Friday, May 18, 2012

Coffee Brewing Methods: Is Your Coffee Brewer Just a Drip?

Coffee Brewing Methods: Is Your Coffee Brewer Just a Drip?

By Vince Manzello

For most of us, brewing up our morning cup of coffee is more than just a necessity, it is a matter of convenience. Each night, millions of us coffee lovers pile heaping tablespoons of our favorite gourmet coffees into those paper filters, fill the tank of our coffee makers with water and set the timer so that our coffee is ready and waiting first thing in the morning.

But why would anyone spend good money on the finest gourmet coffee beans or fresh ground gourmet coffees and use just any home coffee maker.

So if you are like me and you enjoy the finest gourmet and specialty coffees available, then you must also believe that they deserve the best and most reliable coffee brewing equipment available.

Here is a quick list of the most popular coffee brewing methods & equipment starting from the best:

French Press
 
The French press coffee maker (or press pot) is universally recognized as the best brewing method, allowing for the truest coffee taste and aroma. This method actually brews the coffee in the hot water (as opposed to drip machines which only pass the water through the coffee and a filter). After a few minutes of brewing, a metal filter is pressed through the brew catching the coffee grinds and then trapping them at the bottom of the carafe. What is left over is full-bodied coffee with all its aroma and essences.

One of the main advantages to using a French press, other than great coffee taste, is the amount of control you have. You can control the water temperature (which incidentally should be around 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that drip makers do not achieve), you can control the amount of coffee you want to add, and you can control the brew time. Four minutes of brew time and 30 seconds of "plunging" time is considered best.

Another great feature about the French press is that it is extremely portable and only requires hot water. You can take it camping or use it in places with limited kitchen space, like a boat or an RV. Some press pots can also be used to brew loose leaf teas in the same manner.

As an aside, you shouldn't leave your brewed coffee in the press-pot with the grounds after you brew it! Either consume it or transfer it to a carafe, preferably a thermal carafe.

Vacuum Brewer

Vacuum brewers aren't very common, but they make coffee just about as well as a French press since the coffee and water are brewing together. A vacuum brewer has an upper and a lower chamber connected by a tube with a small filter inside. Coffee grounds are placed in the upper chamber, and water is placed in the lower chamber. As the lower chamber is heated, the water rises up to meet the coffee in the upper chamber where the brewing begins. After brewing, the water (now coffee) cools and seeps back down into the lower chamber leaving the used coffee grinds behind in the upper chamber. Ideally, the upper chamber is removed and the lower chamber is used as a decanter for the finished coffee.

Vacuum brewers can be electric, stovetop, or even used over a sterno can for dramatic tabletop brewing!

The Toddy Maker

The toddy maker or Cold-Brew Coffee Maker uses an unusual cold-brewing method that creates a coffee concentrate. This concentrate is then mixed with hot water to make coffee. The concentrate can be stored in a refrigerator and used to make one cup at a time if you so desire. This method produces a low-acid coffee, which is doctor recommended for coffee drinkers with stomach conditions.

Although this method of coffee brewing is sounds a bit odd, the result in taste is pleasantly surprising. One drawback is the amount of time it takes to brew. A good idea is to brew the coffee overnight. Once brewed, the concentrate can produce more than just one pot of coffee, so it's not a nightly event for a great cup of morning coffee!

Drip Grind Coffee Makers

Drip Grind coffee makers are the most common and usual coffee brewing method that we are familiar with.

In this method, water is dripped over and passes through the coffee grinds and a filter and is caught by the coffee pot below. Despite being the most common brew method it also happens to be the one which produces a coffee brew with the least amount of flavor and aroma.

There are generally 2 filter options for the drip grind coffee makers.

Permanent filters: are just what they say, permanent. They are usually gold-plated so they don't add any unwanted metallic taste to your coffee, resistant to corrosion so they are dishwasher safe and economical because they don't need replacing. Permanent filters are preferred because they allow for better coffee taste as opposed to the second filter option, paper filters.

Paper filters are the most common filter choice for the drip grind coffee makers. Unfortunately, paper filters can filter out more than just coffee grinds. Flavorful oils can be left behind in the filter and not make it to the finished coffee brew resulting in less coffee flavor and aroma. Since permanent filters allow for more liquid to pass through, the end result is a more flavorful cup.

As you can see, the most common brew method happens to be the one which produces the least amount of coffee flavor and aroma. Since, mornings usually need to be made quick and simple, most people have never had their coffee brewed any other way. If you are one of these people, don't just splurge on gourmet coffee's, get a small French press maker, start experimenting and experience the truest coffee flavor & aroma in each cup.





 
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Does Coffee Have Any Antioxidant Benefits?

Does Coffee Have Any Antioxidant Benefits?

By Aaron Matthews Morgan

Before we get all excited over the recent news about coffee being our new antioxidant, we need to take a look at the entire picture. Is there truly a coffee antioxidant? If there is, how exactly is coffee an antioxidant? Does it become the antioxidant when it's heated? Does the coffee antioxidant benefit everyone? Are there still dangers to drinking coffee? How much coffee is good for us and when does it become bad for us?

Brewed coffee contains many antioxidants and consumption of antioxidant-rich brewed coffee may inhibit diseases caused by oxidative damages. Antioxidants are said to be an inhibitor of certain types of diseases. However, coffee beans are not all a like. Not all coffee beans are of the same quality or even the same make up. Sort of like comparing tennis shoes to sandals. Both go on your feet, but they are not made up of the same components. You can actually break coffee down into several different water-soluble components. The dietary fiber derived from roasted coffee silverskin. This is one component of the coffee bean that has high antioxidant content. This is how the scientists find out about the antioxidant benfits of coffee in their studies. What they do in fact is the break down the coffee beans into different components. They filter out the components that the coffee antioxidant is found in, and then they test lab rats in a variety of experiments to determine how well they survive with or without the various additives in their diet. When they discover something really swell, like a coffee antioxidant, our culture of coffee drinking addicts suddenly becomes a feverorish mob.

For years and years we've heard bad things about coffee. For example: it's bad for your heart, increases blood pressure, may cause breast cancer, probably keeps you awake at night, and my personal favorite, has a poisonous gas when brewed.When the world of coffee addicts even gets a tiny hint that coffee could have something beneficial, believe me they don't just drink more coffee, they try to get everyone to join them. So, here we now have scientific studies proving to us that coffee has antioxidants.

Researchers have identified several compounds in coffee that create a coffee antioxidant. Why would this be of interest to us? Because scientific studies are showing that antioxidants may help prevent cancer. You see the connection here. However, until human studies are done, science cannot state exactly how much coffee must be consumed in order gain this protection against colon cancer or any other type of cancer. Before the coffee is roasted the antioxidant benefits are varied. However, once the coffee is roasted and served as a drink things get evened out. They all seem to have the same degrees of antioxidants.

Some studies suggest coffee having other benefits such as added fertility in men and some benefits for those suffering from diabetes. You'll have to read those studies on your own. The fact that a coffee antioxidant exists may be true, but the reality is that coffee can be just as harmful if your body doesn't like it, if you consume too much, if you have high blood pressure, and if it keeps you awake at night. Is there truly a coffee antioxidant? Yes, but the actual amount needed to be consumed in order to receive the anti-cancer benefits by humans is unknown. 

How exactly is coffee an antioxidant?

Coffee alone isn't the antioxidant, it's several different components that are part of the coffee bean. Roasting and heating the coffee changes the total antioxidant output. Does it become the antioxidant when it's heated? It seems that although some coffee beans like green coffee beans may be higher in antioxidants that other more common beans, once they are roasted and heated for consumption, the results are the same regarding the antioxidantal benefits. Does the coffee antioxidant benefit everyone? Honestly, this is NOT a question easily answered. In fact, the truth is it is still unknown just how beneficial coffee antioxidants are for humans. Are there still dangers to drinking coffee? Yes, of course there is. If you have high blood pressure and you have seen how coffee enhances this problem, you know it's bad for YOU personally. If you can't get proper sleep or you drive everyone around you nuts because you can't sit still or shut-up, you know coffee is bad for you.

Use common sense and listen to your body. Coffee is not good for everyone and unknown just how good for anyone. How much coffee is good for us and when does it become bad for us? Again drink coffee in moderation, pay attention to your own body. Exercise and good eating habits are a far better way to get healthy than drinking 10 cups of cappuccino a day. All things in moderation. After reading everything about this new thing called a coffee antioxidant I have decided that there are better ways of getting antioxidants into my blood.

Coffee may have many benefits, but so does water and it is possible to drown from drinking too much water. Yes, I know, you have to really drink a lot to accomplish this, but it's the principle of the matter. Too much of anything is not a good thing.



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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

The Side Effects of Caffeine and Cause Of Infertility To Caffeine Side Effects??


The Side Effects of Caffeine

Excecutive summary about the side effects of caffeine By Gerald Fitz

Caffeine is a white crystalline xanthine alkaloid stimulant drug that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in different quantities within leaves, beans, and even some fruit. Occasionally you can find caffeine as a source from the kola nut, guarana berries, Yaupon Holly, and yerba mate.

There is great debate regarding the pros and cons to caffeine, as well as it's effects on the body. For starters caffeine is first and foremost a central nervous stimulant. Some of the most popular drinks that contain caffeine are tea, coffee, energy drinks, and even the common soft drinks. Statistics show that more than 90% of North American adults consume caffeine on a daily basis.

Caffeinated drinks are also very popular among this group. When the blood flow is restricted muscle growth is stunted. Caffeinated muscle builders have been shown to reduce the benefits of different creatines and NO2 by constricting blood vessels. 

Cause Of Infertility Due To Caffeine Side Effects?

Excecutive summary about cause of infertility due to caffeine side effects By Kirsten Whittaker

The findings come from a study of mouse fallopian tubes, where caffeine was seen to interfere with the muscle contractions that move the egg from the ovaries up through the fallopian tubes, finally entering the uterus. Doctors have long recognized that women who have a high caffeine intake do take a more prolonged period to conceive compared to those who don't take in caffeine.

Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) consider a moderate intake to be safe - 200 mg to 300 mg per day.

If you're dealing with infertility now, cutting the amount of caffeine you take in might help, and there's good evidence that cutting your caffeine intake ups your chance of success using assisted reproductive techniques.

Try to keep caffeine intake to the four most common sources, coffee, tea, cocoa and cola. The findings on caffeine side effects as a cause of fertility might just help give doctors an increased understanding of this complex process, as well as come simple suggestions that could help.









3 Simple Tips For Making Perfect Coffee

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HOW TO GET THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE WITHOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS


How To Get The Benefits Of Coffee Without The Side Effects

Excecutive summary about the benefits of side effects By Scott Frank


Paullinia Cupana is an herb that grows in the South American rainforest that delivers the benefits of coffee without the fidgety side effects. The active compound is guaranine, which is a part of the caffeine family. This natural, slow-release process prevents the sudden pick-up and crash that usually occurs with caffeine. With caffeine, the effects are completely opposite.


There is nothing wrong with caffeine. In fact, I love coffee. The problem with the caffeine in coffee is that the short thrust of energy you get excites your body. Guaranine, which is part of the caffeine family, stimulates you slow and steady which keeps you alert over a longer period.


Here's the cool part. You won't need to run out for that five dollar iced coffee beverage in the afternoon anymore. Remember, guaranine releases slowly. So, when you combine guaranine with choline, you trigger the release of acetycholine to rebuild your reserves to stay mentally aware and alert all day long. This way, your body is able to manufacture acetycholine when it needs it. It is really the best of both worlds.


The Suggested Health Benefits to Drinking Coffee

Excecutive summary about the suggested health benefits to drinking coffee By Christine Rankin


Coffee is not only a delicious beverage, but studies show it is also beneficial to the body! Studies have been conducted and have been shown that coffee can reduce the risk of being affected by Alzheimer's disease.


Coffee has also show to decrease the chances of Parkinson's disease as well. Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the central nervous system. Some of the more common ailments coffee consumption has shown to help is heart disease, diabetes type 2, cirrhosis of the liver and gout.


Drinking coffee can actually improve your health and help you live a healthier, and happier life according to different studies conducted on coffee consumption. There has also been studies conducted by drinking decaf and regular coffee.


Whether drinking coffee for pleasure or for health benefits it truly doesn't matter. Moderation is usually key to a healthy, happy life anyway.






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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

SIDE EFFECT AND BENEFITS OF COFFEE ON HEALTH REVEALED


Side Effects Of Coffee On Health Revealed

Excecutive summary about side effect of coffee on health revealed By Kirsten Whittaker

A German study that included over 40,000 subjects and lasted almost a decade has found that the side effects of coffee produce no more risk of chronic illnesses (heart disease, cancer) plus coffee drinkers are also less likely to be diagnosed with troublesome type 2 diabetes than non coffee drinkers.

These new findings come after many earlier studies have brought conflicting reports - some suggesting coffee drinking brought a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and more.

They saw that both coffee drinkers and those who were not had the same risks of getting one of these diseases. For example, just over 10% of both coffee (over than four cups per day) and non-coffee drinkers ended up developing a chronic disease.

On the type 2 diabetes front the researchers also saw that coffee drinkers had a lesser chance of being diagnosed with this chronic illness than non-drinkers.

Among the four cup a day coffee drinkers, 3.2% later told researchers they'd been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, while 3.6% of those who did not drink coffee were diagnosed with the same disease. Even after accounting for things that could affect diabetes risk (being overweight and smoking), the team saw that who drank coffee were 23% less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes - supporting findings from earlier studies.

The researchers point out that the results of the current research suggest that drinking coffee is not harmful to a healthy adult. But they don't mean people should rely on coffee for preventing type 2 diabetes or other chronic illnesses.


The Health Benefits of Coffee

Excecutive summary about the health benefits of coffee By Rebecca G Wishford

Coffee contains active ingredients that affect the human body - the most famous one being caffeine.
Many people drink coffee because of the flavour - it tastes great and there are so many different ways to drink it. Many also drink it for the stimulating effect of the caffeine. Plenty of people also drink coffee for its ability to increase short-term memory and reactions. Coffee has also been shown to reduce the risks of getting certain diseases.

Drinking caffeinated coffee has been credited with a lowering the incidence of gallstones and gallbladder disease in both sexes. There is also a significantly reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and Dementia for people who drink 3-5 cups a day compared to those that have 0-2 cups and a significantly reduced likelihood for men of developing Parkinson's disease later in life.

For heart disease, the drink is thought to help prevent heart attacks, stroke and arrhythmia. The tannins in coffee may also reduce the tooth decay potential of foods by reducing plaque formation.


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Monday, May 14, 2012

TIPS HOT MAKE A COFFEE TEMPERATURE AND WATER


Coffee Temperature and Water - Gourmet Coffee Tips For the Right Water Temperature and More

By DJ Toman

Gourmet coffee makers are only as good as the water you use. This article is about water quality, temperature, and other helpful tips to brew a great cup of coffee. Should you use bottled water for brewing? It is okay to brew coffee with tap water that tastes good straight from the faucet.

Beware of tap water that has a strong odor or taste such as iron or chlorine. Remember to let your tap run a few seconds (or more) until it cools to its lowest temperature. That gives fresher taste. Only use cold water and never used distilled or softened water. Using the hot water faucet is a sure way to ruin your coffee's flavor. If your tap water is not nearly perfect, you should filter it or buy bottled. Some more expensive makers actually include a built-in filter. An economical alternative is to use a filtered pitcher.

The proper proportion of water to coffee is 2 tablespoons (perhaps a little less if you prefer) of ground beans for every 6 ounces of water. Remember that the typical "coffee cup" is only six ounces, and that is how your carafe will be marked. Be careful not to get confused by a "measuring cup" that is 8 ounces.

The right temperature for brewing is just below boiling. If you are heating water on the stove, you can let it start to boil, then allow it set for a minute before pouring it over the grounds in your cone filter or press pot. If it is too cool, your beans will not release their full flavors. Water that is too hot extracts bitter flavor oils from the beans.

The best temperature for brewing coffee is between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit.  You should serve it at a cooler temperature, between 145 to 175 degrees although most people prefer the top end of that range. If the flavor seems too mild and thin and you never get the full, rich gourmet taste you want, then pay attention to brewing temperature.

The brewing time depends on the method you use. Drip makers spray hot water over the grounds that seeps through in a minute or two. A press pot (or French Press) brews between 3 to 4 minutes. For an espresso machine, the hot water is quickly forced through the espresso grind in 20-30 seconds. An Aeropress also brews in the 20 seconds it takes to depress the plunger and push the water through the filtered grounds.

Remember that period of time the hot water stays in contact with the grounds is directly related to the type of grind used for the particular coffee maker. A  French press requires the coursest grind. An espresso machine and an Aeropress use finely ground beans. A medium grind works best for a drip coffee maker.

If your coffee is too strong check the brew temperature. Then make sure you are using the right grind and brewing it for the right period of time. Try varying the brew time that the hot water remains in contact with your ground coffee, until you make the perfect cup. Timing the brew cycle is best, instead of guessing.

A break through in brewing technology is the Keurig single serve brewer, with a revolutionary process of controlling the pressure, brew time and temperature. The Keurig coffee system can be a great way for a beginner to learn how great gourmet coffee should taste, with a simple and tasty brew time after time. Now you know this tip for beginning coffee makers: Pay attention to the water you're using to brew great tasting coffee.







Home Coffee Roaster Machine

Get Your Iced Coffee Fix - Only Better

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2 FROZEN COFFEE DESSERTS YOU'LL LOVE


Two Frozen Coffee Desserts You'll Love

By J. Martinez

Despite America's love for sweetened coffee drinks, we often forget that coffee is excellent as an ingredient in desserts. Why not add some of the coffee flavor you love to some cool desserts for the summer? Here are two frozen coffee-based desserts we think you'll enjoy. As always, be sure to use quality coffee for the best flavor in these desserts.

Coffee Granita

This is the easiest coffee dessert you will ever make, trust us. The result is a light, melt-in-your-mouth, coffee flavored shaved ice that is perfect for hot summer days.

Take one cup of hot coffee and mix with 1/4 cup of sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the sweetened coffee into a shallow dish (casserole dishes or cake pans work well) and place in the freezer. Allow 30 minutes to pass, then rake through the semi-frozen coffee with a fork. Return to the freezer and continue raking every 30 minutes until no more liquid remains. Serve and enjoy!

Hot tip: try adding a shot of coffee liquor or another favorite liquor for an extra boost of flavor.

Coffee Gelato

Coffee is a well-loved flavor in Italy, where gelato is a popular dessert. It's only natural that these two delicious things would get together and make the most luxurious coffee dessert of all time. You'll need an ice cream maker to properly execute this scrumptious dessert.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups whole milk

5 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

½ cup double strength coffee or espresso

To make, gently bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. While the milk is heating up, whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves and the yolks lighten in color. When the milk is finally boiling, slowly whisk the hot milk into the eggs, then add the coffee or espresso. Put this custard back in the saucepan you used for the milk and stir over medium low heat until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Cool in the refrigerator overnight, then use your ice cream maker to freeze into gelato. Store in the freezer.

Hot tipS: add exciting flavor to this gelato by mixing in the seeds from one vanilla bean or ½ teaspoon of cinnamon before you chill it overnight. For more coffee flavor and a little crunch, you can add chopped espresso beans to the mixture before processing it in your ice cream maker.







Green Coffee Bean Extract and Weight Loss

WHAT IS GREEN COFFEE BEANS? (best of coffee)

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