Tag: coffee

coffee

Easy And No Longer Cheap: Why Specialty Instant Coffee Is On The Rise

Ashe

Coffee is as varied as the people who drink it. Some prefer to take their time on a lazy Sunday crafting delicate home lattes. Others barely have enough time to toss a packet in a mug before rushing to work. I regularly look forward to my home coffee set-up, choosing between decaf beans and brewing methods alike.

That’s what makes coffee so wonderful: it adapts to fit us, in every shape and size.

That doesn’t stop instant coffee from being somewhat of a dirty phrase in the coffee industry, however, conjuring up comparisons to caffeinated dirt and being brushed to the side as only fit for the tasteless among us. Several businesses today are challenging that notion, offering specialty instant with gentler brewing methods and more subtle tasting notes. This piece on Vinepair looks at the history of instant coffee over the decades and how it’s starting to break through its stained reputation. Dalgona, the online coffee craze often made with instant coffee crystals, is just the tip of this iceberg.

I’m definitely going to check some of these out soon. I’ve never had specialty instant before (one step at a time!) and am very curious about some of these flavor notes. Cashew, red wine or toffee with just a stir of the spoon? Sign me up.

coffee equipment and coffee supplies
coffee, guide

From Part-Time Barista To Making Coffee At Home: My Homebrewing Coffee Journey

Ashe

A former barista and longtime coffee lover just now starting a homebrewing coffee journey? It’s more likely than you think.

Let’s take a few steps back. My priorities were already being shuffled around long before the pandemic stepped in and shook us for all our loose change. From moving to a new apartment to figuring out a career shift, my desire to have an omnipresent home cafe in the corner of my kitchen was a lovely dream, but just that. A distant dream of making coffee at home, constantly pushed onto the back burner and growing ever loftier with every new excuse. If I wanted to enjoy a good cup, there was always a great cafe (or three) just a walk away. I live in the heart of Washington: throw a stone.

These days it’s too risky to even go to the low-activity cafes or roasteries, on top of everyone’s wallets being burned out. Now that things are both more stable and entirely unstable for me, my love for coffee has been resuscitated beyond said coffeehouse trips (and endless poring through coffee industry reports). It’s time to save money in the long run and create a homebrewing coffee set-up, at my own pace and with my preferences front and center.

While living with my mother I’d bounced between using her little red Keurig and her French Press (buying specialty beans had also been low-priority). After I moved, my roommate also happened to have a Keurig on standby. One collecting dust, at that. I’d proceed to use it a few times a week with grocery store coffee staples like Peet’s and Signature Select, giving me another coveted taste of the homebrewing experience (as well as a reminder of why I don’t want to rely on unsustainable coffee pods in the future).

One day my roommate was cleaning up the place and asked if I wanted to sell her Keurig, flicking on the lightbulb in my head that I have a prime opportunity to finally, at long last, upgrade.

Don’t let my procrastination turn you away: putting together your own coffee corner is a ton of fun. I’m going to share my homebrewing coffee journey in this ongoing series, from the equipment I’ve bought to the beans I’m grinding. I’ll also share recipes I’m trying out, homebrewing coffee resources and my thoughts on coffee culture. If you have a coffee set-up you’ve been thinking of starting, or just enjoy the thrill of the journey, read on.

Continue reading “From Part-Time Barista To Making Coffee At Home: My Homebrewing Coffee Journey” →
coffee filter and grounds
coffee, guide

To Filter Or Not To Filter: Why Pourover Might Be Healthier Than French Press

Ashe

As a passionate French Press user, this breaks my heart. Almost literally, in this case.

There are more coffee health studies than you can shake a stick at these days. You have studies on whether or not coffee’s antioxidant count is significant enough to matter in the long-term (most fingers point to yes, as long as you’re a regular drinker). Studies on the long-term impact of caffeine on your body (an actual addiction that is not taken seriously). Studies on the additional benefits of using coffee for skincare (still need to try this out myself). Throw a penny, you’ll hit a coffee study.

This piece, however, caught my eye. Newspressnow sources a recent Swedish study on the matter of coffee health: while the French Press uses a filtering method, it’s not considered strong enough to keep your cholesterol count low. Pourovers, by comparison, are considered a safer long-term option due to trapping more of the harmful chemicals. Overall, you get the benefits of a fresh brew and a reduction in heart disease, particularly if you’re a daily coffee drinker. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of this, and it likely won’t be the last.

I’ve been considering purchasing a pourover as well as a Moka pot (the espresso machine remains a distant dream). There are just so many different ways to brew coffee and explore each origin’s unique flavor notes. Chalk this study up to yet another reason to diversify my coffee drinking efforts.

child coloring
Uncategorized

Explore Coffee From The Comfort Of Home: Loring’s Roasting Coloring Book

Ashe

As an illustrator and a coffee enthusiast, I appreciate this on several levels.

Loring, a coffee roaster manufacturer based in California, recently crafted a coffee roasting coloring book to keep people occupied during the pandemic. Not only is it a good way to keep children occupied when phone time’s up, it’s a neat look into the ins-and-outs of roasting facilities. It’s stuffed with all sorts of lineart illustrations, from the beans to the machines. It’s currently available for download on their website and can be perfect for digital painting or filling in with marker. If you’re in need of a little therapy, look no further.

Painting is one of my most reliable forms of calming down and cooling off. Has been for most of my life. Something I love about this idea is not just the clever way of keeping people in touch with their local coffee businesses, but the unabashed appreciation of fun. Miserable news circulates more consistently than the air we breathe: inviting people’s artistic spirit is a pitch-perfect idea that will leave a positive impact.

galaxy
coffee, Uncategorized

Star Wars And Coffee Go Together Like Java And Jawas

Ashe

Something that might not be readily apparent with this blog is the fact I’m a huge geek. A raging one. An unapologetic nerd so massive as to simultaneously create and inhabit my own black hole, of which no movie quote or videogame-related TED Talk shall ever escape.

Imagine my delight when I came across this fun list linking Star Wars characters to certain types of coffee. It’s funny, because I’m not even that big a fan of the franchise, having only recently found interest with the new trilogy as well as the stunningly well-crafted The Mandalorian. That said, I’ve seen all the films and know enough to appreciate how spot-on these are. I’m glad I wasn’t drinking my morning brew when I read the Yoda post.

There are spoilers for the new trilogy in this piece, though, so proceed with caution (and the only reason I’m not arguing about how very uninteresting those spoilers are is because this is still a beverage blog). Speaking of which, I’ll have to start thinking which coffee drink personifies me best. I’m thinkiiing…a frothy brown sugar latte in a cup the size of Middle Earth. Maybe a decaf dalgona in the shape of the statue of David.

coffee, industry news

How to support local cafés and businesses during quarantine — Coffee with the Queen

Ashe

“A small business is an amazing way to serve and leave an impact on the world you live in.” -Nicole Snow This statement by Nicole Snow is true — but, as a small business owner, I think she only captured half of what it means to be a small business. Small businesses contribute to their […]

How to support local cafés and businesses during quarantine — Coffee with the Queen

A quick little guide on how to support your love of coffee beyond the (increasingly) rare trip to the grocery store.

I recently bought some decaf beans from local roasters (which I’ll be reviewing within the next month), as well as some much needed coffee equipment for my kitchen. With the American economy already showing similar statistics to the Great Depression, though, I’ll also emphasize you don’t need money to show your support. An email or supportive comment on social media will go a long way to show these cafes and roasters you’re thinking of them.

coffee, guide

A Wealth Of History In Each Bean: The Depth Of Central America’s Coffee

Ashe

The more I read about coffee, the more I need to learn. It’s not a pain point for me, but rather, a joy.

With every single country having a unique relationship with coffee, it only makes sense getting to the bottom of this bean is like trying to reach the deep ocean with the tips of your fingers. If you’re in the mood for an informative-yet-brisk read, this piece over on Vinepair takes a brief look at each coffee variety throughout Central America. This guide sheds light on the incredibly subtle flavor notes that can be cultivated (such as brown sugar and honey) to the astronomically high prices-per-pound, quite literally, only found in high places.

The sheer depth of detail that goes into cultivation is a lesson in patience. Some coffee varieties found mean competition in the mass market not even for their flavor notes, but for the fact they were more resistant to destructive rust. The Robusta variety, as such, might see more popularity in the future for being less delicate than the more coveted Arabica. You’ll never find me wagging a finger at someone for lacking cultural or technical coffee knowledge, because the very nature of this widespread and ancient drink means there’s always something new to discover.

And what fun it is.

coffee, guide

Not All Is So Gray: The Myriad Of Ways The World Brews Their Coffee

Ashe

A world of nearly nine billion people can only beg the question…just how many ways can coffee be brewed?

Would you try fresh drip coffee poured over cheese? How about local beans mixed with pepper for an extra kick? Coffee is a popular drink just as much for its inspiring of community as it is for flavor, and nowhere is this more clear than Newsweek’s round-up of interesting coffee brewing methods around the world. They hop from the cold reaches of Finland to the birthplace of coffee in Ethiopia, taking a look at all the ways this drink can be shaped.

The Ethiopian coffee brewing ceremony has always been the most fascinating to me: it’s an in-depth process that lasts for hours and involves washing, roasting and steeping in one sitting. That said, I would be a very poor liar if I wasn’t also craving a fluffy Japanese latte (on my bucket list for when I visit the country in 2022). When the news is oversaturated with fresh doomsday theories and depressing statistics, it helps to be faced with the world’s parallel brilliance, community and creativity.

The pandemic has closed down several coffee chains and seen a resulting spike in home brewing equipment. Now’s a great time to get reacquainted with coffee and what it means to you, even if it’s the world’s cheapest instant package with a splash of grocery store creamer. We all got to get our comfort, any way we can. As for me, I’ve been turning to chai tea and hot chocolate until I find home brewing equipment in my budget. When I finally make coffee at home again, it’ll be glorious (and topped with brown sugar).

How do you like to brew your coffee?

coffee, guide

Miss Going Out To Cafes? Perfect Your Inner Barista With This Useful Home Brewing List

Ashe

Being a coffee lover can be expensive. When you’re not trying to find the best beans, you’re carving out space in your kitchen for all the short-term and long-term equipment you’ll need to make a cup that sparkles.

I’m still on the search for a burr grinder and an espresso maker (that can also do drip), but until I find that elusive perfect deal, I’m reading up on other people’s home brewing habits. The Daily Beast just published a short-and-sweet piece on how to get started becoming a home coffee brewing master. They simplify the complex process by looking at affordable French Presses, waxing philosophical about the benefits of weighing your grounds and even showing off a reusable Keurig brand.

Not all of these equipment combinations will drill holes into your wallet, either, and you might just stick with them once the coronavirus has slowed down enough to open cafes back up. Remember: coffee is all about what suits your tastes, lifestyle and budget. Not what some self-proclaimed espresso guru with a ten-inch beard thinks is more ‘real’.

coffee, guide

Terroir and your…coffee? — Coffee with the Queen

Ashe

Terroir, that magical, elusive word is most often associated with wine but applies just as much to coffee. So what is terroir?

Terroir and your…coffee? — Coffee with the Queen

For all that coffee and wine are incredibly different, they’re also incredibly similar.

They’re both highly sensitive crops with nearly endless potential for variety. They’re both considered ‘lifestyle’ drinks and are just as much a culture as they are a product. This brief piece takes a look at the French term ‘terroir’ and how this wine-specific term can also be used to describe the environmental details that go into coffee beans’ subtle flavor notes. Boost your vocabulary on a Saturday and use it to support your next purchasing decision!