|
The freshness of the coffee beans can have a direct impact on the quality of the coffee.
Sugars in the coffee bean begin to setup during the roasting process and continue forming through 3-5 days after the day of roasting. Grinding and brewing the coffee after the 3-5 days will yield the best possible extraction that the coffee can provide. After those days, as the coffee is exposed to oxygen, it will be oxidizing and loosing the oils and flavor after about 3 months. This is why it is best to purchase as freshly roasted coffee as possible. Then, the next hurdle is not grinding the coffee until just before use. Two weeks after opening a sealed container of ground coffee the grounds will become stale and over-oxidized. If the grounds are kept in a sealed container they can last up to a month. When grinding the beans immediately before grinding, one has more control over the grind size, the oxidation, and ensures that the beans oils, and taste, won't be lost through the water molecules in the air.
6 Comments
The best grind method depends on the brewing method of the coffee. The primary grind methods are blade grinding and burr grinding. Contrary to the name, blade grinders chop the coffee beans and produce a range of small to large particle sizes. Blade grinders can also take from the flavor of the coffee but does produce fresh ground coffee rather than using pre- ground coffee.
Burr Grinders grind the beans with rather than chopping them. The particle size is also far more consistent than the blade grinders. A standard burr grinder is roughly 5 times the price of a blade grinder but can prove to be a good investment over time. If cost is a concern hand burr grinder are a close alternative to try the method out. If you're looking to elevate your coffee experience, a burr grinder is the way to go. This provides consistency and equal grounds for the water to permeate and brew. The longer the brewing time and how manual your brewing method is, the courser the coffee can be. When the coffee grounds are finer there is an increased surface area, which lets more water come in contact with the grounds. A medium grind is great for an automatic drip brewer, while a coarser grind is better for French press and cold brewing. Finely ground coffee is best when brewing with pour over, espresso (depending on machine you may need an actual espresso grind) or using a Moka pot. You want to ensure that the water can saturate the surface area of the coffee before gravity can pull the water through on a chemex, pour over or drip coffee maker. 3/2/2020 0 Comments Arabica vs. Specialty ArabicaWhat is so special about “Specialty” Arabica? Let’s explore this a little bit.
First, a little history on Arabica coffee. Arabica actually comes from a Robusta plant. The Robusta plant migrated to the highlands of Ethiopia from its origin in Yemen, (folklore says by a Monk who was tending goats) and crossed with another local plant, creating a sweeter, more flavorful, less caffeinated, less bitter coffee. Arabica coffee in general is a little higher cost in stores. Ever wonder why? Arabica is grown in highlands (higher elevations). It's much more difficult to maintain, produce and harvest. The plant naturally has less caffeine by it’s makeup. Caffeine is a natural pest deterrent, so with Arabica having a smaller amount, it needs a lot of care and tending to make sure it doesn’t get eaten by pests or disease. You also can’t get heavy machinery, like a combine or tractor on a mountain, so it is mostly harvested by hand or smaller machinery; which in turn means more labor and therefore, cost. But let’s get back to the “Specialty” in Specialty grade Arabica. There is a grading process setup by the Specialty Coffee Association that the green coffee goes through first. A grader checks for defects and assigns the coffee a Class, one through five, depending on the average amount of defects. Then it is roasted, cupped and scored. The process of “cupping” is a process by which the coffee is ground, smelled, brewed, tasted and assigned a score ranging from 60-100 depending on the depth, body, flavor and other components. Cupping Score: 90-100 is “Outstanding” and sold at premium pricing (Jamaican Blue Mountain for instance) 85-89 is “Excellent” 80-84 is “Very Good” Anything less than 80 doesn’t quality as Specialty grade Depending on the Class and Cupping Score, the coffee can become Specialty Grade. This is the top 10% of coffee that is grown worldwide. This is the best of the best coffee. This is what we specialize in. This is what we love! This product is our focus. Our desire is to share and educate our community on this amazingly flavorful and healthier coffee. (Don't even get us started on how they decaffeinate coffee) If you know any person or business that would love to offer specialty coffee to their customers, please let us know. We specialize in wholesaling this amazing product in bags for resale, bulk coffee or coffee service. We also love private labeling for businesses to have their own brand as well! If we can help you with any of your coffee needs, please do not hesitate to reach out. Let us help you make more money selling Specialty Coffee! |
Thumb Roast CoffeeWe'll talk about all things coffee! Send us your blog requests! Archives
October 2023
Categories |
RSS Feed
Thumb Roast Coffee © 2024 HQ 30 N. Howard Ave. Croswell, MI 48422 Phone: (877) 863-6320
2023 Award Winner
|
|