We take it for granted as we sip our cups of coffee, but there is actually a long process to get from seed to cup. It's easy to say the farmer grows and harvests the coffee, then someone buys it, and it gets roasted and sold to you in some form. It's just a bit more than that. the next few posts will serve as a primer/reminder on how coffee becomes coffee. Today I talk about the first three steps.
1) Planting - Coffee is originally Coffee Cherry seeds. Ironically, it's the seed which can be processed and roasted to become a cup of coffee, or it can be developed as a seed to plant and cultivate more coffee.
2) Harvesting - You don't just plant a seed, and boom - COFFEE! It can take 3-4 years for the coffee plants to be mature and ready to harvest. In the time the farmer is caring and making sure all goes with the cultivation of the plants. Harvesting is a labor intensive process. Pickers grow through very narrow rows of trees, in highly mountainous areas, looking for ripe cherries to pick.
There are two ways to pick cherries: a) strip picked, where all the cherries are taken, and the riper ones can be selected later, or b) selectively picked, where only the ripe cherries are being picked. It's the latter which is more labor intensive, and usually done by hand. The former could be done by machine.
3) Processing the Cherries - There are two ways to process coffee cherries. The first is the dry method. Cherries are laid out in the sun, and are periodically raked and turned over to prevent spoilage. This reduces the moisture content to 10% or 11%.
With the wet method, the pulp is removed from the cherries and the beans are dried wit ha bit of parchment still on them. The beans go through a machine which removes the pulp, the lighter beans float to the top of the machine, while the heavier ones are below. They next get separated by size. From there, they are put in large fermentation tanks. In these tanks the parchment is naturally removed. This can take between 12-48 hours.
Next - drying and milling.
Charlie
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Coffee House Architecture: Cafe Central, Vienna
Years ago my friend Teresa and I went to Vienna, Austria on a vacation. One of the places we went was to the Cafe Central. Founded in 1876, this cafe has been known as a literary meeting place, but more to the point it is one of the most elegant cafes you can visit.
Standing outside, you feel there is something worldly going on inside, and you want to be part of it. You read that this is where men like Sigmund Freud and Leo Trotski would gather, you want to rub elbows with them. You can as there is a life like statue of Freud at one of the tables.
Inside there is a golden glow to the room. The tables are marble, and the chairs have a crimson upholstery. All of this encourages the feel you are at the turn of the last century. I loved the look of this cafe. It was the first time I began to take notice of what cafes and coffee houses look like,
and what kind of atmosphere they want to promote. For Cafe Central, the feel is elegance. You feel it from outside, inside, and all through your experience.
The cafe was the original location of the Vienna Stock Exchange. The Austrian-Hungarian National Bank was headquartered in the building as well.
The building was designed by Heinrich Von Ferstal. Von Ferstal used a combination of Venetian and Florentine influences. Having been to both Venice and Florence, I can see both in this amazing cafe.
This is a must see if you are ever in Vienna. If memory serves I ate a wonderful goulash and had some amazing Viennese coffee.
Charlie
Inside there is a golden glow to the room. The tables are marble, and the chairs have a crimson upholstery. All of this encourages the feel you are at the turn of the last century. I loved the look of this cafe. It was the first time I began to take notice of what cafes and coffee houses look like,and what kind of atmosphere they want to promote. For Cafe Central, the feel is elegance. You feel it from outside, inside, and all through your experience.
The cafe was the original location of the Vienna Stock Exchange. The Austrian-Hungarian National Bank was headquartered in the building as well.
The building was designed by Heinrich Von Ferstal. Von Ferstal used a combination of Venetian and Florentine influences. Having been to both Venice and Florence, I can see both in this amazing cafe.
This is a must see if you are ever in Vienna. If memory serves I ate a wonderful goulash and had some amazing Viennese coffee.
Charlie
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Coffee Review: Starbucks Tribute Blend
Starbucks does a pretty bad job at describing their coffees. Most of the time that's ok, because their coffees aren't always that interesting. Then there's a coffee that you enjoy, and they write the following:
Tasting Notes: Spicy and full-bodied with berry and dark cherry notes
Tasting Notes: Spicy and full-bodied with berry and dark cherry notes
Enjoy with:Outrageous Oatmeal Cookies and a long-time friend.
OriginMulti Region Blend
WTH(eck)?
Let's start with the fact I am drinking Starbucks' Tribute Blend. This was originally created for their 40th anniversary, and now is an annual special blend. The coffee comes from Papua New Guinea, Sumatra, Ethiopia and Colombia.
It's a medium roast, but this IS Starbucks, so it's actually a light dark roast. The beans inside the bag were too glossy and oily looking for a medium.
As for their tasting notes...you get the spicy part at the start of the sip. Dark cherry? Well....not so much, but you do get a roasty berry like sensation while drinking it. My guess it it's a bit heavier on the Sumatra side as this does have an earthy quality to it.
As I have said previously I usually like Starbucks seasonal blends. They are limited. I assume they are fresher than the horrible Pike Roast they try to sell. This is a great French Press coffee as it is on the dark side, so it lends itself better to this process than a Chemex.
It's a fairly strong coffee. It's a 7 out of 10. On our Cher scale....this would be like Cher having a fight with Greg Allman, and they're both drunk, and they get a slap in there during a fight. You know it happened.
Get some of this before Starbucks runs out.
www.starbucks.com
Charlie
Monday, May 26, 2014
Coffee and Oxygen
Yesterday I was at my local Fresh Market, and I needed some coffee to tide us over. The Stone Creek sadly is gone, and we needed something this morning. Fresh Market put coffee beans in a bin with a plastic lid on top. I know, not the best way to store beans. I saw one bin open. The issue I have is how long had that bin been open?
Let's assume for one moment those beans were freshly roasted(they aren't, but play along). That open bin means oxygen is now getting to those beans. Oxygen is the arch-enemy of coffee. Coffee desorbs CO2(my mom would be so happy I'm spouting science). As long as it's doing that, oxygen can't be absorbed. The problem is all of the CO2 is desorbed in about 10 days, and coffee begins to get stale.
At the Fresh Market, that bin has been opened many times. The coffee(assuming it is freshly roasted), is now rapidly becoming stale. Stale coffee is a bitter coffee. Now who wants that? Coffee has a limited fresh life.
(Graph from Kafexpress)
Make sure your coffee is sealed and has limited exposure to oxygen.
Charlie
Let's assume for one moment those beans were freshly roasted(they aren't, but play along). That open bin means oxygen is now getting to those beans. Oxygen is the arch-enemy of coffee. Coffee desorbs CO2(my mom would be so happy I'm spouting science). As long as it's doing that, oxygen can't be absorbed. The problem is all of the CO2 is desorbed in about 10 days, and coffee begins to get stale.
At the Fresh Market, that bin has been opened many times. The coffee(assuming it is freshly roasted), is now rapidly becoming stale. Stale coffee is a bitter coffee. Now who wants that? Coffee has a limited fresh life.
Make sure your coffee is sealed and has limited exposure to oxygen.
Charlie
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Sharing a Love
When I was young, I noticed my mom read a lot of cookbooks and cooking books. One of her favorite authors was M.F.K. Fisher. If you don't know who she is, here is a starting point - http://mfkfisher.com
I didn't probe too much as to why my mom collected cookbooks and read them so much. I was fascinated by this fact. I figured there was a secret reason. It sure as hell wasn't because my mom was a bad cook. To this day, I say her food is the best I ever ate. She did love to collect recipes. Some she made. Some she just liked having in her binder notebook.
As you can tell, this post has nothing to do with coffee, but I felt this was a good place to talk about my inherited love of reading cookbooks. This includes books about coffee.
My mom had M.F.K Fisher. I have two people I love to read whatever they put out - Mark Bittman and David Lebovitz. Mark Bittman writes for the NY Times. I own three of his books. Lebovitz lives the dream I dream - living in Paris, and writing about cooking and living in France. Today I'm going to focus on Lebovitz.
David Lebovitz formerly worked at Chez Panisse in the Berkley, CA. He left his job in 1999, and is living and writing in Paris. I have read: "The Sweet Life in Paris," "Ready for Dessert" and am currently reading his most recent, "My Paris Kitchen. " I follow his blog www.davidlebovtiz.com .
Lebovitz finds a way to weave the art of living and cooking/baking into something which his so easy to understand, and enjoy. My lifelong dream has been to live in Paris. Lebovitz in all his writings makes it clear, living in Paris is frustrating at times, but most of the time, a most wonderful experience.
I am in the third chapter of his new book, and I love it. I especially love how he talks about not always adhering to the recipe but cooking by the senses. I'm not even close to doing that, but would aspire to cook that way.
If you haven't read his work....DO IT! Go the local bookstore, head to Amazon, put in on your Kindle, whatever you need to do. He is a great writer, and a lot of fun.
Not sure if my mom would like him, but I do think she would get a kick out our shared love of cooking reading.
Charlie
I didn't probe too much as to why my mom collected cookbooks and read them so much. I was fascinated by this fact. I figured there was a secret reason. It sure as hell wasn't because my mom was a bad cook. To this day, I say her food is the best I ever ate. She did love to collect recipes. Some she made. Some she just liked having in her binder notebook.
As you can tell, this post has nothing to do with coffee, but I felt this was a good place to talk about my inherited love of reading cookbooks. This includes books about coffee.
My mom had M.F.K Fisher. I have two people I love to read whatever they put out - Mark Bittman and David Lebovitz. Mark Bittman writes for the NY Times. I own three of his books. Lebovitz lives the dream I dream - living in Paris, and writing about cooking and living in France. Today I'm going to focus on Lebovitz.David Lebovitz formerly worked at Chez Panisse in the Berkley, CA. He left his job in 1999, and is living and writing in Paris. I have read: "The Sweet Life in Paris," "Ready for Dessert" and am currently reading his most recent, "My Paris Kitchen. " I follow his blog www.davidlebovtiz.com .
I am in the third chapter of his new book, and I love it. I especially love how he talks about not always adhering to the recipe but cooking by the senses. I'm not even close to doing that, but would aspire to cook that way.
If you haven't read his work....DO IT! Go the local bookstore, head to Amazon, put in on your Kindle, whatever you need to do. He is a great writer, and a lot of fun.
Not sure if my mom would like him, but I do think she would get a kick out our shared love of cooking reading.
Charlie
Friday, May 23, 2014
From the Chemex: a Difference
Earlier this week I wrote about Stone Creek Coffee's Rwandan coffee. Typically these days I am using the French Press. This afternoon, I tried the Chemex, and not too surprisingly, there are taste differences between the press and the Chemex.
You got a lighter taste, even more tea-like with the Chemex. The Tangerine and Currant notes tend to come through more. Would be curious what the folks at Stone Creek think, and does this match up with what they have discovered.
I already like this coffee quite a bit, but I think it kicks up a notch when using the Chemex.
Charlie
You got a lighter taste, even more tea-like with the Chemex. The Tangerine and Currant notes tend to come through more. Would be curious what the folks at Stone Creek think, and does this match up with what they have discovered.
I already like this coffee quite a bit, but I think it kicks up a notch when using the Chemex.
Charlie
Odd...
The other day I was in a Starbucks, and I told a barista what I thought of the Brezza. I told her, much as I did here, that the coffee must be better iced than hot. She agreed. I asked if they used it for the iced. She told me they use another coffee.
Now I have to admit I found this a bit odd. If you are going to promote a coffee as a great iced coffee product, why not serve it in your stores iced. The barista went on to tell me they weren't allowed to. Now that I don't believe. Starbucks is usually pretty willing to try things with their customers.
Can someone who may know more about Starbucks than I explain why they wouldn't serve the Brezza iced?
Charlie
Now I have to admit I found this a bit odd. If you are going to promote a coffee as a great iced coffee product, why not serve it in your stores iced. The barista went on to tell me they weren't allowed to. Now that I don't believe. Starbucks is usually pretty willing to try things with their customers.
Can someone who may know more about Starbucks than I explain why they wouldn't serve the Brezza iced?
Charlie
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
The Cream in Your Coffee
When I first started drinking coffee, I drank it black, because that was how my mom told me to drink it. She took hers black. My dad put some sugar and half and half in his coffee.
I'm not sure when I started using cream, but I did, and it was ok. I would alternate between black and with cream. One day I was introduced to soy creamer, and my coffee world changed.
Coffee snobs typically gasp when they see anyone add anything to coffee. I admit to giving a skeptical eye when I see what looks like pouring coffee in a cup of cream. I have to ask "What's the point of that?" I've used CoffeeMate, but it isn't a preference for me. It's fine, but I haven't found the right balance of how much to put in. Don't even get me started on flavored creams!
I feel that milk or half and half cover something in the coffee. Soy is different. Maybe because the soy is plant based it seems to meld well with coffee? I simply put a splash in the coffee. I look for color. I don't want the coffee to turn white. I like kind of a dark caramel look in the cup. That's when I know I have what I want.
I find that soy creamer really works well with the African coffees. It heightens the tea-like quality, and in some cases brings out more of the herbal essence.
When I first taste a coffee for a review, I drink it black, with nothing in it. I want to be sure I know what I'm drinking. Then, I add. If you haven't tried soy creamer, give it a whirl. Let me know what you think.
Charlie
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
The Three Tastes
I the little over a year of coffee studying, I have noticed that different regions of coffee produce different tastes of coffee. They are related to the region where the coffee is grown. Now for the more advanced coffee lovers, I'm sure you're thinking, "Duh!" Part of the joy of coffee though is discovering the different tastes and flavors and figuring them out. So here is what I have found.
Asian/Indonesian coffees - These are what I call the earthy coffees. They have a heavier quality, which can sometimes be a bit more acidic. These coffees tend to taste nuttier to me, not the chocolate, or berry tastes. Sumatran coffees are the lead coffees from this region. I've not always had good feelings about these coffees, as they tend to bother my stomach(not all do).
African coffees - These are the tea-like coffees. They usually have a brightness and herbal quality to them. Ethiopian and Rwandan coffees are very much the creme of the crop of the coffees I've had. I feel I am drinking a rich, dark exotic tea when I drink these. There are usually more chocolate notes in these coffees than the Indonesian coffees. There are also more citrus tastes, which I think falls in line with the tea-like qualities of the coffees.
Central/South American - These are the coffee coffees. By this I mean, most of us grew up with Colombian coffees in our homes, so this is the taste Americans are most familiar with. It's what we think coffee tastes like. These are heavier chocolate note coffees, with more berry tastes and essences. In this group, I feel Costa Rican and Guatemalan coffees lead the way. I also think there is a rising tide of South American coffees which are pretty special. Bolivian and Peruvian come to mind.
If you are trying to figure out what you like, think about the tastes you like, and begin to experiment with different coffees. Many coffee roasters offer smaller smaller packs, and you can try different ones each day. This week Mark and I are bouncing between Brazilian and Rwandan. Explore the tastes, maybe you'll come up with some other categories of coffee tastes.
Charlie
Asian/Indonesian coffees - These are what I call the earthy coffees. They have a heavier quality, which can sometimes be a bit more acidic. These coffees tend to taste nuttier to me, not the chocolate, or berry tastes. Sumatran coffees are the lead coffees from this region. I've not always had good feelings about these coffees, as they tend to bother my stomach(not all do).
African coffees - These are the tea-like coffees. They usually have a brightness and herbal quality to them. Ethiopian and Rwandan coffees are very much the creme of the crop of the coffees I've had. I feel I am drinking a rich, dark exotic tea when I drink these. There are usually more chocolate notes in these coffees than the Indonesian coffees. There are also more citrus tastes, which I think falls in line with the tea-like qualities of the coffees.
Central/South American - These are the coffee coffees. By this I mean, most of us grew up with Colombian coffees in our homes, so this is the taste Americans are most familiar with. It's what we think coffee tastes like. These are heavier chocolate note coffees, with more berry tastes and essences. In this group, I feel Costa Rican and Guatemalan coffees lead the way. I also think there is a rising tide of South American coffees which are pretty special. Bolivian and Peruvian come to mind.
If you are trying to figure out what you like, think about the tastes you like, and begin to experiment with different coffees. Many coffee roasters offer smaller smaller packs, and you can try different ones each day. This week Mark and I are bouncing between Brazilian and Rwandan. Explore the tastes, maybe you'll come up with some other categories of coffee tastes.
Charlie
Monday, May 19, 2014
Coffee Review: Stone Creek Coffee Rwanda Seasonal 2014
Over the weekend I reviewed Stone Creek's Brazilian coffee, which is very tasty. Today I look at another of their offerings, which is a very different coffee. Their Rwanda coffee is a 2014 seasonal offering, and like other Rwandan coffees I've had this year, this is a unique coffee, which is another reason I think Rwanda is becoming more and more a great coffee producer.
Stone Creek's is a Red Bourbon, and is from Dukunde Kawa Cooperative on Gakenke, Rwanda. It's grown at altitudes ranging from 1800m-2200m. It's been fully washed and patio dried.
Like a good many coffees from Africa, this one has a tea-like quality, but this isn't like previous Rwandan coffees I've had, it has a darker tea sense. This isn't a flowery, herbal tasting coffee. It's a darker, richer taste. Stone Creek says there are notes of Tangerine, Red Currant and Toasted Walnut. There is a Tangerine essence to the coffee, which I think over takes the other two notes they describe.
It's a lighter medium than the Brazilian I had over the weekend. It's also a mellower coffee. Don't let the mellowness fool you. A lighter roast brings out more of the caffeine, and this has plenty to wake you up in the morning. On our Cher scale of strength, this is Cher knocking people's socks off the year she won the Academy Award for "Moonstruck" a 7.
This is a really good cup of coffee. Now and then I make some food suggestions for coffee. This would make a great brunch coffee. It would pair well with a good many branchy items. I would take advantage of this coffee, as it's a seasonal offering. When they're out, they're out.
Stone Creek Coffee, as I've mentioned before is doing some great things with coffee. People of Milwaukee should be showing them some love. More importantly, so should you.
www.stonecreekcoffee.com
Charlie
Stone Creek's is a Red Bourbon, and is from Dukunde Kawa Cooperative on Gakenke, Rwanda. It's grown at altitudes ranging from 1800m-2200m. It's been fully washed and patio dried.
It's a lighter medium than the Brazilian I had over the weekend. It's also a mellower coffee. Don't let the mellowness fool you. A lighter roast brings out more of the caffeine, and this has plenty to wake you up in the morning. On our Cher scale of strength, this is Cher knocking people's socks off the year she won the Academy Award for "Moonstruck" a 7.
This is a really good cup of coffee. Now and then I make some food suggestions for coffee. This would make a great brunch coffee. It would pair well with a good many branchy items. I would take advantage of this coffee, as it's a seasonal offering. When they're out, they're out.
Stone Creek Coffee, as I've mentioned before is doing some great things with coffee. People of Milwaukee should be showing them some love. More importantly, so should you.
www.stonecreekcoffee.com
Charlie
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Coffee Review: Stone Creek Coffee Brazil Fazenda Suica
As I continue the coffee bromance with Stone Creek out of Milwuakee, this week I'm trying another two kinds of coffee. Today I want to talk about their Brazil Fazenda Suica coffee. I'll be honest, most Brazilian coffees are hit or miss with me. I've had some good ones, and some I wouldn't serve at 7-11.
This one is a bit different from ones I've had in the past. One thing could be this is a single farm offering, which means the coffee in this bag came from one farm, and can be easily traced. This isn't a blend from various areas or farms. This makes for a more consistent coffee when they are roasting and cupping it.
The Brazilian is a medium roast, but on the darker or fuller end of the roast spectrum. When I opened the back, I had to look at the bag again, because I thought I was smelling a dark roast. As I tasted it, I noticed a chocolate flavor to it, which tasted like a bittersweet, not an over sweet taste - you know chocolate with an edge. Stone Creek says there is also notes of cherry and caramel. I got a roastier taste than that. In fact I think this coffee has a pretty sassy attitude. Cherry and caramel? Please, the smokey chocolate is what's carrying this coffee.
On our Cher scale of strength, this is Cher giving Jack Nicholson what for in the Witches of Eastwick. I give it an 8.
Everytime I drink Stone Creek Coffee, I'm more and more impressed. If you've read my previous reviews and haven't tried them yet, what the heck are you waiting for? These folks are artisans, and I promise you they are creating something special.
www.stonecreekcoffee.com
Charlie
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Coffee and Oreos - YUM!
The Daily Coffee News was kind enough to post this, so I thought I share, and expand the world's desire for coffee and Oreos.
Summer idea! This first one looks like a fun way to make an iced coffee a dessert iced coffee. See if you agree.
Next idea, and this is perfect for the home latte makers.
Please note, there are calories in these yummy delights, so I recommend this as a treat and not the norm.
Hmmmm......I wonder if I could French Press some Oreos?
Charlie
Summer idea! This first one looks like a fun way to make an iced coffee a dessert iced coffee. See if you agree.
Next idea, and this is perfect for the home latte makers.
Hmmmm......I wonder if I could French Press some Oreos?
Charlie
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Coffee Review: Starbucks' Brezza
The folks at Starbucks love their seasonal offerings. In the past I have reviewed them as better than their usual roasts. With Summer comes their latest offering - Brezza. Starbucks describes Brezza as a "new light-bodied coffee is as easygoing as its Italian translation would suggest. A medium-roast coffee with notes of fresh herbs and sweet lemon. Brezza is a juicy, elegant, cheerful blend-wonderful hot or iced." So clearly this is a coffee which is roasted for hot or iced use. Today I made it in the French Press.
When I opened the bag I got the aromas of herbs, and a strong fruitiness. I thought for a medium roast the beans looked a bit dark. Starbucks is known for over roasting their coffee, so I thought this might have a burnt quality to it. According to Starbucks, Brezza is a blend of Colmbian, Papua New Guinea and East African coffees.
As I took the first sips I noticed no burnt taste. At the same time I didn't notice much flavor. Mark thought he got some earthy chocolate flavor. I didn't get that. I let the coffee sit a moment, then I came back to it. This time I tasted something - I got a caramel like flavor, with a dash of lemon and a strong sense of herbs.
To be honest, I don't know what I think of Brezza. It's initial taste was tasteless to me, but then it came together. I like to taste something right off the bat. I have a strong sense that this coffee works much better iced, as it needs time to sit and let the flavors "stew" a bit. I may give it a try that way. Rumor in the coffee world is it's the bombdiggity as an iced coffee.
It's not the strongest coffee in the world. I would give it a 5 on our Cher scale. This would be a playful punch Cher might have given Sonny on the variety show.
Brezza ia in Starbucks for a limited time. I'd be curious what others think.
Charlie
When I opened the bag I got the aromas of herbs, and a strong fruitiness. I thought for a medium roast the beans looked a bit dark. Starbucks is known for over roasting their coffee, so I thought this might have a burnt quality to it. According to Starbucks, Brezza is a blend of Colmbian, Papua New Guinea and East African coffees.
As I took the first sips I noticed no burnt taste. At the same time I didn't notice much flavor. Mark thought he got some earthy chocolate flavor. I didn't get that. I let the coffee sit a moment, then I came back to it. This time I tasted something - I got a caramel like flavor, with a dash of lemon and a strong sense of herbs.
To be honest, I don't know what I think of Brezza. It's initial taste was tasteless to me, but then it came together. I like to taste something right off the bat. I have a strong sense that this coffee works much better iced, as it needs time to sit and let the flavors "stew" a bit. I may give it a try that way. Rumor in the coffee world is it's the bombdiggity as an iced coffee.
It's not the strongest coffee in the world. I would give it a 5 on our Cher scale. This would be a playful punch Cher might have given Sonny on the variety show.
Brezza ia in Starbucks for a limited time. I'd be curious what others think.
Charlie
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Coffee Trends
The National Coffee Association(NCA) has released their annual coffee consumer report. This is sort of the State of Coffee. With Coffee Rust spreading, and coffee prices rising, what is the average consumer doing? What are the trends?
Coffee consumption is up, according to this report. Gourmet coffee is on the rise as 34% of adults are drinking the good stuff. Now in fairness, the NCA says, "Gourmet coffee beverages consist of espresso-based beverages, and regular coffee made with gourmet beans." Daily Coffee News interprets this as anyone who drinks an Arabica-based coffee beverage.
Soft drinks lower man on the totem pole. 61% of the adults are drinking coffee, while 41% consume soft drinks. Daily gourmet coffee drinking is highest in the age 25-29 demographic. The kids are drinking coffee. 42% of them are sipping a coffee beverage. The folks at the retirement home are drinking less coffee(wait until I get there).
Hispanic-Americans drink more coffee than any other ethnic group(48%). This is not totally surprising, considering Latin America is a source for most of our coffee. I was struck that Caucasian-Americans only rank at 32%. To be honest, I thought that figure would be over 50%.
Regrettably, single-serve coffee makers are still on the rise. 50% of those surveyed had coffee from a single-serve brewer within the last day. 15% said they own a machine, which is up 12% from last year. 25% of those who don't own a single-serve brewer plan to do so within the next six months. Convenience is pushing away costs, the environment and quality. Sigh.
Harris also has polled on coffee. Their findings were also interesting. Millenials have grown up in the coffee era, and 66% of those folks will go out of their way to get good coffee from their favorite coffee house, as opposed to the convenience of other coffees(gas stations?).
What I found a bit disturbing was the popular coffee brands. The tops three in this survey were(in order): Dunkin Donuts, Einstein Bagels and Starbucks. Please tell me these are not the places the Millenials are running towards.
So it looks like coffee consumption is chugging right along. Maybe some better coffee education can save some folks from mediocre coffee.
Charlie
Coffee consumption is up, according to this report. Gourmet coffee is on the rise as 34% of adults are drinking the good stuff. Now in fairness, the NCA says, "Gourmet coffee beverages consist of espresso-based beverages, and regular coffee made with gourmet beans." Daily Coffee News interprets this as anyone who drinks an Arabica-based coffee beverage.
Soft drinks lower man on the totem pole. 61% of the adults are drinking coffee, while 41% consume soft drinks. Daily gourmet coffee drinking is highest in the age 25-29 demographic. The kids are drinking coffee. 42% of them are sipping a coffee beverage. The folks at the retirement home are drinking less coffee(wait until I get there).
Hispanic-Americans drink more coffee than any other ethnic group(48%). This is not totally surprising, considering Latin America is a source for most of our coffee. I was struck that Caucasian-Americans only rank at 32%. To be honest, I thought that figure would be over 50%.
Regrettably, single-serve coffee makers are still on the rise. 50% of those surveyed had coffee from a single-serve brewer within the last day. 15% said they own a machine, which is up 12% from last year. 25% of those who don't own a single-serve brewer plan to do so within the next six months. Convenience is pushing away costs, the environment and quality. Sigh.
Harris also has polled on coffee. Their findings were also interesting. Millenials have grown up in the coffee era, and 66% of those folks will go out of their way to get good coffee from their favorite coffee house, as opposed to the convenience of other coffees(gas stations?).
What I found a bit disturbing was the popular coffee brands. The tops three in this survey were(in order): Dunkin Donuts, Einstein Bagels and Starbucks. Please tell me these are not the places the Millenials are running towards.
So it looks like coffee consumption is chugging right along. Maybe some better coffee education can save some folks from mediocre coffee.
Charlie
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Coffee Rust
This week the NY Times reported on the scourge of the coffee world - coffee rust.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/06/business/international/fungus-cripples-coffee-production-across-central-america.html
This fungal infection of coffee plants is hitting Central America hard, and has been for over a year. Combined with drought conditions in Brazil, coffee production is less than years past. This is a main reason coffee is trading higher on commodity exchange boards. You can also expect to see coffee prices go up.
The only way now to combat Coffee Rust is to uproot and burn the plants. This is wiping out the livelihood of millions of people around the world. The rust mostly affects Arabica plants, which is the coffee most coffee lovers enjoy. It's the higher quality coffee. Robusta seems to be fairly resistant to this. Some have expressed the concern that this will alter how we drink coffee. Meaning we may look more and more at Robusta coffees.
Sprudge has shared some pretty shocking facts about Coffee Rust.
http://sprudge.com/11-facts-about-rust.html
It looks like troubling times ahead for the coffee industry. One questioned raised in the Sprudge article. Are we willing to pay more for coffee if it means some of that money can go into research to combat Coffee Rust? I'm not sure.
Charlie
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/06/business/international/fungus-cripples-coffee-production-across-central-america.html
This fungal infection of coffee plants is hitting Central America hard, and has been for over a year. Combined with drought conditions in Brazil, coffee production is less than years past. This is a main reason coffee is trading higher on commodity exchange boards. You can also expect to see coffee prices go up.
The only way now to combat Coffee Rust is to uproot and burn the plants. This is wiping out the livelihood of millions of people around the world. The rust mostly affects Arabica plants, which is the coffee most coffee lovers enjoy. It's the higher quality coffee. Robusta seems to be fairly resistant to this. Some have expressed the concern that this will alter how we drink coffee. Meaning we may look more and more at Robusta coffees.
Sprudge has shared some pretty shocking facts about Coffee Rust.
http://sprudge.com/11-facts-about-rust.html
It looks like troubling times ahead for the coffee industry. One questioned raised in the Sprudge article. Are we willing to pay more for coffee if it means some of that money can go into research to combat Coffee Rust? I'm not sure.
Charlie
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Coffee Rant: Room for Cream
Today I got coffee to go at a non-Starbucks establishment. The barista asked me if I wanted room for cream. I did. She handed me the cup, and asked, "Is that enough room?" It was!
Now this may not seem like a big deal to you, but I get REALLY upset when I ask for room for cream at Starbucks, and they fill it all the way to the top. If I'm in my car going through the drive through, this means coffee will spill, and I usually feel something hot and wet on my leg as I drive.
If I'm inside and ask for room, then I find I have to dump some coffee out before I leave the store. If I don't, then the hot and wet feeling on my leg will happen.
Come on Starbucks...room for cream does not mean fill it to the top so it spills through little drinking hole. I know there is no universal measurement for the room part, but doesn't common sense tell you that you shouldn't fill it to the top? I mean really.
Baristas who may read this, might I suggest actually leaving room for cream?
Thanks.
Charlie
Now this may not seem like a big deal to you, but I get REALLY upset when I ask for room for cream at Starbucks, and they fill it all the way to the top. If I'm in my car going through the drive through, this means coffee will spill, and I usually feel something hot and wet on my leg as I drive.
If I'm inside and ask for room, then I find I have to dump some coffee out before I leave the store. If I don't, then the hot and wet feeling on my leg will happen.
Come on Starbucks...room for cream does not mean fill it to the top so it spills through little drinking hole. I know there is no universal measurement for the room part, but doesn't common sense tell you that you shouldn't fill it to the top? I mean really.
Baristas who may read this, might I suggest actually leaving room for cream?
Thanks.
Charlie
Monday, May 5, 2014
Coffee Review: Stone Creek's Milwaukee Blend
Yesterday I reviewed Stone Creek Coffee's Garden Blend, which I came away amazed. The problem is how do you review another one of their coffees after that kind of review? In this case, you block out one, and focus on the current one.
Today we are drinking their Milwaukee Blend. I don't live in Milwaukee, but I will hazard a guess that this is one they serve a lot in their coffee houses; however this is NO Pike Roast(thank goodness).
When you open the bag, there is a smokey aroma that hits you hard. You would think this means the coffee will have a smokey flavor. It doesn't.
This blend is Typica and Bourbon, from Africa and South America. It's been washed and sun dried. It's a bit of a darker roast, but not a dark roast. The darker roast promotes a fuller body. Stone Creek says the notes are Chocolate, spice and dark fruit. I get the Chocolate. It's not a creamy Chocolate, but it isn't a bitter Chocolate either. Imagine a fine dark chocolate with a hint of bitter. The spiciness hits you at the start, and not as much at the finish. Dark fruit? Not sure if I got that.
Down to business..... If you're going to name a coffee after a city, I assume there is something you get in the coffee, which describes the place. Milwaukee is a pretty working class town, that endures some long Winters, and has a lot of fun in the Summer. This is a great heading to work coffee. Maybe you're meeting Laverne and Shirley at the beer company, and you need a cuppa joe. This is it. This is a wake you up coffee. This isn't a dainty cup you serve the ladies at bridge. It could be a night of poker though, but I know at poker night...it's beer.
On our Cher scale, this is a 10 - slapping Nicolas Cage and telling him to "Snap outta it."
I really like this coffee. Gosh darn it Stone Creek is 3 for 3 in their coffees I've had. They are the real deal, and the coffee world needs to know more about them.
www.stonecreekcoffee.com
Charlie
Today we are drinking their Milwaukee Blend. I don't live in Milwaukee, but I will hazard a guess that this is one they serve a lot in their coffee houses; however this is NO Pike Roast(thank goodness).
When you open the bag, there is a smokey aroma that hits you hard. You would think this means the coffee will have a smokey flavor. It doesn't.
This blend is Typica and Bourbon, from Africa and South America. It's been washed and sun dried. It's a bit of a darker roast, but not a dark roast. The darker roast promotes a fuller body. Stone Creek says the notes are Chocolate, spice and dark fruit. I get the Chocolate. It's not a creamy Chocolate, but it isn't a bitter Chocolate either. Imagine a fine dark chocolate with a hint of bitter. The spiciness hits you at the start, and not as much at the finish. Dark fruit? Not sure if I got that.
Down to business..... If you're going to name a coffee after a city, I assume there is something you get in the coffee, which describes the place. Milwaukee is a pretty working class town, that endures some long Winters, and has a lot of fun in the Summer. This is a great heading to work coffee. Maybe you're meeting Laverne and Shirley at the beer company, and you need a cuppa joe. This is it. This is a wake you up coffee. This isn't a dainty cup you serve the ladies at bridge. It could be a night of poker though, but I know at poker night...it's beer.
On our Cher scale, this is a 10 - slapping Nicolas Cage and telling him to "Snap outta it."
I really like this coffee. Gosh darn it Stone Creek is 3 for 3 in their coffees I've had. They are the real deal, and the coffee world needs to know more about them.
www.stonecreekcoffee.com
Charlie
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Coffee Review: Stone Creek's Garden Blend
For me the coffee process begins when I open the bag and smell. When I opened this bag, I smelled a roasted vanilla. If you roasted Vanilla Beans, I swear this is what the aroma would be. According to Stone Creek this coffee has flavors of Vanilla, Dried Grapefruit and Creme Brûlée. As an admission, I picked this coffee, because Creme Brûlée is my favorite dessert. When I ground the coffee, I got the notes of grapefruit.
This coffee is a blend of African and South American coffees. There's Red Bourbon, Castillo and Caturra blended. The coffee was fully washed with a patio drying process. It's a medium roast and has a medium body and a lighter brightness. As usual, we made this in the French Press.
Let's cut to the chase how is this coffee? This is an outstanding coffee! Yes, I got the Creme Brûlée right off the bat. There is a sweetness, creaminess to this, just like the dessert. It's a rich flavored coffee, without it being a flavored coffee(ugh). It's a well-bodied coffee. This is the coffee you want to sip slowly, like it's an indulgence. I swear it's so good, if Mark asked me to go brew another pot, I would tell him we need to save it.
This coffee is deceptively strong. It's there, waiting, and then it pounces on you after you drink it. On our Cher scale, this is a 7.5. This is Cher defending putting her son in a public school in "Mask" strong.
This is one of the best coffees I've had since I started this blog - period. The folks at Stone Creek have something special going on. Two out of two coffees have been amazing. We will soon see if it's a three-peat.
www.stonecreekcoffee.com
Charlie
Friday, May 2, 2014
The Reality Hits
I read this article yesterday about how a farmer who was attending the Specialty Coffee Assoc. of America(SCAA) convention last weekend, wandered into a Starbucks and got an education in money. He related to members of a panel discussion that the $4 latte is the price of labor for one day at this farm.
http://dailycoffeenews.com/2014/04/30/farmworkers-the-coffee-industrys-ethical-blight-and-a-pr-disaster-in-waiting/
Think about that for a moment. $4 for one day's worth of labor. Then think how coffee is trading around $2.15 a lb on the commodity exchanges(which is high these days). That $2.15 is not necessarily what farmers are getting. They most likely are getting less.
I have to imagine that as more and more farmers come to understand how much their coffees are selling for, they would want better prices for their coffees. Of course this would mean you and I would have to pay more for our coffee.
For the record, coffee is trading higher these days due to drought situations in Brazil, and other ecological issues like leaf rust outbreaks around the world.
The reality is coffee farmers are not being paid nearly what their product is worth. This is why I like fair trade and direct trade practices. Typically coffee companies which trade with these methods are encouraging better coffee production, and providing better dollars for the coffee. Some companies invest in the communities if farmers can produce consistently high quality coffee.
In the meantime, I feel a good many of these workers are being exploited for our coffee enjoyment. We as coffee lovers can keep encouraging better trade practices, and patronizing the companies who do right by the coffee farmers.
Charlie
http://dailycoffeenews.com/2014/04/30/farmworkers-the-coffee-industrys-ethical-blight-and-a-pr-disaster-in-waiting/
Think about that for a moment. $4 for one day's worth of labor. Then think how coffee is trading around $2.15 a lb on the commodity exchanges(which is high these days). That $2.15 is not necessarily what farmers are getting. They most likely are getting less.
I have to imagine that as more and more farmers come to understand how much their coffees are selling for, they would want better prices for their coffees. Of course this would mean you and I would have to pay more for our coffee.
For the record, coffee is trading higher these days due to drought situations in Brazil, and other ecological issues like leaf rust outbreaks around the world.
The reality is coffee farmers are not being paid nearly what their product is worth. This is why I like fair trade and direct trade practices. Typically coffee companies which trade with these methods are encouraging better coffee production, and providing better dollars for the coffee. Some companies invest in the communities if farmers can produce consistently high quality coffee.
In the meantime, I feel a good many of these workers are being exploited for our coffee enjoyment. We as coffee lovers can keep encouraging better trade practices, and patronizing the companies who do right by the coffee farmers.
Charlie
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