1. Experiment with new coffee brands.

Just like it’s fun to try different wine blends, mixing up your coffee brand of choice is a great way to add some excitement to your brewing routine. But when looking for new coffee options, don’t only pay attention to the brand name. An easy way to explore new brands is by focusing on a single roast type, then testing out different brands until you find your favorite. For example, if you are a French Roast feign, try a new coffee brand each month that carries this flavor profile; in January you can test out Bucks County Coffee French Roast, February dabble in Green Mountain French Roast K-cup, and so on. Soon enough you’ll find your ultimate coffee flavor, and the experience along the way will be well worth it.

2. Take better care of your beans.

We all know how easy it is to skimp on properly storing our coffee beans: You haphazardly seal the lid to your coffee grounds, you shove the package in the back of your cupboard, and you forget to heed the “drink by” date, casually sipping off the same coffee package for months. Taking care of your coffee beans is essential to maintaining its flavor and freshness. In order to get the biggest bang out of your coffee beans, make sure to always store roasted whole bean coffee in a cool, dark place in an airtight container (ceramic is best). Even when properly stored, roasted coffee beans only last one to two weeks after the package has been opened, so avoid letting the beans sit around any longer. If you can’t use up your coffee beans in two weeks or less, place the extra in the freezer, which will prevent the beans from going stale for about a month. Roasted ground coffee is even more likely to go bad in a short amount of time. Again, use an air-tight and light-proof container to store grounds, but keep in mind that this type of coffee usually doesn’t last for more than a few days. The cardinal rule to follow when it comes to coffee storage: Only buy what you can drink, and buy smaller packages to prevent exposing the excess beans to air and light.

3. Try a new method of brewing.

Unlike popular belief, you can brew coffee in more ways than one (i.e. drip coffee machines are not the be-all end-all of brewing). There are a variety of ways to make coffee, and many of these lesser known methods can actually produce better tasting coffee. For example, the French Press is a simple coffee maker that allows you to brew coffee by hand. Many people say that French Press brewed coffee tastes richer and offers a stronger brew. Keurig coffee machines are a new take on the typical drip maker. Using single serving k-cups, which contain pre-measured amounts of the coffee of your choice, you can make a perfectly brewed cup of gourmet coffee in less than a minute. This New Year, try something new: new coffee brands, new coffee makers and new ways to better protect your beans.

Cheers to a better coffee experience in ‘10!

What Makes Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Different?The unique farmland is what separates Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee from other coffee varieties. It is grown at an elevation of about 7,000 feet, making it a coffee grown at one of the highest points for farming in the world. The coffee trees are planted on steep slopes where there is very rugged terrain, so cultivating Blue Mountain coffee is particularly challenging. Farmers collect the coffee berries at their peak, and then float them in water to determine if each is fully developed. Only the highest quality berries are kept and put through the remainder of the inspection process, including the cleaning, drying, hulling and sorting stages.

What Gives Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Its Distinct Flavor?

Before being packaged and sold, each bean must go through a final round of testing where standards of taste, body and color are met. The final product is a coffee with exquisite flavor, good acidity, a refined taste, clean mouth feel and excellent full body. Blue Mountain Coffee has a distinguished bold aroma and unusual sweetness that’s never too tart or overly powerful. This smooth, rich coffee is praised by connoisseurs and regular coffee drinkers alike.

Why Should I Try Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee?

This Island cultivated coffee brand truly has a special quality and taste that’s unmatched. The rigorous testing process and quality control standards make every cup fantastic. It’s a great addition to any home coffee collection. Next time you want to try a new kind of coffee, check out Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee for a taste of the islands.

You can easily make this festive beverage at home yourself. Simply use an espresso machine to create your own basic latte with steamed milk and a couple shots of espresso. Add a few pumps of gingerbread-flavored syrup, such as Etner-Stuart Gingerbread Premium Syrup, and you have yourself a delightful, sweet latte for this joyous time of year.

If you’re feeling especially joyful (and looking to save money), you can also try making your own gingerbread syrup at home. Just follow the easy instructions below to make a double shot sixteen ounce latte (note that the syrup recipe includes enough for as many as seven drinks):

Ingredients for Gingerbread Syrup:

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for latte:

1/2 cup fresh espresso

8 ounces steamed milk

Gingerbread Latte Recipe:

1. First, make the gingerbread syrup by combining water, sugar, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat and let the syrup simmer (uncovered) for 15 minutes. Make sure to use a pan large enough for the mixture as it may boil over otherwise.

2. After the mixture has developed into the consistency of syrup, remove the pan from heat. Immediately cover the pan with a lid to make sure it doesn’t harden.

3. Next, make a double shot of espresso using an espresso machine, such as the Lavazza Espresso Point Machine available at Coffee For Less. Steam 8 ounces of milk, or use a microwave to heat if your espresso machine does not foam and steam milk.

4. To make your latte, first pour 1/2 cup espresso into a 16-ounce cup, then add 1/4 cup gingerbread syrup. Lastly, stir in the 8 ounces of steamed milk. Continue to stir until all the ingredients are blended.

5. In the final step, top off your latte with a dollop of whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg. Now comes the best part…enjoy!

1. Buy whole bean: Whole bean coffee maintains its flavor longer than ground coffee, which tends to lose its distinct taste about an hour after opening. It’s best to buy whole bean and grind it as soon as you’re ready to brew.

1. Buy the right amount: The cardinal rule to keeping coffee fresh is: buy only the appropriate amount. You should have just enough for about two weeks worth of coffee drinking, or else you risk spoiling it. Although coffee can remain fresh in an airtight container for up to two years, never open a package and leave it sitting on your counter for more than a few weeks. It’s best to buy small packages of a coffee at a time.

1. Look for the right packaging: Packaging is another determinant of coffee’s freshness. For roasted coffee that lasts the longest, look for containers that have plastic film covering the top or a foil bag that flushes out nitrogen; each should also include a heat seal (a valve lock is best for keeping external air out). This type of packaging helps maintain the moisture of the coffee beans, keeping them fresh longer. Again, whole beans are best and will be better protected when packaged as such. Coffee in plastic bags or wax lined sealed bags should be avoided as they are more likely to let in air; the oxidation will cause beans to go stale.

1. Open at the right time: You should open coffee containers right before you intend to drink the coffee. Roasted beans lose their freshness within just a few days of opening; ground coffee goes bad even quicker. Remember never to keep coffee near an oven or window, as it’s subject to harsh temperatures that may spoil it quicker.

1. Store correctly: Storing your coffee is essential to keeping it fresh. Place opened beans in a clean and dry container that’s airtight, and store in a dark location at room temperature. Extreme heat, cold and light have a negative impact on the aroma and flavor of all types of coffee. Unlike popular belief, putting coffee in the fridge does not help it last longer: Moisture in the fridge or freezer is damaging to coffee’s freshness, and odors in fridge spaces may also hamper its natural taste and aroma. Glass and ceramic containers are best for keeping damaging external factors at bay.

It’s not uncommon to see a coffee blend with a rather obscure, vague product name as the descriptor (who can really tell how Komodo Dragon coffee beans would taste?), making it difficult to know how to choose a coffee on the spot or order online without sampling first. The key to knowing what to expect with a coffee blend is by understanding its origin. Coffee flavor is largely distinguished by the region that the beans are raised, and product names most often reveal the country of origin. For example, you’ve probably seen an Arabian Mocha Java blend from many of your favorite coffee brands. Rooted in Yemen and Indonesia, this classic coffee’s rich, spicy notes are characteristic of coffee beans grown in this area.

Take a look below to find out which flavor trends tend to come from 5 major coffee regions. Many coffee blends have roots in multiple regions, but learning the single-origins will help you piece together the flavor you can expect to find when buying a new blend.

Colombia: Colombian coffee is widely popular for its smooth flavor and well-balanced acidity. Colombian farmland tends to produce coffee beans that blend to a medium intensity with slightly nutty undertones. Its clean finish makes it easy to drink year round. It’s also important to note that coffee from this region is typically graded based upon the size of the coffee bean.

Kona – This Hawaiian favorite is popular in the states due to its mild flavor and touch of spice. Volcanic soil provides rich farmland for cultivating coffee beans. Blends that include Kona coffee are usually light-bodied and sweeter in nature.

Costa Rica – With near perfect acidity, Coast Rican coffees have a certain zest. The distinctive smoky flavor distinguishes coffees from this origin, but never overpowers its smooth taste. Costa Rican blends are vigorous, fresh and fruity. Winter tends to be the best time of year to drink coffee from this top-notch origin.

Guatemala – Farmers from this Latin American country are known for their dedication to their craft – a passion that translates in their rich coffee blends. Medium bodied with vibrant acidity, coffee from Guatemala tends to have a powerful aroma and spicy overtones, giving it a slightly romantic feel.

Sumatra – Sumatra blends are from the Pacific regions of Asia. Known for its intensity and exotic characteristics, Sumatra coffee is very full bodied with strong earthy undertones. Some varietals capture sweet and soft floral notes, while others are richly aromatic. Coffee produced in this region generally has no acidity, so the robust flavor lingers long after the last sip.

]]> http://www.coffeeforlessblog.com/281/coffee-basics-what%e2%80%99s-in-a-name/feed/ 0 http://www.coffeeforlessblog.com/262/your-highness-deserves-the-best-jamaican-blue-mountain-coffee/ http://www.coffeeforlessblog.com/262/your-highness-deserves-the-best-jamaican-blue-mountain-coffee/#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:50:29 +0000 http://www.coffeeforlessblog.com/?p=262 When you’re the King of the world, King of the road, King of your castle, try the Java of Kings, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. Your estate will be thrilled with the incomparable quality of these coffee beans. Regulated by government standards and grown in the Blue Mountain range of Jamaica, these coffee beans are the best of the best and fit for a King. You can imagine the wonderful growing conditions of water, mist, rainforests, and rich soil in Jamaica. It can only mean this coffee is beyond delightful. Your Highness will love the discount prices online that will benefit your treasury and delight your Queen and all your subjects. Long live the King!