Making Great Coffee

The Java Jig – Reusable Replacement for K-Cups

September 10, 2015 by Island Mike

In my last post, that was published back in July (WOW!! Time Really Goes By!!!!) I discussed the pro’s and con’s on singles serve coffee makers. As you might remember, one of the downsides of single serve coffee makers was the waste they cause, specifically as related to the plastic containers/pods that go into many of our single serve coffee makers. In addition, there are some who are concerned about the cost/per cup when it comes to making single serve coffee.

Well, as it turns out there is a solution to these problems. Its something I’ve discovered called the Java Jig. You can find the Java Jig at the Recommended Resources page on this blog. (I want to be completely honest and upfront here. I do receive a very small commission every time some goes through my website and purchases a Java Jig. It does not cost you any more, however by purchasing it this way. In fact the Recommended Resources tab is intended to be a one stop resource for you so you can find the coffee items you need for your journey to find a great cup of coffee.)

From the Java Jig website they list the following attributes about the Java Jig;

Allows you to use your own coffee.
Provides for easy cleanup.
Eco friendly bio degradable filters.
Savings up to 80% off pre-filled pods.
Extracts a richer, better cup of coffee.

The Java Jig I purchased for todays demo, is called the Java Jig Combo Pack. In the pack you get 2 Java Jigs and 150 filters.

Lets walk through the steps to use the Java Jig.

Step 1 – place the Jig down on a flat surface.

Step 2 – Take the filter and place it on the jig.

Step 3 – Push the green outer cup over the jig.

Step 4 – Fill with you favorite coffee. (I used a normal sized coffee scoop, but I’m sure a tea spoon would work just as well.)

Step 5 – Snap on the lid.

Step 6 – Place the Java Jig into your coffee maker and make a great cup of coffee!!

I’ve also included a video that shows how to use shows how to use the Java Jig here – Java Jig Demo Video

But that’s it! It is really that simple! I paid $14.95 for the combo pack, and now I’m looking forward to grinding my own favorite coffee beans and using it in my single serve coffee maker. I no longer have to make a full pot of coffee when I just want a single cup!

So give the Java Jig a try, and let me know how it goes, I would very interested in your comments!

Mahalo,

Island Mike

Filed Under: Coffee Beans, Coffee Makers, General Updates, Ground Coffee, Making Great Coffee

How To Make Great Coffee – Part 5 – Coffee Grounds

May 21, 2015 by Island Mike

Jamaican Blue Mountain Range Photo By Ericson Smith

Back in August of 1992 when my wife and I were on our honeymoon, one of the stops on our cruise was to the Island of Jamaica. Before leaving on our trip, and though I had never had never experienced it before, my brother in law suggested that I try Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. He went on about how wonderful it was and he suggested that we get some if we came across it while we on our trip, Well, as it turned out, one of the excursions from the ship my new bride and I did was to a Jamaican coffee plantation. After touring this amazingly beautiful estate for several hours, I bought several bags of certified Blue Mountain Coffee freshly roasted coffee beans. At this time you could get Blue Mountain Coffee for about $10/lbs. in Jamaica while here in the states, it was north of $50 per pound. Needless to say, I bought several pounds of the brown gold and brought it home with us from our cruise.

Once back home, I immediately put one of wedding gifts to good use on my new found treasure. The gift, a Braun Coffee Mill Grinder – one of the ones that has the sharp blade that spins at a crazy fast speed – sounds like it might take off and fly when its running- seemed to work really. And in fact it did. And by using it, with my auto drip coffee maker I had at the time, I made some pretty okay coffee. My bro in law was right, (I can’t believe I just said that ). The Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee was excellent. Thanks man!!

Okay…..flash forward 22 years….as my appreciation for coffee has grown dramatically, and I can only imagine how that fresh ground Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee would have been if I would have had the proper equipment to make an outstanding cup of the stuff….oh well, can’t cry over the past. Have to press on and learn from the experiences of the past….always improving and getting better!!

“Espresso Lifecycle” Photo By Thomas

So with that in mind, let’s spend some time talking about coffee grounds.

How your coffee is ground is very important. Remember in part 1 when we briefly talked about coffee extraction. Well, how your coffee is ground is an important part of how much extraction of the flavor of the coffee actually takes place. Honestly, it’s pretty logical as you’ll see.

The reason, (duh!) that we grind coffee beans is to get the amazing flavor of the coffee bean into a great cup of coffee. But there are a couple of ways to do this and one of those ways is better than the other. The two grinding methods/tools are burr grinders and blade grinders. We’re not going to discuss these types of grinders today accept to say that burr grinding is better than blade grinders, and of the types of burr grinders, the conical burr grinder is the best. We’ll probably cover the types of grinders in a later post.

So when thinking about coffee grounds were talking about the size of the ground particles that come from the coffee beans. One of the best examples/demonstrations/blog post written about the coffee grounds is from the blog “I Need Coffee”. Another great source is the blog “Coffee Specialty Advisor”

Depending upon how its categorized , there are generally five different grind levels for specific types of coffee. The five types are:

1) Extra/Course Grind – This is used for French Press coffee, cold brew coffee, & vacuum coffee makers.

2) Medium Grind – Used for auto drip coffee makers – the kind with the flat bottom.

3) Medium Fine Grind – This is good for drip coffee makers with a cone filter and for pour over coffee.

4) Fine Grind – Grind your coffee this way if you are making expresso.

5) Turkish Grind – This is a very fine grind and is used for Turkish Coffee.

So really, that about it for the coffee grinds – I hope you found that helpful. In addition the great resources above, you can find out more about coffee grounds at the blogs and websites below.

God Bless,

Island Mike

Additional Resources:

The Examiner – Different types of Coffee Bean Grinds

Kona Coffee Buzz – Guide to Grinding Coffee

Essential Wonders Coffee Company

Making Good Coffee.com

Filed Under: Coffee Beans, General Updates, Ground Coffee, Making Great Coffee

How To Make Great Coffee At Home – Part 4 -Coffee Storage

April 16, 2015 by Island Mike

So up to now we have discussed what type of water you should use, varieties of coffee beans and the different types of roasts. In today’s post we post we’re going to talk about how to store the coffee beans.

As I studied how to make a great cup of coffee, I’ve come to believe that attention to detail is huge. I’ve also come to believe the “average Joe” on the street, like me, is so used to having “average joe” that sometimes getting over the hump of small things like how to best store your coffee, can be quite challenging. I mean we all have our habits and those habits can become ingrained, and become part of our rituals. Sometimes we think that our habits are good habits, even though when in fact they are not good habits and the smallest change in the habit, could dramatically, impact the outcome for the better.

How fresh your coffee is one such outcome that is greatly impacted by how you store the coffee. Freshness is a function of the age of your beans…..okay I know what you’re thinking…..well duh Island Mike, freshness always has to do with age….what a blinding flash of the obvious statement!!

But let me explain.

Roasting the coffee is what starts and causes your coffee to start going stale. I know, weird right? The actual act of roasting the coffee bean starts a chemical reaction that once started cannot be completely stopped. So interestingly, green coffee beans can actually be stored for quite some time. In fact some of the info I read indicated that green beans can be stored for years with very little degradation. But once the beans are roasted the process of going stale begins!

Salt Spring Coffee Roasting
Photo by Kris Krug

Coffee has a peak time after being roasted where the flavor is the best, but after that peak time the flavor and aroma start to diminish, i.e. the coffee gets stale. Interestingly, there are many differing opinions as to when how long this time frame is, however, generally speaking you probably don’t want your coffee to be any more than two weeks post roasting so as to savor its maximum freshness. So only purchase in quantities that will last for approximately that amount of time.

Some roasters are now stamping the date of when their coffee was roasted, which is very helpful! I saw this on some coffee at the “Fresh Market” supermarket recently. Great idea roasters!

When purchasing your coffee from a supermarket, two concepts to remember – (1) Vacuum sealed and (2) One way valves. Studies have shown that vacuum sealed packaging reduces the amount of oxygen in the bag, and thus decreasing the likelihood of coffee becoming stale (more on this below), although there is some thought that that vacuum sealing also draws out some of the flavor and aroma during the actual process of vacuum sealing. One way valves on the other hand protect the coffee from its enemies (see below) while keeping in carbon dioxide, which is good for your coffee.

Harvest Gold Coffee Canister
Photo by Sue

o buying coffee beans that has been vacuumed sealed or placed in a bag with a one way valve is not a bad way to purchase your roasted beans if you’re not in area where you can’t purchase freshly roasted beans. That said, once the coffee is exposed to air, the same enemies of your coffee come into play.

The Enemies of Your Coffee!

So what are the major enemies of your perfectly chosen, delectable, amazing, coffee bean from some far away land??

Oxygen – From the research I did, this seems to be enemy #1 against your coffee. Many of the components that make up a roasted coffee beans flavor and aroma are drastically impacted by oxidation. Thus the more time the coffee bean is in the open air, the more of the “goodness” it loses. Not good. So it’s best to keep your beans in a container that keeps out as much of the air as possible. There are a few good containers on the market that can help with this. Here are a few, (I do receive an affiliate commission on these, but it doesn’t cost you any more) that I would recommend that are at my Coffee Bean Paradise Amazon Store where you won’t see any canisters like those above

Ground vs Beans – Best to buy whole beans as they stay fresher longer. Grounding coffee, causes it to have more surface area and thus exposing it more to the enemies of your coffee, i.e., oxygen. Best to buy whole beans and grind them as you need them.

Storage temperature – Like other foods, keeping you coffee cool, will prolong its life. However I do not recommend placing your coffee in the fridge or freezer, due to the humidity, and the aromas of the other foods which can impact your coffee. However, if you have purchased a large quantity of coffee, the beans can be stored in an airtight bag, preferably vacuum sealed for up to a month (National Coffee Association USA), however it probably will not taste or smell as good. Once the beans are removed from the freezer and the bag is opened, do not put them back in the freezer as moisture will form on the beans thus causing further degradation.

Moisture & Light – Coffee after it is roasted can draw in water from the ambient environment. This is especially true in a high humidity environment………..say,like on an Island J). When it does so, the degradation of the coffee increases – again not a good thing. As far as light, it can also degrade your coffee but not usually to the extent as the other enemies, but still it best to keep your beans in the dark.

So what’s the bottom line?

Only buy what you can use within a week or two.
Look for vacuum sealed or bags that have a one way valve if buying in a supermarket.
Look for bags that have the roasting date.
Grind your coffee as you need it.
Keep your coffee stored in a dark, dry location, at room temperature. (not next to your oven/stove) The canisters recommended above are perfect for storing your beans on a shelf in your pantry.

So that’s it for the basics storing your coffee. I hope that was helpful in improving the outcome of your coffee experience.

All the best,

Island Mike Java

Resources:

Filed Under: Coffee Beans, General Updates, Making Great Coffee, Storing Coffee

How To Make Great Coffee At Home – Part 3 – Coffee Roasts

April 9, 2015 by Island Mike

Green Coffee Beans
Photo By Michael Allen Smith

Today as I write this, I’m savoring a great Kona Coffee from the Hawaiian Coffee Company, (see resources page) in one of my favorite coffee cups…..but anyway last time we discussed the different varieties of the coffee bean. Today, let’s discuss the different types of roasts for coffee.

Roasting the coffee beans, is what is done to them to turn them into the dark brown color, and to bring out their amazing flavor. Green coffee beans don’t resemble anything like what you and I are familiar with when it comes to what we think of as coffee. So what type of different roasts are there? Well according to the National Coffee Association, there are 4 different types of roast. I list these with the caveat, that roasting coffee is as much of art as it is a science, and thus many professional roasters create their own names (rightly so as roasting is not easy……but I’m certain we’ll be trying this sometime in the future) for the many different types of roasts that can be found within the 4 different types of roast. The 4 different are:

Light Roasts – this type of roast is usually used for the more mild types of coffee beans – think Arabica beans and what we discussed in part 2. When you look at these bean, they will not have an oil on the surface as the temperature and length of time they were roasted doesn’t bring out the oils out of the beans. They are light brown in color. This style of roast is also called “Half City Roast”, “Light City”, “Cinnamon” and “New England”. Light roasted beans produce a cup of coffee that has significant sour flavor and almost no body. With a light roast, more of the flavor, from the region in which the bean is from can found.

Medium Roasts – This is what many of us would recognize as a coffee bean, in fact, it has been called “American Roast”. It has a medium brown color and stronger flavor than the light roast. They also do not have oil on their surface. These are also known as “City”, and “Breakfast Roast”. This type of roast creates a cup of coffee that is balanced in its aroma, acidity and flavor.

Medium –Dark Roasts – Also known as “Full City”, these beans have some oil on the surface and have a nice dark color. They produce a cup of coffee that has more body than the medium or light roasts and less acidity. Here, (and into the dark roasts) more of the flavor is derived from the roasting itself, and not from where the beans were actually cultivated.

Dark Roasts – these beans have a shiny oily surface as the oil in the bean has been pushed to the surface due to the longer roasting. Dark roast beans produce a cup of coffee, that will probably have slight oil on the surface, much less acidity than the light roasts and a has a stronger more bold flavor.
Dark Roast
Photo By Pay It Forward Photos

Interestingly, dark roast bean go by many different names and in fact can be roasted to from being dark in appearance to very dark in appearance, it’s almost as if there should be a subcategory for dark roasted beans. The more common names are: “High”, “Continental”, “New Orleans”, “European” “Espresso”, “Viennese”, “Italian” and “French”. The beans that are dark roasted are often the Robusta variety.

In my mind, what is counter intuitive is that the lighter roast coffee’s actually have more caffeine and more acidity than dark roast coffee’s. I have always thought the more bold coffees have had more caffeine. But when you think about it, it is logical, as the longer the beans are roasted and the higher the temperature, the more moisture is roasted out, along with the caffeine and acidity.

In the next post we’ll discuss how to best store your coffee beans! In the meantime, kick back, relax and have another great cup of coffee!

All the best,

Island Mike Java

References:

Filed Under: Coffee Beans, Coffee Roasts, Making Great Coffee

How To Make Great Coffee At Home – Part 2 – Types of Beans

April 2, 2015 by Island Mike

In the last post we talked about water and how it is so very important in making a great cup of coffee. In today’s post I want to talk with you about the coffee bean itself as it’s important to know what type of bean you are using to make that great cup of coffee at home.

Legend has it that a goat farmer in Ethiopia first discovered coffee after his goats ate some of the berries on the coffee tree and became very “spirited”. (I personally have felt “very spirited” after eating chocolate covered coffee beans – so I’m familiar with the feeling. ) From that very early beginning the coffee tree and coffee spread throughout the world and has even been said to help create the Age of Reason, (Check out this YouTube video with Steven Johnson, author of the book, “The Invention of Air” until today where coffee is one of the most traded commodities in the world.

Photo By John Pavelka

So what types or species of coffee beans are there? Essentially there are three:

1. Arabica

2. Canephora

3. Liberica

We’ll focus on Canephora and Liberica first as these are probably not the type of coffee beans you’ll use to make that first great cup and the fact that one of these is actually pretty rare. (As a side note, in doing the research for this post, I did discover other species of coffee, but either they are no longer in existence or they are not available on the market)

Canephora – Also known as Robusta, and as the name suggest is hardier than other types of coffee trees and is easier to grow. It produces a large crop of beans and the beans have a tremendous amount of caffeine. It’s used in some cases in instant coffee and to blend into Arabica beans to make the production less expensive. Robusta has been and is used in making some espresso’s as it provides the caffeine boost that many coffee drinkers expect in the morning. Robusta coffee beans also have a stronger more harsh taste and as a result are not great for making straight black cup of coffee.

Liberica– As its name suggest, Liberica coffee is originally from the West African country of Liberia. This bean is primarily grown now grown in West Africa, Malaysia and the Philippines. From the research that I did, it apparently has a lot more caffeine than Arabica coffee (50% more) and has a stronger taste than Arabica. Apparently it taste more like Robusta than Arabica. I’ve not yet had this variety of coffee bean yet as it is extremely rare, but due to that very reason, I think I’d like to try it just to say I did J

Arabica – this is the most common type of coffee bean and is most likely the bean that you’ll be making your great cup of coffee from as most of the coffee in the world is made from it. Within the Arabica species there are many different types of cultivars, (that is the “type within a type”) and varieties. According to Coffeeresearch.org, some of the most common varieties are:

Typica – Outstanding sweetness and Body (1)	Bourbon – Acidity and Balance (1)	Caturra – Bright acidity, low to medium body and less clarity and sweetness than Bourbon Beans. (1)
Catuai – When ripe, they can be either be red or yellow. I’ve never had these to my knowledge, but the folks at Stumptown don’t seem to be “friends” with the yellow variety as they describe it has having a petroleum like aftertaste as it begins to cool.(1)	Pache Comum – Cupping quality is smooth or flat (1)	Pache Colis –This is a hybrid of Caturra and Pache Comum. It combines the smooth character of Pache Comum and the soft citrus taste of Caturra (3)
Catimor –Cup quality for this bean is not a good as others due to the fact that the Robusta coffee tree makes is part of the family from which this bean comes from. (1)	Kent – Light/sweet, low acidity, hints of floral/spice flavors.(2)	Mundo Novo – Light body, somewhat bitter and not as sweet as Typica and Bourbon(2)
Maragogype –Body is heavy, buttery hints of floral/citrus flavors (2)	Blue Mountain –Light body, very balanced and mild

Cupping quality descriptors adapted from:

1. Stumptown Coffee Roasters

2. Coffee Kind

3. Joe Bean Coffee Roasters –

A note on cupping quality – Although the process of cupping and the amazing experts in the coffee industry who perform this much needed activity, much like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the desired coffee taste is in pallet of taster. So I would suggest that you use the above flavor descriptors as a starting point and work from there. Further, as might be expected, within these different varieties, depending upon where the coffee was grown, and how it’s roasted you will also get very different flavors and bodies for the coffee. So again, use this a guide to get you started and not as the end all to be all source. The taste is really up to you.

So there you have it – The different types of coffee beans and their flavors. Next we’ll discuss the general types of coffee roasts and storing of your coffee beans.

Until next time!

Best regards,

Island Mike

Filed Under: Coffee Beans, Making Great Coffee

The Java Jig – Reusable Replacement for K-Cups

How To Make Great Coffee – Part 5 – Coffee Grounds

How To Make Great Coffee At Home – Part 4 -Coffee Storage

But let me explain.

The Enemies of Your Coffee!

So what’s the bottom line?

How To Make Great Coffee At Home – Part 3 – Coffee Roasts

How To Make Great Coffee At Home – Part 2 – Types of Beans

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