Choosing A Bean

Choosing An Espresso Coffee Bean


Espresso beans are simply coffee beans that have been pressed to make a specific type of coffee, known as espresso. Often, the beans are roasted to a darker level, giving it a more bitter flavor. This bitterness creates the flavor of espresso that many have come to love. Trying to choose an espresso coffee bean can be somewhat confusing. If you know the simple steps to choosing an espresso bean, you can easily find the best bean for your coffee.

Flavor

Although the term 'espresso bean' is used, it is possible to make espresso from any coffee bean available. You simply need to think about the flavor of coffee that you enjoy. If you like a more bitter taste, you will want a bean that has a darker roast. If you want a more subtle flavor, you should choose a lighter roast. Again, any coffee bean can be pressed to make espresso.

Power

How much strength do you want in your espresso? The stronger the flavor of the bean, the stronger your drink will be. The more the caffeine in the bean, the more the caffeine in the espresso. It is important to remember that espresso comes in shot sizes. If you want a more powerful drink, you cannot look at the coffee bean. You simply need to add an extra shot of espresso to your drink.

Cost

When you are choosing beans to make espresso at home, you need to consider cost. How much are you willing to spend on coffee? While the more expensive beans and roasts may have good flavor, are they necessary for the drinks that you are making? If the drink that you make is heavily diluted with coffee and milk or cream, you may not want to spring for a more expensive coffee bean.

Availability

If you are making espresso at home, you are looking to make your favorite drink. If you have a favorite drink, you want to make it taste the same each and every time you make it. This is why the accessibility of your espresso coffee beans is so important. If it is easy to find your beans, you will know that you will not run out. Your espresso will taste the same each and every time that you make it.

Flavor is always important when talking about an espresso coffee bean. Some want their espresso more bitter than others. You simply need to taste the various beans and their espresso to understand what you like. You also need to think about power. How strong do you want the espresso to be?

You also need to consider cost when you are purchasing espresso beans. The more expensive the bean, the better the flavor will be. When considering cost, you should consider availability.



Will the espresso coffee beans be easy to find? Choosing an espresso coffee for your coffee needs relies on these various aspects. When you can find a bean that meets your flavor, cost, and availability needs, you have found the perfect bean.

Boot Camp for Coffee Drinkers

Boot Camp for Coffee Drinkers


Ok, so we go to a local coffee house and we order cappuccinos, café mochas, lattes and espressos. It isn't the paper cups that make these drinks taste so good. It's the recipe and of course the prettiness factor. Baristas all have a style of their own and every cup will taste different because of the roast, the grind, the amount used, the water, the temperature and many other things. We have all tried to make these coffee delights at home the way we think they are made, but do we really know the real way they are supposed to be made to extract the enchanting flavors correctly? Here is a quick list of how to make the basic drinks. This is boot camp for coffee drinkers.

Cappuccino: Equal parts of steamed and frothed milk and espresso. The milk goes on top of the espresso. Dust with nutmeg, cinnamon or chocolate powder or shavings.

Café Mochas: The easiest way is to use a good brand of hot chocolate, throw in a shot of espresso and top with whipping cream and chocolate powder or shavings. It looks the best if you put it in a tall glass and use a long handled spoon. For a finishing touch add a saucer and a napkin. Or make a latte and toss in a chocolate flavored shot.

Lattes: Foam & steam milk to 140-degrees. The ratio is 50% espresso and 50% milk. Pour the milk down the side of the cup so it infuses with the espresso. The difference between this and a cappuccino is a latte blends the two things together, whereas the cappuccino keeps them separate.

Espressos: We've all had bad espresso. There are many reasons why this is. The number one reason is an unfavorable bean. If you like espresso you are likely a connoisseur of coffee and know what constitutes a good bean. Anyway, to make a good espresso you must do the following:

• Use a fine grind
  
• You must tamp the espresso down firmly
  
• You must use a high pressure machine or stove top model
  
• You must not try to make too much at once
  
• You must see the creama on the top, which is a golden-brown foam
  
• You must use an appropriate espresso cup to keep the temperature from dissipating too quickly
  
  
  

All in all, making coffee correctly is all up to you and the way your flavor buds react to the taste. If you like it a particular way, then make it that particular way. However, if you have guests over they may just like the basics. So do yourself a favor and learn the correct way to make lattes and espressos.

How do you make a Perfect Cup of Coffee (an article by Linda Cramers )

How Do You Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Linda_Cramer]Linda Cramer

To make a perfect cup of coffee every time you need:


- A Drip coffee maker


- A Stainless steel or gold mesh coffee filter, brown unbleached paper if you are insistent on paper


- A stash of vinegar and baking soda for cleaning


- A good quality whole bean coffee bean not the 1.99 a pound kind


- Fresh clean filtered water


- 30 minutes of you time (start to finish)


If you want a perfect cup of coffee, instant is not going to be in your vocabulary. To make an absolute unadulterated cup of coffee you need a little time and a few essential ingredients.


First off, almost any drip coffee maker will work. The 19.99 one all the way to the 99.99 ones all do the same thing. They heat the water and siphon it over coffee grounds. As the water is soaked into the coffee, picking up the flavor it is then drained through a filter into a glass pot. Honestly the coffee pot is not what makes the cup of coffee. If what you are looking for is the best tasting cup of coffee for your money and time, here is how to do it yourself.


A clean glass coffee pot is what you need to start off with. To clean this well, you need to place about ¼ cup of baking soda into the glass pot and with your fingers add a few drops of water. Use your fingers to spread the baking soda all over the pot, up the sides and such. After you have used this as a mild abrasive, add 1 cup of vinegar. Swirl and swish allowing the baking soda and vinegar to bubble away. Next, use a clean cloth to wash the inside of the glass pot. Now, rinse well under hot water. When you think it has been thoroughly rinsed, give it one more good rinse. We are trying to make sure our pot is clean with no residues of soaps, coffee oils, or vinegar and baking soda. A clean pot will make a lot of difference. No more washing the pot once a week, or just running it under the water and calling it good.


Second step to a great cup of coffee is the filter you use. Most of us buy the cheap white 150 for 1.25 coffee filters. Why are they cheap? Because, they are not good. Not only are they paper, but they add chlorine and bleach, and starches to your coffee. How are you supposed to have a good cup of coffee if you add those things to it. I recommend a metal strainer. Gold mesh or stainless steel is good. These are a little more expensive, but are not disposable so you can reuse them for a good long time. Average cost for these run 12.99-19.99. Clean these the same as the coffee pot. Rinse well!


Third step to a great cup of coffee is using good filtered water. I am not saying you need to use bottled water. But getting a Brita filter and filtering your water before brewing will take the extra minerals and chlorine and any other extras often found in tap water. Since coffee is mainly water that is heated and flavored doesn't it make sense to use good quality clean water?


And of course the last step to a great cup of coffee is using a good whole bean coffee. No, coffee that is sitting on the shelf at Safeway will not do. You need to buy coffee beans from a good small company that buys their coffee in small batches, that are roasted daily or weekly. Only then can you be sure that the coffee you are getting is fresh. Choosing coffee this way runs about $12 a pound. But remember this is whole bean, you are getting a lot of coffee for the price. Grinding your own coffee bean at home is the best way to assure your very own perfect cup of coffee.


One more tip, do not reheat your brewed coffee, or leave it on for hours and hours. Brew only enough coffee that you will drink within the hour or so. Reheating and micro waving coffee just breaks the coffee down even faster. Yes, coffee does break down. When this happens you end up with a strong, sour taste. Not the perfect cup if you ask me. How do you brew just a few cups of coffee at a time? For every 6 ounces of water you add to your pot, add only 2 tablespoons of fresh ground coffee beans to the filter. When putting the ground coffee beans into the filter make sure it is level and spread evenly across the bottom of the filter. This assures even brewing. You now have no excuse to not enjoy your own perfect cup of coffee.

The author is from Medford, OR. Linda Cramer is owner of http://www.babygiftbasketco.com a wholesale site for baby gift baskets and gourmet food baskets.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Do-You-Make-a-Perfect-Cup-of-Coffee?&id=82171] How Do You Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee?

A Post by Chuggin McCoffee

The holidays are upon us, and if you are a Java junkie, then keep in mind that you can use coffee to stay slim! Here is how:

• Drink your coffee black for an almost calorie-free treat. Avoid large commercial coffee drinks that can have up to 500 calories!
• Use coffee to keep your metabolism going all day long so that you will be burning calories even when you are at rest.
• Spread out your coffee consumption throughout the day so that you do not have a caffeine crash and can stay energized all day long.
• Drink coffee directly before working out to provide extra energy and chemicals that will block muscle soreness so that you can recover from your workout faster.

As if there weren't already enough reasons to drink coffee, now it can help you slim down for the holidays!

Visit my website today for a wide selection of commercial coffee makers!

Labels: burn calories, calorie free coffee, coffee to lose weight, holiday weight gain, weight loss coffee, workout

Different Types of Coffee Beans-Experience the Best of What Coffee Beans Can Offer by Waker Glass

We see people drink coffee everywhere but we never really stopped to ask what type of coffee we are drinking. Did you know that there are two types of coffee beans out there in the market? There are two main types of coffee beans, in which the different coffee varieties have been derived from. These two are known as Robusta and Arabica.

Robusta coffee beans are grown most of the time in lower altitudes. Not many know but the plant of this type of coffee bean is easier to grown and maintain. At the same time, it is harder and it contains more caffeine than its counterpart. Compared to Arabica coffee beans, it has more flavor and is mostly used in instant coffee recipes. This is used by people who want an extra kick in their coffee experience.

The other type of coffee, which is the Arabica coffee beans, come from the Arab region, where coffee, was originally discovered. Although Robusta coffee beans may have more flavor, Arabica is more preferred because of its taste and aroma. It definitely contains a lower amount of caffeine and has a caramel aftertaste. This kind of bean is actually grown in higher places such as mountains and hills.

Because of the better flavor and aroma it produces, it accounts for majority of the coffee commodities in the market today. Many consider Arabica beans as gourmet coffee. Today, you will be able to see coffee plantations in locations such as North and South America, Europe, Africa and even some parts of Asia.

Coffee is actually the second more traded commodity in the world today next to petroleum. With the innovations that people can do, these coffee beans are transformed to different type of recipes such as espresso, cappuccinos and many others. At the same time, people have easier access to the different benefits of coffee with the help of coffee makers and the like.

All in all, any coffee lover should try both coffee beans for themselves. Each has their own qualities and characteristics. Although there are details about them through the web, the experience is unique to each drinker.

About the Author

Experience the greatness and benefits of coffee in the comforts of your home with the help of a good coffee machine. Check out Waker Glass' site on Capresso Coffee Makers.

If you want to taste the flavors of coffee from different parts of the world, you should check out his site on Green Mountain K Cups.

Coffee Roasting by Pankaj Kumar

Could there be anything better than a hot, fresh brewed cup of coffee? As you open that can of pre-ground Maxwell House Coffee, did you even know that coffee comes in different roasts? Did you know that you can roast your own coffee beans at home? If you think that the aroma of your fresh ground coffee beans can't be beat, get a home coffee roaster, you'll be in Java Heaven.

Roasting the coffee beans is what imparts flavor. Similar to the making of a fine wine or a hand rolled cigar, some consider the roasting of coffee beans as an art. Those that describe coffee use some of the same vocabulary they use to describe wine. Depending on the roast level chosen the beans take on different flavor characteristics. The lighter the coffee bean the less flavor it will have, the darker the coffee bean the stronger the flavor it will have.

There are generally four different categories of roast. A light roast (American) , a medium roast (Breakfast), a dark roast (French), and darkest roast (Italian or espresso). Each type of roast imparts a different appearance to the coffee beans.

When a coffee bean is roasted to an American roast the beans will have a very light color to them and they will appear dry. A medium roasted bean, or Breakfast roast will have a rich brown color and will be oily in appearance. A French roasted coffee bean will have a very oily appearance with the beans appearing very dark brown. The darkest roasted beans or Espresso beans will appear black.

Coffee roasting can easily be done in your home. Depending on the roast that you desire you can roast coffee in five to fifteen minutes. Green beans are available online from a number of sellers, as are coffee roasters. Choose different types of green coffees to sample. Drum roasters are very popular for use in the home. It's best to consider purchasing a roaster as it will give you the most consistent finish to your beans. Some try to roast beans in frying pans, some use hot air popcorn poppers. While each of these techniques will work, as mentioned above they don't give a consistent finish to all the beans and you will most likely be disappointed in the result.

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