All about Coffee
June 10, 2008
Coffee (genus: coffea), one of the well-known and widely-consumed beverages worldwide was first discovered in Ethiopia in the 9th century. However, it was only after 15th century, coffee reached Italy, the country where the history of modern day coffee drinks originates from. Subsequently, coffee houses started becoming popular in Italy, UK and Austria in the 17th century. The next two centuries saw coffee spreading to Central America and South America, the largest coffee producers of modern day. Today, coffee is one of the largest exports for more than 12 countries worldwide as the consumption of coffee has increased manifold in recent times.
Coffee is made from the ripe coffee beans which are dried, roasted, ground and brewed using different methods. There are two popular varieties of coffee available - Coffea Canephora and Coffea Arabica. The caffeine content in Coffea Canephora (also known as robusta) is higher (2 - 4 %) than Arabica and accounts for its strong flavour. Arabica has caffeine content between 1 – 2 % and has better flavour, pleasant aroma and little sweet aftertaste. Most popular coffee drinks like espresso and cappuccino blend both these coffee in specified ratio to get different flavours and aroma.
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When coffee berries (which contain coffee beans or seeds) become ripe, they are plucked and the fleshy part of the berries is removed. Coffee seeds are then dried (now they look green) and roasted before they get ready for consumption.
It is the roasting process that gives different flavours and aroma to coffee beans so it is important that beans should be roasted at right temperature and for varied durations. When coffee beans get roasted, the moisture in the beans gets evaporated and the chaff fell off and removed. While roasting, coffee beans turn to yellow, to brown and then to dark brown depending on the roasting time. Soon, coffee beans also begin to get different aroma, from mild to strong, again depending on different roasts.
Light roast
Roasting time of 5-8 minutes gives mild flavour to beans, e.g. cinnamon roast and New England Roast.
Medium roast
This is roasting of beans for 10 minutes and gives good aroma and a bit sweet taste, e.g. American roast, city roast.
Dark roast
Also known as Italian roast. Preferred for making espresso and cappuccino coffee drinks. Coffee beans are roasted for about 15 minutes until they turn to very dark brown or black. This roasting offers strong flavours and a bit acidic taste to coffee beans.
You may like to store your coffee in different forms for later use. Typically, un-roasted, green beans can be stored for much longer time (2 years) in ideal conditions. Roasted seeds can lose flavour and aroma within six months while ground coffee should be used as soon as it is ground for good aroma and flavour.
Environmental factors like air, temperature, humidity and sunlight can affect the quality of coffee so they need to be considered while storing coffee.
- Store green beans in jute or paper bags and also keep them away from direct sun light. Never use plastic bags to store green beans as the beans will deteriorate rapidly without air. Make sure that humidity is around 60 % and the temperature is around 20 C.
- Roasted beans should be stored in air tight bags or containers and should be kept in cool places like freezers and away from direct sun light. At best, roasted beans can be preserved for a few months and get deteriorated after that. If you want to use roasted beans from freezer, let them come to room temperature before you grind them.
- If you grind your coffee in your home, it is always better to use it as soon as possible. Ground coffee loses flavour and aroma much quickly so it should be stored in air tight containers. When you buy ground coffee from stores, it should be used as quickly as possible once you open the bag.
Espresso Coffee Machines - History, Types and Features
June 8, 2008
Espresso coffee machines are used to make espresso coffee, a type of coffee beverage invented in Italy. For making espresso coffee, the coffee beans should be roasted until they turn to dark brown and become slightly greasy to touch. After that, the roasted coffee beans should be finely ground.
The history of espresso coffee machines dates back to early nineteenth century. In 1822, the first espresso machine was invented in France. More than a century later, Dr. Ernes Illy designed the first automatic espresso coffee machine in 1933. However, it was Achilles Gaggia who made innovations in the machine and invented the modern espresso machine in 1946. Gaggia’s machine was pioneer to the coffee machines that came later and it used spring lever system to produce the high pressure to make espresso coffee.
A decade later, in 1960, Faema Inc made the first pump or traditional espresso coffee machine.
Espresso coffee machines can be classified depending on the size of the machine. In fact, there are several models and you can browse our reviews of the latest espresso machines to know the extensive features and the cost details of each model.
Jura Home Espresso machine
Smaller espresso machines are suitable for domestic use in kitchens and they do not need much space and they are also easy to install and use.
- Commercial espresso coffee machines are used in restaurants cafes.
- Pump or traditional espresso machines: They use pump to pour the pressurized hot water through the coffee powder straight away into the cups.
- Steam type espresso machine is a primordial type of espresso machine that uses steam energy to make espresso coffee.
Gaggia commercial Espresso coffee machine
Krup XP 5080 Pump espresso machine
Krup 872 Steam Espresso machine - 4 cup capacity
Espresso machines have a boiler where water is heated until it becomes steam and gets high pressure which drives the hot water through the fine ground coffee. In pump espresso machines, the electrically driven pump forces the hot water into the chamber where it is blended with coffee and finally coffee is poured directly into the cups. In the smaller, domestic espresso machines, the pump is enclosed within the machine and uses a pressure levels between 10 and 20 bars.
Espresso coffee is usually thicker than filter coffee and it can be blended to make other coffee drinks like cappuccino and cafe mocha.
Here are some useful tips on buying an espresso machine that suits your needs:
Price range
When you shop around for espresso machines, you will find that price ranges allow you to choose cheap as well as expensive, high-end espresso machines. Entry level espresso machines are ideal for beginners and may not cost over 35. However, you may find some good models in the price range of 75 - 100 and they are suitable for any modern kitchen.
Pump driven or steam driven?
Pump driven machines are better option than the models that use steam. They produce better quality espresso coffee and also easy to use and maintain. However, steam type machines are relatively cheaper and can be consider if you are bound by budget concerns.
Drip tray
Make sure that you get removable drip tray with your machine. Some machines will provide a surface for keeping the cups warm and check out for this feature.
Check for Thermoblock
To get thick espresso with frothy crème on the top, the machine should be able to produce enough pressure levels for the hot water to blend with coffee. Make sure that your Espresso machine has minimum 15 bar pressure.
Check for Thermoblock
Most Espresso machines come with thermoblock that maintains the temperature levels in the machine. Typically, the milk needs to be heated to 120 C to have creamy appearance while the temperature should not exceed 90 C. So, make sure that your Espresso machine has the thermoblock feature.
Brass filter holder
Espresso machines come with filter holder made up of brass or aluminum. Brass filter holder is better option than aluminum as it conducts less heat so keeps coffee warm for longer.
Durability
Cheaper machines may have components that are less durable. For better durability, Espresso machines with components made of metal rather than plastic are preferred option.
A TO Z ABOUT DRIP COFFEE MAKERS
May 17, 2008
The most widespread technique of preparing coffee is drip brewing. It is a relatively quick method and effortless to clean. The following are a few of the popular features of coffee makers.
1 TO 4 CUP SETTING: For making a few cups, a suitable coffee maker capable of making one to four cups is preferable. This is to make sure that the coffee maker will attain the required temperature before the brew cycle begins, to get a strong cup of coffee. But this model will take a bit longer time to start the brew cycle.
REMOVABLE WATER HOLDER: One of the convenient features of a modern coffee maker is the removable water holder, which you can take to the water source, fill it up, and place it back on the machine, instead of bringing water from the source to fill up the holder. This model is very popular among coffee lovers, but its availability is limited.
BUILT-IN GRINDER: It is better to choose a burr grinder as an alternative to a blade grinder. In a blade grinder the beans get burnt due to friction while grinding. Remember, a separate grinder is not a convenient option because of the extra counter space it occupies.
GLASS CARAFE OR THERMAL POT: In case the coffee is to remain in the pot for more than 30 minutes, get a coffee maker with a thermal pot. The coffee will not burn in a thermal pot as heat is not applied to it constantly. So the coffee will remain hot and tasty in the insulated pot. Another advantage is that it is a sturdy model. Unlike glass pots, thermal pots are unbreakable.
FILTER BASKET SHAPE: A cone shaped filter basket is preferred than a flat bottom one. It will facilitate water to flow more evenly. The coffee becomes more consistent, especially while brewing lesser quantity.
PROGRAMMABLE TIMERS: For the sake of convenience, it is better to equip with programmable timers. Grind the coffee before going to bed, pour water and grind and set the timer. A nice coffee will be ready when you wake up in the morning.
CAPACITY: Some of the modern coffee makers are provided with extra large capacity pots. Some of them are also having side by side pots. When large quantity of coffee is required, it is handy to have large capacity pots.
BUILT-IN CHARCOAL FILTERS: Even though built in charcoal filters are available; they are not preferred by many. If you have filtered water supply in your kitchen, these filters are not at all necessary. Avoid machines which will not work without charcoal filters.
PAUSE AND SERVE: Try to exercise patience and wait to eliminate drips after brewing. Many machines do not reach the required temperature before the brewing starts and coffee will therefore remain under extracted.
STAINLESS STEEL HOUSING: Coffee lovers prefer a metal housing in order to maintain a proper brewing temperature. It is sturdy and has an aesthetic appeal when installed in your kitchen.
SINGLE SERVE POD MACHINE: Single serve pod machines are the new introduction in the market. These machines look impressive and are easy to clean. These are convenient for busy persons but coffee may not taste fresh and it is not very economical
Types of Coffee Makers
October 25, 2007
Coffee makers have come into existence 200 years back. With years of developments on it now coffee makers are available in a variety with different brewing styles and each style assures you an entirely different taste of the coffee made. A coffee machine is a kitchen appliance that is used for brewing coffee in general. It comes in a range from simple percolators to the highly advanced drip makers.
In the early days it was the percolator type that was popular and then after years of developments was the modern filter type coffee maker developed. The present stage has a lot of coffee makers to choose from. It includes Percolators, Automatic Drip Coffee Makers, French Press or Plunger and Greek or Turkish Briki. Percolator pots are one of the favourite methods as it’s convenient for serving too. It has a pot and a reusable metal filter basket. The water is poured to the pot and the medium coarse ground coffee to the filter. As the water boils it passes through a tube through the filter and dips back to the pot again. The process is repeated until the brewing is complete.
In automatic drip coffee makers the water is poured over coffee grounds contained in a filter and absorbing the oils and essences from it pass to a pot below. The coffee grounds are retained in the filter keeping the dripping process on and collecting it to a pot. In French Press or Plunger the hot water is poured into a carafe and coarse ground coffee is added to it and a lid is put on it. Once the coffee is brewed for 3-4 times the lid is pressed and this forces the coffee grounds to the bottom leaving the coffee on top.
In Greek or Turkish Briki it comes with a long handled pot with a brass, copper or stainless steel container. Being slender at the top and wider at the bottom the ibrik pots are usually small. But now they are available in different sizes to satisfy the needs of the number to be served. It has a grooved lid for pouring the coffee. This coffee is renowned for the foam it gives in its coffee and that’s the highlight of Greek or Turkish Briki
Working of coffee makers are similar, they have a small bucket to hold the water to be boiled for coffee and a black tube for passing the hot water to be dripped. This water then passes through the ground coffee and is dripped and collected to a pot beneath. Depending upon the purpose of making coffee the coffee maker is chosen and every different type offers a distinct taste and that is guaranteed.
Selecting a Drip Coffee Maker
October 23, 2007
While purchasing a coffee maker you must know about the features of a coffee maker so that you can search for the functionalities that you need in the maker.
Pause and Serve
You must look for pause and serve feature of the machine. If this feature is present you can take away the coffee pot before the brewing cycle is complete.
Water Filter
The coffee maker consists of digital controls with built-in water filter which is capable to extract any chlorine or iron tastes from your tap water.
Coffee Filter
The coffee maker consists of digital controls with built-in water filter and a permanent coffee filter is purchased separately. These fine-mesh plastic or metal filters are less expensive than paper and is environment friendly. Try to look for a typical feature that is the built-in grinder feature. This will usually grind just enough coffee with each use, for the freshest brew around.
Method to clean coffee maker
You must clean the drip coffee maker at least once in a month. Cleaning the coffee maker will remove away the hard water deposits, old oils from previously brewed pots and other impurities. The best way to clean is a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Pour the mixture in your reservoir and turn the coffee maker on. Once the mixture has run completely through, turn the drip coffee maker off and let it cool.
Drip coffee maker
Unplug the unit then remove the pot, basket, tape closed the water reservoir lid; remove all screw that secures the case halves. Lift the case to expose the heating element and controls. Inspect the control cavity to determine if the solution is simple. Use multimetre to test heating elements, switch thermostat and timer. Reinstall the pot and basket. Fill the reservoir half full, plug it in and turn it on.
Percolator coffee maker
Unplug the unit and remove the basket, stem, and lid. Turn the appliance over and remove the screws that secure the base. Lift the base to expose the heating element and controls. Inspect the control cavity to determine if the solution is simple. Use multimetre to test heating elements, switch, thermostat and timer. Reinstall the stem, basket, and lid. Fill the coffee maker to approximately half full, plug in then turn it on.
