Coffee - Pros vs Cons

Coffee is your friend.  Or at least it's  not  your enemy.  It is ubiquitous in our culture.  Everywhere you look, there’s a coffee shop on the corner.  It is at its absolute best when roasted, ground, and brewed within 24 hours.  It is the life blood of anyone who works 10-16 hours a day running their own business, as I do.  Coffee has medicinal value if a person's blood pressure drops it can be raised temporarily by drinking coffee.

Coffee that has the best taste and seems freshest is made from freshly ground beans.  Coffee which has been freshly ground is much more flavorful and aromatic than pre-ground coffee.  It can stale fairly quickly once opened, so you may also want to consider the amount of coffee you purchase.  Coffee is grown all over the world today but has it's origin in Ethiopia. 

The final taste of your coffee is heavily dependent on the water and temperature settings of your coffee maker.  It is the substance that warms conversations between friends and family, and it never goes out of style.  It is very flavorful, there are a variety of roasts, and it is never bitter.  It is delicious, but it can be expensive.  Coffee is usually one of the most heavily sprayed crops, and is often contaminated with pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides. 

Coffee is also a diuretic, meaning it purges water from your body.  It is the second most valuable commodity exported from developing countries, petroleum being the first.  It was also being grown in India and Java.  It is not unhealthy in itself, but it is the sugar and cream that get added to it.  Coffee can tax the adrenals, disrupt blood sugar, deplete nutrients and stress your digestive and cardiovascular system.

Delicious Whole Bean Coffee

By now you've probably seen the bags of whole bean coffee in your local grocery store or at least have wondered what all the fuss is about. Why go through all that trouble for a cup of coffee? There can't be that much of a difference in the quality and taste. The truth of the matter is that there is a huge difference in the taste and on top of that it saves you money over visiting your favorite coffee shop.

Of course if you're planning to purchase you're own beans you have to do a little homework and pick the beans that are right for you. This may take a little trial and error but it's well worth it once you discover your favorite roast. Coffee beans are available already roasted or green which you'll have to roast yourself. This article assumes you're in the beginning stages of coffee mastery and will be buying roasted whole bean coffee.

When purchasing your whole bean coffee freshness is the key. I've been to grocery stores where coffee beans were stored in a wooden hopper with a glass window. They provided bags that you fill to your desired capacity. What's wrong with this type of setup? Freshness. Coffee starts to lose its aroma and flavor as soon as it is roasted. So to buy your coffee from this type of setup is, in my opinion, a bad idea. It would be OK if the grocery roasted the coffee in the store that same day but most grocery stores don't roast coffee. They buy it from a roaster and have it trucked in.

If you buy your whole bean coffee from a grocer try to buy beans that have been tightly sealed or better yet do your homework and try to find out where your grocer is buying coffee and get it from the source. You can find some of the best coffee available on the internet and have it shipped directly to you. A lot of these companies will not roast and package their whole bean coffee until it's ordered which guarantees you fresh coffee every time.

When your coffee arrives you simply grind the amount needed and store the rest in an air tight container. You and your guess will enjoy and fresh pot of the most delicious coffee available every time. There are other things that contribute to the overall taste of your finished coffee such as the grinder, coffee pot and water you use but it all starts with fresh whole bean coffee.

Coffee Bean Grinder - My Rancilio

If you love fresh brewed coffee, investing in a coffee bean grinder for your personal use may turn out to be one of the best ideas you've ever had. By no means is coffee grinding at home a new idea but it has been quickly catching on as more and more people realize the difference in taste between coffee bought from the store and freshly ground that you make at home.

In a nutshell, coffee you brew at home probably doesn't compare to coffee you're served in an upscale restaurant for one reason. Fresh coffee grounds. You see, when it comes to coffee freshness is paramount in retaining it's rich aroma and flavor. Coffee that has been sitting around for days on end just can't compare to coffee that was grounded just before brewing.

The very essence of coffee is so sensitive that it starts to break down as soon as it's grounded. That's why ground coffee you buy at the store or even coffee beans that you ground yourself at the store can't compare to the rich flavor you get from using coffee bean grinders at home. Thus the popularity of at home use of coffee bean grinders. It's the only way to get the very best taste from coffee beans.

Now when I talk about a coffee bean grinder I'm not talking about the type with a cutting blade that just shreds the beans. These types of machines leaves you with different size grinds which doesn't do well in the brewing process. For that perfect cup of coffee you will want to invest in a bean grinder that basically crushes to the size grinds of your choosing. That's very important. The final taste of your coffee is derived not only from fresh beans but also the size of your grinds. The more size options you have to choose from in the size of your coffee grinds the more adjustments you'll have to experiment with before finding your perfect flavor. Also, with various size adjustments on your grinder you'll be able to grind for other products like, espresso, latte and cappuccino.

Another reason for investing in a good coffee bean grinder is the quality of parts used in making the machine itself. A machine such as the Rancilio Rocky Doserless Coffee Grinder will cost you more than your basic grinder sold at some department stores but it is made from commercial quality parts that out last the competition. After tasting coffee from some of the low cost grinders out there I can tell you that they have a tendency to burn or scorch the coffee in the grinding process which carries over to the brewing and the final taste of your coffee.

So if you're really into drinking coffee and would like to experience the true taste it has to offer, investing in a good coffee bean grinder may be for you. Only then will you be able to experience the true essence of coffee as well as save money on your coffee bill.