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Coffee Fest '17

Coffee Fest '17

It’s that time again! Coffee Fest is finally back in town and we are excited to check out the new products in the industry. We are looking forward to seeing new friends and check in with some old ones. If you are into coffee and looking to learn more about the new products and ideas on how to build your business, this is the place to be! They offer educational courses and certifications on everything from barista training to coffee roasting. We will be attending a cupping class to assist in our tasting and sampling of various roasting styles. Be on the look out for our new coffees coming this holiday season! 

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History of Coffee

History of Coffee

Coffee was first banned in Mecca in 1511 because leaders believed it stimulated radical thinking. And, 16th century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be "satanic." However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600. But Ottoman leader Murad IV took it even further when he ascended the throne in 1623 by creating the first punishments for drinking coffee, which included beatings and being thrown into the sea.

In 1746, the Swedish government made it illegal to even have coffee paraphenalia, including cups and dishes. And finally, in 1777, Frederick the Great of Prussia issued a manifesto declaring beer's superiority over coffee because he believed it interfered with the country's beer consumption.

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Coffee is porous

Coffee is porous

This is a good thing for fans of flavored coffee as the beans absorb the coffee flavoring syrups and oils that are used to make flavored coffee. However, if given the chance, coffee can also absorb other things like the flavor of seafood or the moisture that your freezer produces. This moisture will in turn deteriorate the coffee and even make it taste like, well... like a freezer.

When coffee is roasted, the beans release their oils and essences to give the coffee its distinct flavor. You'll notice these oils are more prominent on dark-roasted coffee and espresso. When you break down these oils by freezing, you are removing the flavor.

 

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Buy whole beans and keep them whole as long as you can.

Buy whole beans and keep them whole as long as you can.

Would you cut a cake into pieces the day before you plan to serve it? Would you buy it pre-sliced? Of course not!  The pieces would quickly become stale and the frosting would start to dry out. The same goes for coffee. Grinding the coffee breaks up the beans and their oils, exposes the beans to air, and makes the coffee go stale a lot faster, no matter how you store it. This holds especially true for flavored coffees! For the best tasting coffee, buy your beans whole and store them in a sealed container in a dark place. Grind right before serving.

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Vacuum-sealed coffee

Vacuum-sealed coffee

Vacuum-sealed coffee does not equal fresh coffee. When coffee is roasted, it releases carbon dioxide and continues to release it for days afterward. Fresh-roasted coffee can be packaged in valve-sealed bags to allow the gasses to escape and will taste best about 48 hours after roasting. To be vacuum sealed, the coffee has to first release all its CO2 or it will burst the bag. The vacuum bag will indeed help preserve coffee longer while it ships and maybe sits on a store shelf, but before it shipped it had to sit around for a while before it was "sealed for freshness." Vacuum sealing is best for pre-ground coffee, which we already know is not going to taste as good as fresh-ground coffee.

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