How To Keep Your Dark Roast Coffee Hot And Tasting Good

The Best Ways To Keep Coffee Hot and Tasting Good

Keeping our coffee fresh and hot is a major item for some of us coffee drinkers. There is nothing worse than a tepid mouthful of stale coffee. How you keep your coffee hot depends a little on where you are and what you're doing. What happens to coffee as we keep it warm? Are there things I should never do to keep my coffee warm? Knowing a little more about coffee will help you understand how to keep it hot and tasting great.

The following set of points should help to insure better tasting coffee:

• Use a thermal cup or mug for commuting or to keep it hot for short periods of time


• Glass and stainless steel thermos style bottles barely effect coffee taste at all


• French Press brewers (like Bodum) are not good for keeping coffee hot. They continue to brew and can produce very bitter coffee


• Try to not use direct heat from an element or hotplate if possible


• A sealed or closed container slows the loss of essential aromas that influence coffee flavor.


• You get the best flavor from coffee that is kept at least 170° F.
  

There are a number of taste related components in a cup of coffee that change or degrade over time. This means that the taste of a cup of coffee will continue to change, for the worse most would say, just because time passes. The best way to manage this problem is to simply brew smaller amounts of coffee more frequently. As we all know, the best cup of coffee is a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

One Starbucks employee said that in a training session they were told to not let the shot sit for more than 15 seconds before mixing it in the milk mixture, and about 20 seconds is the “optimal” brewing time for a shot of espresso.

So as you get your next pot of coffee ready, think about how you are going to consume it. If you plan on having it right away, no problem. But if you are thinking about drinking it over a longer period of time, keep the points we made above in your mind. Plan out how you will keep it hot and tasting fresh. Only then start the brew.

Now That My Espresso Is Made - What To Do With The Milk?

How To Froth Milk For A Cappuccino

I did all of the right things to make espresso at home. I bought myself a good espresso machine. I learned which dark roast espresso beans have the best taste and how to grind them to the correct fineness. I managed to insert the gadget with the grinds, known as a portafilter, into the espresso machine, lock it into place, turn on the machine and let her rip. Great espresso!

But I wanted a cappuccino. Sue wanted a latte. I guess it's time to figure out how to steam the milk.

Image: nuchylee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sue is always dieting, so she wants nonfat milk. I found out that low fat and nonfat milk foam really easily. Whole milk takes more practice. Same thing with half and half if you want a breve.

Some espresso machines have a built in steam nozzle and some don't. You may need to buy a separate steamer. I recommend getting an espresso machine with one built in - it saves space.

The first thing to do is to put that stainless steel pitcher and milk into the refrigerator and get it cold. Always start with them cold - this will give you the best results. The next critical success factor is to fill the pitcher about a third to a half full. Milk expands really well when it's steamed. It takes only once for it to foam up, overflow and hit the floor to remember to start with a pitcher no more than half full.

Start by putting the nozzle on the surface of the milk and turning the steam on full. The milk is going to begin to foam, so keep lowering the pitcher so that the nozzle is just under the surface of the milk. About a half inch will do fine. You can turn down the pressure when the foam really begins to rise, or just take the pitcher away. Now the milk is just about at the boiling point.

Now here is another important tip. Don't let the milk boil. This is a sure way to get the milk to overflow the pitcher - or even worse, it will taste burnt - not good.

Your steamed milk should have little bubbles all the way through it, and there should be a light foam on the top. There you are. That's it. Now you go make whatever espresso drink you want. Next up, you can start learning how to make all those fancy designs in the top.

I hope this will help you to make an awesome cappuccino, latte or breve.

As always, May Your Next Cup Be The Best!

Seattle’s Best Henry's Blend - Review

Henry's Blend by Seattle’s Best

I've always enjoyed Henry's Blend from Seattle's Best. Although I have drank this blend for years, this is the first time I have written a blog on it. Henry's Blend has always been one of my favorites. It is a well-rounded coffee that is an excellent dark roast blend. It is rated as a Level 4 coffee. There is more information about the "Level" system HERE.

For this review, I tasted the coffee as an Americano. The unsweetened coffee hits the tip of the tongue with a definite bitterness that you won't forget. The finish of this coffee is very clean – it does not linger long in your mouth.

This coffee has always been one of my favorites from Seattle's best in fact it was one of the first Seattle's Best coffees I have drank.


After sweetening the brew is more like a desert than a coffee I would recommend that if you drink it with sweetener that you don't even bother to eat any sweets or any kind of cake with it because it is an excellent sweet treat all by itself.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would easily rate this at 9.5 - it is arguably one of the best coffees on the market and I think that it's one that you will find very enjoyable - no matter how picky you are

You should go out and get some Henry's Blend. Just click on the link that follows and get yourself some great coffee.


Click here to get Henry's Blend.

As always, I want to thank you for coming by and may your next cup be your best!

Seattle's Best Breakfast Blend - Review

Breakfast Blend by Seattle's Best

I prepared this coffee as an Americano, and did my first taste test on the unsweetened brew. This coffee is a Level 4 coffee in their new coffee rating system - dark roast, but one step below their darkest roast which is Level 5. In additon to the standard Breakfast Blend, they also offer an Organic Breakfast Blend that is Certified Organic. This blend comes from organic plantations in Costa Rica, Sumatra, Guatemala and Peru.

The first taste of Seattle's Best Breakfast Blendhas a pleasant bitterness that hits the tip of the tongue and works its way to the middle. This is a very good coffee for serving with breakfast or any meal. There is a certain earthy quality to this blend along with a very pleasant mouth feel. The flavor doesn't linger very long and clears out of the mouth within about three or 4 seconds. The folks at Seattle's best have done a very good job of coming up with a coffee that has universal appeal.

After sweetening the taste is very pleasant with no noticeable bitterness to speak of. There is a slight sweetness in the flavor that is very similar to that of peaches. This would be a great coffee to sip in the afternoon or evening while sitting on the porch watching the sunset. It is obvious why Seattle's best has kept this particular coffee in their lineup for a number of years. It is a very pleasant coffee that is ideal for breakfast. This is one dark roast coffee that you should not miss out on. The reason that this particular coffee is a dark roasted blend and not a single origin is pretty obvious - there are flavors that are being created that can only be made by combining coffee beans with different qualities.

On a 1 to 10 scale I would easily rate this coffee at a very solid 9.3 points. It isn't the very best coffee on the shelf but it is among the top choices I would make.

I hope you have found this review helpful. Thanks for stopping by and as always, may your next cup be your best!

Storing Your Coffee - Should You Freeze Your Coffee?

Is It Good To Freeze Your Favorite Dark Roast Coffee To Keep It Fresh?

There are many different ways to store coffee in order to maintain freshness. One of the suggested methods is to put your ground coffee or coffee beans in the freezer. Is storing coffee in the freezer a good way to maintain freshness? Let’s look at the pros and cons.

Freezing has been used for centuries as a way to extend the life of many foods. A diverse selection of foods can be frozen. Bread, meat, fruits, vegetables and even butter can be successfully stored in your freezer. Freezing even maintains many of the vitamins and nutritional value of a wide variety of foods. But is your dark roasted blend a candidate for storage in the freezer?

Coffee has four main enemies against freshness: air, heat, light and moisture. At first, freezing doesn’t seem to contain many of the offending enemies. However, appearances can be deceiving.

Coffee beans have been roasted in order to enhance flavor. The beans are also porous. Your freezer can contain many other foods which have odors. The porous beans can absorb the flavors of many other frozen foods. Flavored coffees can be pleasant, but no one wants to drink seafood or garlic flavored coffee.

Moisture can also be absorbed by the coffee beans. Moisture can cause deterioration and loss of flavor. The more often you take coffee out of the freezer and put it back in, the more moisture absorption takes place into the bean. If you absolutely need to freeze some coffee because you have a large excess you would like to keep, only freeze it once, or freeze it in small containers. The more you take it in and out of the freezer, the more damage you do.

Image: markuso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Freezing also breaks down the oils in the beans. The oils contribute to the flavor of the coffee. Breaking down the oils means taking away flavor, and let’s face it, a large part of a good cup of coffee is the flavor.

When it comes down to it, freezing is not the best way to store your coffee. Keep coffee stored in a cool, dry, airtight container away from light. Freezing coffee is possible, and is best if you only freeze it once. The resulting loss of flavor and quality from repetitive freezing makes it a method of storage you should avoid.

Your best bet is to purchase only enough beans or ground coffee to supply you for 1-2 weeks. If possible, you should only grind enough for immediate consumption to retain all the great flavor in your coffee. Enjoy your coffee at its freshest!

Thanks for coming by and may your next cup be your best!

Can Coffee Reduce The Risk of Type 2 Diabetes?

Coffee May Reduce The Risk of Diabetes

Here at Dark Roast Coffee, we try to give you information on coffee, especially information on dark roasted blends. There is a lot of information about diabetes and coffee. It is hard to say what is true and what is not, as there are so many sources of information. We hope the following information helps you or your loved ones and friends who have diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. Another element that may be part of the problem is consumption of a diet that is high in refined carbohydrates.

Coffee reduces risk of diabetes
Research suggests that people who drink coffee are less likely to get type 2 diabetes. It isn't known whether the caffeine or some other ingredient in coffee is responsible for its protective effects.

The researchers wanted to see whether there is a link between diabetes and drinking coffee and green, black, and oolong tea. Participants completed a detailed questionnaire about their health, lifestyle habits, and how much coffee and tea they drank. The questionnaire was repeated at the end of the 5-year follow-up period.

When other factors were accounted for, researchers found that the more green tea and coffee participants drank, the less likely they were to get diabetes. People who drank six cups or more of green tea or three or more cups of coffee each day were about one-third less likely to get diabetes. The link was stronger in women than in men. No pattern was seen with black or oolong tea. (see Diabetes Symptoms)

Vitamin D and Calcium May Lower the Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in Women
A lack of vitamin D and calcium may be linked to getting type 2 diabetes. More than 80,000 women who took part in the Nurses' Health Study. Over the course of 20 years, over 4,800 women developed type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that a combined intake of over 1,200 milligrams of calcium and over 800 units of vitamin D was linked with a 33% lower risk for type 2 diabetes (as compared to women who took much smaller amounts of calcium and vitamin D). The results show that consuming higher amounts of vitamin D and calcium help lower the risk for type 2 diabetes in women.

Diabetes is a disorder characterized by hyperglycemia or elevated blood glucose (blood sugar). Our bodies function best at a certain level of sugar in the bloodstream. If the amount of sugar in our blood runs too high or too low, then we typically feel bad. Diabetes is the name of the condition where the blood sugar level consistently runs too high. Diabetes is the most common endocrine disorder.

For those seeking information about Diabetes and things to help diabetics and those who care for diabetics, go to my website: Helping Diabetics.

Thanks for coming by and may your next cup be your best!

Seven Steps To World Class Gourmet Coffee

Seven Simple Steps For Top Notch Coffee

A good, quality cup of coffee is always nice to have. It does take some time and some energy to find a great cup of gourmet coffee these days. If you do know of a good coffee shop, you are one of the lucky ones. But, did you know that you can also make a nice cup of coffee on your own at home?

Here are seven simple steps that you can take to produce the perfect cup of coffee every time.

Image: winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Start with quality. One of the most critical aspects of coffee drinking is the grade of the coffee that you start off with. If you love dark roast coffee, or a dark roasted blend, get the best and freshest you can. If you have a favorite flavor, then purchase whole beans in that flavor. In doing this, you get the freshest coffee available.

Grind away. Purchase a quality coffee grinder. Some of the best grinders available today are easy to use and easy to clean up. By grinding your own coffee beans, youll be able to grind only what you need, meaning that you will have complete freshness in your coffee. Always match the grind to the coffee maker being used.

Store It Right And Tight. It is very fundamental to store your coffee tightly. Air oxidizes the coffee and can make it to get bitter quickly. Metal canisters can also enable a metal taste to get into the coffee, making it taste bad. The best solution is to use a plastic or ceramic air tight container for your coffee and coffee beans. Store it at room temperature because the moisture in the fridge or freezer can make it go bad at a faster rate.

Getting To The Coffee

The Maker. The coffee maker that you use is also critical. No matter what style that you go with, you can get a good cup of coffee out of it if you take the time to prepare the coffee and the machine correctly. You should insure that the coffee maker is cleaned after each use. You should detail clean it, with the assistance of vinegar, every so often as well. Your preferences will ultimately determine which style of coffee maker you will use. Make sure that it uses a permanent filter in it.

The Water. Even the water that you use is central to the quality of the coffee you will get from it. It is essential that you use water that is free from chlorine and minerals. Using bottled water rather than tap water will improve the quality of the coffee. It also helps to keep the water nice and hot. A good temperature for brewing coffee is about 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use The Right Amount Of Coffee. It is also central for you to use the right quantity of coffee beans and coffee grounds in the maker. Too many and you will have a very strong cup of coffee and too few will make it to be too weak. Follow the directions provided by the coffee producer for the best cup of coffee.

Lastly and probably the most vital aspect of getting a great cup of gourmet coffee is to make sure to enjoy your coffee when it is hot and fresh. Most restaurants are told to keep coffee for less than thirty minutes, but at home, the best coffee is the coffee that hasn't sat for more than twenty minutes.

Cool Coffee Recipes #3 and #4 - From Dark Roast Coffee

Black Forest Coffee

Ingredients:

6 oz Fresh brewed coffee
2 tbsp Chocolate syrup
1 tbsp Maraschino cherry juice
Whipped cream
Shaved chocolate/chips
Maraschino cherries

How To:

Combine coffee, chocolate syrup, and cherry juice in a cup; mix well. Top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and a cherry.

Iced Mocha Cappuccino

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Chocolate syrup
1 cup Hot double espresso or very strong coffee
1/4 cup Half-and-half
4 Ice cubes

How To:

Stir the chocolate syrup into the hot coffee until melted. In a blender, combine the coffee with the half-and-half and the ice cubes. Blend at high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately in a tall, cold glass. This recipe yields 1 serving.


I hope you like these recipes. Get more free recipes by filling out the form above. Thanks for visiting Dark Roast Coffee - may your next cup be your best!