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3/26/2020

The Perfect Water Temperature

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Photo by Sean Benesh on Unsplash
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Shortcut to the perfect water temperature

Finding the perfect water temperature for the best cup can take some experimentation. Using the Speciality Coffee Association guidelines of 195-205 degrees F you might have to make 5 or more cups before finding the best temperature. This hack can help you narrow it down.
In the book “How to get the best from your coffee” by Pete Licata offers this tidbit. Use the whole bean density to determine water temperature.
What is density? It is the mass of the coffee per unit of volume. So if you want to get scientific go out and get a 500ml graduated cylinder, or just make one at home with some type container that will hold 500ml of water. Remember that 1g of water is equal 1ml so weigh it out on a food scale for 250ml or 250g. Mark the container so you don't have to weigh out water again.
​To find the density fill your container to the 250ml line and weigh the whole beans. Take the mass in grams and divide by the volume 250ml that will get you the density of your coffee. Use the density of the beans to determine how hot to make your water. The higher the density the hotter the water should be. Less dense coffee requires a lower water temperature. You can use the chart to help you narrow the temperature down!

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3/15/2020

The French Press

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PictureA french press and mug
The French Press
 
Of all the different gadgets that can brew coffee, the french press is probably the most versatile. You can use a french press to make hot coffee, cold brew, and tea. If you have an insulated or double-walled pot, your french press can keep liquids hot or cold for long periods of time.
 
Hot coffee. If you are making hot coffee, use a coarse ground coffee. Check out the grind chart to get an idea of how course you grind your beans. Put the coffee grounds in the french press and add hot water. You can measure the grounds and water and adjust the ratio to get a cup that you like. Start with 55g of coffee per 1000ml of water and adjust from there. Let it brew for approximately 4 minutes before lowering the plunger on the french press. Experiment with ground size and amount of grounds and water. You can adjust the brew time as well to find a great tasting cup
 
Cold brew coffee. You can use the same grind for cold brew as you would for hot coffee. In other words, you want a coarse grind! Start with 128g of coffee to 512ml of water and let it sit for 12 to 24 hours. You can adjust the ratio of coffee and water to make stronger concentrate or reduce it to drink it as is. As with hot brewed coffee you
can adjust the brewing time to affect the brew strength.
 
Tea. Brew loose leaf tea much as you would coffee: put the leaves in the french press, top with hot water, and let it set for a few minutes (length of time will depend on the type of tea). When the tea has steeped long enough, press slowly down on the plunger to filter the leaves out of the tea. Pour and enjoy!
 
When you're evaluating french presses, look for one you can keep clean. Also consider durability and how well it will keep your beverages hot. I have tried a few french presses, and my favorite is 32oz stainless steel model made by coffee gator.

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3/8/2020

Brew the Perfect Cup

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PicturePour over coffee maker
How to brew coffee

Brewing the perfect cup of coffee isn't as difficult as it sounds but it does take some work. There is the preparation work such as selecting a coffee and brew method, filtering and heating the water, then putting it all together to and brewing your favorite cup.

But first a little on the standards for coffee brewing.
The specialty coffee association or SCA has traditionally been looked to for the requirements
for brewing the best cup, sometimes referred to as the golden cup standard.

So here the the SCAA golden cup standard
  •  Coffee to water ratio 55g/l +/- 10%
  • Water temperature 200 degrees F +/- 5 degrees
  • Time of coffee to water contact 1 to 8 minutes depending on brew method.
The   resulting coffee shall exhibit a brew strength measure in total dissolved solids of 11.3 to 13.5 grams per liter corresponding to 1.15 to 1.35% on the SCA brewing control chart resulting from a solubles extraction yield of 18 to 22%

What does this mean for those of us that brew at home? Coffee brewing can be highly scientific process, but it doesn't have to complicated and can be fun finding the best cup with a particular coffee. it also makes a great science experiment for the kids. Get your fresh coffee beans, brewing device, water, and measuring devices together. It's best to measure by weight instead of volume and using the metric system makes it easier. The conversions are straight forward. A food scale that measures in grams is preferred.

Start with measuring out the coffee and water using the SCA recipe you will need 55g of ground coffee and 1000g of water(1ml is equal to 1g). Heat the water to 200 degrees F then add to the coffee. Then adjust the three variables till you get a cup that you like.

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3/1/2020

Storing Your Coffee

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PictureCoffee Storage Containers
How to Store Coffee​
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So, you have just bought a bag of awesome coffee, how do you store it so that you can enjoy it for the months to come?

First realize that the beans are perishable, they will go stale, and in some cases rancid if not consumed in a timely manner.  There are four harbingers of doom to your precious coffee beans oxygen, heat, light, and moisture. In storing your coffee its best to find an environment and container that limit these factors.

The first consideration should be a container.  Your first option and cheapest is the bag the coffee came in.  Just make sure to roll the bag closed to get as much air out as possible and secure it with a rubber band or other similar item.  The best storage container would something made specifically for storing coffee.  The container will help keep oxygen and light at bay and preserve the precious beans

Next consider storing the container in a place that will limit exposure to heat and moisture.  So, try to keep it away from heat sources and direct sunlit windows.  The refrigerator is not a good option as it can cause moisture and add unwanted flavors to your coffee.  Freezing has many of the same dangers as the frig, including freezer burn. If you want to store beans in the freezer the container must be airtight, and it is a good idea to store the beans in smaller portions to avoid condensation forming on unused beans. 
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To wrap thing up, remember to store your coffee in a container designed for coffee storage, put the chosen container in an environmentally stable place.  To help buy only the amount you can drink in a couple weeks. This will insure you always have the freshest coffee.

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    Byran Terry, Founder & Master Roaster, Morning Fox Coffee

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