of cherry that can grow in wet or dry, temperate or cool climates. The climate of a location and the specific times of planting and harvest will affect the flavor of the coffee bean itself (which is the seed of the fruit).

But there are other factors that affect the flavor to greater degrees. How the seeds are processed (removal of the fruit and drying of the beans) after harvest is perhaps the biggest factor. Of course roasting, staleness of beans when brewing, and brewing factors all also play significant roles in the final taste of drinkable coffee.

It's close to impossible to control for all these factors. Specialty coffees can typically each be sourced to a single farm and a single harvest because that's the only way to ensure consistent processing of the beans. But even then, logistics of sourcing present challenges to consistently roasting and brewing those beans. And changing climates across the globe will challenge preconceived notions of "where the best coffee comes from" as we move into a bleak future.


The light colored spots just look like
chaff to me. It is common for there to be skin that stays connected to that middle fold of the bean.


How does the altitude at which beans are grown affect the final roast?

Based on the study entitled Effects of Altitude, Shade, Yield and Fertilization on Coffee Quality (Coffea arabica L. var. Caturra) produced in Agroforestry
Systems of the Northern Central Zones of Nicaragua the summary describes following on the altitude subject:

  ...

  Altitude had the strongest influence on coffee physical
  characteristics, biochemical composition and organoleptic quality.
  Shade influenced significantly the physical characteristics and
  biochemical composition of coffee beans; nonetheless, the organoleptic
  quality was significantly enhanced by shade only in the altitudinal
  range of 950-1255 m. Fertilization and yield influenced positively
  physical characteristics of the coffee beans as well as their
  biochemical composition. The organoleptic quality was influenced by
  fertilization, but not by yield. Biochemical compounds showed strong
  relationships with organoleptic characteristics.


Does coffee consumption cause continuous chest pain?

Similar questions have been answered in Coffee SE several times. So please check these previous questions first. I'm enlisting the most related ones I can think of below:

How many cups of coffee is it safe to consume per day?
What are the side effects of drinking too much coffee?
Can drinking coffee at least once a day increase anxiety?
Coffee on daily basis

Based on these, one can say, regular coffee consumption shouldn't be a problem for a regular healthy person.

Specifically for your question, my humble advice is that you should see a physician. People who are into coffee cannot diagnose others based on coffee consumption habits.


Ideal Way to control shot extraction with Gaggia Classic

The best way to control of shot extraction without adding excessively complicated electronics (if by PID you mean proportional-integral-derivative controller) is:

How fine is the bean grounding (the finer the grounding, the higher the density -> the slower the extraction).
Applied pressure on the grounded beans in the machine group head (the higher the pressure applied (similarly) -> the slower the extraction).
pressure and temperature are also important parameters to be concerned before moving to PID control (for example your extraction time/lenght could be longer but if the temperature of the water is low, there won't be excessive essential oil extraction).


That is a simplified 'consumer' version of a coffee flavor wheel that roasters / importers etc use for trying to put words to a coffees flavor.  It is a really good way to try and explain the flavor of the coffee, but honestly, most roasteries won't have the development background or funds to make the fancy background on their products.

I run my own roastery, and happen to be a software developer as well and to get that to work on my site would take quite a bit of customization.

My recommendation would be to familiarize yourself with a standard SCAA flavor wheel and pay attention to the cupping notes on each coffee.  Here's the caveat.  If the roaster is terrible, his cupping notes (or flavor wheel graphics) will still probably say the same things as a roaster that is producing high quality coffee.

If you become accustomed to single origin coffees you will be able to immediately go straight to your preferred origins from each roaster faster.  For instance, I have a customers who will only drink Guatemalan coffee because it matches their particular preferences, the same for Ethiopian etc.  If you find that Ethiopian fits your preferred flavors, then you can explore more confidently knowing that most Ethiopian coffees will have a 'similar' flavor profile.  Not all coffees from a particular country will have the same flavor profile, but it's a good place to start if you are looking for something to fit a particular flavor.


Chemex Setting for Bay Area Costco Grinder Machines

I tend to go with a coarse grind for my Chemex, but ultimately, it should depend on the flow through rate and your desired extraction. It will always be fresher and more consistent if you grind it yourself and tune the grind to your brewing style. I dialed mine in by taste and timing, starting with the brewing recipe from George Howell Coffee.


Is there a stainless steel thermal carafe that will fit a Bunn BTX-BT brewer other than the one that comes with it?

I have this exact brewer. This may seem counterintuitive, but I would suggest removing the lid from the carafe before pouring. The lid has a narrow rectangular notch through which the coffee passes during pour, and it is the shape of the notch that causes the splash.

Bunn has actually had a couple of versions of the BTX-BT carafe, and the current design is focused on maximum thermal retention. Unfortunately, the trade-off is difficult pour control.


There is a Specialty Coffee Association of America, and they have a professional development program with certificates.  (Also various awards and recognition programs.)

I'd be surprised if there was not some formal parallel in the two trade associations. The SCAE's "about-us" page says: "Together with the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), we represent the speciality sector on the International Coffee Organization's Private Sector Consultative Board."

The SCAA Chronicle from Oct. 2010 carried a story about a joint venture with SCAE called World Coffee Events, to "develop and manage competitive events on behalf of both organizations."

Added: There is also a Specialty Coffee Association of Japan, established in 2003.  SCAE began in 1998, and SCAA in 1982.


Reusing paper filter by placing metallic net filter in it

Brewed coffee ages like milk.  As soon as it is brewed its flavor begins to degrade and deteriorate, which is why it always tastes much better freshly brewed.  While you may not necessarily taste the difference from one pot to the next, it has definitely changed your overall expectation of the flavor.  The bouquet of coffee also is very complex, as is obvious from the fact that there is a distinct change in the scent from the time you grind to the time the brewing stops.

One flavor issue with reusing paper filters is that they tend to stop a large amount of the oils in the coffee from making it into the final product.  This could be desirable, as many (myself included) prefer the taste of paper-filtered coffee that does not contain the compounds found in the crema (the thin layer of foam on top of espresso, Turkish or French-press coffee).  These, which are often a combination of both sweet and bitter, are trapped by paper filters, but they will break down in the paper over multiple uses and wash into your coffee anyway, but not necessarily in the same form, which further changes the flavor profile.

If waste is a major concern, but you prefer paper-filtered coffee, you can make a compromise and use an Aeropress.  These use filters that are only about 2 inches in total diameter, meaning less gets tossed with each brew.  You could also look into filters made with recycled paper.  It won't reduce the waste, but it will reduce the environmental impact somewhat.

Remember, though, that in the end paper filters are biodegradable and, if thrown away along with the grounds, can actually aid in creation of compost -- a good thing.


For someone who works with high commercial grade espresso machines, I clean my shop's machine once a day before closing. There really isn't enough downtime in the day to deep clean the machine. For someone like yourself who might use it once or twice a day, just make sure that you always wipe it down with a damp rag and purge it a time or two for a couple seconds. If you really are concerned about it always being clean, buy some Cafiza. It'll keep your frother super clean.

Hope this helps!

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/urnex-12-esp12-20-20-oz-cafiza-espresso-machine-cleaning-powder/588ESP1220.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=CjwKCAiAy-_iBRAaEiwAYhSlA89ztllMujcfFKnhSgahUDlT2wpWRh9g7gS37eHBVaF_3zyMx3GfJhoCvjIQAvD_BwE


Yes.  Adding water to Espresso is considered an Americano.  Doing it the other way around is called a Long Black.

According to that article and below sources, the Long Black preserves the crema, whereas the Americano preparation should not.  The manner in which the pour is done can contribute more to preserving or destroying the crema than the order.  An Americano should have no crema and the crema should be preserved in a Long Black.  It is the preservation or destruction of the crema that will affect the taste (and thus the pour) more than the order.


Drip Coffee Maker. Slow and then extremely fast

Not sure if you'll be able to get a definitive answer on this one, but to me it sounds like filter/coffee choking, and then somehow un-choking. This is something I've experienced with pour-over brews. I've used my Fellow Stagg [X] Dripper before, and at 15g of coffee it's perfect, however at 24g the weight of the coffee is too great and it presses the filter and coffee directly against the holes on the bottom of the dripper.

Throughout the process I'll give the coffee a few stirs with a stir-stick, and it will immediately start flowing faster. It makes sense that you'd get a sweeter more balanced cup when the coffee doesn't choke. To me it also makes sense that you have a greater chance of it choking with more beans. Not sure how it could un-choke by itself, one theory is that once enough water pressure is present it creates a low-resistance channel where water flows through very quickly (and this water doesn't extract much coffee, rather would mostly dilute in this case).


How can I minimize the amount of grounds at the bottom of my French press coffee?

I have the same problem, and these things definitely reduce it:

Grind more coarsely. Blade grinders are incapable of really doing this—they give you boulders and powder. But I've never been satisfied with the taste when I use coarse grounds— it's weak and lacks body.
Make sure the screen fits well and no grounds are squirting along the sides
Press gently, don't force it down with a lot of pressure
After pressing, wait a minute before decanting
Don't drink the dregs remaining at the bottom of the cup... unless you're like a friend of mine who relishes them.

Finally, if none of that works for you, try a different brew method. Paper filters are very good at keeping grounds out of your cup.