Coffee Setup in the Office: Spreading Coffee Love

Source: New York Times Ristretto blog

A week ago I brought my Counter Culture pour over to the office.  Along with the porcelain coffee brewer, I packed a handful of filters, two bags of Sumatran and Columbian coffee, and a mug stating, "Don't mess with my Dad."  Thankfully the office had a "whirly blade" grinder and a spouted device that boils water.  Now I can make fresh coffee and not spend two dollars at Starbucks!  The only other game in town is Bourbon coffee, but that is a 25 minute round trip, which is a tad too far for a quick a coffee pick me up.

After bringing in my coffee making materials, I quickly found that other people wanted coffee too!  Gathering around our makeshift coffee kitchen, I waxed eloquent about the benefits of black coffee, the flavor of freshly brewed joe, and the monetary savings from making your own.  After brewing three cups, one for myself naturally, my two companions seemed quite content and impressed by the results.

  +1 for specialty coffee and -1 for Starbucks.

Next, I will need to train people on making coffee with a pour over, so I am not the only person who will  be able to do so.  While my system isn't the easiest, it certainly is fun and a nice distraction from studying and writing.  And besides, what would academia be without coffee? 

The Most Extensive Moka Pot/Stovetop Espresso Guide on the Internet

Source: Me! 

The purpose of this guide, besides making unattainable hyperbolic statements, is to touch on many aspects of making Moka pot coffee.  This post is broken into four parts: Introduction, Brewing/Tips, Cleaning, and More Information. I spent considerable time writing these set of posts so please leisurely read through them reflecting upon each section.  It will be broken into 3 posts over roughly seven days.  Please leave a thoughtful comment, if you have any questions, critiques, or revisions I should make.  Without further ado, here is the first part of the "Most Extensive Moka Pot/Stovetop Espresso Guide on the Internet."

Introduction:  First, one point on nomenclature.  When I refer to a Moka pot, stovetop espresso maker, or coffee percolator, I am referring to Bialetti's Moka pot, the most popular manifestation.  While there are other products that use the same principle of steam to make coffee on a stove, most people have some version made by Bialetti.  

The 5 parts of the Moka pot

How does a stovetop espresso maker work?  It is composed of roughly three components: the base with a pressure valve which holds the water; the basket which holds the coffee; and the "collecting chamber" which the coffee brews into.  Additionally, there is  the metal filter and the "O" ring which ensures a good seal for the pressure to build and that the coffee grinds don't infiltrate your end product.  The Moka pot creates stream by boiling water in the base that pushes water into the coffee hopper.  Then, the water comes into contact with coffee, brewing, and then goes through the filter above the hopper, and into the collecting chamber.  The whole process from heating the water to drinking the coffee is about 5-10 minutes.


I will focus on the "3 cup" Moka pot which I own as the basis for this guide.  Remember, the designation of "3 cups" means three small espresso cups resulting in ~6-7 oz of liquid in total.  It does not make 3 American-sized cups of coffee.  If you want 3 large cups of coffee, the Moka pot is not for you, unless you buy the 12 cup Moka pot, which makes 25 oz of coffee. For a breakdown of all the different sizes of the Moka pots, look here.

Unfortunately, I must disabuse you of the notion that the Moka pot makes espresso.  It does not.  Let me repeat that.  Stovetop espresso makers do not make espresso.  They make strong coffee.  Let me explain why.  Espresso is brewed using around 9-10 bars of pressure.  The Moka pot is capable of around 1.5 bars of pressure.  This amounts to a difference in consistency, taste, and appearance, principally the lack of "real" crema you would see on good espresso.  Additionally, the temperatures involved are different.  Since Moka pots rely on steam to push water up, it requires the water to reach boiling, 212 Fahrenheit.  Espresso machines, ideally, keep the water temperature around 202-5 Fahrenheit.  What is the difference you may ask?  Boiling water can burn the coffee damaging the delicate flavors of the coffee you just spent 20 dollars on.  A rule of thumb for most coffee preparations generally advise to never allow boiling water touch coffee.  Technically this is true for the Moka pot as the steam pushes non-boiling water into the coffee grounds (I think), but nevertheless a higher temperature is involved than in making traditional espresso.  While espresso machines and Moka pots use pressure, the difference in pressure produced is significant.

Stainless Steel

Aluminum

If that wasn't complicated enough, there are two different versions of the Moka pot (besides the different sizes): aluminum and stainless steel.  The aluminum version is the first Moka pot made by Bialetti and appears to be the most popular version, probably due to tradition, modern aesthetics, and the cheaper price.  Unfortunately, there is one large issue with the aluminum version.  Aluminum can impart a "metallicy," bitter taste to the coffee.  To counter this, people "season" their pots by allowing a film of coffee oil cover the top chamber by not thoroughly washing it.  I will address this later, but its an important issue to remember.  The stainless steel Moka pot generally does not impart the aforementioned metallic taste. [Source for the two pictures is Bialetti's website]

In addition to the aluminum and stainless steel Moka pots, Bialetti makes one's that steams milk and brew coffee resulting in a cappuccino, and ones that are electric. If that wasn't enough, other companies like Bellman have ones with steam wands!

Brewing Steps and Tips:
First, let me walk you through how to brew with the Moka pot.  At each step, I will introduce some helpful tips and hints to improve the end product.  If you want a quick "how to," search James Hoffman's video on the Moka pot, and watch it.

0.  Quickly wash out the base part with tap water and wet the the metal filter and O ring on the collecting chamber.  I think it helps reduce the "metallicy" taste, especially if the Moka pot has been sitting for a few days with use.

1.  Pour water into the base stopping where the pressure valve is.  Any more and the water will prematurely contact the coffee grounds.

At this point, there are two "schools of thought."  The first school of thought is to use cold water.  The reasoning is more of habit than anything else.  Reconsidering this reasoning, it really is not a "school," but that of uncritical thinking.  The second school of thought is to boil the water in a teapot and pour this into the base.  In doing so, this prevents the the stove from heating the whole Moka pot to an unpleasant temperature for the coffee which might cause it to burn.  I'd recommend this method.

Be sure to use quality water!  Water right out of the tap is drinkable, but it can also introduce unwanted tastes into your coffee.  I suggest using a water filter to minimize the introduction of foreign elements into your perfect brew.  Consider using a Brita filter or the like

2.  Grind the coffee.  Try to ensure an even distribution and flat surface.  The hopper must be filled completely for the Moka pot to function properly.  If it isn't, wonky things will happen...

Like so!

This is sticking point for me.  I have read and heard that the grind for Moka pot coffee should be just above an espresso setting on your grinder.  They have forgotten that we are making strong coffee not espresso.  From my experiences, a medium grind has produced the best results avoiding the bitter, over-extracted coffee that plagues the Moka.  If you want to experiment with different grind settings, please do!  I have found that the finer one goes, the more bitter the coffee tastes.     

3.  Screw on the top chamber with a dry towel (if using hot water).  Make sure it is tight enough as the coffee can seep out where the base and the top chamber meet.  Turn the stove to low-medium heat.  On my gas stove, I ensure that the flame isn't touching the pot.  Don't want it to burn or melt.

4.  After a few minutes, the coffee will begin to come out of the spout in the upper chamber.  After about half the chamber is filled, I cut the heat and remove the pot from the stove.  I try to limit the watery end of the brew from diluting the quality coffee brewed in the beginning.  However you do it, please do not leave the Moka pot unattended!  This could lead melting, but more importantly the more the coffee is heated after brewing the bitter it gets.

5.  Pour the coffee into your favorite coffee receptacle.

6.  Before drinking, quickly run water over the collecting chamber to prevent coffee oils globbing all over the aluminum.  By doing so, this ensures a nice uniform oily film to prevent a "metallicy" taste in future brews and doesn't allow the pot to get too dirty and gross.  Proper "seasoning" of the pot should look something like this:

A "Seasoned" Moka pot: Notice the light and even coffee oils.  Any thicker it may be time to clean it.

End of Part One.  Please come back in a few days for Part Two: "Cleaning the Moka pot."  I hope you enjoyed reading it, if there are any errors on the science of it, please comment below, or if you simply want to leave a pleasing message.  For Part Two, click here.

Best,
Jack

Bad Coffee Gift: The Indispensable Coffee Dispenser

I realize by plugging this gadget, I am adding to the likelihood someone will buy it.  Nevertheless, this product is a "teachable moment."  This contraption doses out one tablespoon of coffee.  Each time you click the button, coffee is dosed out into a brewer below.

What is the problem?  I am sure it is functional and works as directed, but the issue is the fundamental idea.   Anyone following this blog knows, if you want the freshest coffee possible, grinding your coffee right before brewing is best.  Despite what the infomercial below states, this dispenser is not keeping the coffee fresh!  Nor is the vertical nature of the container a benefit!  Grinding a whole bag of coffee and pouring it into the "Indispensable Coffee Dispenser" ruins the coffee by making it go stale more quickly.

The idea of dosing is a good one.  In fact, expensive coffee grinders come with them built in.  This "Coffee Dispenser" is marketed towards people who don't know any better and already buy pre-ground coffee.  Ugh.
For more bad coffee ideas, check out Coffee Nate's post, "5 Bad Coffee Gifts."
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After watching the video one more time, I found another coffee faux pas.  Never store your coffee in the refrigerator.  Either freeze it, if you are not going to be using it for a month in a way that moisture cannot get to it, or put it in an air-tight container in a closet.   

Coffee near Union Station: Ebenezers

I apologize for the blurry photos.

Located one block east of Union Station at the intersection of F and 2nd street in North East DC is Ebenezers coffee.  Ebenezers is the best alternative for a coffee fix while waiting for your Amtrak train or a small respite from the large amounts of people rushing in and out of the historic building. *See below for pictures of Union Station*  Instead of drinking at the Starbucks inside, take the 5 minute walk to Ebenezers, especially if your new to DC.  On the brief walk, you will see the Capitol building and the Federal Judicial Center.  Click here for the directions.

 Atmosphere:  Upon entering, the interior greets you with warm colors, DC decor, and an open area with ample seating ranging from bar stools to readings chairs.  The brick walls, tile flooring, and orange tubing on the ceiling emit a welcoming industrial vibe.  I loved the art pieces of the Metro system hanging on the wall.  The artist separated the different rail lines, and pasted pictures of famous landmarks and POI you can find when you take that specific Metro train.  Neat idea!

The only issue are laptops.  Granted, this was my first time visiting and my impressions are based simply on one visit, but laptops were a-plenty!  After ordering our drinks, my friend and I waited by the creamer stations for 10 minutes waiting for a table to clear up.  Normally I wouldn't mind, but when the tables are dominated by laptops it can be frustrating.  This isn't a critique of Ebenezer's specifically, but a problem facing all coffee shops, and I wish there was an easy solution.  I simply state that while there is ample seating, the ample seating can be monopolized.

Notice the oranges!  Unfortunately, laptops have invaded most of the table seating.  Though, this is largely a pet-peeve than a critique of Ebenezer

The Orange Line: Home of Honest Abe and the White House

Interesting Fact: According to their website, Ebenezers is owned and operated by the National Community Church, which has a few locations around the Metro Area.  The profits of Ebenezers supports their ministry, and one can buy Christian literature at the registrar. While a little "off-putting", they don't verbally proselytize you.

Coffee:  Ebenezers serves One Village Coffee, which means they are not roastery.  One Village and Ebenerzers support sustainability, using only coffee that has been certified "Fair Trade."  Ebenezers motto is "Coffee with a Cause."

The coffee selection offers the standard range of coffee drinks from espresso to soy lattes.  I was hoping for a "pour-over" option or a possibility of trying different coffees, but unfortunately these two options were not explicitly offered on their menu.  With that said, generally only specialty coffee roasters have the latter option.  Though, hopefully in the future, Ebenezers could expand some of their coffee offerings to buying a French Press or a "pour over" coffee to differentiate themselves from other coffee shops.   I would love this!

The drip coffee had a bold, dark taste!  I was hoping for a little more flavor from a specialty coffee shop, but also, one must consider that to make it marketable for the common coffee consumer it cannot diverge too much from a bold, dark taste.  With that stated, it certainly wasn't bitter.

Conclusion: Ebenezers is a wonderful coffee shop near Union Station.  It is an excellent alternative for people waiting in Union Station to get a cup of coffee and see a site or two on the brief 4 minute walk.  As Ebenezers develops and grow more popular, which it will, I hope they expand their offerings to include brew on-demand options, principally French Press pots and "pour-over."  

Sorry for the long post!

M.E. Swings and City Life

I love to stare out windows.  Watching businessmen walk by screaming into their blackberries, fashionistas complimenting each other on their purchases, or catching fleeting views of police cars whizzing by, I savor any respite from my academic studies.  

Today, I enjoyed such a time at M.E. Swings Coffee (Swings for short) located at 1702 G Street Northwest, only a block or so away from the White House and Farragut West Metro Station.  Often the line snakes back and forth within the store, serving government workers, students, and all others who need their coffee in downtown DC.  Don't worry the line goes quickly enough.  M.E. Swings roasts their own coffee in Alexandria and sells it to local businesses, such as Toby's Ice Cream in East Falls Church.   Many people rush into Swings, grab their coffee, rush out to their high stress jobs.  Me?  Not so much.  I work in academia.  I scoff at businessmen and bankers from the IMF and the World Bank (located a stones throw away).  I sit and relax.

Swings serves excellent coffee.  The lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and espresso are flavorful and demonstrate an eye towards careful preparation.  They rotate out different single-origin coffees for drip.  Today, I ordered a mellow and smooth Rwandan coffee that I nursed slowly.  Situating myself at the bar seating in front of the window, I witnessed a police motorcade speed by lights flashing and horns buzzing.  I wondered whether this was the Chinese president going to his State dinner at the White House.  Probably not.


Swings is part of downtown DC, and I suggest everyone get a small coffee and relax by the window.  Everyone should have some time to themselves. 

Thank You to Tvol for the Pictures!

Coffee Sludge on the French Press. Use a Q-tip

Coffee sludge: The stealthy, ever-present, clogging, schmutzig material that bitters and destroys complex, dynamic coffee flavors.  Pictured left, right below the metal coil is a coffee ring of sludge that had slowly formed over a period of weeks.  

If it is one thing I despise about coffee, it is cleaning.  I hate cleaning.  The Fiance can tell you that.  Cleaning, especially cleaning coffee equipment and properly disposing coffee grounds is a pain.  *Note to self* Coffee grounds can not go into garbage disposal!  Yet, despite my best efforts coffee grounds pepper the kitchen, hide in the crannies of my French Press, and defy my overtures to be cleaned up.  Nevertheless, cleaning is necessary to maintain a good cup of coffee, whether it be drip coffee, espresso, or concocting a perfect latte.  I tell myself that a little clean up every time avoids the long clean up later.  

Unfortunately, I did not follow this advice and now I am forced to a get a paper towel and clean out the coffee sludge on my press.  Yesterday, Barista On Duty and I tweeted a conversation, yes that is possible, on how to clean those French Press coils.  I initially used a paper towel, then a tooth pick, but nothing scraped out all the grime.  He recommended a wet Q-tip.  We shall see.

Yums, coffee sludge

Morning Coffee/Morning Reading

Coffee and reading, one of the finer things in life, is a weekend tradition at the Metro Espresso apartment-hold.  Slowly waking up to the morning news or learning what is happening to poor Tom who you left in a rushing river the night before as you closed your novel, is a small thing in life worth to stop an appreciate.  Often I read the Washington Post and the Christian Science Monitor for my international and domestic news.  If not, I read my current novel on the Kindle.  If I feel adventurous I pick up History and Class Consciousness by Georg Lukacs.  The Cat in the Hat? To console me after reading History and Class Consciousness. 

My question is, "What do you read when drinking coffee in the morning?"  That's assuming you read while drinking coffee.  I think this is a safe assumption since you are reading this blog.  I am curious to know what books, newspapers, poetry people are reading.

SCAA Flavor Wheel Continued: Guest Coffee Reviewers Wanted

From Metro Espresso: DC's Coffee Blog

From Metro Espresso: DC's Coffee Blog

Citation: Sweetmarias.com Click to expand

In Part Two of the SCAA flavor wheel, the picture is roughly divided into four quadrants: External Changes, Internal Changes, Aroma Taints, and Taste Faults.  I will first state that half of this wheel I do not understand, demonstrating my limits.  Yet, this wheel speaks to the intracy of coffee roasting.  

What is most important to the everyday coffee drinker are the sections, Aroma Taints and Taste Faults.  For example, in "Taste Faults" when one roasts too light not completing the "first crack" the coffee tastes grassy to the tongue.  Unlike rare meat which is yummy, underroasted coffee is not.  In "Aroma Taints," the scorched and baked sections often appear in gas-station coffee or McDonalds.  

I invite Metro Espresso readers to print out the SCAA coffee wheels, and write coffee reviews! (The other is found here)  Send the reviews to duderino102*at*gmail.com and I will post them.  This is your chance to be to featured on Metro Espresso, and demonstrate your coffee love.  You by no means need to be a coffee expert, but one who merely enjoys coffee.  Be sure to include a short little bio that can be included with your review.
    

Coffee Blog Spotlight: Coffee Blog Rolls

If you are on the lookout for new coffee blogs, look no further.  I have two great links for you that will be fufill your wildest dreams.  Well, your coffee dreams at least.

First, Daily Shot of Coffee compiled a list of 42 blogs, including descriptions and links covering the coffee industry.

Second, "I'm Here For The Coffee" snippets the most recent coffee posts from selected coffee blogs around the internet.  Yours truly is listed!  I love this site as you can quickly scan posts without clicking on individual blogs. 

While I have scoured the internet for coffee blogs, I am positive I have missed some.  What are your favorites that you visit?

Coffee House Review: Sip of Seattle

Environment: Small, but tidy.
Coffee: Good, not great.
Price: Cheap to Average
Location: Near Metro Center at 1120 G St NW

Sip of Seattle is located near one of the many entrances at Metro Center.  Placed far enough away from Chinatown Coffee Company (CCC), Sip of Seattle is worthy of a stop-in to get your daily coffee or espresso if the 10 minute walk to CCC is too long.  Initially appearing as a hole-in-the-wall coffee joint, once you open the doors, a pleasant, tidy environment welcomes you in beckoning to try one of their many coffee concoctions.  Additionally, they have a coffee dispensers containing Sumatra Mandheling, Kenya AA, and coffee blends from Seattle for 10.50 lb.  While a small space, they offer 6 chairs with some table space near the walls to work at.   

Everything has a spot!

Coffee:  I ordered a double espresso and a small coffee to go.  The double espresso was ~3-4oz, fairly large.  The barista used a pleasantly warm espresso cup, which many baristas do not do or heat the cup to a scalding temperature.  The espresso had a full body and bold taste.  Some sweet notes washed over my mouth, yet ended with a slight bitterness.  The espresso was better than most I've had in the city, but it did not blow me away.  If you are looking for a full body espresso, I would heartily recommend coming here.  If you desire a lighter body, but lots of flavors I recommend Chinatown Coffee Company, Peregrine in Eastern Market, or Dolcezza Gelato in Dupont Circle.

The drip coffee initially seemed flat, but grew on me as I passed the White House sipping it.  I wondered to myself if the anti-nuclear protester encamped there would like this coffee.  The coffee lacked flavor or complexity, but was not bitter or watery.  Decent is the watchword for Sip of Seattle.

Price:  Sip of Seattle will be generally easy on the wallet.  A small coffee is 1.20 and medium is 1.70.  A small latte is 2.40 and medium is 2.95.  A single espresso is 1.70 with a double being 1.95.  Pictured below is there menu accompanied by the price.

This was the best possible picture I could get

 

Conclusion:  For an innocuous coffee shop, Sip of Seattle surprised me with a relatively good espresso and a non-bitter coffee to satisfy my caffeine addiction.  Speaking to the amount of business they receive, 5-10 people entered into the cafe in a span of 5 minutes buying coffee to go.  I recommend Sip of Seattle for those who need their coffee, but can't make it to the specialty coffee shops in the area.  

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Update: Recently I learned that Sip of Seattle uses different beans for their drip coffee each day, some days its Kenya AA, others Colombian Supremo, for example.  Perhaps, I had a cup that didn't suite my particular taste.  I will have to go back, and try out some new drip coffee.

Man in the Beans

A Metro Espresso reader sent me this peculiar brain teaser. In the picture above, a man's head is located among the coffee beans. Apparently if you find him in less than 3 seconds, you have a highly developed, right-side brain. Less than a minute, normal. 1-3 minutes, well, let's say you may need to develop your noggin. With that said, there were no footnotes accompanying this assertion, so take it with a grain of salt. Also, don't worry. Its not one of those silly things that makes you stare at the screen, and then a scary/grotesque picture jumps out at you.

It took me about 30 seconds for me to find him.

Fritz Frischer, Flavored Coffee, and the Girlfriend

Good morning! I wanted to stop in, and do a quick post. As of late, my graduate work has been overwhelming my blogging responsibilities. As seen in the pic, this hasn't stopped my coffee consumption, in fact, it has done the opposite. The most recent book I read was Germany's War Aims in the First World War by Fritz Fischer. This behemoth weighs in at a paltry 600 pages, and has jealously gobbled up my precious spare time.

In other coffee news, the Girlfriend bought some Dunkin Donuts coffee that was pre-ground, (ehh!), but it was mint infused. I opened up the air tight canister she put it in, and the aroma that permeated reminded me of Andes candies, which is a good thing! Initially she put brewed it using a French Press, but stated the taste came out way too strong. This morning, (I haven't had the chance to talk to her), she used the drip machine which will reduce the boldness of the coffee.

(Clearly not my hands: credit to Wikipedia Commons)

My question is, when coffee chains use flavors, artificial or natural, do they purposefully make the flavors extra bold to overcome the flavor stealing paper filters, which then makes it difficult to drink from a press pot?

I have heard good things about Starbucks's natural infused coffees from dailyshotofcoffee.com (who gave it a 3.75/5!). Hmm, perhaps tonight I shall try out this Andes-like DD coffee.

__________________________________________

*Update*

Since writing this post, the Girlfriend has stopped drinking the Dunkin Donuts Mint coffee. She brewed it in a drip machine and in the French Press, and states that the results are inconsistent. Naturally, this may be attributed to barista error, but I would never say so. My experience with flavored coffees are hit or miss, and I would rather spend my money on quality single-origin beans. Nevertheless, my question still remains whether coffee companies over flavor their coffee to hide bad beans and to account for paper filters.

Thank you for Daily Shot of Coffee for citing me in Fresh Brews. Be sure to check them out, one of the best coffee blogs on the internet with daily posts and continual content.

Coffee Crossword

Mr. Will Shortz, I believe you have some competition.

Tonight I constructed a coffee inspired puzzle. I invite all of you to download it, and solve my creation. (Click here for the larger picture of the puzzle) While most of them are doable, there are a few toughies including some puns. Best of luck and tell me what you think!

(credit: http://www.puzzle-maker.com/CW/)

Editorial: Does Coffee Make Us Severe?

Jonathan Swift stated, "Coffee makes us severe, and grave, and philosophical."

Is that true? When reading this quote from the author of Gulliver's Travels, it caused me to wonder whether there was anything specific to coffee, the thing in and of itself, that makes humans be the aforementioned adjectives. Or is it simply the culture that derived around coffee that makes it so.

First, to state the obvious, coffee is a hot drink often to wake oneself up or bring warmth into the body on a cold day in late autumn or winter. Without any sugar or cream, it is a black oily substance (when steeped with water) with a bold, perhaps bitter, taste. Certainly, the properties point to it being severe and grave, like Calvinism.

Second, how does it make us philosophical? Is it simply that one drinks coffee over time slowly sipping it? Espresso lasts a mere 30 seconds or so to drink. Perhaps it is an equation to how long the coffee lasts, the more likely it is make someone be reflective. This correlates to how much coffee you have in your cup. As I stated, espresso is not effective in making oneself reflective as it is consumed quickly. An equation may be how long (T) it takes to drink per ounce (OZ) of coffee equals reflectivity (REF). It looks like OZ/T=REF.

It is a silly equation because reflectivity does not have any units (among other reasons) unlike ounces or time either in seconds or minutes, though I do tend to be more reflective when having a cup from a French Press rather than an espresso.

An assumption in my logic is that the longer one drinks their coffee, the more reflective one is. Why is that so? I could drink a cup of coffee, and be thinking of nothing at all. I could be staring at my white apartment walls.

From the little I know of coffee properties, I believe it stimulates brain activity, spurring or encouraging activity in the brain (whatever that may mean), but there is nothing inherent in coffee to make the person search for True knowledge.

Another explanation could be that literally having a cup of coffee in one's hands, allows us the luxury for a few minutes or a half hour to reflect. We cannot be doing much else because of our hands being occupied by the cup. The cup of coffee gives us a short goal to complete, and we cannot continue on in our morning or evening until we finish the coffee.

Now, let me pose the question to my readers at Metro Espresso, does coffee make us more philosophical and grave? Please comment below! In order to uplift as well, here is a picture of a dog that appears to be smiling. Clearly he has not had his daily coffee.

Back From Vacation/Visit to Cactus Creek Roasters

Hi all, I apologize for the short interlude in posts. I had gone on vacation to visit some family for the last time in the summer. Now it is time to prepare for Graduate school: Year Two.

When I down in North Carolina, I visited Cactus Creek Coffee, a local roaster with the motto "Grown Globally, Roasted Locally." Catchy! I should have thought of that. You know it was going to be a great coffee place because it had the roast first, cafe second look. You know, the concrete floors, the roaster in the background, the sacks of green coffee, with a few tables placed around.

I talked to the barista/roaster running the store, and struck up a conversation on espresso because I was/am looking for classic espresso glasses. Unfortunately they did not sell them, but he offered an espresso shot right away when I mentioned I loved espresso. I surmise that many people in that area of the country may not like straight espresso.

They offered a wide array of single source and blended coffees with a noticeable section of specialty decaf coffee, which is nice for the, well, geriatric crowd in the Pinehurst area. It is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. They know their stuff. Best part about it, was when I left the store the guy shook my hand and said it was a pleasure to talk coffee with someone who knew their stuff. *toots his own horn*

Oh yeah, they offer their coffee at around 9.35 lb, not bad! Better than the prices here in DC.

Check back in a few days, I will be reviewing the coffee from the 35 North Coffee Company I received a few weeks ago.

Classy!

Larissa, an avid Metro Espresso reader, sent in a picture of her coffee maker. She prefaced it with, "I don't drink a lot of coffee, but my Dad does. It's mainly for him." Perhaps this is similar to how people say, "Well, my friend did this....what advice would you give him?" :-)

The brand on top looks like it says "Toasters." Is that an old 80's style coffee maker that makes Mr. Coffee look high class? I chuckled at the brewer/cup combo as one piece. If you switched it out with another mug, I feel "Toasters" would reject it due to having any vibrancy and deviating from an office-style lifelessness.

Does anyone else have a retro coffee maker? Want to share? Email me at duderino102 at gmail dot com.

Coffee Experiment: Does Espresso Taste Better With or Without Crema? (Part 2 of 2)

Metro Espresso has reached a new milestone: the first video! While not nearly as good as www.coffeenate.com (which you should check out by the way if you have not), making the video was fun. I did it all in one go, so if I seem to be wandering a little bit, it is because I was pondering, searching for words. Enjoy the video! If you have any constructive critiques to make future videos better, please comment below.

Does Espresso taste better with or without crema? from Jack on Vimeo.

Findings for those who can not watch the video:

1. Espresso with crema: Fuller mouthfeel/body, oily, heavier similar to French press.

2. Espresso without crema: lighter mouthfeel, but the flavors seemed brighter similar to a drip machine or pour over.

The Coffee Queen @ http://thecoffeeqweenblog.wordpress.com/ tried out the experiment. She found the espresso tasted more bitter without the crema. Different results! Though I don't know if I could doing this over again, too much espresso right now.

And yes, you see a USPS box on the kitchen table among other things. This is what happens when the Girlfriend is away. Things tend to leave their "proper places."

(I would like to give credit to www.jimseven.com for giving me the idea to do this, and some of the vocab to describe what I was tasting.)

Coffee Interview: 35 North Coffee Company

Recently, I interviewed the folks over at 35 North Coffee Company. They were nice enough to answer a few questions about their history, what they offer, and how they support social justice in Africa. Stay tuned, later in the week I will be reviewing three of their coffees. You can find their website at www.35northcoffeeco.com and follow them on Twitter @ 35NorthCoffeeCo Without further ado, please enjoy!

1. Can you give a short history of 35 North Coffee Co.?

35 North was born out of the desire to deliver seriously good coffee to people while maintaining social responsibility through Fair Trade Certified coffee & giving to organizations that help the needy.

2. What separates NCC from other coffee roasters?

We love this question. It is our "On Demand Roasting" schedule. We only roast the coffee once you order it. Furthermore we will only roast your order if we can ship it the same day, if not we will roast & ship the following business day. We do this so that we can deliver truly fresh coffee to customers. Try calling other coffee companies & telling them that you would like your coffee roasted just for you. Chances are they'd tell you to take a hike.

3. On your website, NCC has three goals, "1). Sell the freshest possible coffee at fair prices 2). Pay coffee farmers a fair wage 3). Help children who have been abandoned." Could you explain more about how NCC helps children who have been abandoned?

Sure, our chief roaster, Matt Hensley spent two years living & working with problems of injustice in South Africa such as human trafficking, drug addiction, child headed homes, abused children and many other things. While there he did some work for Baby Safe (www.thebabysafe.org).

In South Africa, a nation plagued by poverty & HIV mothers literally throw their babies in the trash. Baby Safe works to save these abandoned children as well as counsel at risk pregnant moms-to-be in order to show them that they can be good parents or to inform them of the adaption process so that these babies are not thrown away. We give a portion of our profits directly to Baby Safe.

4. If you had to choose you favorite NCC coffee, what would it be and how would you brew it?

We love our Broadway Blend we consider it our flagship. This is one of the most unique blends we have tasted, of course we are biased. It is a medium roast with Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Mexico Chiapas & Peru SHB. It has a medium-light body with medium acidity. The coffee gives hints of citrus, nuts & chocolate. It is a far cry from most of the over roasted "Dark" blends that are so prevalent on grocery store shelves these days. Of course it is "On Demand Roasted" so this makes it even better because the flavors have not gone away due to the coffee going stale.

5. What can customers expect when buying from 35 North Coffee Company?

Customers can expect a few things: "On Demand Roasting," or coffee roasted just for them. One of the freshest cups of coffee on the market. Smooth coffee filled with flavor.

6. If given a choice between Folgers and Maxwell House, what would you personally choose?

I think I speak for all of us here that we would choose to stay in bed. Is that an option or we required to choose one.

Many thanks again to the people at 35 North Coffee Company.

(I apologize for the formating oddities, Blogger doesn't like pasted text.)

The Wall of Coffee: Navigating Superstore Coffee Selection

Is this a familiar view? The "Wall of Coffee" is intimidating with the many brands, varieties, ground, whole bean, cans, vacuum bags, plastic dispensers, varying sizes...etc.

It can overwhelm any person new to coffee, wondering how something so simple as coffee can be so confusing. In this post, I want to guide Metro Espresso readers through navigating the superstore selection of coffee.

Pictured left is the coffee selection at the Arlington Whole Foods. They offer a better selection of coffee than Safeway, Giant, and Shoppers.

Tip 1: To get better supermarket coffee, go to Whole Foods or Harris Teeter, they will offer better coffee and a likelihood of semi-local coffee. Giant and Safeway tend to offer Starbucks, Peets...while o.k., we coffee lovers demand better.

Tip 2: While tempting, skip the plastic dispensers full of coffee. (Pictured top left) You don't

know how long those coffee beans have been sitting there interacting with the oxygen muting the coffee's wonderful flavors.

Tip 3: Buy whole bean coffee, on the bag it should say whole bean or ground, but it is quicker to feel the bag. Whole bean is fresher, and if you are reading this blog and haven't bought a burr grinder. What's stopping you? This is the single most important thing to buy if you want fresh coffee.

Tip 4: Look to see if the coffee has a roast date on it. If it does, that means the roaster takes pride in its freshness. Out of all the coffee at Whole Foods, only one had a roast date on it. If it does, its most likely a keeper.

Tip 5: Look for local or semi-local roasters, they may not have a roast date on them, but will probably be fresher than DD, Starbucks, and Peets. M.E. Swings is a local roaster in DC, while it didn't have a roast date on it, its probably better than the national brands.

Tip 6: Most vacuum bags have a small valve. To get a sense of the aroma and the bean, one can squeeze bag while smelling near the valve. This lets you preview the goods without buying it! I often do this, while the Girlfriend shops for groceries.

Tip 7: Grab from the back, the stackers put the new products in the back behind the old stuff first. For example, the coffee I bought with the roast date on it 7-15 was behind the coffee with roast date 6-30.

Using these few tips, one should be able to navigate the "Wall of Coffee" and get decent coffee. One shouldn't really have to pay over ~$10-11 unless it has a roast date on it or its a 1 lb of coffee rather than 12 oz.

Where's Your Stash? A Guide to Making Home Blends

Every one has one. You know what I am talking about...the little baggy you hide in the closet, tucked away from prying eyes...your coffee stash.

It's ok, I have one. I love it despite it being relatively stale, unscientifically crafted, and improperly stored.

After I get close to running through my 1 lb bag of beans, I rush to the store and buy a new bag of something to replace my current beans. When I return home, I get impatient with finishing the rest of the beans. I grind whats left for a french press, and shovel them into a ziploc bag. After a few times, my bag tends to be a random mix of coffee.

In the picture, the darker coffee I believe is a French Roast (the place I bought it from didn't say what bean it was), and the red is the Guatamalan coffee I finished. I grinded the Guatamalan up because the Girlfriend thought it tasted horrible. Mixing it with French roast produced an interesting visual, and tasted decent for half of it being stale. Using a French Press, the coffee had a bold/dark taste mellowed by the sweet/syrupy Guatamalan.

My coffee stash planted a seed in my head about making home blends without spending oodles of money on home roasting equipment or energy from a stove or oven. While the coffee blend will be relatively stale/not so fresh because one coffee for the blend will be chilling in the closet for a few weeks while you finish other coffees bought after it.

That's a fair enough critique, but one can scoop out some beans prior to being ground and place it in an airtight container. But there is something to be said about haphazardly throwing in what you have lying around, and seeing what happens.

My question is, Do you have a coffee stash? If so, what is in it?