Re: Tips for your Early Morning Brew

As you know, brewing coffee at home is the ultimate way to enjoy the best coffee money can buy, while making the biggest positive impact in the world (thank you for supporting our Ethos 💛). Your morning coffee ritual may already be a cherished way to begin your day, yet on busy mornings, or when you have an earlier-than-usual start, finding ways to speed up the process without significantly sacrificing quality can make a big difference! Here are some tips to help you Brew Greatness at home on those days:

(1) Prep the Night Before — One of the easiest ways to save time in the morning is by prepping the night before. If you won’t have time, or don’t want to make noise too early in the morning, weigh and grind your beans (we’ve tested this, and aroma retention overnight has been surprisingly good). Place your coffee grounds in an airtight container to preserve freshness, set a filter in your brewer, fill the water reservoir, and leave your travel mug next to it. In the morning, you’ll just have to place your grounds in the filter, press a button, and fill your cup!

(2) Use a Coffee Maker with a Timer— Investing in an all-in-one coffee maker that doses, grinds and brews with a programmable timer can be a game-changer! There’s an increasing number of options in the market, and prices keep going down. Just set it up before bed, and wake up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee!

(3) Create a Coffee Station (or area) in your Kitchen— An organized coffee station can dramatically reduce your brewing time. This simply means keeping all your coffee brewing essentials—coffee, filters, mugs, condiments, flavors, stirrers—in one place, so you don’t waste precious minutes searching for what you need in the morning.

(4) Consider Cold Brew— If you don’t crave hot coffee in the morning, cold brew is an amazing make-ahead option! Brew a large batch of cold brew (we use one part coffee for every 10 parts water), store it in the fridge, and pour over ice in the morning. You can even prepare it just as you like it (i.e. with any milks, flavors) the night before and skip the ice if you’d like. This method gives you a smooth, highly caffeinated, cool coffee that needs no time to prepare in the morning, and is perfect for these hot summer days.

Brewing most of your coffee at home is not just good for your wallet (i.e. you’ll be able to enjoy a superb cup for <$1); it is also good for our planet—you’ll be positively impacting the livelihoods of small farmers and saving the world millions of single-use, non-recyclable, disposable cups.

A single decision to brew your coffee at home may seem trivial, yet we are the sum of what we repeatedly do… as Aristotle wisely said over 2,000 years ago—excellence is not an act, but a habit. Thank you for Brewing Greatness in the world with us… our craft and our impact wouldn’t be possible without you!

Jolian & Lisbeth

P.S. We have a special surprise on all your orders of 3 lbs or more this month! If you’re a local, we’re treating you to the dreamiest craft ice cream at our newest Ethos partner, Ripples! (Learn more at rippleshandcrafted.com). And for those who are farther (and is not possible to share ice cream with you!), we’re sending you a sample of our hand blended Spicy Chai, and a stylish Ethos pen, which we hope you’ll also find “cool”! Thank you so much for Brewing Greatness with us this Summer!

👌 Re: Evenness in Coffee Extraction

Our second technical summer series is devoted to a universal, yet frequently overlooked variable: the evenness of your coffee extraction. Evenness in coffee extraction refers to the uniformity with which water interacts with the coffee grounds during the brewing process. Ideally, every particle of ground coffee should be of exactly the same size, and exposed to water for the same amount of time and to the same degree. This ensures that the soluble compounds within your coffee are extracted evenly, resulting in a balanced and harmonious cup of coffee.

As you likely realize, achieving perfect evenness is in practice, impossible. Even the most advanced and expensive coffee grinders produce a range of particle sizes, yet aiming for as much evenness as possible can significantly improve the quality of your brewed cup in many ways. First, you’ll get a more balanced cup, as when coffee grounds are evenly extracted, the resulting brew will have a smoother, more harmonious blend of flavors. Second, you’ll reduce or eliminate unpleasant sourness and bitterness, as uneven extraction often results in some parts of the coffee being under-extracted while others are over-extracted. Under-extracted coffee tends to be sour and acidic because the water hasn't had enough time to dissolve the desirable flavors from the grounds. Over-extracted coffee, in contrast, can be bitter and astringent due to excessive dissolution of higher molecular weight compounds. Finally, evenness in extraction ensures a more consistent cup of coffee from one brew to the next, which means your favorite tasting notes in a particular coffee will always be there!

Achieving this elusive “ideal evenness” is also easier than you may think when you:

1. Invest in a Quality Burr Grinder: While no grinder can produce perfectly uniform particles, investing in a high-quality burr grinder can significantly improve the consistency of your grind size compared to cheaper blade grinders. Burr grinders produce a more uniform particle size, which promotes even extraction.

2. Pay Attention to your Brewing Technique: Ensure even saturation of the coffee grounds by pouring water uniformly over them. For methods like pour-over, practice a steady pour rate and use a gooseneck kettle for easier pour control. If you own a standard drip coffee maker, pay attention to the design of the spray head (a wider head and numerous, smaller openings is always better).

3. Adjust Your Recipe: Experiment with your coffee-to-water ratio, grind size, and brewing time. Making small adjustments can help you find the optimal balance for your particular setup, leading to a more even extraction.

4. Regular Maintenance: Keep your equipment clean and well-maintained. Old coffee residues and oils can interfere with the extraction process, leading to uneven results.

5. Practice Consistency: Be consistent with your measurements and techniques. Weigh your coffee and water for accuracy - it does make a difference!

Evenness in coffee extraction is a key factor in achieving a delicious and balanced cup of coffee. While perfect evenness is unattainable, striving for the highest level of evenness possible can make a significant difference in the taste and quality of your coffee. By investing in the right tools, paying attention to your technique, and practicing consistency, you can Brew Greatness every single time!

We hope this was a helpful overview, and we’re so deeply grateful for our busy Summer… we truly love Brewing Greatness with you,

Jolian & Lisbeth

P.S. We’re on our last sack of our limited-edition “El Espejo”! This was a one-time opportunity based on a great harvest last year for this farmer, yet her coffee will now be part of the new lot/crop of ASOPAP (aka. our “Planadas”), which just arrived at the roastery and which we expect to launch soon after “El Espejo” is gone!

💧Re: Optimizing Water for Coffee Brewing

Our first 2024 “RE: Summer Series” is all about the one ingredient that comprises 98.5% of our cups of coffee… water! While easily overlooked, water quality can greatly influence the amount of coffee flavors extracted from your beans. The right water can enhance the coffee's natural characteristics, while poor-quality water can result in a flat, bitter, off-flavored, or unpleasant cup. In this article, we’ll explore the 3 scientifically-proven elements in your water that can significantly impact your coffee brewing: purity, hardness, and pH.

These 3 attributes are officially recognized in the Specialty Coffee Association Brewing Water Standards as follows: (1) Purity (clean odor, zero chlorine); (2) Calcium Hardness between 50-175 ppm; and (3) pH 7-8.

Purity

Water purity is an essential factor for any great cup of coffee, and one you can easily influence with a good water filter! Chlorine and other impurities can impart undesirable flavors to your coffee, and contaminants can lead to off-flavors. Spring, bottled, or a good filtered water has always been - and will always be - behind any great cup of coffee you’ll ever brew!

Hardness

Water hardness refers (primarily) to its magnesium and calcium content (aka multivalent cation concentration). This means, a water that is “hard” will have many cations, and a water that is “soft” won’t have as many. Why are they so important? They’re important because the flavor compounds in coffee happen to exist as aprotic, charge-neutral species and as a collection of acids and conjugate salts - all of which need cations (i.e. the Mg+ and Ca+ in your water) to extract into your brew! If water is too soft (i.e. has too few cations to extract), your coffee won’t taste so good! There is, however, a limit to how hard you’d want your water to be, particularly if you care about the longevity of your coffee equipment - if the water is too hard, these cations have a tendency to crystallize inside your machine and within the pipework, blocking flow, causing corrosion and leading to an eventual “early death” for your brewers, particularly Espresso brewers. Most studies agree that 50-80 ppm CaCO3 hardness is ideal for both flavor and equipment performance. The easiest way to know how “hard” is your local water (without testing it yourself), is to search for “City, State Water Quality Report Hardness” - one of the first results should be the most recent test that your City conducted (in Lakeland, our water is around a 150 ppm - still within the SCA ideal standard, yet hardly ideal for our equipment… which is why we must de-scale them periodically!)

pH

pH is the indicator of acidity or alkalinity - below 7, it indicates an acidic solution, and pH greater than 7 indicates an alkaline solution. For coffee extraction, the amount of flavor extracted increases as the pH increases until you reach very high alkalinity, which can lead to chalky flavors being extracted. A neutral to slightly alkaline pH, between 7 and 8 has been consistently found to be best. Again the easiest way to know the pH of your local water (besides a water pH meter) is in your City’s Water Quality Report (in Lakeland’s most recent report it was 7.8)

We hope you enjoyed learning about water today, and please know we always welcome your questions and topics for future articles… we’ll also be doing technical “Summer Series” on FB/Instagram (@ethosroasters) starting this week, so we hope you’ll enjoy those short videos as well! Oh! And the new 2024 Ethereal Summer Blend just launched and will be with us for the Summer… and since I’m already running a bit long here, please find all the details online (ethosroasters.com and on this month’s “Greatness Times”)!

Love Brewing Greatness with you,

Lisbeth

Sources & Further Reading

SCA Water Standards

Hendon et. al. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2014 62 (21), 4947-4950 DOI: 10.1021/jf501687c

⚛️ Re: The Chemistry of Coffee Extraction

This last technical summer series is dedicated to understanding coffee brewing in more depth. This will enable you to find your own “perfect brew” and more easily adapt to any potential new brewing method, or new bean (yes, we’re working on another limited edition Honey micro-lot coming your way in September 😉).

We define brewing or “coffee extraction”, as the process of transferring aromas, flavors, and textural components from the coffee grounds into your brewed cup of coffee. Your freshly roasted coffee grounds will always contain two types of compounds: soluble (typically desirable) and insoluble (typically less desirable).

Soluble compounds include both soluble aromas (in gas form) and soluble flavors (in liquid form). Since soluble aromas are not -strictly speaking- “dissolved” in water, they are lost over time, as your cup of coffee cools down- which is one of the primary reasons your coffee tastes a little different as it cools! Yet, all soluble flavors and textural components will remain unchanged as your coffee cools down, which is also why professionals typically judge both flavor and textural attributes of a particular coffee only after the brew has had a chance to cool down.

Insoluble compounds include oils (which are non-polar, so they won’t dissolve in water, and will float on your cup’s surface, due to their lower density), and fines (which are more noticeable when you are not brewing using a paper filter, i.e. on French Press or any method using a metal filter). Fines are simply very small grinds that are inevitably produced by your grinder (even the best ones!), as some particles get further degraded by the heat and movement of the burrs produced during grinding. The presence of both oils and some fines - or insoluble solids - tends to make your cup more viscous, or “full bodied”, yet excess fines may make your coffee feel gritty. If you find that fines and oils are something you don’t particularly enjoy, using a paper filter will largely eliminate both. In general, the thicker your filter, the less fines and oils you can expect in your final brew (yet, you should keep in mind you'll also be sacrificing some of your cup’s texture or “body”).

Hope you enjoyed this little coffee chemistry lesson… and that it helps you continue Brewing Greatness in the world with us! Always grateful for you,

Jolian & Lisbeth

P.S. We’ll be roasting Mondays and Thursdays for the next two weeks, since the Lakeland farmer’s market is closed in August and it is the only month of the year that we can offer our amazing small team some (very well deserved) weekends off! We’ll be back to our Mon/Weds/Fri roasts the week of Aug 27. Thank you for helping us make our Ethos a reality every single day… we LOVE roasting for you!

🧮 Re: Our secret formula for the Perfect Iced Brew!

Our first “Re:” technical summer series is focused on the concept of “bypass” as applied to iced coffee brewing. We also wanted to share with you our simple formulas to achieve the perfect iced brew on ANY method. We promise a short, yet interesting read that we hope you’ll get to try on your next iced brew!

First things first… what is “bypass”? It is simply the term used to describe any water that “bypasses” the actual brewing process (i.e. it never comes in contact with your coffee grounds, and is instead added to your final drink). This concept can be applied to hot drinks (i.e. an Americano is a shot of Espresso with “bypass” water), yet it is always applicable to iced drinks (i.e. iced coffee is typically a stronger coffee brew that’s poured over ice). Equating “bypass” with ice when making iced brews is a simple, effective way to remind us that a final dilution will ALWAYS happen (which can be easily forgotten, resulting in uninspiring, weak brews).

So, how do we apply it? Our go-to (when brewing 500 mL or more) is a 50% bypass, which means 50% of the water in the final brew will be ice. In our 500 mL (~16 fluid oz) example, we would use 30 g of coffee (ideally ground slightly finer than you’d regularly grind, so you’ll be able to extract enough soluble solids with a smaller volume of water) and 250 mL of hot water to brew, and pour this brew over 250 g of ice. If brewing a smaller amount (<500 mL), a 40% bypass is recommended, in order to have a sufficient volume of water for the actual extraction. Therefore, for any given final brew (i.e. amount of coffee you want):

Coffee (g) = 6% x Final Brew (mL)

Brew water (hot, mL) = Final Brew (mL) x (100% - % Bypass)

Ice (g) = Final Brew (mL) x % Bypass

We encourage you to play with this bypass concept this Summer! We’ve been doing lots of iced Ethereal and Rio Coco (which will likely run out in the next 2 weeks*), and have been delighted with the results! Perhaps you’ll find just the perfect bypass ratio for each of your favorite beans and favorite methods? We also just began posting specific applications of this concept (Aeropress this week!) on our Instagram and Facebook (find us as @ethosroasters), so we hope you’ll check them out!

Grateful for our 8th Summer… Brewing Greatness with you!

Jolian & Lisbeth

P.S. * Yes, this means “El Espejo” will be launching in July! 🙌

💪🏻 RE: New Science on the Health Benefits of Coffee

This Summer, we noticed a few new - very extensive and comprehensive- studies on the benefits of drinking coffee… which seemed perfect for our last technical Summer series article! Below are some summaries and links to the studies, which we hope you’ll enjoy learning about:

In the most recent study published last month in the Annals of Internal Medicine, daily coffee consumption was associated with longer lives on 171,616 people (mean age 55), followed for 9 years. Compared with those who did not drink coffee, daily coffee drinkers (1-5 cups per day) had lower risks for all-cause mortality after adjusting for lifestyle, sociodemographic, and other health factors. Benefits were most pronounced among the group who drank between two and four cups per day, whose risk of early death was 30% less likely than non-coffee drinkers. Interestingly, the positive effects were a lot less pronounced for those who drank coffee with an artificial sweetener, as opposed to real cream or sugar (one teaspoon, on average). Researchers believe other factors may be at play, including higher rates of obesity and hypertension among those using artificial sweeteners (yet recent studies on the effects of artificial sweeteners on gut microbiota suggest it may be best to stick to natural sweeteners, just milk/cream, or our favorite - just black!).

Back in April, three studies presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 71st Annual Scientific Session found that drinking coffee - particularly 2-3 cups a day - was associated with a lower risk of heart disease and had a heart-protective effect for both people with and without cardiovascular disease. For the first study, researchers examined data from 382,535 people (mean age 57) without heart disease to see whether coffee drinking played a role in the development of heart disease or stroke during the 10 years of follow up. In general, having two to three cups of coffee a day was associated with the greatest benefit, translating to a 10%-15% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, heart failure, a heart rhythm problem, or dying. The second study included 34,279 individuals who had cardiovascular disease. Coffee intake at two to three cups a day was also associated with lower odds of dying compared with having no coffee. Importantly, consuming coffee was not associated with a higher risk of heart rhythm problems, including atrial fibrillation (AFib), which is a common concern. In fact, in the 24,111 people who had arrhythmia, drinking coffee was actually associated with a 20% lower risk of death. In a third study, researchers looked at whether there were any differences in the relationship between coffee and cardiovascular disease depending on whether someone drank caffeinated or decaf. They found, once again, two to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day to be associated with the lowest risk of arrhythmias, blockages in the heart's arteries, stroke or heart failure. Decaf coffee did not have favorable effects against arrhythmia or heart failure, but did reduce cardiovascular disease. The studies attributed the benefits not only to caffeine, but to the over 100 biologically active compounds in coffee beans that can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, boost metabolism, and inhibit the gut's absorption of fat.

We hope this was an interesting read… and it makes us so immensely happy to be able to offer you a delicious cup of coffee that we know will benefit your health in the long run… thank you for starting your day Brewing Greatness with us,

💛 Jolian & Lisbeth

P.S. The new crop of Poaquil should be finally arriving at the roastery in early September! 🙌 (we’ll announce it on our website and Instagram/Facebook, and we’ll be sending samples in your boxes as soon as it arrives!).

☕️ RE: Our Grinder Guide (+ new Rio Coco crop!)

There’s truly nothing like waking up to a brew of freshly ground coffee beans! In fact, one of the most frequent questions we’ve been asked lately is about what type of grinder would we recommend buying. Knowing there are many great options in the market - some of which we haven’t had the chance to try ourselves personally - we thought we would give you some essential aspects to consider, both in your purchase journey, and keeping your grinder - and coffee experience - at its best!

1. Get a “burr grinder” - i.e. make sure that your grinder uses two rotating burr plates or burr cones for grinding your beans. This is the most consistent type of grinder design, as it is the distance between the burrs that determines your grind size. This means you’ll always get a very uniform, consistent grind - which is essential for consistently great cups of coffee in every method!

2. Get a grinder that matches your most used coffee preparation method. This is particularly important if you do mostly Espresso - Espresso grinders are designed differently, with burrs that are particularly close to each other, for the ultra-fine grind needed for Espresso. A ‘standard’ grinder that grinds everything from coarse grinds to “Espresso” will never be able to match the grind quality of a true Espresso grinder. So, if you have mostly a Espresso household, we would highly recommend getting a Espresso grinder, and we’ll always be happy to send you a coarsely ground bag for your Cold Brew or medium grind for your Drip (we always have those options on the drop-down menu on each coffee). Espresso grind is also the only grind we don’t offer in our beans, because the grind size needed is very dependent on calibration with your machine, and it is so extremely fine that the coffee will oxidize in a matter of hours after grinding.

3. Know - and use - your budget. The amount you’re willing to spend on your new grinder will generally be the most useful factor when narrowing your choices. Some of the things you can expect at higher price levels are better build and materials (i.e. stainless steel vs. some plastic parts on cheaper models), easier maintenance (i.e. easier to clean / take apart), and quieter operation (i.e. cheaper machines are always much louder), and perhaps some other extra features (i.e. grinding directly into the filter/portafilter, which also saves you some cleanup). Comparing options within your budget range is always a great way to make decision you’ll be very happy with! The best machine for you probably won’t be the cheapest, or the most expensive (certain brands have a hefty markup just for their “name”) - it is the one that has everything you need -and most of what you want- for the amount you’d like to spend!

4. Learn from the experience of others - if you know someone who owns the particular grinder you’re considering buying, asking if they would buy it again. Or, if you don’t personally know anyone, read at least a few of the most recent reviews, and pay attention to those recurring themes or attributes mentioned by the most detailed reviews (generally the most trustworthy).

5. Keep it up! Once you’ve made your decision, make sure you keep your grinder working at its best by doing a deep cleaning (i.e. take apart and clean the burrs with a brush) every 1-3 months depending on your use and type of beans (i.e. more often if you love dark, slightly oily roasts - like our current “Amani”). Avoid cleaning agents - all you need is a good brush (or a vacuum cleaner if a bean is ever “stuck”). Grinders are generally very easy to maintain, and can last a long time (ours is over 5 years old), especially when you’re using only fresh, high-quality beans. Also, be sure to never store beans in your hopper’s grinder - it will oxidize them more quickly, and if you live in a humid environment (like Florida!), the beans will absorb some of the humidity in the air and oxidize even quicker, and they may “cake” and overheat your machine as you grind them. Keep your beans inside their bag, on a cool, dark place in your pantry and just use what you need!

We hope this was helpful and please know we’re always here for you if you need us! So, so grateful for our busiest summer yet!

💛 Jolian & Lisbeth

P.S. The 2022 crop of “Rio Coco” from Nicaragua, just came in on Friday! It is remarkable this year - the sweetness and cocoa notes are off the charts! We’ll be sharing samples with all your orders this next week!

RE : How to Taste Coffee like an Expert

In our last Summer Series, we would like to invite you to embark on a metaphorical trip around the world through coffee! It truly seems is the perfect time to do so - it is currently much easier than actual travel, and your roasters happen to be sourcing a lot of new wonderful coffees because of pandemic-related logistical challenges… some of which are ‘experimental’ microlots that may only be available this year!

So, here’s a quick guide, and an open invitation to slow down and savor - to discover the aromas, flavors, sensations, and memories you enjoy and associate with each cup! Fill each page of your “coffee passport” with as much details as you’d like about the sensory attributes of each brew, yet also note the method, the place, the time, the context… and do not be surprised if the same bean yields two -or more- completely different cup experiences depending on how, where, and when it was prepared, and enjoyed. Please feel free to print as many copies as you need, and share with your friends. It is inspired by the actual Cupping Forms used by professional tasters, yet adding some important details that will help you create - and recreate - many coffee memories.

We truly can’t wait to participate in this experiment with you… and look forward to seeing and sharing a few pages of our “coffee passports” (just tag us on Instagram @ethosroasters if you’d like us to share in our social media stories… no worries, it is only there for 24 hours… which is why we love stories… their ephemeral nature always feel unconditionally forgiving and inviting!).

Grateful and excited to begin each day #BrewingGreatness with you!

Jolian & Lisbeth

P.S. We will be taking a short break Aug 24-27… and we’d love to send you some coffee before we leave, so we’re offering a special bonus for all orders placed by Aug 22nd (get a bonus 8-oz bag of one of our current favorite single-origins to Cold Brew on all orders of 4 lbs or more… or get a bonus oz per lb ordered on smaller orders)… plus, more new coffees are coming in September… notably, our new Poaquil crops!

RE : Introducing our first "Double Fermented" coffee!

Washed, Honey, or Natural? You’re likely familiar with these three coffee processing methods… beans are either dried as a cherry (Natural process), just partially milled before drying (Honey process), or fully washed and dried as a seed or “bean” (Washed process). In the past few years, specialty coffee farmers and institutions have been experimenting with even more variations on these methods, trying to achieve more sweetness, body, and complexity in the cup… and this year we encountered a coffee so interesting from a small farmer family in Colombia, that we just had to get it!

Introducing “San Isidro” - an experimental “Double-Fermentated Washed” microlot by the Leguizamo family, who hand picked their best coffees, harvested at peak ripeness and selected for high sugar content (cherries must have over 22% sugar to be suitable for a double fermentation) . This special microlot was first fermented as a cherry, fully washed, and again fermented as a “bean” (parchment), resulting in a richer body and a very interesting sweet, spiced flavor profile. It was finally sun dried in raised beds, milled, packaged in special 20-kilo bags, and flown directly from the farm to the roastery!

This coffee was sourced well beyond our High-Impact threshold, at 400% above the current “fair-trade” price, paid to the farmers - and yes, we were able to buy this microlot in its entirety for our Ethos family! We hope you love this introduction to a new processing method (if you’re a subscriber and get a variety of beans, you’ll definitely get this one next!), and look forward to your thoughts and reviews… we’ll run a little experiment ourselves and update this coffee’s page with any email reviews we get from all of you!

Hope you’re having a wonderful, adventurous summer… ours continues to be filled with joy and gratitude for getting to start each day #BrewingGreatness in the world with you!

Jolian & Lisbeth

P.S. San Isidro was originally planned as a surprise for the Holidays, yet we didn’t anticipate running out of Poaquil… and experiencing months-long delays on the new crop’s arrival - we’re truly sorry, and hope this special microlot makes it up to you a bit!

PS.PS. If you’re in the area on July 29th… we’ll be celebrating the grand opening of “Pressed Coffee” in downtown Lakeland (with special surprises for our Ethos family, of course!)

RE : Cold Brewing 101 ☀️

Happy Summer Solstice! We’re celebrating with the launch of our 2021 Ethereal Summer Blend (featuring our limited-release Colombian Natural “La Estrella” this year), and wanted to devote this first “Summer Series” edition to re-visiting the coffee drink that is almost synonymous with summer: Cold Brew!

Want to know our secret for great Cold Brew every time? Get these basics right:

(1) Coffee - we’ve found that the best Cold Brew is actually made from beans that have been allowed to rest a few days before Cold Brewing (as the fast de-gassing of freshly roasted beans seems interfere with the extraction). In fact, Cold Brew is a great method to use some of your “older” Ethos beans!

(2) Water - its impact on flavor simply can’t be emphasized enough! Bad quality water (i.e. tap water that tastes like chlorine or is too hard/soft) can ruin the taste of even the best beans… remember the final brew is over 90% water!

(3) Filter - using a good cold brew paper filter has a big impact on the clarity and quality of flavors. We’ve also found re-usable cloth filters perform well when you use a set of two and clean them throughly after each batch. And while you can make Cold Brew without a paper or cloth filter, the flavor difference is so pronounced, that we must recommend you use one! (it filters out the oils, diterpenes, and some of the fines from your brew, for a much cleaner taste).

(4) Grind - coarsely ground coffee will always work best for the prolonged cold brew extraction times. While you may be tempted to use a finer grind to “accelerate” the process, it may only result in a more acidic, unbalanced brew. When cold brewing, good things do take time! (about 20-22 hours to be precise)

(5) Ratio - this one is listed last because there may not be a single “ideal ratio” - it all depends on how strong you’d like your brew, or if you’ll be adding more/less ice, milks, etc. We would recommend you start with a 1:8 (i.e. one ounce of coffee for every 8 ounces of water… which happens to be the ratio we use for our Cold Brew for Saturday markets!), and adjust if needed. This concentrate will hold well to dilution with ice, milks, and sweeteners.

Happy Cold Brewing, and happy adventures this Summer!

Jolian & Lisbeth

P.S. We just got more bracelets from Guatemala (some beautiful new designs for your collections!)… and a couple more surprises we’ll be sending with your large orders (i.e. over 3 lbs) all this Summer! We’ll post details on our IG stories this week 😉

RE: Cold Brew vs. Iced | The Experiment

Cold or Iced? Whether you’re a Cold Brew lover, or an Iced coffee fan… Summer is always a great time to try a new cool method!

Let’s first address some basic questions:

What’s the difference? Two key brewing parameters: time and temperature. Cold brew is all about long brewing times (18-20 hrs) at low water temperatures (~40℉) while Iced coffee is the opposite - short brewing times (3-5 min) at high water temperatures (~200℉).

What’s the same? Both are typically brewed at higher strengths than hot brewed coffee - i.e. using ~50% more coffee per brewed cup - so they can be served over ice or be paired with milk without tasting too weak or watered down.

Now, our recipes using the exact same ratios, and the exact same method, so you can brew them and compare them! If you’d like to keep things scientific, you’d also need to brew the exact same bean under both methods… and try a few different beans! (Spoiler alert: you may prefer some beans iced, and some cold brewed! Some we think do particularly well on both: Poaquil, Rio Coco, Andes, and Ethereal!)

ICED COFFEE

1. Grind 2 oz coffee to a coarse (sea salt) level.

2. Place grinds into the bottom of your French Press.

3. Pour 16 fl oz of hot (200-205℉) spring or filtered water and mix well.

4. Steep for 5 min.

5. Plunge your Press and transfer to a new container (to stop the extraction!). Voilà! Your Iced Coffee concentrate is ready!

COLD BREW

1. Grind 2 oz coffee to a coarse (sea salt) level.

2. Place grinds at the bottom of your French Press.

3. Pour 16 oz of spring or filtered water and mix gently, ensuring all grounds are wet.

4. Cover, place in the fridge and let it steep for 18-22 h.

5. Plunge your Press and transfer to a new container (yes, also to stop the extraction). Voilà! Your Cold Brew concentrate is ready!

Place 8 fl oz of each concentrate in a cup, and add 4-8 oz of ice or milk to taste (again, add the exact same amount to each if you’d like to keep it scientific!). Now they’re ready to be tasted side-by-side!

If you don’t have a French Press (or just prefer filtered coffee), an alternative would be to make Iced Coffee as a Pour-Over and make Cold Brew using a disposable paper filter - keeping all ratios the same. The use of a paper filter (on both instances) will reduce the amount of oils and yield a much cleaner drink (i.e. no small ground particles in suspension).

Happy Cold/Iced brewing… and most importantly, thank you for choosing to Brew Greatness in the world with us every single day! It’s my absolute joy and honor to be your roaster,

Lisbeth

PS. We just sourced two new, very special coffees… a new high-impact single-origin from Congo launching in September… and a special Honey processed coffee from Honduras, which will be the star of this year’s Red Swan Holiday Blend! Truly can’t wait to share them with you (clearly… as I wasn’t supposed to tell you anything until next month! Ooops!)

RE: Coffee and Health | Myths vs. Science

In this first Summer Series, we’d like to demystify some of the latest, scientific findings on coffee! And hopefully do our part to clarify and counteract all the misinformation that’s so easily found in our online feeds these days! Below, an amazing scientific review by our own medical expert -  Jolian Rios, MD,  ABIM Board Certified.

Myth #1: All Studies are Scientifically Valid

Coffee has been widely studied - there have been hundreds of studies published about it over the years. Yet, the first thing to keep in mind is that not all studies are created equal - as they can go from very strict, scientifically valid Cohort, Case-Control, and Randomized Controlled Trials where data drives the findings, to an Opinion Paper, which is simply someone sharing their thoughts  - of course, their findings do not carry the same weight! To make matters worse, these Opinion Papers are many times “interpreted” and reported by the media in ways that favor their ratings. So every time you read something, go to the source, and please don’t share it if it is not a scientific source! - advice that seems especially relevant right now!

Myth #2: Coffee = Caffeine

When we think of coffee, we immediately think about caffeine; yet we should keep in mind coffee contains many other compounds with potential health benefits. These include polyphenols such as caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, diterpenoids, and other antioxidants, as well as potassium, magnesium, niacin, and lignans. In fact, concentrations of these phenolic antioxidants are much higher in brewed coffee than in brewed tea - which is often touted as an antioxidant powerhouse!

Myth #3: Caffeine is Unhealthy

Caffeine is quickly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, and it gets metabolized by the liver. It antagonizes adenosine receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems - and in this way, it can have a variety of effects. Some of the main effects found so far:

• Caffeine is a proven analgesic, property that has been used for the treatment of headaches, specifically tension and migraine headaches [1,2]. 

• Multiple cohort studies with over 600,000 individuals found it may reduce stroke risk [3-6]. 

• Two case-controlled studies and two cohort studies have shown a small protective effect of coffee consumption advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, animal models have shown long-term caffeine consumption may delay or reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease [7,8].

• Randomized Controlled Trials of healthy individuals have found caffeine improves cognition, mood, vigilance, and reaction time - regardless of age and gender [9-14].

• A study with sleep-deprived Navy SEAL trainees showed improvement of cognitive function, learning, memory, and mood despite continuous exposure to stressors with an optimal dose of 200 mg of caffeine (about two cups of coffee!) [15]. 

Myth #4: Coffee is Unhealthy

Numerous studies on coffee have actually shown the opposite - there are several health benefits from long-term coffee consumption. Some examples:

• A matched case-control of almost 1700 women with BRCA gene mutation found that coffee intake was associated with 10% - 69% lower risk of breast cancer, this was a dose-dependent effect, with the lowest effect being seen on women who drank 1-3 cups of coffee and the largest effect seen on those who drank more than 6 cups of coffee per day [16]

• A case-control study of 1900 women found that coffee intake was associated with a 40% lower risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day [17].

• A meta-analysis of cohort and case-control studies showed a decreased risk of endometrial cancer in coffee drinkers [18].

• A large prospective analysis of over 47,000 men found a strong dose-dependent reduction in the risk of prostate cancer [19].

• Several studies, including randomized trials, and cohort studies, have shown that coffee consumption, including decaf, decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes, by improving insulin sensitivity as well as insulin secretion [20-24].

• Another study showed caffeine in coffee to be a potent stimulator of smooth muscles that prevent constipation [25]. 

• A meta-analysis of 14 different studies shows that coffee drinkers had 39% less probability of developing cirrhosis [26].

Thus, coffee has been shown to have positive effects on multiple systems and may even lower the risk of multiple chronic diseases in the long term. I’ve listed the studies used for reference, in case you’d like to read in a lot more detail on your own (it pairs perfectly with a great cup of Ethos to keep you awake!). 

So, let’s keep enjoying coffee, and let’s continue to make a difference, to Brew Greatness in the world!

- Jolian

REFERENCES

1. Goldstein J, Silberstein SD, Saper JR, Ryan RE Jr, Lipton RB. Acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine in combination versus ibuprofen for acute migraine: results from a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, single-dose, placebo-controlled study. Headache. 2006;46(3):444-453. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00376

2. Diener HC, Gold M, Hagen M. Use of a fixed combination of acetylsalicylic acid, acetaminophen and caffeine compared with acetaminophen alone in episodic tension-type headache: meta-analysis of four randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover studies. J Headache Pain. 2014;15(1):76. Published 2014 Nov 19. doi:10.1186/1129-2377-15-76

3. Larsson SC, Virtamo J, Wolk A. Coffee consumption and risk of stroke in women. Stroke. 2011;42(4):908-912. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.603787

4. Lopez-Garcia E, Rodriguez-Artalejo F, Rexrode KM, Logroscino G, Hu FB, van Dam RM. Coffee consumption and risk of stroke in women. Circulation. 2009;119(8):1116-1123. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.826164

5. Larsson SC, Männistö S, Virtanen MJ, Kontto J, Albanes D, Virtamo J. Coffee and tea consumption and risk of stroke subtypes in male smokers. Stroke. 2008;39(6):1681-1687. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.107.504183

6. Larsson SC, Orsini N. Coffee consumption and risk of stroke: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. Am J Epidemiol. 2011;174(9):993-1001. doi:10.1093/aje/kwr226

7. Arendash GW, Schleif W, Rezai-Zadeh K, et al. Caffeine protects Alzheimer's mice against cognitive impairment and reduces brain beta-amyloid production. Neuroscience. 2006;142(4):941-952. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.07.021

8. Barranco Quintana JL, Allam MF, Serrano Del Castillo A, Fernández-Crehuet Navajas R. Alzheimer's disease and coffee: a quantitative review. Neurol Res. 2007;29(1):91-95. doi:10.1179/174313206X152546

9. Fredholm BB, Bättig K, Holmén J, Nehlig A, Zvartau EE. Actions of caffeine in the brain with special reference to factors that contribute to its widespread use. Pharmacol Rev. 1999;51(1):83-133.

10. Jarvis MJ. Does caffeine intake enhance absolute levels of cognitive performance?. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1993;110(1-2):45-52. doi:10.1007/BF02246949

11. Kamimori GH, Johnson D, Thorne D, Belenky G. Multiple caffeine doses maintain vigilance during early morning operations. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2005;76(11):1046-1050.

12. Lorist MM, Snel J, Kok A, Mulder G. Influence of caffeine on selective attention in well-rested and fatigued subjects. Psychophysiology. 1994;31(6):525-534. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1994.tb02345.x

13. Ker K, Edwards PJ, Felix LM, Blackhall K, Roberts I. Caffeine for the prevention of injuries and errors in shift workers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;2010(5):CD008508. Published 2010 May 12. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008508

14. Smith A, Sutherland D, Christopher G. Effects of repeated doses of caffeine on mood and performance of alert and fatigued volunteers. J Psychopharmacol. 2005;19(6):620-626. doi:10.1177/0269881105056534

15. Lieberman HR, Tharion WJ, Shukitt-Hale B, Speckman KL, Tulley R. Effects of caffeine, sleep loss, and stress on cognitive performance and mood during U.S. Navy SEAL training. Sea-Air-Land. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2002;164(3):250-261. doi:10.1007/s00213-002-1217-9

16. Nkondjock A, Ghadirian P, Kotsopoulos J, et al. Coffee consumption and breast cancer risk among BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. Int J Cancer. 2006;118(1):103-107. doi:10.1002/ijc.21296

17. Baker JA, Beehler GP, Sawant AC, Jayaprakash V, McCann SE, Moysich KB. Consumption of coffee, but not black tea, is associated with decreased risk of premenopausal breast cancer. J Nutr. 2006;136(1):166-171. doi:10.1093/jn/136.1.166

18. Bravi F, Scotti L, Bosetti C, et al. Coffee drinking and endometrial cancer risk: a metaanalysis of observational studies. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2009;200(2):130-135. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2008.10.032

19. Wilson KM, Kasperzyk JL, Rider JR, et al. Coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk and progression in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011;103(11):876-884. doi:10.1093/jnci/djr15

20. Huxley R, Lee CM, Barzi F, et al. Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea consumption in relation to incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(22):2053-2063. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.439

21. van Dam RM, Feskens EJ. Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lancet. 2002;360(9344):1477-1478. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11436-X

22. Rosengren A, Dotevall A, Wilhelmsen L, Thelle D, Johansson S. Coffee and incidence of diabetes in Swedish women: a prospective 18-year follow-up study. J Intern Med. 2004;255(1):89-95. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2796.2003.01260.x

23. van Dam RM, Willett WC, Manson JE, Hu FB. Coffee, caffeine, and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study in younger and middle-aged U.S. women. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(2):398-403. doi:10.2337/diacare.29.02.06.dc05-1512

24. Salazar-Martinez E, Willett WC, Ascherio A, et al. Coffee consumption and risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Intern Med. 2004;140(1):1-8. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-140-1-200401060-00005

25. Murakami K, Okubo H, Sasaki S. Dietary intake in relation to self-reported constipation among Japanese women aged 18-20 years. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006;60(5):650-657. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602365

26. Liu F, Wang X, Wu G, et al. Coffee Consumption Decreases Risks for Hepatic Fibrosis and Cirrhosis: A Meta-Analysis. PLoS One. 2015;10(11):e0142457. Published 2015 Nov 10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0142457

RE: Brewing The Perfect Cup

In our last Summer Series this year, we wanted to share our insights on how to brew a perfect cup. Here are 5 key elements that would enable you to Brew Greatness in any method!

1. FRESHNESS

There’s good reason behind our obsession with freshness - ALL great cups start with fresh beans (weeks old, not months old!) that are freshly ground right before brewing. See our previous posts for insights on why it matters, and how to keep beans fresh!

2. WATER

Water quality matters - remember your final brewed cup is ~98.7% water! Spring or properly filtered water is simply a necessity when brewing a great cup. The ideal brewing temperature is between 195 and 205℉, which is this slightly cooler than boiling (i.e. boil and wait a minute before pouring).

3. RATIOS

A ‘ratio’ is simply the amount of coffee you use in relation to the amount of water, or cups you’d like to brew. Using a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio is considered ideal - i.e., an ounce of coffee for every 16 fl oz of water, for example (or half an ounce of coffee for an 8-oz cup). While weighing your beans and your water will always give you the best results, you can also use a consistent measure (i.e. a coffee spoon and a cup for which you know the weights or amounts of coffee and water they ‘hold’).

We should note, it’s ok to deviate from this ratio slightly, i.e. 1:15 for a stronger cup, or 1:17 for a milder cup - when it comes to coffee strength and taste - ‘perfection’ is in the eyes of the beholder.

4. GRIND

Size really matters when it comes to the perfect grind! If your grind is too coarse (or large) for the method you’re using, you’ll get a weak cup that lacks body and may be acidic. If your grind is too fine (or small), you’ll get a cup that is harsh, sharp, even bitter. Remember one grind size does NOT fit all methods, and small changes to grind size can make a big difference (in terms of the total ‘surface area’ of coffee exposed to the water) - so when it comes to grind adjustments - small changes are big!

5. TIMING

Time is of the essence when it comes to brewing! A great cup of coffee typically takes ~4-6 min to brew.

Remember brewing time is extraction time - i.e. the time necessary for your delicious coffee compounds to ‘transfer’ from the grounds into your cup. If too short, you’ll get a weak, acidic cup; if too long, you’ll get a harsh, bitter cup… yes, just like with grind size! They two are very closely related - coarser grinds need longer steeping times (e.g. French Press and Cold Brew), while finer grinds need shorter steeping times (i.e. Espresso is the ultimate example - as it extracts in 25-30 seconds).

Get these right, and you’ll be able to make a great tasting cup in ANY method! Let’s keep Brewing Greatness in the world!

Jolian & Lisbeth

PS. ‘Charley’s World’ - a local TV show - did a generous segment on us to help us tell our story and most importantly - spread the idea that we can make a difference. Thank YOU for making all of it possible!

There’s pics on FB, behind-the-scenes on IG, and here’s also a video.

RE: Coffee Processing: Washed + Honey + Natural Demystified!

You have probably seen the terms ‘washed’, ‘honey’, and ‘natural’ in our coffee descriptions, yet we thought a more in-depth explanation would make it a little more meaningful - and take your coffee connoisseur game to a whole new level!

First, some context on ‘Coffee Processing’ - this is the crucial step that transforms coffee cherries into “green coffee” that’s ready to be exported/imported/roasted! ALL coffees - yes, ALL coffees - must be processed before we can roast them! Otherwise, we would be trying to roast a ‘coffee fruit’, not a ‘coffee bean’ (technically, a coffee seed). Specifically, we need to remove three main layers (from the outside in) to get to our precious seeds: (1) pulp or exocarp, (2) mucilage or mesocarp (a sticky layer high in sugars), and (3) parchment (a papery layer protecting the seed).

There are three main processes worldwide : (1) Washed or Wet Process, (2) Honey (and variations), and (3) Natural or Dry Process. And it is when the layers are removed that makes all the difference!

Washed coffees get the first two layers, pulp and mucilage, removed as soon as possible after harvest. This is achieved by mechanically de-pulping and throughly ‘washing’ the coffee beans, and leaving only the parchment layer during the drying process (which can be under the sun, using mechanical dryers, or a combination of those two). Once beans are dried to ~12% moisture, they’re milled to remove the parchment layer and packed in 60-70 kg bags for export. This is the most popular method for Specialty coffees, as it yields incredibly clean, consistent, well-balanced cups. The highest scoring coffees worldwide are typically washed.

Honey coffees are characterized by the partial removal of the first two layers (pulp and mucilage), always leaving some pulp and mucilage around the seed to ‘ferment’ during the drying process. Depending on the amount of pulp/mucilage left, you may have a ‘Yellow Honey’ (no pulp, little mucilage, short fermentation, closer to a Washed), a ‘Red Honey’ (some pulp, most mucilage, medium fermentation), or a ‘Black Honey’ (most pulp and mucilage, long fermentation). ‘Honeys’ are very labor intensive, as they require constant monitoring and care during the weeks-long fermentation/drying under the sun. They’re also risky, as the whole harvest could be lost in an uncontrolled fermentation (i.e. yielding rotten, alcoholic, or medicinal notes). Yet, they can also yield amazing, sweet, complex, unique fruit flavors!

Natural coffees are dried with all layers! This means they’re dried as a fruit, under the sun or a combination of sun drying with mechanical dryers. Dried fruits are then ‘milled’ to remove all three layers (pulp, mucilage, and parchment) and coffee is packed for export. This is the most common method for Brazilian coffees, yet, it’s worldwide popularity has risen in recent years. It leads to sweeter, fruitier, and more full-bodied cups (vs. Washed), yet, as in the Honey process, there’s always the risk of an uncontrolled fermentation due to the high sugar content during drying.

We have excellent examples of all 3 processes currently online: try Poaquil or Kenya AA vs. Los Pinos (yellow honey) vs. Red Honey vs. Yirgacheffe, for example! We’re also working on some exciting new additions on this front with our ‘Poaquil’ partners! (we’ve been secretly experimenting for the past 2 years to bring something really unique to you… hopefully in just a few months!)

I hope this was insightful… and left you a little inspired to try something new!

Always incredibly grateful to get to roast for you, and Brew Greatness in the world with you,

Lisbeth

PS. We’re so excited about our Guatemala trip next year!!! We have a few spots before we hit our maximum number of people for the trip (which we would love to do, as we probably won’t do another one for a while!). The penalty-free deadline has been extended to 7/24… if you feel called, join us!

RE: Our Top Coffee Storage Tips!

Summer is here again, which means our “RE:” Summer Series on scientific answers to your coffee questions is back! In this first edition, we wanted to cover a topic that’s always relevant, yet especially important during the summer months, when temperature and humidity levels are at their peak…

OUR TOP COFFEE STORAGE TIPS (to keep freshness and keep Brewing Greatness!)

[ Hint: each tip addresses one of the three main factors responsible for the loss of aromatics and flavor changes in coffee - Temperature, Oxygen, and Moisture - which you can remember with the acronym “TOM”]

1- Keep your beans cool! Temperature is one of the main factors affecting your coffee’s shelf-life, so keeping your beans at temperatures below 75°F is a must during the summer months! If you’re traveling and taking your freshly roasted beans with you (which we love to do!), place them in your carry-on, and avoid leaving them in the trunk of your car (which gets really hot!). Generally speaking, chemical reaction rates tend to double for every 10° rise in temperature, which means that beans that would last fresh for a month in a cool place may only stay fresh for a week or two in our summer temperatures!

2. Keep your beans inside an air-tight container. Exposing your beans to the air not only “steals” away its amazing aromatics… the oxygen in the air also reacts with the naturally occurring oils in your coffee, and begin a series of oxidation reactions that result in undesirable breakdown products like peroxides, aldehydes, ketones, and free fatty acids (i.e. rancid taste).

3. Keep your beans in a dry environment. This is perhaps our most insightful tip, particularly if you live in a place where summers are both hot and humid - like Florida! Most never think of moisture as having a large impact on shelf-life - yet its effects are profound! Oxidation reactions in extremely low-moisture foods like coffee are mostly diffusion-limited, which means even tiny increases in moisture content can increase diffusion - and oxidation rates - dramatically. One of the reasons we do NOT recommend placing your beans in the fridge, is that humidity inside your fridge tends to be relatively high (plus, it also de-gasses your beans faster, and they may absorb extraneous odors from the other foods in your fridge).

So, remember to avoid ‘TOM’ and keep your beans in a cool, dark, dry, air-tight container so you can enjoy them at their best!

Always grateful to get to roast for you… let’s keep Brewing Greatness!

Jolian & Lisbeth

PS. July 1st is the last day to sign-up for our trip to Guatemala in 2020! If this is something you really want to do… please consider joining us! Sign up at eo.travel/ethosroasters

RE: In THE NEWS | Coffee drinkers live longer!

On our last 'Re: Summer Series', we wanted to cover a topic that seems to be perennially on the news... coffee & health. While there's a lot of information (and misinformation!) out there, the great news is that the latest (highly reputable, peer-reviewed) research seems to be on the side of coffee drinkers!

That's right. 'Coffee drinkers live longer' was the main conclusion of the most recent coffee study* in the latest issue of JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association). They followed a group of half a million people over 10 years and analyzed the relationship between coffee drinking habits and mortality, and found coffee drinkers (even those drinking over 8 cups a day!) died at a statistically-significant lower rate than those who didn't drink any coffee. This was also true for Decaf coffee drinkers, suggesting the non-caffeinated components in coffee are responsible for the effect (something that would make a lot of sense, if you consider that is mostly phytochemical antioxidants!). If you'd like to get into the details, here's the link to the study. And while the scientist in us is really excited... we must also point out that this was an observational study... which means we can not prove that drinking coffee will actually add a few years to your life... but we can always have fun trying! (and make a difference!)

Jolian & Lisbeth

PS. A few news of our own - we recently received a "cease-and-desist" letter from another Florida roaster who had apparently registered a Trademark for "Florida Cold Brew"... so we'll be temporarily out of a Cold Brew Blend offering (alternatively, we'll be more clearly identifying some great single-origins for Cold Brewing... i.e. Poaquil & Huehue!). On a more positive note, the new roaster has given us some amazing flavor profiles, and more flexibility to do lighter roasts... we're working on our first-ever Holiday Blend that will highlight this new capability (i.e. a mix of lighter-roasted and darker-roasted coffees to balance vibrant and bold flavors) - we would love to hear your NAME ideas!!!

Finally, on an even more positive note, we have some news from our Poaquil Co-Op! Coffee growers from the whole region are meeting next month, and they'll be sharing with them their "success story" with us!!! They also said they'll try to do a video message for all of you who have (and continue to make) this all possible! Stay tuned :)

CITED REFERENCE

*Loftfield E, Cornelis MC, Caporaso N, Yu K, Sinha R, Freedman N. Association of Coffee Drinking With Mortality by Genetic Variation in Caffeine Metabolism: Findings From the UK Biobank. JAMA Intern Med.2018;178(8):1086–1097. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.2425

RE: COLD BREWING! | It's COOL chemistry + our recipe!

Summer is definitely here! And, while we still think the aroma of a freshly brewed cup of coffee is the best smell in the world to wake up to... we must admit a cup of Cold Brew on the rocks is our favorite way to cool off! So, we wanted to share with you some of our 'secret' knowledge acquired through lots of research & experimentation (a.k.a. "plant watering batches")... and hopefully give you all the tips & insights you need to make the absolute best Cold Brew at home!

First things first... what exactly is Cold Brew? The name (kind of) gives it away... it's coffee brewed with cold water, over extended periods of time. Please note, this is very different from hot-brewed coffee served over ice (that's Iced Coffee!). What makes Cold Brew so different is that cold brewing over (relatively) long periods of time favors the extraction of specific components, while hot brewing methods tend to extract all soluble components. Why? Because the solubility of different components is largely determined by temperature. Caffeine, for example, is only slightly soluble (~1-2 g/100 mL) in cold water, yet fairly soluble in hot water (~65 g/100 mL). Naturally occurring phenolic acids are also significantly more soluble in hot water (which means very little acidity on cold brews!)... yet sugars and larger components (responsible for sweetness & body) are still soluble provided enough time (but be careful... too much time and you'll begin extracting bitter components)!

Now that you understand the chemistry... it's time to have some fun making it! (we promise is a lot easier than understanding all that chemistry!). Here's our step-by-step Cold Brew recipe:

1. Mix 40 oz spring water (~5 cups) for every 8 oz of coarsely ground coffee

2. Steep for 14-18 hours under refrigeration (we commonly do 16 hours, but you can do up to 20 hours if you like a stronger brew)

3. Dilute up to 1:1 with ice/milk/water & enjoy (you'll have enough for 12 large cups) 

4. Keep refrigerated and consume within a week (8-oz batch is perfect for 1-2 people drinking 1-2 cups a day!)

Some of our favorite origins to Cold Brew are Central and South Americans... our Florida Cold Brew Blend is actually a mix of two Guatemalan beans at a medium-dark roast level, and was the 'winning' combination in our taste tests (and our best-selling Cold Brew at the farmer's market!).

Happy Cold Brewing!

Jolian & Lisbeth

PS. The new R15 roaster is finally up and running... and we couldn't be happier, or more eager to share it with all of you... watch out for pics/videos in our Instagram and Facebook over the next few weeks... and monthly tours/tastings starting in Sept! (sign-ups available online Sept 1st!). We're also working on some AMAZING new additions (including our first-ever Holiday blend!)

RE: FRESHNESS! | Why it matters? How can you keep your coffee fresh?

Summer is here! And we wanted to welcome it by launching our "RE:" Summer Series - i.e. posts intended to increase your coffee knowledge and bring your coffee experience to a whole new level! They're inspired by questions we frequently get... and we hope you'll help us keep them relevant and interesting by suggesting new topics!

This first one is on a topic we're particularly obsessed about - FRESHNESS! It is perhaps one of the most important quality attributes in coffee, and a major predictor of both aroma and flavor intensity! Why? Because the chemical reactions responsible for coffee aroma and flavor are the same that happen in baking (ever compared a freshly baked loaf of bread with one that's been sitting in your pantry for a week?) - the Maillard reaction (between amino acids and reducing sugars) and Caramelization (the thermal breakdown of sugar). It is these two 'non-enzymatic browning' reactions that transform green coffee components into delicious nutty, chocolatey, 'freshly roasted' aromas & flavors in our coffee beans! We've included links to their Wikipedia pages, for those who'd like to have some fun looking at the chemistry! (I actually had to memorize all the chemical steps for both of these for my PhD Qualifying Exams... they're THAT important... and also responsible for flavor in any food product that's baked, cooked, roasted, browned, dried, etc.... but I digress!).

Now, the tricky part is that all of the aromas (which are also key to certain flavors) formed in these reactions are volatile... which means they're lost over time. In roasted coffee, this loss is exacerbated by the natural "de-gassing" process, i.e. the release of carbon dioxide that has been trapped within the bean's cell structures during the last roasting stages, and slowly released for months after roasting. And while there's nothing we can do to stop this... there are some ways you can keep your coffee fresh longer!

The first is to BUY FRESH! - using your beans within a month of the roasting date will always give you the best experience! You can expect mild flavor changes after 6-8 weeks, and pronounced changes after 4-5 months (yet we hope your beans won't ever last you that long!). The second is to  GRIND FRESH - keeping your coffee beans "whole" means less surface area will be exposed to air...  leaving those delicious aromas "trapped" inside the beans for much longer! And the third is to KEEP COOL (but not in the fridge!) - keeping your beans in a cool (air conditioned), dark place (i.e. your pantry) and in a tightly sealed bag (i.e. the bag we ship to you is specially designed to keep your coffee fresh... only make sure the zipper is always tightly sealed!) will slow down de-gassing, and protect against flavor oxidation! Placing your coffee bag inside an airtight container will also provide some extra protection! Please don't place in the fridge or the freezer - as this will accelerate the de-gassing process (and your beans may 'absorb' some of the aromas/flavors of the other foods in your fridge).

Thank you so much for reading... we hope this was interesting & helpful... and please email us if you have any ideas/questions for our next "RE:" post!

Lisbeth

PS. Quick update on the R15 roaster... we finally got the electrical upgrade project approved, and the new panel was installed on our building last Friday... and are expecting Lakeland Electric to connect our new power as soon as this week!!!