I went in search for an answer for the question, “What is the best coffee blend for hot weather?” and really didn’t find much worth reporting.  It seem the iced coffee drinks were all the Internet wanted to cough up for me and that just wasn’t what I was looking for.

Another question I’ve been wondering is if more people drink coffee in the winter just because it’s cold?  Do you drink coffee in the summer at the same rate you do in the winter?  It seems the custom gourmet coffee coffee is better suited for the person really looking to enjoy a cup of coffee in a cool morning where as those of us who just want to wake up might be more apt to brew some Maxwell house in the summer.

What are your thoughts?

I know several gourmet coffee lovers who feel completely at ease with the “lip to cup” experience, but thought I’d shed some light on how coffee bean roasting works and how gourmet coffee is actually achieved. If anything a little information on the roasting process of coffee beans could enhance your appreciation for good cup of coffee.

The first thing many people don’t realise about coffee and its flavor is that the flavor of coffee is actually initiated and fulfilled in the roasting process. If you simply ground “green” coffee beans, as they are called before roasting, you would basically have a bitter and largely undrinkable beverage after brewing.

Roasting the coffee beans for gourmet coffee does a couple things first it creates the aroma associated with great coffee and also provided the flavor that the discerning coffee connoisseur craves.

During the roasting process of coffee beans the green coffee beans turn a yellowish color and after a few minutes, around 8 depending on roaster and temperature, the beans actually pop a little like popcorn.  When this popping occurs the beans actually double in size.

How Coffee Bean Roasting Works

At this point the coffee beans have reached about 400 degrees and the beans begin to change from the yellowish color to a darker color.  This occurs as the oils from the coffee bean emerge from the bean and interact with the heat of the roasting process. Pyrolysis is occurring at this point, which is the interaction of the oils in the bean with the heat.  Pyrolysis is what give your cup of gourmet coffee that wonderful aroma and flavor, how about that.

Around this point, actually just a few minutes later, a second pop occurs and this is the point at with the bean is “done” roasting.  Kinda like a bell on a microwave, although not as exact, this second pop is the indicator to remove the coffee beans from the roaster.

Roasting gourmet coffee is an art of the senses really.  An experienced roast master uses sight, smell, and sound mostly to determine the perfect timing of stopping the roasting process.  Time is the main player in creating different coffee flavors.  The shorter the time the less “strong” the final brew.  Typical American coffee, for example, would have a bean roaster for shorter amount of time than, say, and espresso bean.

How to Roast Your Own Coffee Beans

Roasting your own coffee beans can be accomplished in a few different ways one of the simplest is by using a stove top roaster.  Much like a  stove top popcorn roaster, a do it yourself coffee bean roaster, allows you to roast beans at the time you desire to grind and brew your coffee.  Fresh coffee beans roasted, ground and brewed is safe bet to produce a great gourmet coffee.  Many people associate gourmet coffee with flavor and complicated brewing, but it’s not necessarily so.  Coffee looses its freshness quickly and if you accustom to buying coffee from a grocery store in the blue or red buckets, your in for a pleasant surprise if you should ever try to roast your own coffee beans.

Coffee Gift Baskets Start at Under $20 Bucks.

Gourmet coffee gift baskets make a great Christmas gift for that hard to buy for co-worker or even a Christmas gift for your boss. Functional is always a safe bet, and often the one taken when it comes to holiday gift ideas for coworkers, but think about memorable if you have a special person your considering buying for at work.

I’m always impressed or more appreciative in general when I get a Christmas gift that makes me feel good. Ever get a gift like that? A gourmet coffee gift basket is one of those gifts that has the potential to just that.

Gourmet Coffee Gifts for Under $20 Bucks?

Nice Christmas Gift for The Coffee Drinking Coworker or Boss, huh?

You can buy coffee gift baskets for under $20 dollars and even find high end gourmet coffee gift baskets up to and over $100 dollars so you have a wide range of gifts that can meet any budget. Popular coffee brands like Starbucks tend to cost a bit more than your average gift basket, but if your on a budget you can shop around.

Over all, what do you think of Coffee gift baskets as a gift for an employer for Christmas?

Is it a safe bet or not?

Thanks for visiting the Custom Gourmet Coffee Blog, and until next time, have a cup Joe, already!

Brewing the Perfect Cup of Coffee
By Loy Williams

Do you remember your first experience with coffee? I’m sorry to say that I do. All I remember is that it was powdered and freeze dried and worst of all, decaf. I remember sitting in a restaurant with my mother and stepfather asking a waitress for Sanka, and explaining to my mother that I’d had it before and avoiding her disapproving stare. What was wrong with a ten year old drinking coffee? It was Sanka for God’s sake!

My remaining experiences between ten and thirty five were noncommittal and mediocre to say the least. Mixing Tasters Choice in tepid tap water, graduating to Maxwell House and a Mr. Coffee; suffice it to say that there was no passion in my coffee. If I asked a girl out for a cup of coffee, it usually meant a Styrofoam cup at a Dunkin’ Donuts or a Winchell’s somewhere.

Then I stepped into my first Specialty Coffee Shop. Now that I remember well. It was a combination bookstore and coffee shop called the Upstart Crow in San Diego, California. The most important thing to me was the feeling I got when I walked in there. Complete comfort. There, I was able to sit in one of their comfortable armchairs, sit back, cross my legs and enjoy a cup of joe while reading a good book. Back then I was into science fiction and I remember vividly reading ‘Ender’s Game’ by Orson Scott Card while sipping some of the most wonderful coffee from a paper cup.

Oh that coffee! Rich and smooth, I fell into it’s flavor; jumped actually. I spent many a day off sitting in that shop in Seaport Village… then I left San Diego for Atlanta and it was back to Maxwell House and Sanka. sigh…

Then, simply because I was unemployed and late with the rent I walked into a local Starbucks and asked for an application. I was hired and that’s where my obsession with coffee renewed itself. I was sent to their training center for intensive classes teaching not only how to promote the product, but how to differentiate the taste between two coffees and most importantly, how to brew and serve the perfect cup. This, my faithful reader is what I am going to teach you now. Get ready to learn how to brew the perfect cup of coffee!

The Fundamentals of Coffee

All coffee, no matter whether you get it from your local coffee shop or the supermarket has four basic fundamentals:

Proportion

Grind

Water

Freshness

Let’s look at each of these one by one…

Proportion

The ratio between coffee and water is an important one. Anyone who’s ever had coffee that’s too weak or too strong knows what I’m talking about. When it comes to brewing the perfect cup of coffee, the proportion should be two tablespoons of ground coffee to every six ounces of water. No more no less. A lot of people try to stretch their coffee for two weeks or more without realizing what a sacrifice to the taste this is. Use too little coffee and it tastes weak. Use too much and it becomes bitter and you risk a terrible nights sleep.

The best way to measure two tablespoons is with a measuring scoop. There are scoops that are specifically measured for two tablespoons but if you don’t have one made especially for coffee measuring then you can use a standard 18 cup measuring cup. If you don’t have that you can use regular run of the mill tablespoons, but that method isn’t as precise. If you want to purchase a coffee scoop, you can get one at a specialty coffee shop or online. Starbucks is a good place to get one.

Grind

The type of grind you use for your coffee depends upon what kind of coffee maker you brew your coffee in. If you use an espresso machine you use a fine grind. For automatic drip coffee makers (such as Mr. Coffee), you use a medium grind and you use a coarse grind for coffee presses (my preferred way of brewing). There are other grinds as well, just as there are other ways to brew coffee such as percolators and Turkish coffees.

If were going to talk about the way a coffee is ground, then we also have to talk about grinders. Basically there are two types of grinders: blade and burr Blade grinders have two blades that rotate at a high speed to grind your beans. The pros of this method is that blade grinders are affordable. The cons are that they generally break down quicker.

Burr grinders grind the beans between two textured plates and the grind is much more consistent than a blade grinder. Also, it’s easier to adjust the grind with a burr grinder. To get an espresso grind with a blade grinder, you have to hold the grind button for x amount of seconds. A burr grinder allows you to turn a dial and voila! Your grind is done. Obviously, I prefer a burr grinder.

Water

It’s pretty much a good idea to use fresh, clean water to brew your coffee. If at all possible, try not to use tap water; you should always use filtered or bottled water. Before you begin screaming at me that you don’t have that kind of money, don’t worry. Yes, using nothing but bottled water is not exactly cost effective but there are inexpensive water filters available to purchase. Water filtration pitchers are also a good way to get fresh water for brewing.

Your water should be heated to just below boiling, around 190 degrees. You don’t want your water to be too hot. It could overheat the grounds and spoil the taste of your coffee.

Freshness

This is pretty obvious. Once a bag is opened, the freshness lasts about a week. After grinding, it lasts about two days. The best way to keep your beans and ground coffee fresher longer is to keep it in an airtight container like the one shown here. And never, ever freeze your coffee no matter what you’ve heard or read. Coffee that is frozen is a high risk for freezer burn and take it from one who has experienced the horror: freezer burnt coffee is not a great taste!

Well those are the basics. I hope you enjoyed reading this article and Happy Brewing!

Loy Williams’ articles can be found at his website Coffee-Basics.com along with other quality content about his prime obsession; coffee. Be sure to check it out: http://www.coffee-basics.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Loy_Williams
http://EzineArticles.com/?Brewing-the-Perfect-Cup-of-Coffee&id=17744

Gourmet Coffee: not Just for Special Occasions Any More

Author: Roland Jefferson

Through the years, coffee has been that quick and easy beverage that offered a kick but very few options other than cream or sugar. As the consumer has become more sophisticated; so has his coffee. Instead of simply a choice of brewed or instant, coffee now comes in just about any flavor, strength or combination to please even the pickiest of drinkers. Instead of being a rare treat, more and more coffee drinkers keep gourmet coffee stocked in their cupboard for any and all occasions.

Where Do I Buy Gourmet Coffee?

Gourmet coffee is readily available in most grocery stores as well as café’s but the easiest way to buy and get the best selection and price is by doing a search on the internet. There are many gourmet coffee websites available with something for any taste along with a price range from fairly inexpensive to over $100 a pound.

Does Gourmet Coffee Make a Good Gift?

Gourmet coffee makes a great gift – in fact many couples are adding it to their bridal registry! Gourmet coffee gifts are always a hit for housewarming or business gifts as well. Many coffee makers even offer their own gift registry along with gift baskets that include not only the gourmet coffee but also accessories to go along with it. Once again these gifts can range from under $20 to well into the hundreds of dollars depending on what kind of gift you want.

It is pretty clear with all of the gourmet coffee houses that are springing up on almost every street corner of every main business and college town that gourmet coffee is not only here to stay but is also good business. Starbucks comes out in the top ten most popular stocks on a regular basis and over the holidays they are as packed as any department store with shoppers looking for the perfect gift.

Gourmet coffee is not just for special occasions anymore and with the wide variety available there is no reason that you can’t enjoy a cup in the morning, at your desk or when sitting back and watching television. Look around and try out some the many varieties that are available until you find the gourmet coffee that is right for you. You are sure to find at least one favorite but it is more likely you will find several to suit your many moods.

About the Author:

Roland Parris Jefferson III is an online researcher based out of Los Angeles, California. For free tips, recipes and expert advice on Coffee, please visit our Gourmet Coffee Resource.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Gourmet Coffee: not Just for Special Occasions Any More