Coffee is a beloved beverage that is enjoyed by millions (if not, billions) of people around the world. But did you know that coffee also has numerous health benefits? Let’s explore some of the ways that coffee can be good for your health.
First and foremost, coffee is rich in antioxidants. These are compounds that protect your cells from damage caused by harmful molecules known as free radicals. Some studies have suggested that coffee may be the largest source of antioxidants in the typical Western diet.
Secondly, coffee has been shown to boost brain function. Caffeine, the primary active ingredient in coffee, is a stimulant known to improve mental alertness, concentration, and mood. Some studies have even suggested that coffee may help protect against Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, two neurological conditions that can cause cognitive decline.
Coffee has also been linked to lowering the risk of certain types of cancer. One study found that coffee drinkers had a reduced risk of liver cancer, while another study found that regular coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. While more research is needed to fully understand these connections, the evidence so far is promising.
It’s also possible that drinking coffee may help you live longer. Several large studies have found that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of dying from various causes, including heart disease, stroke, and even suicide. While these findings are not definitive, they do suggest that coffee can be a healthy addition to your daily routine.
Finally, coffee may have other health benefits as well. For example, some studies have suggested that coffee can help protect against type 2 diabetes, while others have found that it may lower the risk of depression.
Of course, it is worth noting that not all coffee is created equal. Some types of coffee can be high in calories, sugar, and other unhealthy additives. To get the most health benefits from your coffee, it is best to stick to plain, black coffee without any added sweeteners or creamers. We repeat: this blog is specifically referencing black coffee with no additives, which is why we can’t stress enough the importance of buying good quality, fresh roasted coffee.
In conclusion, coffee can be a delicious and healthy beverage that offers numerous health benefits. From antioxidants to brain function to cancer prevention, coffee has a lot to offer. So the next time you reach for a cup, remember that you are not only treating your taste buds but also your body.
]]>A lot of coffee packaging contain instructions for how to brew a pot of coffee. They usually say something like "add one scoop of coffee for every two cups of water," or something like that. The problem with these ambiguous instructions is that a "scoop" is not a true form of measurement. It's like saying "add a dash of salt" or "just a pinch of cinnamon" - these measurements are guesses that can't offer a consistent result.
This is not a huge deal if you already have a standard coffee scoop that you use every time, but we prefer to use an actual standard - we prefer the gram.
The idea behind using a standardized unit of measurement is to have a repeatable process, much like a science experiment. We prefer the gram as the unit of measurement because it applies to both weight and volume (1ml = 1g). It reduces the confusion of converting ounces to pounds, or cups to liters, etc. Either way, whatever measurable standard you prefer, the idea is consistency.
You probably have guessed by now that the tool we're recommending is a scale. They are really the backbone of making consistently good coffee. Of course, not all scales are created equal. First of all, we do recommend a digital scale. They're relatively inexpensive depending on your willingness to spend, have a minimal countertop presence, and are very accurate (also, does anyone even use a balance scale anymore?!?!)
You can find decent scales on Amazon starting as low as $10, but we do feel that a little more goes a long way. For coffee, a scale that has at least a 1/10 g measurements is ideal. There are many options to choose from, including Bluetooth connected, multi weight, and others, but we like the Black Mirror from TIMEMORE
It's rechargeable, accurate, has a built in timer (great for pour over or French press brewing), comes with a slip mat, simple to use, and is very sleek looking. This is not a sponsored endorsement - we just use and like this one.
Whatever your brewing method is, consider investing in a scale. We bet you will notice a difference in the results of your coffee. Not to mention, it will probably save you money in the long run.
]]>If you are just starting your coffee snobbery journey, and are wondering where you should begin investing your hard-earned money for that great cup of Joe, you might be wondering what you should get first. Chemex? French Press? A high-end drip pot? Aeropress? Electric Water Kettle? Grinder? Scale? Air Tight Canisters? WHEW!
While any of the above mentioned items are worthy investments over the long haul, we believe the journey begins with the most fundamental item - a quality burr grinder. However, this recommendation comes with two assumptions: you have purchased fresh roasted, whole bean coffee and you are using filtered water.
Why a burr grinder? The consistency of the grind is one of the most important factors in getting a consistent cup of coffee. You can have the greatest bean known to man, but if it is ground poorly, it will extract poorly, offering inconsistent flavors and undesirable bitterness. A burr grinder is machined to grind the beans much more consistently compared to a blade grinder. There is much more control of the size, which allows the water to interact evenly. Blade grinders, despite the many methods people often employ to get a more even grind, simply do not compare.
What to look for:
Material - There are two main materials used in burr grinders - ceramic and stainless steel. Ceramic burrs are much more economical, but may wear down over time, impacting the consistency of the grind. Stainless steel burrs are pricier, but will withstand the test of time. Both are fairly easy to clean and maintain.
Conical vs Flat - Check out this article for a great comparison of the two. In general, we think flat burr grinders produce a superior "coffee" grind where conical burrs would be better for "espresso" grinds, but that's just our opinion.
Manual vs. Electric - If you are truly obsessed with quality coffee wherever you go, then you should own a manual burr grinder ALONG with an electric one for home. If you only buy one, buy an electric one.
Overall if you are looking for the best starting point in taking your specialty coffee game to the next level, consider the grinder a worthy investment. You should notice the most significant difference in the quality of your cup compared to any of the others, but we will get to some of the other great tools of the trade next time!
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While we certainly understand the nature of the question, it is extremely difficult to answer without a very thorough explanation.
In general, coffee can be classified into 3 roast levels: light, medium, and dark. The first thing to understand about these roast levels are the characteristics of each, the expected flavor/ experience associated with each, then pairing that knowledge with your personal palette preference. So lets dive right in...
There are so many more complexities to coffee which will dictate individual preferences, but if you already know where your palette fits into this equation, hopefully it'll help guide your future coffee purchases.
We do our best to accurately capture the flavor profiles one should expect for each coffee, but it truly comes down to the subjective experience. If you have any input, we'd love to see your comments below!
]]>Roast to order means exactly what it sounds like. The coffee remains in its harvested, "green" form until you order it. THEN it gets roasted. This level of freshness is what many coffee drinkers simply aren't accustomed to. Coffee is actually full of unique flavors in it's freshest form, but because most of the world is used to [insert big name coffee company] from the grocery store or other mainstream vendors, they equate coffee to what is most likely a stale version of its former self.
We encourage you to look for any coffee with a "Roasted On" date versus a "Best By" date. Trust us... there is a huge difference. Coffee has an incredibly long shelf life - in fact, we don't know that there actually is an expiration date. But premium roasters will tell you when it was roasted, and specialty roasters won't even roast until its ordered... that's us :)
Generally, coffee from premium roasters will suggest the coffee be consumed within 60 to 90 days of roast - we've even seen as much as 6 months (but that's far too long in our humble opinion). We believe up to 60 days from the roast still offers the flavors you'd expect, but within 30 days would be optimal.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with buying coffee that is no longer "fresh", but we would just equate it to anything that gets cooked before consumption. Frozen or microwaveable meals are still edible, but nothing compared to eating a meal straight from the oven. To be fair, coffee straight from the roaster still needs a couple of days to release the carbon dioxide it generates during the roasting process, but hopefully you get the gist... fresh roasted coffee actually tastes better.
Stay humble. Stay caffeinated.
]]>The first thing to do is establish a common unit of measurement. Some coffee brands use "scoops" or "tablespoons" as a measuring unit, but since those can be subject to slight errors, we prefer to use "grams". It is a precise measurement that can be applied to both coffee and water.
Since each person's preference for coffee strength is also different, we decided to simplify the math by establishing an easy-to-work-with standard of 20 grams of coffee per 12 ounce (340 g) cup of coffee. So lets get to it.
MEASURING UP
1 ounce | 28 g |
12 ounces | 340 g |
16 ounces (1lb) | 453 g |
It should already be assumed that purchasing a cup of regular coffee at a coffee shop will cost more than brewing at home. A 12 oz drip will run about $2 while a pour over might fall in the $4-$5 range. That means for your 12 ounce cup of coffee that's using about 20 grams of coffee grounds, you're paying roughly $45.30 per pound for a drip cup, and between $90.60 to $113.25 per pound for a pour over.
Ex. 453 g per pound / 20 g per cup = 22.65 cups of coffee per pound
$2 per cup x 22.65 cups in each bag = $45.30/ lb
But we all know that going out to have a cup of coffee is more about the experience. We're going to chalk this up as assumed and accepted premiums. However, if you're going to spend that kind of money per pound of coffee, shouldn't it be fresh? Often times, they are using their aging supply so they can sell their fresh roasted packaged coffee at the fresh roasted rates.
DISCOUNT COFFEE
Believe us when we say you get what you pay for. Folgers sells their coffee for about $5/lb which works out to be about $0.22 per 12 ounce cup of coffee. No disrespect to Folgers (or other super discounted coffee), but we all know that it is not fresh roasted or premium-grade. In fact, if you factor in the cream and sugar that usually accompanies a cup, that price goes up a bit. Still, for many around the world, discounted coffee is an acceptable option.
*NOTE: If you're buying your coffee at a grocery store, chances are (regardless of the brand) it is several months old. Unless you know what date it was roasted, it's a pretty safe bet it is well beyond it's "fresh" period of 30 days.
OTHER COFFEE
There are far too many companies in our market to name any one specifically. Each of them offer great tasting coffee that is freshly roasted and delivered to your door. The industry standard is to sell fresh roasted coffee in 12 ounce (340 g) bags. These bags sell, on average, for $20 (usually shipping included, but not always). Using the numbers above, this equals 17 cups of coffee, or $1.17 per cup. That's still quite a bargain compared to your coffee shop prices, and definitely worth the price for the quality.
OUR COFFEE
We are not competing with the likes of Folgers, but we know we can compete with other companies offering a similar product, and we certainly can compete with that coffee shop. We currently offer our fresh roasted coffee, delivered to your door for $22.99 per pound. Not 12 ounces. It is amongst the most competitive price offered by any roast-to-order company, and works out to cost about $1 per cup. This is premium and specialty grade coffee beans roasted fresh for the price of fast food coffee! We can't stress enough how much of a bargain this is.
So while we know we can't convert everyone into a high-quality coffee consumer, hopefully we've at least educated you on the difference. Perhaps one day you will treat yourself so you can personally experience the difference =)
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