Who needs Coffee 101? We are accelerated to the next level...Coffee 201! So are you ready for information overload? There is so much info out there that's just worth knowing about coffee. The first half is really about types of coffee, growth, history etc. The second half is... now that you have the used coffee grounds...what do you do with it? for one, do NOT throw it away!
Coffee Trees: Interesting facts
Coffee trees are an evergreen and grow to heights of 20 feet, however to simplify harvesting, the trees are pruned to 8 to 10 feet. Being that the coffee cherries ripen at different times, it is predominantly picked by hand. Quick Fact: It takes approximately 2,000 Arabica cherries to produce just one pound of roasted coffee. Since each cherry contains two beans, your one pound of coffee is derived from 4,000 coffee beans. The average coffee tree only produces one to two pounds of roasted coffee per year, and takes four to five years to produce its first crop.
Arabica vs. Robusta
The two commercially significant species of coffee beans are: coffea arabica, and coffea robusta. Arabica beans grow best at altitudes over 3,000 feet. This species produces superior quality coffees, which possess the greatest flavor and aromatic characteristics. They typically contain half the caffeine of the robusta beans. Quick Fact: Aroma Ridge carries only Coffea Arabica. Conversely, Robusta beans are usually grown at lower elevations. Robusta trees are easier to grow, produce higher yields, and are more disease resistant than the arabica species. They are used when a lower price or additional caffeine is desired.
Roasting and Blending Coffee
After quality coffee beans are obtained, the most important phase of the production of gourmet coffee begins: the roasting and the blending.
A good roaster must be part artist, and part scientist, to maintain quality and consistency. It is during the roasting process that the sugars and other carbohydrates within the bean become caramelized, creating a substance which is known as the coffee oil. Technically, this fragile chemical is not actually an oil (since it is water soluble), but it is what gives the coffee its flavor and aroma. Specialty coffees are generally roasted in small batches. Quick Fact: Here at Aroma Ridge, we only roast per order, ensuring the best cup. The roasting process causes the coffee beans to swell and increase in size by over 50%, while at the same time greatly reducing their weight. The amount of oil drawn to the surface of the bean increases proportionately to the length of roasting time. As the roast darkens, caffeine and acidity decrease proportionately.
A Not-So Brief History of Coffee.
Coffee was first discovered in Northern Africa in an area we know today as Ethiopia. A popular legend refers to a goat herder by the name of Kaldi, who observed his goats acting unusually frisky after eating berries from a bush. Curious about this phenomena, Kaldi tried eating the berries himself. He found that these berries gave him a renewed energy. The news of this energy laden fruit quickly spread throughout the region. Monks hearing about this amazing fruit, dried the berries so that they could be transported to distant monasteries. They reconstituted these berries in water, ate the fruit, and drank the liquid to provide stimulation for a more awakened time for prayer.
Coffee berries were transported from Ethiopia to the Arabian peninsula, and were first cultivated in what today is the country of Yemen. From there, coffee traveled to Turkey where coffee beans were roasted for the first time over open fires. The roasted beans were crushed, and then boiled in water, creating a crude version of the beverage we enjoy today.
Coffee then made its way to Europe where it fell under harsh criticism from the Catholic church. Many felt the pope should ban coffee, calling it the drink of the devil. To their surprise, the pope, already a coffee drinker, blessed coffee, declaring it a truly Christian beverage. Coffee houses spread quickly across Europe becoming centers for intellectual exchange.
In the 1700s, coffee found its way to the Americas by means of a French infantry captain who nurtured one small plant on its long journey across the Atlantic. This one plant, transplanted to the Caribbean Island of Martinique, became the predecessor of over 19 million trees on the island within 50 years. It was from this humble beginning that the coffee plant found its way to the rest of the tropical regions of South and Central America.
Coffee was declared the national drink of the then colonized United States by the Continental Congress, in protest of the excessive tax on tea levied by the British crown.
Today, coffee is a giant global industry employing more than 20 million people. This commodity ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars traded worldwide. With over 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee is the world's most popular beverage..
Storing Coffee
Air and moisture are the two biggest culprits of a stale, flavorless, brew. We recommend storing beans in a clean, dry, air-tight ceramic container, in a cool dark place, like a cupboard or pantry. Contrary to popular belief, it is not recommended that you store beans in a refrigerator, because coffee tends to absorb flavors and your coffee will deodorize and dehumidify your refrigerator similar to baking soda. Still, to enjoy optimum flavor buying whole bean and grinding just before use is recommended.
Grinding Coffee
The way you grind your coffee greatly impacts the taste. Never grind more coffee than you will use for immediate brewing. Once the beans are ground, the flavorful oils are exposed to the damaging air. As these oils dissipate, so will the flavor of your coffee. The rich, spicy aroma created by the grinding of fresh roasted coffee is nothing short of amazing and should not be overlooked as it is a crucial step. Different methods of brewing will require different grind consistencies. Typically, coffee used for drip brewing should be ground to a consistency similar to granulated sugar. When using a French press, the coffee will need to be ground extremely coarse. Espresso requires an extremely fine grind...almost powder-like with a slight grittiness.
To Blade or Burr?
Really this question cannot be answered as easily as you think. With the Blade Griders, you control the fineness by how long you let the grinder run. But be careful, if you are not using a quality grinder, the heat could over roast and even burn the beans. We reccommend using the La Pavoni Grinder, most of here have one in our own homes and it's great! Check it out in our accessories section!
Burr grinders, are a bit more expensive but worth it to the coffee snob. It crushes the beans between a moving grinding wheel and a non-moving surface. The positioning on the burr is what regulates the ground size, which allows for a consistent grind.
Brewing Coffee
Coffee is 99% water, so you're not likely to experience the perfect cup with chemical laden tap water. Bottled or filtered is best. You will be amazed by how much difference filtered or purified water makes. When making brewed coffee, we recommend 2 to 2 1/2 level tablespoons for each 6-8 ounces of water.
Tasting and Evaluating Coffee
While tasting the coffee, you should try to judge your coffee based on:
Acidity
Acidity is a desirable characteristic in coffee. It is the sensation of dryness that the coffee produces under the edges of your tongue and on the back of your palate. The role acidity plays in coffee is not unlike its role as related to the flavor of wine. It provides a sharp, bright, vibrant quality. Without sufficient acidity, the coffee will tend to taste flat. Acidity should not be confused with sour, which is an unpleasant, negative flavor characteristic.
Aroma
Aroma is a sensation which is difficult to separate from flavor. Without our sense of smell, our only taste sensations would be: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The aroma contributes to the flavors we discern on our palates. Subtle nuances, such as "floral" or "winy" characteristics, are derived from the aroma of the brewed coffee.
Body
Body is the feeling that the coffee has in your mouth. It is the viscosity, heaviness, thickness, or richness that is perceived on the tongue. A good example of body would be that of the feeling of whole milk in your mouth, as compared to water. Your perception of the body of a coffee is related to the oils and solids extracted during brewing. If you are unsure of the level of body when comparing several coffees, try adding an equal amount of milk to each. Coffees with a heavier body will maintain more of their flavor when diluted.
Flavor
Flavor is the overall perception of the coffee in your mouth. Acidity, aroma, and body are all components of flavor. It is the balance and homogenization of these senses that create your overall perception of flavor.
FUN DID-YOU- KNOWS ABOUT COFFEE
o 52% of US adults drink coffee
o The most expensive coffee in the world is Kopi Luwak
o Coffee is the second largest import in the US
o The Blue Mountain district of Jamaica is regarded to have the best coffee in the world
o Hawaii is the only US state that grows coffee
o From coffee seed to fruit takes about five years
o A cup of coffee contains about 100 - 150 milligrams of caffeine
o An espresso has less caffeine than a regular cup of coffee
o About 500 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year
o Coffee grows in more than 50 countries
PART 2: USES FOR USED COFFEE GROUNDS
"Coffee cosmetology"
As reported in the National Geographic in 1997, Coffee Grounds can:
• Heal skin allergy problems
• Heal and prevent acne (teenagers will like this)
• Remove facial wrinkles (older women will enjoy this)
• Stimulated hair growth on a balding executive's head (mature men take note)
• Removed aging spots
• Prevent dandruff
• Prevent athlete's foot
• Plus, coffee-grounds rub makes your skin feel baby smooth and your hair silky and soft.
For Skin and Hair Care
- Take them in the shower with you! Used coffee grounds make a good skin facial pack - sort of like a mud pack. It is also used for skin dermabrasion.
- Used coffee grounds also softens and adds shine to hair. When washing your hair, rub coffee grounds through wet hair and rinse. For brown hair, coffee grounds can add highlights.
- It’s a Cellulite reducer! Mix 1/4 cup warm, used coffee grounds and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. While standing over an old towel or newspaper, apply the mixture to your "problem areas". Next, wrap the areas with shrink wrap and leave on for several minutes. Unwind the wrap, brush loose grounds off your skin and then shower with warm water. For best results, it is recommended to repeat this procedure twice a week. A little weird to be sure, but as high priced cellulite creams have coffee in them, it just might work.
Pest Control
- Build a ring of coffee grounds around the areas you would like to protect from ants. It's said they will not cross the ring.
- Keep cats out of the garden. Kitty won't think of your garden as a latrine anymore if you spread a pungent mixture of orange peels and used coffee grounds around your plants. The mix acts as great fertilizer too.
- Flea dip. Follow up Fido’s shampoo with a coffee ground rub down, working them down to his skin. Not only are the fleas suppose to vamoose, but puppy’s hair will feel soft too.
Indoor Plants
Use grounds to 'top off' the soil in houseplant pots, or mix it with potting soil before planting. Most plants love coffee, and will appreciate the last of your cup of coffee as well (no cream or sugar, though!)
Outdoor Gardens
- Fertilize plants. Dump them on the ground in your garden and flower beds, and let them help enrich the soil.
They're chock-full o' nutrients that your acidic-loving plants crave. Save them to fertilize rosebushes, azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreens, and camellias. It's better to use grounds from a drip coffeemaker than the boiled grounds from a percolator. The drip grounds are richer in nitrogen.
- Keep worms alive. A cup of used coffee grounds will keep your bait worms alive and wiggling all day long. Just mix the grounds into the soil in your bait box before you dump in the worms. They like coffee almost as much as we do, and the nutrients in the grounds will help them live longer.
Crafts and Hobbies
Children can make Treasure Stones!
Materials Needed:
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup used coffee grinds
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/4 cup sand
• 1 cup water
Instructions:
Mix all dry ingredients together. Slowly add the water to make a stiff dough; you might end up using only half the water - add it slowly or your dough will be too runny!! Knead on a floured surface until fairly smooth. Break the dough into desired rock sizes. Hide toys and surprises in the center of a ball of dough. Set in a safe place until totally dry. Atleast 3 - 4 days.
Once it is dry, the dough will look and feel like a rock. You can carefully break open the home-made rocks with a hammer to reveal the hidden treasures inside.
- You can make parchment paper. Steep coffee grounds in water to make a 'bath' for sheets of paper. Dip them, then lay them out to dry to make imitation parchment, or to cut up for collages and other crafts.
- Easter. Steep coffee grounds in water and dip Easter eggs in it for a different look.
- Coffee grounds are great for making homemade play dough. Mix a bunch of old used coffee grounds with ½ cup of salt, 1 ½ cups of cornmeal and add enough water to moisten it into a dough. You decide how sticky and wet you want your play dough.
Clothing
Steep grounds in hot water to make a brown dye for linens. Warning - wash coffee-dyed clothing separately - it can stain other items. Make sure you make enough to dye a full garment - you may need a lot.
Tie-dye a shirt - Rub petroleum jelly on the areas you don't want dyed. Dip in coffee bath, let dry, then wash gently until the color has set. Wash again and line dry.
Home Care
- Use steeped grounds and a cotton swab to touch up furniture scratches.
- Flush them down your drains and let the abrasive action clean your pipes. (Not recommend for septic systems).
- Spread them in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and dry them thoroughly. Fill old nylons with the dry grounds, and tie off the ends. Hang in closets to absorb odors. Works in the refrigerator as well.
- Don't raise any dust. Before you clean the ashes out of your fireplace, sprinkle them with wet coffee grounds. They'll be easier to remove, and the ash and dust won't pollute the atmosphere of the room.
- Deodorize a freezer. Get rid of the smell of spoiled food after a freezer failure. Fill a couple of bowls with used or fresh coffee grounds and place them in the freezer overnight. For a flavored-coffee scent, add a couple of drops of vanilla to the grounds.
- Cleaning product. As they’re slightly abrasive, grounds can be used as a scouring agent for greasy and grimy stain-resistant objects.
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