How bad is coffee for your teeth? I occasionally hear people saying that coffee has bad implications for the health of teeth. Are there any significant dental studies proving/disproving this statement?

A recent study published in Letters in Applied Microbiology suggests that coffee can break down bacterial plaques that form on teeth. These studies were done in a lab on extracted teeth, using moderate amounts of coffee on lab-grown plaques formed by bacteria from saliva. Antibacterial effect of coffee: calcium concentration in a culture containing teeth/biofilm exposed to Coffea Canephora aqueous extract,
Letters in Applied Microbiology, Volume 59, Issue 3, September 2014, Pages: 342–347, N. Meckelburg et al.

Coffee can stain teeth. Is that a health issue? It's often listed with other dental health issues but I'm not sure why.

The acidity of coffee may wear down teeth over time, but it's not a prime suspect. The acidity of coffee generally falls somewhere between that of pure water and cow's milk, according to one article. Fruit juice and soft drinks are far more acidic (pH < 3). Coffee is only slightly more acidic than saliva. There is no shortage of articles claiming high acidity of coffee but
a pH of 5--a plausible average--is not very high.

There are probably hundreds of studies in English alone on the effect of coffee on dental health. In terms of acidity it's not as bad as juice and not as benign as water. The plaque-preventive effect is something new to consider. There is also a 2012 study by the American Cancer Society suggesting that coffee lowers the risk of oral cancer. Those who drank 4+ cups of coffee a day were about half as likely to die of oral/pharyngeal cancer as those who drank occasionally or not at all. Coffee, Tea, and Fatal Oral/Pharyngeal Cancer in a Large Prospective U.S. Cohort, American Journal of Epidemiology, Dec. 2012 (online), Hildebrand et al. To the extent that oral cancer is a dental health issue this is also something to weigh.

Science doesn't necessarily furnish a simple answer. It appears that the mildly corrosive effect of coffee may be offset by a tendency to reduce plaque. If coffee helps reduce the risk of oral cancer one could argue that, overall, the benefits of coffee for dental health outweigh the risks.


French press temperatures For a few years I have been using a French press. I have a kettle that I can set the temperature. I set it 201 F. I grind my beans fresh. I bloom for 30 seconds and brew for four minutes. I’ve been happy with the coffee and it taste pretty good.
But I took some temperature measurements and I was surprised with the results. After I poured in all the water the temperature had dropped to 184 F and at the end of four minutes the temperature was 162 F. I up the temperature of the kettle to 210 F. This was a little better the temperature dropped to 195 F and at the end the temperature was 172 F. Also I preheat the French press with hot tap water.

What do people do for temperature in French press?
The coffee taste good but the coffee is not brewing at the ideal temperatures of 195F to 205F.

I brew French Press every morning. I think you are doing everything correct. I brew at a target temperature of 190 degrees. Here's what I do... I bring water to a boil and then pour into the press to preheat the press. I grind my beans and I prefer dark roast. Then I dump out the water in the press and add the ground coffee. I use ratio of 16:1 (16 grams of water for each 1 gram of coffee, so as an example in my 2 cup press I grind 17 grams of beans and pour 272 grams of water. I usually pour 1/2 the water and then stir to bloom using a wooden chopstick (no metal to avoid breaking glass press). Then add balance of water. Cover the press with the screen and then wrap the press using a dish towel to insulate and keep temp up. 4 mins to brew and you have a great cup of Joe.

Note: My opinion is not to get too crazy with what if my temp is off by a degree or so or if I have a gram of coffee or water more or less than target. If you brew it and it tastes good to you that's what counts. If you taste and it seems too strong for your taste just add a bit more hot water to your cup. I never come out with a too weak brew. Enjoy!


How to prepare good coffee during an outdoor trip? I am planning some hiking/climbing trips this year so I started looking into portable espresso machines. I found these products and also this ESPRESSO ON THE GO (this one actually got me super excited and I'm definitely getting one). No idea what the exact differences are apart from the price - The first one is much more expensive. I was wondering whether there are any old school tricks to prepare good coffee on an outdoor trip that don't require you taking too much equipment with you - I would prefer espresso but I realize that this is probably unrealistic. Also, what type of beans would you take on such a trip and how would you store them?

I'm going to focus on the "old-school" aspect of your question.

From my perspective/experience, the classic way of producing "camp coffee" is a percolator. To use this device, you put grounds in a basket on the top, water in the bottom, assemble the apparatus, and put it over a heat source (e.g., camp fire, stove, etc.). If you want a stronger brew (as it sounds like you do), you can also use a moka pot (some call this a "stovetop espresso maker", though I don't care for that term) -- there are some very compact moka pots like this one that are targeted for backpacking/camping. This will give you very good moka-pot-strong espresso-like coffee, but you won't mistake it for espresso out of a professional espresso machine. You get the full experience of brewing a pot of coffee in the wilderness, which I enjoy. See also my related q/a on the difference between a percolator and a moka pot. Those are my preferences for camp coffee.

For a little more technology, you can use integrated heater/container systems like the JetBoil; they also have small accessories like this French press insert so you can minimize the extra gear (e.g., you can use the setup for heating water for other cooking, and (separately) use it to make coffee).

On the extreme end of low-weight and low-technology spectrum, you could use instant coffee or try coffee bags such as these, which are like tea bags, except that they are filled with coffee. You could even make your own coffee-bags (see instructables and MtBoE). Though there are tradeoffs and reasons you might not want to do this, from Seasoned Advice. These single-serve coffee bags have the advantage of minimal clean-up, and the whole package may be compostable. Also you don't have to worry about hot gear if you're packing up to get on the trail quickly (e.g., backpacking). Bags and instant are passable, ultra-light substitutes for actual coffee that get the job done but are less enjoyable to drink (for me).

Storage of beans and/or grounds is tricky -- especially already-ground coffee goes stale very quickly. You can minimize the damage by keeping everything sealed and dry. See also questions about storage in general and vacuum-sealing. You could always use a hand grinder, but that's more gear and more weight.

In sum: I go "fast and light" for coffee on the trail: gear that's reasonably light, that I can use quickly (for me, this is moka pot) so I can get the caffeine-dose done and get back on the trail. Pre-grind the coffee into a zip-top bag and evacuate as much air as possible. Deal with the slightly-stale taste and focus on being outdoors!


How many times can I reuse coffe-grounds to make myself a coffee until it is tasteless/useless? How many times can I reuse coffe-grounds to make myself a coffee until it is tasteless/useless or has no properties at all?

Zero.

when you make coffee, (ideally) all of the desireable solubles get extracted, what remains are, if done well, most of the undesireable ones and insoluble components. A second round of extraction will not produce anything you'll want to drink, unless you like bitter brown water.


Is there a list of all Ethiopian coffee-growing regions? Is there a list of the coffee-growing regions of Ethiopia, such as Guji, Yirgacheffe, giving the characteristics of the coffees produced there?

There is a list in "The World Atlas of Coffee" by James Hoffmann: Sidama, Limu, Jima, Ghimbi/Lekempti, Harrar, Yirgacheffe. All have similar altitude (1400 - 2200 m range) and coffee varieties (heirloom). Also all regions are harvesting around October-February, except Ghimbi (February-April).


Replaced gasket on moka pot and it misbehaves - should the gasket be treated with anything? First of all, I've seen Why does my moka pot sputter?, which covers a very similar issue but has no answers and doesn't ask the specific question I have.

My 6 cup Bialetti is probably from the 1960s, but the modern gasket still fits and I've replaced it before (over 10 years ago, but I don't use it daily). It was blowing steam from the screw joint so I checked and replaced the cracked gasket. With the new one, I get about a teaspoonful of thick coffee before the sputtering (that normally marks the end of the brew) starts from the tower. If I leave it sputtering I eventually get a little less than I should, but enough to drink. I don't normally tamp it, but smooth over the grounds with the back of a teaspoon before wiping the sealing face of the basket with my hand. I use a very small gas ring, with flames smaller than the base (a little smaller to start, reducing once the flow starts).

Assuming there were grounds caught in the seal, once I took the seal out and cleaned it, before assembling wet. It behaved much better, but only that time. I normally only rinse the pot (it's very well seasoned) but I'll give it a good scrub before I next use it. I wonder if the seal doesn't seal very well dry, and whether wiping a thin layer of neutral cooking oil over it would help. Is this a good idea?

It sounds like you know your Moka pot well, and it is true that it is an easy way to get deliciously strong coffee. That being said, it can also be very nuanced in how it works. First, your new gasket should seal perfectly well and as long as there is no sputtering from the screw joint, it is good.

Sputtering means that you are forcing too much steam too quickly through the grounds and into the pot. Try using a high heat to get the coffee flowing, then adjust the heat to keep an even flow into the top chamber. It's possible that with a bad seal, extra pressure was being release from the screw joint and now it is all being directed through the "tower".

Hope this helps!


Why is my drip-coffee machine making watery coffee lately? Lately, coffee from my very basic Mr. Coffee 5-cup drip brewer has been watery tasting, and I am hoping for some troubleshooting help.

I recently purchased of a Cuisinart DBM-8 (a basic automatic grinder) to replace an even more basic blade grinder. This grinder has allows for a grind amounts in increments of "2 coffee cups" starting from 4 cups.

My coffee did not become watery upon first use of the DBM-8. I usually brew using 16 to 20 fluid oz of water, and I have switched between the 4-cup and the 6-cup setting on the grinder. I found that the 6-cup setting tasted pretty good, but seemed to use up a lot of beans.

With all that said, what has happened for the past week is that coffee made using my brewer has been tasting watery, no matter if I use the 4-cup or the 6-cup grind setting, and whether I try more or less water. I have set the coarseness of the grind to medium, which I believe is appropriate. All I am getting is colored hot water.

When I inspect the coffee filter and the grounds after brewing with the 6-cup grind, I observe a portion of the coffee grounds appear dry on top, although beneath that, the coffee grounds appear wet. It's as if the hot water is going directly through the filter without soaking enough in the grounds.

Is my coffee maker broken? I tried cleaning with diluted vinegar, but this did not change things.

Is it the beans? I do switch around, but the beans I buy are in the 10-20$ range per pound. I keep the beans in the closed hopper of the grinder.

Well this is a strange problem but it seems to have to do with the new grinder you are using or the way you use it since the grind is the only variable that has changed (according to your story).

Watery coffee most often means that you don't use enough ground coffee. Try using 6g of coffee per 100ml of water for a medium roast. If the roast is very light you may use a slightly higher coffee to water ratio. If it is not the quantity of coffee it is probably the grinder setting. Try a finer grind, something between table salt and sand (probably just the medium-fine setting on your grinder, however do check with your fingers). The problem may be what was suggested in the comments. If the grind is too coarse, the water is just running through the coffee and doesn't leave the time to spread and steep. This is in line with the hole in the center of the coffee bed you are describing. Maybe try to measure the time the coffee needs to run through and see if it changes if you grind finer.

If this doesn't help then I'd suggest you properly clean the spout and make sure the water is dripping out the way it is supposed to. Maybe scale has built up which is channeling the water, forcing it through the spout in a stream that hits the coffee grounds with too much pressure.

I suggest you try all of the above which will most likely solve your problem. Additionally however you could cut up some standard paper filters and place them on the ground coffee so that it is completely covered. In theory the water should then distribute much more evenly through the grounds. I'd suggest you do this only after you have solved the general problem as a means to improve the flavor. It'd definitely be a quite "hacky" solution and I think first of all your machine should work the way it is supposed to.


Aeropress: does filling it full with water increase the caffeine content of my cup? How does the amount of water I pour into an Aeroporess impact the caffeine content of my cup of coffee?

If I make two cups, for cup A I use just enough water so that the 1 is covered on the Aeropress, and for cup B  I use enough water so that the whole tube is filled, then what will be the ratio of caffeine in the two cups? Of course, I assume that the same amount of coffee is used for both cups.

Of course, I assume that the same amount of coffee is used for both cups.

In that case:
No
Caffeine dissolves very readily in water. The caffeine content in your cup is mainly and almost solely determined by the amount of coffee you use. The impact of any other factors such as amount of water, water temperature, and pressure are negligible.
To get a rough estimate of the amount of caffeine in your cup do this: multiply the amount of coffee in grams by 10, that's roughly the amount of caffeine in milligrams.


Found around 10kg of 18 year old vacuum sealed coffee beans. Safe to consume? Was cleaning in my office and found around 10kg vacuum sealed roasted coffee beans in the store room. Probably packed around 18 years ago. Dad had a cafe business with some friends around that time and I guess was kept until today. They are packed per 500g in a metallic-ish bag and vacuum sealed. Heard the hiss sound when I opened one. Though I did find some very fine lint type things inside. If you ask me it looks like the ends of a dandelion. Brand is UCC from Japan. Baked some at 180C for 4mins. Made a cup, doesnt have any wierd taste. Should I keep drinking it?

18 years might be pushing it, and that is impressive!
As a side thing, I would honestly love to try some.

I am not saying that it will definitely be bad, or definitely be good before a certain amount of time, and that is subjective as well..."good" and "bad" being if they still have flavor or taste rancid.  The question is about "safe to consume", with the side topic of being "good flavor".

Normally, Coffee has a shelf-life about 3-9 months, depending on if its ground, whole, flavored, and how and where its stored.
That may spark some arguments though, but the question is about "safe to consume" not flavor.
At a store, they would not have a bag of coffee on the shelf for more than 1 month from roasting, regardless of how its sealed.
Looking at food vacuum seal places, they say that coffee sealed will last up to 3 years vacuum sealed.
Link 1 to vacuum bag shelf-life
Link 2 to vacuum bag shelf-life

I found this article specifically about coffee and has a chart and table for that.
This is right in line with the other articles and what I mentioned above.

Those are all recommendations, and there is good reason.  Usually with any vacuum seal there is some oxygen that gets into the product and that will cause it to degrade over time.  The oxygen is part of the air, which may also contain some moisture.  The moisture will also degrade the product over time, creating an environment for bacteria to grow in.  Bacteria needs oxygen and moisture to grow, and the reduced oxygen slows down the process of spoilage and creates an environment to limit the growth, while also limiting the evaporation of any moisture in the food (thus it retaining its flavor).
Also, the vacuum seal can and will degrade over time itself eventually letting in some oxygen and moisture.  This is different depending on the packaging and type of seal.  This is based on the manufacturer of the vacuum seal as well, though some are better than other, often the manufacturer will put a date/time on the seal knowing it will last longer than that but that is the less than minimum, so that way its not an issue when the seal does give.

Typically, when coffee goes bad there could be some mold IF its exposed to moisture for a long period of time, but usually it would just lose its flavor and possibly some of the caffeine.  You can tell if its gone bad by the smell when you open it.  If when you opened it, and it smells of mildew or mold, then its definable bad, and that would be bad to drink.  If its just odorless and bland smell, then it is probably still good to drink, but probably won't have any flavor.  Coffee like that, will not be harmful to you, just not be "good" to taste (but also probably not "bad to taste either).

  Though I did find some very fine lint type things inside. If you ask me it looks like the ends of a dandelion.

That could have been some of the beans breaking down, or just a bean that got crunched in the packaging a while ago.  Depends on the coloration and smell and such.  Personally, I would try that at all.

If you already brewed it and didn't find any bad taste, smell or feeling from drinking it, then its probably good.  Additionally, you could also blend this coffee with other fresh coffee, assuming its still "good" based on the above.

Found this article and this gives more details on it going "bad".


What is the impact of espresso tamper base shape? As I shop for a new espresso tamper, I see that there are a dizzying array of options for the shape of the base (i.e., the shape of the part that contacts the grounds). Some shapes include convex ("Euro" more curved than "American"), flat, rippled, or hybrids of those -- see some examples at Reg Barber. (I'm also aware that there are many shapes and sizes of the handle, and differing sizes for the base; I'm not asking about those.)

In part spurred by this recent question on the essentials of tamping, and other questions tagged tamping (which are mostly about pressure), I got to thinking that the shape of the tamper could have a significant impact on the result.

There also seems to be a fairly large amount of personal preference or opinion in this realm. I can't find any proper comparisons or trials; at best I can find conversations about various preferences (e.g., home-barista including this poll, coffeegeek, coffee forums, barista exchange). A few patterns emerge:

curved bottom provides a greater margin of error for avoiding the "donut" effect of water channeling around the perimeter of the portafilter;
curved bottom could over-compact the center;
ripple shape is pretty, is used by some pros including winner of a competition in 2009, but has no demonstrable benefit, and is marginally harder to clean.

I hope I'm not spurring a sectarian flame-war by asking this; so I try to ask as objectively as possible: Is there any objective benefit for one tamper base shape over another?

For example, side-by-side trials; experienced use beyond preferences; ...

If you only use a double (14g) portafilter basket then you're best to use a 58mm convex tamper. This is because if you look at the basket, in most cases, the sides will slope in. Therefore, if you had a flat 58mm tamper then the you are compressing to outer more than the inner. Obviously the whole point of tamping is to compress the grounds consistently throughout the whole puck, so this would achieve this the best. If you want to use a flat tamper for any reason in this situation, you would be best using a 57mm flat tamper and tap the edge of the portafilter to knock any loose grounds back down into the basket and then rotate the tamper over to produce a flat surface for the water to pass through.

If, however, you are using a single (7g) portafilter basket then the 58mm tamper would probably be too wide to compress the grounds evenly as it may not go far enough down in the portafilter basket to tamp it at all. Therefore, you would be best using a 57mm tamper.

If you're using a triple basket then a 58mm convex rules would apply the same as the double basket.

This is all based on the assumption that the basket is 58mm. This is the most common size but other sizes do crop up, commonly on older machines which may use a 53mm basket. In this case the flat/convex rules still apply, just with the smaller diameter.


What makes Brazilian coffee unique compared to coffee from other countries? Can you tell me what makes Brazilian coffee unique?

Brazil is unique in that it is the largest producer of coffee, but it is also unique in that it produces a huge volume of dry processed coffee.  Dry processing is not unheard of, but is much rarer in other countries.

Dry processing produces a coffee that IS different than most other processing methods. The coffee tends to roast differently and also produces much more chaff when roasting.  It also tends to have a different flavor profile than the same coffee processed differently.

Many countries or regions will espouse the benefits of their method of processing, but there are other factors that greatly affect the reasons for choosing a particular method.  High humidity or rainfall areas will generally have a hard time dry processing coffee.  More labor intensive methods may be unfavorable in areas where labor is not had cheaply.  Water intensive methods will be undesirable in frequent drought areas or areas where water is expensive.

Brazil is somewhat synonymous with dry processing.  My roaster has a line on it for "Brazil" coffee.  What it really means is dry processed coffee.  Filling the roaster with dry processed beans past the line will overload the unit's ability to get rid of chaff as fast as it is produced and ruin the roast.  But even in the equipment manufacturers world, the two mean the same thing.


How do I add cardamom to aeropress? I did quite enjoy cardamom flavoured coffee. Currently I use aeropress to brew coffee at home. Is there any way to add cardamom to the brewing routine?

You'll probably be able to get away simply with ground cardamom/cardamon added to the grounds when you're "pre-infusing"/steeping the coffee grounds in the AeroPress. It's probably best to use very finely ground, freshly ground cardamom seeds. You may even wish to grind the cardamom seeds along with your coffee (i.e., in the grinder at the same time); you'll get similarly-fine grind. However, you might get a bit of cardamom flavour left over in the grinder; this may (not) be desirable.

As another option, you could also consider a sprinkle of the dry, ground spice into the cup after brewing.

In addition to cardamom or black cardamom, one might also consider cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, anise, or other "baking spices." Any of these could be used in a similar way. For example, I sometimes use freshly grated nutmeg in the grounds when brewing pour-over, and it gives a nice smell and a hint of flavour in the cup.

You might also consider using an extract or essential oil or some high-intensity flavouring like that. You'd probably want to add that to your cup after brewing.

I see a few problems that you might have to work around, specific to AeroPress, that you might run into with any of these spices. One problem you might encounter is the rather short infusion time commonly used in AeroPress; an option might be to try to steep the spice in the water as you're bringing it to the boil, but you risk burning the spice or otherwise contaminating the kettle (but might be worth a try to boil in a regular cooking pan). Another problem is that some spices have a rather strong hydrophobic tendency (specifically, cinnamon), so it might be necessary to stir the grounds more thoroughly than usual, to make sure the spices are infusing in the water. Also, these spices might leave behind some flavour in the AeroPress, so do consider washing thoroughly and soon after the brew. And you might get a hint of the spice next brew... so make sure it's something that you won't mind in the future!

EDIT: More thoughts based on a later question: There's a few other suggestions from recipes like this and this (somewhat arbitrary top search hits). The former suggests using a French press / cafetière (providing longer steeping time for the spice) and the latter recommends grinding the spice with the coffee beans.


Moka pot induction heater I was wondering whether there was such a thing as a small induction heater/hob for moka pots? I have a small moka pot which I loath using on my electric hob. I think it is a waste of energy given that the smallest hot plate is significantly larger than my little moka pot. It would be great if I can get a small induction hob that I can just keep in the dining room to use when I fancy a post-dinner tipple. Another benefit for an induction hob is that it shouldn't get significantly hot, making it ideal for the dining room.

Regards.

You can actually get all-in-one moka pots that plug directly into the mains, e.g.:

http://www.amazon.com/Delonghi-EMK6-Alicia-Electric-Espresso/dp/B00009W5F0

I've used one similar to this before, the results aren't bad!


Is it possible to feel any effects after chewing one coffee bean? The question title says it all: My colleague wanted to try my coffee, so he grabbed one bean of coffee (roasted) and chewed it up.

After several minutes, he claims, that it has positive effects on him (feels "juiced up)

Obviously, I am wondering now: Is it just placebo effect, or is there any possibility to feel this after chewing up only one bean?

First I want to draw a comparison between how much caffeine is in a coffee bean versus a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, or a double espresso.

In a standard cup of coffee, there is approximately 150 mg of caffeine. In a cup of black tea, steeped for 3 - 5 minutes there is approximately 50 mg of caffeine. In a double espresso there is approximately 60 - 90 mg of caffeine depending on the roast, grind, extraction time, etc.

In one dark roasted espresso bean there is approximately 6 mg of caffeine according to this source.

If a person is extremely sensitive to caffeine, they would probably be able to feel the effect of 6 mg of caffeine. However, if someone is a coffee drinker, the likelihood that this caffeine is actually affecting them is very unlikely.

If your friend never ingests soda, coffee, tea, or caffeine in any form then he may have felt some of the effects. In my opinion, the majority of the way your colleague was feeling was probably a placebo effect.

Edit: Coming back to this answer, I neglected to mention the effect of the taste of the coffee bean. Taste and aroma can powerfully affect and stimulate the brain. Due to the relatively strong taste resulting from chewing up a roasted coffee bean, this may have also contributed to the reported feeling of stimulation.


What is this scum in my coffee Hello, Lately my coffee seems to have a film on the top. The picture makes it look a lot worse then it is. It is more translucent in the cup. This happens once the coffee gets cold. When its hot it looks like bubbles or just the oil from the coffee beans.

What is this? Is this just the oil from the coffee? Or do I need to clean my machine?

Coffee Details:

Black Coffee, nothing added.
Made in espresso machine.
Ground to order.
Run through several times as I "overpacked" the coffee.
Hot water added to make Americano.
Beans from local roaster, last week.

This is what my coffee looks like before it turns into that:

It is just oil from the coffee beans. Nothing to be afraid of unless your coffee tastes off. You can stir the coffee to try and reincorporate the oil or use spoons to skim off the oil from the top


How many cups of coffee is it safe to consume per day? This question is in two parts:

How many cups of coffee can one safely consume each day before first experiencing side-effects? and
How many cups can one consume before it's considered harmful to one's health?

This is assuming a generally healthy human being of average weight and average height who is not taking any medication.

I would recommend scanning the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition) on caffeine and coffee addiction, as well as looking at independent studies.

Because caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance there have been many studies done on the benefits and side affects, both of which can be highly dependent on what type of person you are specifically.

Generally speaking, caffeine is considered safe for healthy adults, and you should guage your consumption based on what you think fits your lifestyle


new machine - need advice I just bought this Barista express from Breville. How long is the extraction time for singe shot, 9 gramme coffee?
Also i did a double shot, setting is at 7 and grind amount in the middle... how do I determine the grind amount?
I understand the basics for double - 19gramme of coffee and around 25mp extraction time... it see,s this 7 and middle works.
How about the single shot?

In general, aim for 2 to 2.5 times the amount of beverage in your cup to the used coffee. If you use 9g of coffee in, aim for 18-23g out. The brew time stays the same. If you compare a single basket to a regular double basket you can see that it's narrower at the bottom, this is intended to restrict flow so you have approximately the same brew time using the same grind size but less coffee.
A brew time of 25-30 seconds is what you should aim for but it's not something you absolutely have to follow. It very well may be that your coffee tastes great at 36 or 23 seconds, it's just a ballpark.
From your question it seems that you're somewhat familiar with brewing espresso but still a beginner. There are a lot of good YouTube videos on this, made by people far more competent and eloquent than me. I think this video series on understanding each variable in brewing espresso is a good start if you're interested.


Approximately how many cups (by volume) are in a pound of ground coffee beans? Note: I am not asking about the yield of brewed coffee.

Edit:
I'm asking how many cups (dry measure) of grounds are in a 1lb bag of ground coffee? Or does it vary by the type of coffee?

In case the question is relevant to the coffee beverage:

The well-known recipe for the ground coffee to coffee beverage ratio is around 1:20.

One pound is equivalent of 453.6 grams. Therefore; you may expect to have 9072 grams of brewed beverage. When you assume that a cm3 coffee beverage is around 1 grams, yo should have a bit more than 9 liters of beverage. Again, this makes around 320 oz. beverage. If you assume that your cups are 10 oz, you should end up with 32 cups of beverage from 1 pound of ground coffee.

I admit that, using such a unit system makes it way harder than stating "1 kg coffee ends up two hundred 100 ml cups", at once.

In case the question is relevant to the density of coffee:

(Updated after Paul's comment)

The solution is simpler as it depends solely on the density of coffee. Still, we may require a series of unit conversions.

The density of ground coffee is around 0.32 gr/cm3. This means, 453.6 grams (one pound) of coffee has a volume around 1.42 l. This volume is roughly 50 oz. Finally, a cup is 8 to 12 oz, let's say 10 oz on average. Therefore, a pound of coffee should be more or less 5 cups of coffee.

Note: This density is for ground beans. Green coffee beans has a density around 0.56 gr/cm3.


Greek Coffee Law in Greece I read somewhere that there is a law in Greece that cafes must serve Greek coffee. Can someone verify that there is such a law, or regulation?

I found this detailed article by an expert titled "how to make and drink Greek coffee" that seems to rather confirm your understanding of the matter:

  I remember when I was the Food and Beverage Director for Starbucks in Greece and we were launching the first store in Greece back in 2002, we had to serve Greek coffee in the store. Apparently there is a law in Greece that requires all coffee shops to serve Greek coffee (...) Α specific combination of beans is used to make this Greek blend, with specific bean varieties, roasted at specific temperatures and used in specific ratios.

Source: How to Make and Drink Greek Coffee

Author: Elena Paravantes

I would interpret her statement to mean that Greek law requires all coffee shops to serve Greek coffee, but in addition thay can make and serve any other type of coffee.


What is the clear plastic sticker on New England Coffee bags for? I got a couple bags of New England Coffee and noticed there is a clear plastic sticker with 9 holes in it on the front of each bag.  It seems like there are also small holes in the bag underneath that correspond to the holes in the sticker, but they are very small.  Also the sticker is very sticky (i.e. it is not meant to be removed).

Does anyone know what purpose this serves?  Is it for freshness somehow?

The sticker is always in the same place, and can be seen here if you zoom in and look closely.  It's Under the words "Chocolate Cappuccino", and its center is in the sky underneath.

Good observation in both meanings. Yes, the transparent thing is for freshness. It is a one-way valve for the coffee to release redundant CO2 gas out of the package.

A more common form can be seen here.

If you want to learn about how CO2 is emitted, you can search for degassing.


What is the recommended coffee bean to water ratio for drip brewing? I recently bought a coffee grinder and I want to know the how much coffee bean to grind to produce a perfect cup of coffee.

The very basics of French press brewing is: 10-12 grams of coffee for 200-250 ml of 90-95 °Celsius water for 2-4 minutes.

You may simply note that as 1:20 coffee to water ratio.


What is the standardized naming of this type of coffee? What is the "standard" name for this type of coffee in the various countries (I mean made from these type of machines with the paper filter)?

I have noticed when travelling that in some coffee spots in various countries in Europe, this type of coffee is not available. Unless it has a different naming than I am aware.
Is this called American coffee? Because I know that Americano is a type of espresso so it is not the same

The drip-type coffee is available in many countries in Europe. A list of names:

Filterkaffee in Germany / Austria / Switzerland
filterkaffe in Denmark and Sweden
filterkoffie in the Netherlands
kawa filtrowana in Poland
café filtre in France / Switzerland / Belgium
café filtro in Spain
caffè preperato con il filtro in Italy / Switzerland

Can you see a pattern here: Always a combination of coffee and filter/filtered. The terms are so closely related that if you order "filtered coffee" an attentive waiter should be able to help you even if you don't know the precise term at your destination.

Note that if you order "coffee" without specifying the preparation, you will be served the local "default". This will actually be filtered coffee in many countries of Northern and Central Europe, in Italy, as counter-example, you will get what you'd call "espresso", likewise in Spain or Portugal: small, strong.

Asking for caffè americano will perhaps get you an espresso diluted with hot water in some places in Italy (sources vary whether it's a remenant from WW II or started with international tourism), sometimes caffè all'americana ("coffee American-style") will get you drip coffee. Likewise in touristy areas of Spain, café americano might get you a diluted coffee.

Further north you won't be understood. They will probably direct you to the nearest Starbucks.

Source:
Living and travelling in Europe for decades plus some research for the precise terms.


How are caffeine pills made? I tried googling but nothing on the manufacturing, only dosage FAQs etc.

The question is: how are caffeine pills made, are they produced using synthesized caffeine, how much of a chemistry is involved, is caffeine extracted during decaf process used?

If this is a wrong SE community please guide me to right one where I'm most likely to get an answer (preferably with links).

Caffeine is almost always created as a byproduct of the decaffeination process.

It IS possible to synthesize caffeine. The most popular lab synthesis (1,3-dimethylurea and ethyl 2-cyanoacetate) requires multiple steps, and generally more steps means more expensive.

Luckily, there is a huge demand for decaffeinated coffee. The bonus is exactly as you expected; these processes generate both decaf coffee and caffeine as a by-product, that can then be repackaged or sold in other products.
Historically, decaffeination was done with organic solvent extraction (chloroform and dichloromethane being really common), but today is is usually done with the swiss water process (I suspect this is what ends up in pills and added caffeine consumer goods) or supercritical fluid extraction (which is more energy intensive, but can lead to a higher quality product that is often purchased by laboratories and scientific researchers who use it as part of their experiments).


Is there a way to prevent acid reflux and gastritis while benefiting from cafeine? I've read that Caffeine has some properties that relax the stomach sphincter and may lead to acid reflux which causes heartburn and other stomach problems.

Is there a way to enjoy coffee and other caffeinated beverages without removing caffeine but still be safe from heartburns and acid reflux?

One way which has worked for me -- but this of course depends on the severity of your condition -- is adding cream. Not milk but full fat coffee cream.

This dilutes your coffee a little bit, and suppresses any sour or overly bitter notes. Personally I like it even better than coffee without it because you get the softer coffee flavours that might usually be over powered in a standard coffee.

I would also ask why the caffeine is important to you? Regular consumption doesn't improve one's concentration as the body normalises to it.

However

I would consult your doctor and seek their advice. Acid reflux can be just a mild irritation and easily managed but it can lead to more complicated issues -- such as Barrett's oesophagus. If you are that sensitive to caffeine you might want to leave it alone, or, restrict yourself to decaffeinated drinks.

There is a good question, with answer, here on the subject of brewing coffee with a lower acid content. It seems cold brew coffee could be the way to go!


Are there any Alternatives to using a Refractometer to determine extraction Wondering if anyone has used a refractometer or knows of any other method to measure a coffee extraction (or dissolved solids)?

I guess measure density just like you would in a college-lab? Just use a graduated cylinder.

Extraction is mostly about how efficiently you can extract coffee solubles with an amount of liquid. Since refractometers are pricy, you can use a 0.1g scale and a graduated cylinder, to measure how heavy your shots are. The denser the better, however you also have to be practical with how long your shots take to be pulled.


Why is freshly roasted coffee better than pre-packaged coffee? Freshly roasted coffee, or coffee from freshly ground beans tastes so much better than drip coffee made from vacuum packaged coffee. Why is it so different?

Coffe is a natural product, and has a shelf life. The changes made to store the product for a longer period, makes the coffee deteriorate.

Coffee is at its best one week after roasting, and the shelf live is maximum 3-4 weeks after roasting. If the bag of coffee has a ‘best before’ or ‘use-by date’ rather than a ‘roast date’ it’s because whoever packaged the coffee would rather you didn’t know when it was roasted.


Is there a universal label for the sustainability impact of a specific coffee product? I am interested in the environmental impact of coffee and am therefore wondering whether a system exists for labeling the environmental impact of coffee. So not so much brands, such as Fairtrade, but rather if it is possible for the consumer to get information about how sustainable the plantation associated with the specific coffee product (beans, grounds or powder) is, and if there is a scale to measure it?

There is no universal label though there are various labels for coffee sustainability.

You can't really have an universal label as each of the labels have their own standards which have to be met and various coffee farms and producers follow certain ones. For example, in the Huffington Post, it mentions some of these labels:

USADA (or simply USDA): This is basically the United States' label for organic for various products (i.e meat and fruits) that is not limited to only coffee. It is quite strict (has certification agencies, checks for criterion not only during production but also distribution and packaging) as it

  Aims to promote and enhance natural soil activity and cycling of resources, which helps to create a rich and fertile substrate for the crop and maintain ecological balance by prohibiting use of artificially produced (synthetic) agrochemicals.

As mentioned by @avacado1, there is an European equivalent to the USDA, which is the EU Organic Program (note that the EU doesn't cover all of Europe). Source
Some companies like Starbucks have their own labels that guarantee their standards for their coffee:

  C.A.F.E. (which stands for Coffee and Farmer Equity) evaluates the economic, social, and environmental aspects of coffee production in order to ensure that Starbucks’s sources of coffee are sustainably grown. Starbucks collaborated with Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a third-party evaluation and certification firm, to develop the guidelines for the program.

Rainforest Alliance Program: This is a more "natural" certification since:

  With this program, coffee is grown on farms where forests, rivers, soils, and wildlife are conserved and workers are treated with respect, paid decent wages, have proper and safe equipment, and are given access to education and medical care.

Bird Friendly Conversation: This label ensures that the coffee farms support the native and migratory birds that come over for a visit:

  The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) gives this certification to farmers in order to promote shade-grown organic coffee plantations that can play a key role in the conservation of our global environment and of migratory birds that find sanctuary in these forest-like plantations.

So as you can see here, the various labels not only have various standards and goals but have their own area jurisdiction as well, each trying to gain support based on what they are.


Do Flavored Instant coffee have added sugar content Recently I fond some interest on flavored instant coffee from brands like Nescafe and other brands.
Flavors as Hazelnut, Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee as such are quite attractive, but since I am on sugar restriction I wonder from these "Artificial" or "Natural" flavors as say in the Ingredients description have any added sugar contents to it to enhance the flavor.

Check the ingredients and nutrition facts on the package. Particularly carbohydrates. Coffee and artificial sweeteners have no carbs, so if you see carbs, it's probably all sugar. Generally the answer is yes, they have added sugar. That's how they make flavors like those you mention taste so sweet.


Is there any process after roasting coffee? We use coffee beans after roasting. Can we use it directly after roasting? Is there any further processes after roasting the coffee beans before being used for consumption?

Typically after roasting coffee there is a rest period during which you don't want to use the coffee.

Roughly 85-90% of carbon dioxide contained in a coffee bean after roasting will be released in the first 24 hours.  You CAN immediately brew coffee with fresh roasted coffee, but the flavors will not be fully developed, and you might get a metallic taste in your brewed coffee which is a side effect of the carbon dioxide.

At my shop, we allow the coffee to rest for 12 hours before grinding for the customer, and we don't cup coffees until they have rested for a minimum 12 hours.

Additionally, there are some coffees that benefit from longer rest times.  Some recommend up to 10 days rest time for espresso because you will get higher extraction yields (tds yields) after a long rest period (per Scott Rao who is an expert on the subject).  Other coffees like some Ethiopians will develop more pronounced floral / berry flavors after a slightly longer rest period of around 5 days (recommended by Joe Marocco over at Cafe Imports if I recall correctly)

Other than this rest period and grinding, there is no process that needs to be accomplished after roasting coffee.


What qualities do I need from an espresso machine or steam wand in order to produce good latte art? I'm learning to brew coffee, and one of my aspirations is to be able to brew a good, solid cup of latte, with the milk foamed just right all the way through. I'm getting there, but beyond that point, I want to be able to create latte art. In a few months, I'll have to buy my own machine to practice on.

Our current machine (a small household unit with a copper boiler) has good pressure for foaming milk, but apparently that pressure isn't sufficient for being able to produce microfoam, which I understand is necessary for good latte art.

When I shop for a new machine, what qualities do I need from it to be able to properly produce latte art? I'm aware I need an angled wand, but I've heard conflicting reports on the amount of pressure involved and other factors.

In my experience, it is difficult to achieve perfect microfoam with a home brewing espresso machine.

Essentially what you need is a 15 bar pump and a boiler chamber big enough to hold enough steam to have higher pressure and volumes of steam.

Unfortunately, this usually means you need to buy a bigger espresso machine which means it is going to be a bit more pricey.

Since manufacturers don't always give technical specifications on what size boilers they use, you may have to rely on customer reviews for this aspect. They should always give the strength of the pump though.

In my own personal experience, the smallest espresso machine with which I have been able to achieve perfect microfoam is this. However, I was professionally trained in a coffee shop for two years using an industrial machine.  For you, I might recommend that you go up a size or two. Breville is an excellent brand and has good machines that make good foam.

Aside from that, you do want a 360 degree rotational steam wand so you can control your milk. Also, you want your steam wand to just be plain and simple and not have one of those 'frothing helpers' for beginners. Most come with it but are removable. You will need to learn how to control air injection on your own.


How would I approach a coffee excursion/tour in Ethiopia? I am interested in possibly travelling to Ethiopia next spring/summer and am curious about coffee tours or excursions, what that would look like, and if anyone has done this before. Thanks!

I would say reach out to a roaster that you are fond of or have established a relationship with, they would be able to give you pointers.


Is dalgona coffee without sugar still "fluffy"? Would love to make dalgona coffee without sugar - is the granulated sugar necessary to keep the coffee "fluffy"? The recipe calls for two tablespoons of sugar - are there are some sweetener alternatives that will give you the same "fluffy" texture as using granulated sugar?

I have just made one batch with Xylitol:

Other websites also recommend Erythritol - which isn’t surprising, considering that both are sugar alcohols. (Note that both can have a laxative effect, individual tolerance varies.)
Apparently the (non-)sugar granules aren’t even required, I have seen (albeit not tested myself) recipes that use liquid sweeteners, e.g. this one with maple syrup, but I have also read posts that claim that they whip well, but that the stability of the foam is not the best.


How to train coffee notes tasting for newbie So I got few of my friends to join the brotherhood of coffee. And they asked me about the flavor notes that are marked on the beans packages, the ones that provide a few hints about the taste.
Can someone share a method to train the tongue to taste the flavor notes faster?

Sensory skills are one of the most important skills any barista and coffee lover could have. But, just like with any other skill, it takes time to develop. The first and easiest thing you can do is to drink as much coffee as you can and explore the vast world of flavor profiles and complexities of different coffees around the world have to offer. Maybe one day go find a shop selling a Yergacheve or a Genji from Ethiopia and next go find a Sumatra or Papua New Guinea. Recognizing this kind of dichotomy will help you to find major differences in coffee and eventually sharpen your palate.

There is, in fact, a science behind tasting coffee. It's been said in studies that when we taste things we associate them with a color. If you taste butter, you might see yellow. If you taste kale, you might see green, etc. The SCA has a great visual representation of this. You can find it on google or on their website. I would use that as guide.

Also, eat more food and fruits. Get more familiar with food. When you look at the color wheel, you'll probably notice a lot of flavors or fruits that you've never even heard of. Eating more food can help you train your palate for tasting coffee.

Lastly, there is both a subjective and objective aspect to tasting coffee.  If you were drinking a Kenyan coffee and said, "I taste green apple," then objectively speaking, you're tasting what is known as Malic Acid. If you tasted grape, tartaric acid, and so on. This does not come easily or quickly, but keep with it. Don't, out of potential discouragement, start saying you taste things just to say that you taste them. Allow your brain to adjust and sooner than later you'll be a whole lot better at being able to distinguish flavors in coffee.

Hope this helps!


How should I get the most flavors from my coffee in different temperatures while drinking? I seem to notice that once my coffee has cooled down significantly, then I am able to taste a wider range of flavors. Am I the only one experiencing this, and is there a way to get different/more flavors while the beverage is still hot?

Interesting question.
You are not alone when noticing flavor differences with different temperatures of coffee. When cupping coffee in a controlled lab situation for Quality Control purposes, I will often make multiple passes through the cups to taste the differences that are present as the coffee cools. Doing this tells me/us what we need to do while roasting to highlight/change the flavor profile of the roast.

The high acidity/brightness of a light roasted Kenya disappears as the cup cools. The darker roasted coffee that will show more "sweetness" at a high temp will show off more as it cools. These are but two examples. Other flavor characteristics that are found in roasted will definitely change as the coffee changes temp.

A lot of what you are tasting is perception. Here is a link to the key being how our taste buds translate it to our brain.

Food temperature affects taste, reveal scientists

Once the coffee is roasted the only thing you can do to change the flavor profile of your coffee at high temperatures is changing the brewing method. All the variables in brewing will without a doubt change the flavors that you perceive.
This will lead you to experimentation to find the flavors that you want to see.

Understanding Body vs Flavor Clarity

Hope this helps..


Manual grinder that fits inside the Aeropress What is a good manual grinder that will fit inside of the Aeropress for travel purposes?

I'm looking for something as good as my Commandante grinder. I'm happy with the Commandante, but if I'm ever upgrading the grinder in the future I'd like something that will fit inside the Aeropress.

The Aergrind by Knock is made for just this purpose. No personal experience with this grinder, but from what I've seen it has good reviews: https://prima-coffee.com/equipment/knock/aergrind


What is the point of having a Q&A website dedicated to coffee? I wonder what could be the reason for stack exchange to host a website for a simple day to day task that looks so trivial. Is coffee making that hard?

Someone is new to the world of coffee, (it is not a day to day task for them and there are hundred of ways to make coffee from all over the world) and they  have a question about coffee. They do not know anybody who is knowledgeable about the subject.
They turn to the interwebs to find information. They do  a web search but there is so much crap and misinformation to filter out that a good and correct  answer is very difficult to find, so they think Gosh why don't i put up a site were  anybody can ask a question about coffee and those in the know can post answers to those questions.
The best answers will be voted on so they rise to the top and eventually a correct answer will be chosen. Misinformation will be called out and not allowed to misguide.
In the future if somebody else may have the same question and they do an interweb search on it, one of the search hits will be the Question and Answer  site where a correct answer was given to the very question they are wanting an answer for.
Perhaps this could work for All kinds of things
Even for questions with seemingly obvious answers like "What is the point of having a Q&A website"


Why do some coffee beans produce more dust than others when ground? I've noticed that at the same grind setting (medium grind), some coffee beans produce a ton of dust when ground, while others barely have any dust. I'm thinking it has to do with the roast level, but I'm not completely sure.

What factors affect how much dust is produced when grinding coffee beans?

(1) Burr grinders are known for more precision and consistency than blade grinders.
(I haven't tried a blade grinder, but Specialty Coffee says

Now, once the grinder is loaded, don't just hold the button down and let it rip... use short bursts of a few seconds each so the coffee doesn't overheat.
Make sure you have a hold on the top of the unit and give it a shake during bursts so that the grounds get well mixed while grinding. This will make the grind much smoother and consistent.

Be careful that some "burr grinders" have blades and burrs.)
(2) Cold beans grind more consistently. Per NY Times:

But to achieve consistent flavor you may just need to chill your beans before grinding them. Colder beans produce smaller, more consistently sized particles when ground, yielding more flavor from less coffee, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.
As room temperatures vary and grinders heat up with use, the consistency of the resulting grind changes. That’s a problem, because water extracts flavor from smaller coffee grounds faster than bigger ones. An inconsistent grind means sour taste from the small grains, and a bitter one from the big, all at the same time.

(But I'm pretty sure that last sentence is reversed.)
Note that some grinders heat up with use.
(3) Different bean types, roasts, and ages might produce more dust than others when ground, but I don't have good info on that.


Question about dirt/rust moka pot Today i decided that i want to improve the quality of coffe im consuming so i decided to start brewing coffe at home.
I have a pedrini moka pot that was stored for a few years without use.
Currently this is the status of the moka pot
https://imgur.com/a/V2qhvn3
i tried using lemon vinager and baking soda and the stains of the water reserve didnt change.
Should i change the pot? Is it safe to use it? Should i buy a stainless one?
Thanks for all!

It's a combination of scale (mineral deposits left behind by water left in the pot evaporating), oxidized aluminum (caused by exposure of aluminum to oxygen), and coffee deposits (coffee oils and solids left behind by evaporating brew / wet grounds).
I've seen this with several aluminum pots when they get to be years old. Also steel if you don't keep up with the cleaning. You can remove scale with a coffee machine descaler product (recommend DEZCAL by Urnex), oxidized aluminum with a diluted solution of vinegar, and coffee deposits with a mix of vinegar and baking soda (mixed in the pot with your cleaning tool on standby because they will start reacting immediately).
Just one bit of advice. Use a rotary tool (like Dremel, if you have one) with a buffing pad. You're going to have one tough time cleaning inside those grooves using a scrubbing pad. A rotary tool with a soft attachment like for polishing or buffing will make the job much easier. Electric toothbrushes work wonderfully too in places they can actually fit/reach.


What is the process for roasting and preparing chicory for coffee? It seems to me that Community Coffee is essentially the standard for chicory coffee, both blended and just straight brewed chicory.  What are the recipes, steps and ratios for roasting, preparing and brewing chicory brew, and for brewing blended chicory and coffee?

As the page in @InstantCoffeeJedi's comment points out:

Mince the roots into equal particles with a knife. The roots are sturdy, so you’ll need a sharp knife, especially since the pieces shouldn’t be longer than 1 inch. If you don’t cut them in the same size, there’s a chance that they will not roast evenly.
Roast the chicory pieces. Arrange them on a shallow baking pan or a baking sheet and place them into the oven. Toast them at 350 degrees until their color changes to golden brown. If you can sense a coffee-like smell, this means they are finished.
Grind the roots. Place the roasted chicory roots into your burr grinder and grind them with the same coarseness as you grind your coffee beans. Ideally, it should be a fine grind if you’ll brew them in an espresso machine or a coarser grind if you have a French press, etc.
Mix chicory with ground coffee. The ratio is up to you. If you want the taste of coffee without the caffeine stimulation, you can try with a 4:1 ratio of chicory to coffee. Sometimes a 2:3 chicory-to-coffee blend of is good if you want to gradually reduce your caffeine intake. If you want to spread out your coffee supply over a longer period, adding four-fifths of chicory would be enough. Alternatively, you don’t have to add coffee at all for a true chicory coffee.
Grind the roots. Place the roasted chicory roots into your burr grinder and grind them wit.
Brew your coffee. Use the chicory and coffee powder mix to make the coffee as you regularly would. All the other factors such as time or technique should be the same.
Add some foamed milk, toppings, or flavorings to enhance the aroma and serve your chicory root coffee.

Basically you roast the chicory in the oven at 350°F (or 177°C) until they turn brown and after cooling them you mix 20-40% of their grounds with coffee grounds. Mixing chicory in doesn't really yield gourmet coffee so imprecise recipes are to be expected.


How to make 50 litres of cold coffee from ground coffee? I want to make cold coffee from ground coffee at large quantity for my catering business. I know how to make it from instant coffee but I am thinking of upgrading my quality and giving ground coffee but I don't khow will I be able to make at large quantity.

I use almond milk bags and a one gallon pitcher.
I grind French Roast coffee beans for 36 cups on a semi-course grind, fill the milk bag with the grounds, add cold water to the pitcher with the bag inside, let it sit on the counter over night. The next morning my cold brew is ready to add ice and water for drinking (I make mine half water, half cold brew, as it is strong). I store mine in a 64 ounce growler in the refrigerator. Multiply that by the quantity you need. I have included links, only for pictures. If I were to purchase, I would look for the best deal.
https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Quality-Nut-Milk-Bag/dp/B00KLT6X9W
https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-711717429960-Gallon-Covered-Pitcher/dp/B00YF7II9O/ref=sr_1_10?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1548194608&sr=1-10&keywords=1+gallon+pitcher+with+lid
https://www.amazon.com/Growler-64-Ounce-Phenolic-Kombucha-Distilled/dp/B075ZZNNJZ/ref=sr_1_73?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1548194678&sr=1-73&keywords=growlers+for+beer


How can I get a clean taste while drip brewing? I have been brewing drip Coffee on different devices. Kalita and Chemex mostly. Although the results  have often been great. The biggest turn-off for me is getting an earthy, not-clean and bright tasting cup. I only use fresh specialty coffees so the problem cannot lie there. Any ideas?

The Kalita and Chemex equipment are designed for pour-over brewing. If you are using them as vessel-recipients of water from an automated dripper, it will not produce the kind of cup you desire due to the randomness at which it applies water over the bed of coffee.

If you are doing pour-over, there are a few major parameters that you will have to control to produce clean cups. Note that you will require a gooseneck kettle in order to have proper control over the water flow.

Grind. Ensure that you are using a burr grinder that is of decent quality, meaning that it can grind to a good consistency with a low number of fines. Fines are smaller granules of coffee produced in the grinding process as the beans are crushed and can over-extract to bring out bitter flavours. Your grind size should also be of medium level.

Water Temperature. This is one of the most important factors of the bunch for pour-over brewing in my experience. It's the parameter that you will change to fine tune how many compounds are being dissolved as you brew once you have a grind size that is in the right ball park. You should experiment with this as it will depend on the grind size and dose you use but I like to keep it at around 90 degrees Celsius.

Agitation. This measures how much you move and disturb the coffee. The more you agitate it by pouring, the more you continuously expose the coffee grounds to the water and encourage extraction. Controlling this will be another experimental variable for your specific parameters.

Aside from the above three that I believe to be the most important factors in what makes a clean pour-over brew, you should also take into account, the brew time, coffee-to-water ratio, coffee dose and obviously coffee origin and freshness.


Should I use weight or volume when measuring doses? My pour over/drip coffee pot recommends that I measure 10-12g of coffee per person whilst my grinder has markings to indicate whether the ground amount is for 1 or 2 cups. I notice that darker roasts being slightly more oily seem to weigh more and therefore the volume is less compared to a lighter roast so the question is which method of measuring is correct?

I understand that taste is subjective and I have been using 11g so far but given the variability in weight and volume is there a correct method which perhaps can be adjusted for different roast types?

In cooking in general weighting dry ingredients would be much more precise and give you greater control over your variables.


What type of roast has the lowest caffeine content? I'm aiming to reduce my caffeine intake, but don't want to drop coffee altogether. What roasts / beans release the least amount of caffeine into my body when drank?

In general, darker, arabica roasts have less caffeine. Arabica (as opposed to robusta) inherently has less caffeine in it naturally, and darker coffees have less caffeine since they have been roasted longer or at higher temperatures, essentially "burning" the caffeine out of the bean.

EDIT

For some science, Arabica is usually found to be about 1.2% caffeine and Robusta is typically 2.2% caffeine

  Source: Differences between Arabica and Robusta Coffee

Chris in AK has a great explanation in the comments as to why darker roasts are perceived to have less caffeine

  It is a common misconception that darker roasts have less caffeine.  Caffeine's melting point is 455F which is well above what most beans reach during the roasting process.  Essentially, caffeine content changes because the mass/density of the beans change (they lose water and undergo changes in the roasting process).   If you measure your coffee by volume, dense greener beans will have more caffeine.  If you measure by weight, darker roasted beans will have more caffeine.


Will the quality of the coffee change if I store it in a plastic bottle? I make my coffee every morning. I leave it to rest for 20-30 minutes, mix it with some milk, and pour it into a plastic bottle. I drink the coffee from that bottle during the day.

Am I doing it right? Does the quality or the amount of caffeine decrease, if I store it in a plastic bottle?

A short answer is "not significantly", assuming you just store your drink for the day, and there is no sharp changes in storage conditions (strong heat, freeze, etc.)---except warming up the amount you want to drink.

Coffee drinks are unstable, though, and a simple, freshly passed drip coffee tastes different (quality changes) with time. So quality will actually change over a day, although the difference is hard to notice (except people with very acute taste sense).

You are also adding milk, which softens the overall taste, so I think noticing changes in the coffee flavour is even harder.

Every vending machine around me (every 100m or so) sells coffee drinks in PET bottles. These bottles are stored for several weeks, and they sell pretty well. They taste fine for that price point and quality, and they are very stable. Of course, they do not include only coffee. They include milk, sugar, and hard-to-spell things. The last category does contain taste stabilizer, etc., so that is unfair comparison. I am just thinking it is interesting to see that coffee in plastic bottles in actually pretty common, especially for relatively short times.


How to transport coffee I'm afraid this is a dirty instant coffee question.

Every morning I'm up pretty early and will usually make myself a quick instant coffee in a travel mug and hit the road. It is really good instant coffee, IMHO, and not only keeps me going for most of the morning but is also very tasty. But usually just after lunch I'm hankering for another, and herein the problem lies: most of the office are tea drinkers, and the options for coffee are limited to one awful instant variety.

It wouldn't really be acceptable for me to bring in a jar of coffee (I know this would be fine in some places but I wouldn't feel comfortable with it in my workplace culture) so what I'd like to do is bring in a mix of my coffee contents to use in a one-off way. I take my coffee with two spoons instant coffee, three spoons sugar and about 40ml milk or so (it's quite a big mug), and would love a way to transport this concoction to the office daily.

Ideally I would create a little sachet with all the ingredients inside but that doesn't seem like something I'd be able to do. I've also considered bringing it in in a tupperware or some other airtight container, but I think I'd struggle to transfer it all properly from the container to the mug.

Does anyone have any coffee transporting solutions where I could somehow bring in all the ingredients I need, mess free, in my backpack?

Actually, I will change the direction to ground coffee. A few months ago, I have seen a nice solution for campers. I took a photo of it for reference at that time. It seems quite useful to me. However, I mostly prepare my 'tasty' coffee at home and drink 'crap' coffee in the office. So it didn't fit me.

Still, here is the invention. A camping style brewer pack. You will need just the hot water in the office. Each pack is single use only. It was just a bit more than regular price. But it was still affordable. Still, you may not like to use this in daily routine.


How much water should I pour in for blooming process for a french press technique? How much water should I pour in for blooming process for a french press technique?

I put 1 tbsp coffee in a cup. How much water is too much or too little for blooming process for french press technique?

Don't have a plunger.

Disclaimer: I think this question have a few facets. Also, I think all of them have been discussed before. So, before answering, I advise the users to search for the relevant tag, french-press in this case, in the future before asking questions.

Having a plunger or not: This has been discussed before. Whether it is strictly required to have the French-press equipment. In theory, no. In practice, it is quite useful. You can see the previous discussion below:

French press vs simple filter, is French press equipment really necessary?

How you can prepare a French-press? This has been answered a few times before. There are several answers for different tastes. A quick recipe can be found below:

What is the recommended coffee bean to water ratio for drip brewing?

There are detailed explanations here:

how to make French Press coffee the right way?

Finally, about the blooming and the French-press technique: Please see the answers in this discussion. Especially, @tsturzl explains the reasons behind blooming neatly.

Does the bloom matter in French Press?


Is it normal for coffee beans branded "Seattle Mountain" to shine? I bought a bag of Seattle Mountain coffee beans from Costco. Not sure whether it was freshly baked in the store, but I suspect that was the case, since there was a station right beside the coffee section (although I do not really know what that station is for, merely a guess).

The bean is particular shiny. After grinding, it tends to stick together a bit, very loosely though. I have two questions:

Does the shininess indicate that it is freshly baked? Does it indicate it contains a higher level of some sort of oil?
Since the powder occasionally forms small chunks, does that make the process less efficient when the water running through it?

To start, I would highly doubt the beans were roasted there in store.  Roasting at a commercial level takes large specialized equipment that would be dangerous for average customers to be around (400F+ after all) and create a smell that would easily fill the entire store and be unpleasant to some customers.

That being said, unless there is a roasting date on the bag, there isn't really a way to tell exactly when the beans were roasted.

The oils on the outside of a bean can mean many things.  Any given bean will generally become more oily and shinier as it is roasted darker and the oils migrate to the outside of the bean.  This is a process that happens near instantaneously with the roasting process.  However, it also continues much more slowly after the roasting process and beans that have been improperly stored or become stale may become more oily than they were immediately after roasting.  However, some processing methods will also produce beans that become more oily earlier in the roast process.  Dry processed coffee will often start to oil at a much lower roast level that coffee processed by current wet methods.

The oil does not make the process less efficient by any noticeable measure.  Some of the oil is transferred to the paper filter and some ends up in a cup.  Many people claim to prefer metal mesh filters because more of the oil (and flavor) ends up in the cup.  However, other people claim they can't tell the difference.  The oiliness CAN affect the grinding process if the grinding machine is gravity fed and the beans cling to each other or the container too much.

TL;DR The oil level or sheen of the coffee can't tell you much unless you know other things about the coffee as well.  It doesn't effect the brew process very much either.


Is it hard to clean an Automated Expresso Machine? I wonder about the expensive machines where you pour whole beans and water in the top and out of the bottom you get espresso, filtered coffee, or even a latte just by pushing a button. You would need to clean the bean chute, grinding area, milk frothing, and all the pathways connecting these parts.

Do you find it more inconvenient or time-consuming than just having separate grinder, espresso maker, and frothing wand?

The clear answer: It depends.

First, not all fully automatic models are constructed in the same way. Which also means the required effort varies between brands and models. Some are pretty self-cleaning, others less so. Checking consumer reviews on the usual shopping websites should give you a first idea.

Second, regular cleanup is non-negotiable. If you skip daily cleaning, your machine will become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. If you doubt that, simply open the machine in an average office where everyone pulls a shot, but nobody bothers to do more than dump out the used grounds every now and then. Especially the brewing part and various pipes can turn you into a tea drinker at a glance.

Of course a two- or three-part setup of grinder, espresso machine and maybe frother must also be cleaned, but apart from the parts touching the milk, you deep-clean far less often (e.g. dismantling the grinder) or a quick rinse or wipe will suffice.

So you have to find your personal threshold for the covenience vs. effort question. The answer will depend on the machine model, but also on the kind of use the machine gets. For our household where we pull between (usually) two and (rarely) eight shots a day and only occasionally steam milk, we purposely picked separate items, but that was also based on counter space and kitchen layout and the charm and flexibility of “handmade” coffee1. My parents decided that for about the same parameters an all-in-one machine was the best choice.

————

1 We used to quite happily work with a Mokka before buying an espresso machine.


Different grinding size for boil coffee and coffee maker? Is there any significant difference between the ideal grinding size for a drip coffee maker and for immersion (boiled) coffee?

When whole beans is not an alternative in a store, you often have the choice between coffee ground for a drip coffee maker, and for immersion (boiled) coffee. Is grind size then important?

Yes.  For a drip coffee maker, most people will want to use a medium grind that balances getting enough extraction and still allowing the water to flow through the coffee grounds.  For immersion (boiled) coffee, you generally want a course grind that will slow extraction somewhat (reduce the chance of over extraction) and make the grounds less likely to end up in the final product.


Puck sticks to group screen after pull I have a Gaggia Classic and am generally happy with my pulls.  18g of grinds pulls in 20ish seconds give or take.  I have a tamper with a spring and feel I'm fairly consistent overall.  Baratza Encore burr grinder.
One thing I've noticed recently is that the puck is pretty damp after and occasionally sticks to the group screen instead of coming off in the portafilter.
Does this indicate any particular issue I should be aware of?

Reduce your dose. Having your puck stick to the brew head means the grounds are in contact with the brew head. If you reduce your dose by 1-2g the surface should be low enough as to avoid direct contact with the brew head. Depending on your brew head you might even get channeling if the surface is too high - immediately below the holes where water comes out it might dig a channel into your puck. If you can see dots on your puck after taking it out, it's probably channeling.
A wet puck in general also suggest too much coffee or too fine of a grind, check out this life hack from James Hoffmann, where he suggests letting the espresso run for a little longer so you can knock it out of the portafilter more easily.


Coffee is going to be extinct by 2050, some claims by 2080 This is very general question but I have read many articles stating the "extinction of coffee" but all are with very different perspectives.

This is discussion question, as this question doesn't have a straight forward answer. I will like to know the views and explanation behind it.

PS: I am coffee lover, I can't take the trauma of it being "gone"

A web search for "coffee going extinct" finds many articles, e.g. in Business Insider, Aug. 30, 2016, A coffee shortage is looming — here's how soon it could be extinct.

the global coffee supply is currently at risk, with shortages already starting to affect the world.
half of the world's area that's deemed suitable for growing coffee will be lost by 2050 if climate change remains unchecked, according to a new report from The Climate Institute of Australia.
By 2080, the report estimates that wild coffee (which helps us find genetic varietals that might be more resistant to climate stress) could go extinct.
Temperature and heavy rain have helped a fungus called Coffee Leaf Rust spread through Central America and into South America, destroying crops. Pests like the Coffee Berry Borer are spreading for the same reasons.
Even a half a degree of temperature change can make a region that used to be a coffee gold mine unsuitable. Moving production to higher altitudes is not always feasible and can be especially difficult for the small farmers that make up 80-90% of coffee growers.
By 2050, half of currently suitable land will no longer be suitable, unless the world can limit warming to the 1.5-2 degree Celsius rise that was set as a goal at the 2016 Paris Climate Agreement, and really, even 1.5 degrees is pushing it for most farmers.

From the report:

Over 120 million people in more than 70 countries rely
on the coffee value chain for their livelihoods.
Many countries where coffee exports form a main
plank of the economy are also amongst the most
vulnerable to climate risk.
Crop adaptation strategies include developing more
resilient production systems, diversifying crops,
and shifting plantations upslope. The global trend,
however, is towards intensification as producers
seek to lift yields at the expense of more complex
and carbon-rich landscapes. Ultimately, climate
change is likely to push many producers out of coffee
altogether.

Time Magazine, Nov. 16, 2012, Coffee Under Threat: How Wild Arabica Could Go Extinct.

Coffee grown on commercial plantations, like many other crops grown to produce high yields, lack genetic diversity — and are thus highly susceptible to disease. Wild Arabica, which makes up just 5% of Ethiopia’s coffee crop compared to other kinds of coffee, is thought to account for over 98% of the coffee bean’s gene pool and has an estimated value to the coffee industry of almost $1.5 billion per year.
If disease or climate change causes a die-off of commercially grown Arabica, it’d still be possible to re-engineer it from a wider genetic pool — which is why wild Arabica is so precious.

Also see BBC Magazine, May 24, 2015, Saving coffee from extinction.
The world might need to deploy climate engineering (CO2 removal or solar radiation management) in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit the impact on food, water, and economic security.


It is possible to completely dissolve coffee grounds while cleaning a metal filter? After months of use, the metal filter used in my French press coffeemaker now has small traces of coffee grounds stuck between the mesh fibers which cannot be removed by brushing either side. Seeing the advice in How do I effectively clean a metal Chemex filter?, soaked the filter in 5% vinegar for multiple nights, but unfortunately the grounds remained embedded in the mesh.
Before trying alternative methods in the linked post, I wanted to check with folks here to see if any were particularly effective, especially before applying any of them method to clean a metal, cylindrical cold brew filter, which would be more difficult to replace if damaged than the metal mesh of a French press:

Soak filter in vinegar (acetic acid) solution

The recommendation seems to use a solution of 1 part vinegar, 1 part water. Any drawbacks to using pure vinegar (which itself has low acidity, 5% in my case)?

Soak filter in lemon juice (citric acid) solution
Soak in bleach

Any concerns about damaging filter?

Soak filter in baking soda

Any advantage to combining baking soda with vinegar for the soaking solution?

Boil filter in water

For cleaning a cold brew metal filter which is not designed to withstand temperatures that high, any concerns about the metal deforming or joints coming loose?

Boil filter in vinegar

Would that not be damaging to the metal filter, per https://www.networx.com/article/the-science-of-vinegar?

Never boil vinegar or even heat it up. At high temperatures, concentrated acetic acid will become corrosive and can burn through metal and rock.

Boil filter in water with teaspoon of Urnex coffee equipment cleaning powder
Massage soap through filter
Use an ultrasonic cleaner
Use a high-pressure water stream, such as from a Waterpik, to force the coffee grounds out of filter holes

I'm not a chemist, but I'm confident that you won't be able to dissolve coffee dust using conventional cleaning methods. I think the chemical solutions you describe are primarily aimed at dissolving oily residue.
If fine grounds are stuck in the filter, I'd try to remove them mechanically. In this case, I think air pressure from a compressor could push them out.


what makes for the difference in the price for coffee maker? Like for a good one like Keurig, it cost like 300 dollars, while I also got one for less than 10 dollars.

What makes for the difference for the price difference in the coffee makers?

I'm going to isolate this response to only drip brewing machines since if we start talking about espresso, all my assumptions fly out the window.

Really you pay for the following on a machine:

Looks
Water Temperature Control
Proper design of brewing (water shower, pump rate, cone / basket design)
Brand

Older drip brewers lacked a few things.  The brewing chambers were simplistic, but the biggest downside was lack of accurate temperature control.  Water needs to ideally be right at 205 F plus or minus a few degrees depending on coffee type, roast and age.  Newer drip brewers rely on updated electronics that can accurately keep the water temperature in this narrow range which is going to give you improved coffee.

Look at the shower head at the top of the brew chamber.  Does it pour the water down in a single stream, or does it distribute the water nicely across the grounds?  This makes a difference in brew quality and on newer machines, more thought has gone into this design.

Pump rate -- if you read up on how people do pour over, a lot of focus is on timing.  Allowing the coffee to bloom, then proper water per minute rates must be adhered to.  All of these details will change the flavor of the coffee.  Newer machines again have better control over these variables due to improved electronics which allow them to produce more consistent, and hopefully better coffee.

Thermal Carafe -- I just had to throw this in here; these machines brew into an insulated carafe rather than a non-insulated carafe with heater underneath.  In my opinion, thermal carafes are amazing, and they have become much more available now that they once were.  Nothing will kill your coffee faster than a carafe 'warmer' (I mean cooker...) under a non-insulated carafe.

You mentioned Keurig.  Keurig is a whole different animal unfortunately.  They have managed to corner the market on a particular brewing style (which by the way is inferior to old fashioned methods), albeit more convenient.  You get the perks of the newer machines mentioned above in a $300 Keurig machine, but I don't believe the grounds chamber is big enough to actually brew a full cup of coffee, and I believe it brews too quickly to get a fully developed cup of coffee.  Read thin and bright coffee compared to pour over, french press, quality drip.  $200 bucks of the $300 goes either to the electronics of allowing you to brew a single cup at a time, validating it is a legit k-cup (they did away with the microchips in K-Cups I think?) or simply name brand.


Roughly how much caffeine am I ingesting when I eat chocolate coffee beans? I love a bag of chocolate coated coffee beans, but I do tend to eat them much like any other sweets (read: in large quantities with little to no restraint). Whole bags within arms' reach will vanish. Am I ingesting a dangerous amount of caffeine? How much caffeine is there in a (~150g) bag of chocolate coffee beans compared to a pull of espresso?

This seems to suggest that there is approximately 7mg of caffeine per coated bean.  I've no idea how much those weight per piece, or how many are in a bag, but the math should be fairly easy if you have access to such things.

I found another manufacturer of a similar product which claims 40g for 28 pieces. Extrapolating that for your 150g bags gives roughly 700mg of caffeine, which sounds like way too much.  This could very greatly of course between manufacturers depending on chocolate thickness/weight.


How long does it take to reset caffeine tolerance I've read on different websites, mainly fitness related, about cycling a pre-workout due to a build up of caffeine tolerance.
The suggestions generally range in 1-2 weeks, but I think this would be a great question to have here.  Some links would be nice, if you could point me to some studies.

So, How long does it take to reset caffeine tolerance to pre-caffeine levels?

Can lowering down caffeine for a period of time work as a partial caffeine tolerance recalibrator?

If you are looking at cycling your caffeine naivety with an eye for fitness  benefit (caffeine increases exercise tolerance), I think you should first look into whether there is any true benefit to the cycling.  You are talking about purposefully inducing a cycle of addiction/dependence and withdrawal, however, I am not sure I have ever heard that the exercise tolerance from caffeine decreases as caffeine tolerance increases.

In cycling (a sport I am familiar with) most pros maintain some level of caffeine tolerance.  I've the routine before the day's workout is an espresso or two.  I've never heard of cycling that caffeine intake.  With a doping and performance maximization such a ever present in cycling, it seems like if there was really benefit to cycling, it would be happening.

This article suggests that the exercise tolerance is the same or similar regardless of the level of caffeine dependence. (actual study here) The most I could find online for cycling was some bodybuilding forums talking about cycling their pre-workout stimulants.  Not really any specific information about what is contained in the mess of supplements they are taking.

Based on that study and the lack of information for cycling caffeine tolerance, I'd suggest that the withdrawal symptoms and side effects of caffeine consumption on naive individuals are not worth the purported but undocumented benefit of cycling your caffeine consumption.  I think while it's true that some of the mental stimulation and other effects of caffeine may taper off with tolerance, the exercise tolerance benefit does not.  However, individuals ignorant of this, or seeking mainly the mental stimulant part of caffeine effects, may resort to cycling their caffeine intake.

TL;DR The bottom line is for physical performance, there is not a reason to cycle.  For mental performance there is a build up of tolerance and off periods would provide a benefit at the cost of symptoms encountered during the withdrawal period.


How long can I keep my carafe on the warmer? I've heard that the heater plate of my coffee maker will give my coffee a "burnt" aftertaste. But about how long do I have after brewing? Is the effect more or less immediate, or will the effect not be noticeable for a few hours?

I'm using a Cuisinart DCC-2650 with an adjustable warmer.

It would depend on a number or factors including temperature of the warmer and humidity in the room.  However, personally, I can begin to taste a difference after as little as 45 minutes on the warmer.  I tend to drink two cups of coffee pretty quickly to avoid this.

Coffee is a product always best fresh, but how long before your palate can detect that it isn't fresh any longer is a matter that varies by individual.  My wife will drink coffee from a pot that has been sitting for four hours plus; after about an hour and a half I'll throw the pot away and make another.  Your own mileage may vary.


Why does the filtrate sometimes well up in the upper cone when using the Chemex coffeemaker When using the glass-handled 6-cup Chemex like this one:

and the appropriate Chemex conical paper filter, the filtrate (liquid that has passed through the coffee and the filter) sometimes wells up between the filter and the upper glass cone of the carafe. This slows down the flow of liquid dripping into the bottom of the carafe.

I usually resolve the issue by gently lifting the filter (with coffee and water in it) away from the glass for a second which allows the accumulated filtrate to drop into the bottom of the carafe. So it is not a fatal issue, but I'd still like to know why this tends to happen.

Science! What follows is my bogus hypothesis, with pictures (annotated in the conventional style) and annotations to bolster my unsubstantiated claims.

Other (non-Chemex) cone-style (and basket-style) filters often have ridges down the inside of the cone. It seems that these ridges serve two purposes: to provide channels down which the coffee can flow, and to help "wick" the coffee away from the filter. This seems to help the coffee drain faster. This is probably due to properties of water like cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, and perhaps capillary action (legitimacy of these claims is left as an exercise to the reader).

Contrasting the two types of cones:

between a ceramic cone filter (white, left) and the Chemex cone (glass, right). I think the ridges prevent the "wells" from forming.  With a flat surface (like the Chemex), the filter somehow "seals" itself against the side of the cone, restricting the flow of coffee well enough to cause the pooling you describe. I assume this happens because the grounds get packed solidly at the bottom of the cone, and perhaps expand slightly. I don't have a better answer for "why" this seal happens. Lifting the filter (as you describe) breaks the "seal" and permits the coffee to drain.

Another way that I sometimes resolve the issue is to slide a bamboo skewer (or stir-stick, or chop-stick, etc.) between the filter and the Chemex cone (careful not to tear the filter!). This seems to work by providing a similar "ridge" that the other cone filters provide; it prevents the coffee-pockets from forming next to the skewer. I have also tried to fold little "pleats" in the filter, but it's annoying and doesn't work all that well.

I find that this "pooling" happens more often when I use a finer grind. I think a finer grind packs itself down more in the bottom of the cone and clogs up the filter more quickly. Both of these could believably cause the "sealing," but I don't have any other real evidence. It also drains more slowly in other drip brewing methods also. For these reasons I use a coarser grind when using the Chemex than when I'm brewing pour-over with the ridged cone filter. In fact, the Blue Bottle Chemex brewing guide suggests a much coarser grind than regular filter coffee, like that of French press. Maybe that's for the same reason.

The pour-spout on the Chemex helps with this a little by allowing steam/air to escape from the bottom chamber. A pre-wet filter can sometimes slide down into the pour-spout and nearly seal it, which will also make it more difficult for the coffee to drain, but it sounds like that's not what's happening in your particular case.


Which of these espresso variant contain more caffeine? Can you please explain what is the difference between these types of coffee
and which one of them contains more caffeine then the others:

American
Espresso
Lungo
Ristretto

And please if it's possible to tell the percentage of caffeine of each one.

To say which of these has the most caffeine is a little bit complex, as it depends on if you mean how much caffeine per ounce vs. how much caffeine in the drink in its entirety. To start, let's explain the drinks.

1. Espresso

Espresso is the key to this whole discussion. Each of the four beverages you referenced is (or contains) Espresso. Espresso is a method of brewing coffee, by which pressurized water is passed through a compacted "puck" of fine grounds. In a traditional espresso shot, roughly 0.25 oz of grounds are used to create about 0.85 oz of Espresso. Caffeine levels vary depending on the coffee beans, but as a mainstream reference, Espresso made by Starbucks contains approximately 75mg (they use slightly different measurements, however).

2. Ristretto

Ristretto is a form of Espresso in which less water is used. So you take the same puck of 0.25 oz of finely ground coffee, but instead of making 0.9 oz of Espresso, you make a more concentrated 0.5 oz (or so). Because the strongest Espresso is the first to be brewed, this is the most concentrated form of espresso, and as such has the most caffeine per ounce of any drink on this list. That said, one shot of Ristretto is is less caffeinated than one shot of Espresso simply because there's less of it. As such, if measuring by the amount of caffeine per shot, this is the least caffeinated drink on this list.

3. Lungo

Lungo is the exact opposite of Ristretto. Instead of being an Espresso made with less water, it's an Espresso made with twice the water. As such, a single shot of Lungo has the most overall caffeine of any drink on this list, but is less concentrated than either standard Espresso or Ristretto.

4. Americano

This is Espresso with water in it. No, really. A solo Americano has the exact same amount of caffeine as a solo Espresso, however it is watered down, and as such is the least concentrated drink on this list. You could hypothetically make an Americano from Ristretto or Lungo shots instead of standard Espresso, and in doing so make it less or more caffeinated (respectively).

In Summary

Assuming all are made with the same number of shots, the most caffeinated drinks overall are:

Lungo
Espresso / Americano (tied)
Ristretto

The most caffeinated drinks per oz are:

Ristretto
Espresso
Lungo
Americano


How much caffeine is lost after 24 hours? Suppose I brew a 16 oz cup of coffee, take just one generous sip (one ounce), and then put the rest in the fridge.

Just how "stale" is my coffee, when I revisit it 24 hours later?

Caffeine does not break down (at any appreciable rate) when left alone in a drink. It requires the enzymes in your body to break it down, so when you take the drink out of the fridge, it'll be just as caffeinated as when you put it in.

However, your drink will still be stale, because there are plenty of other organic compounds in the coffee that will break down over that time, affecting the taste. Also, assuming you reheat the coffee, the reheating will have further effects, making it taste very bitter.

Either make yourself a smaller coffee (16oz is a lot!) or drink it all when it's fresh.


Website or database to find local coffee beans I'm having a problem finding places that sell bulk coffee beans (other than one grocery store selling stale beans). Is there a website somewhere that keeps track or a place I can go to ask? I live in a metropolitan area in a county west of Cleveland. I can find places that sell beans, but they seem to be one county over and a pretty decent drive away from me. I brew up small batches and I want to go into a place and buy a handful of beans at a time to try. There use to be two coffee house chains in the area, but they stopped selling beans.

I do not want to mail order beans.

There isn't a website or database really that keeps track of this.  Use google to search 'coffee roastery near me' or something similar.  Look up local coffee shops (non chain shops) and ask them where they get their beans.

Don't completely exclude mail order!!  I am based in Broken Arrow, OK but we roast our beans to order and so if you were to order coffee from my company, you would have it in your hands maybe 4-5 days after roasting which very well could be better than you might get at a local roastery.  We pride ourselves on freshness and quality so will throw away or donate coffee that has sat on the shelf for any appreciable period of time.  I am sure that we are not the only company that is this dedicated to freshness.  In addition, most roasterys have to give some sort of free shipping in order to compete in the online market space so depending on the size of your order, it very well may not cost more per pound than a local roastery.  My profile should have a link to my website if you are so inclined as to take a look around.  I typically don't link, but figured it is a direct solution to the question so it makes sense.

Last little thought.. my company started with me being in a very similar situation to you.  I wanted fresh premium coffee, and wanted to try a lot of different options.  This led me to home roasting.  This may be another option for you, but it is definitely a time and money commitment.