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Let’s talk coffee
- Thread starter jmattbassplaya
- Start date
There is a lot to say about Africa, in many ways it's unfortunate.
Yes indeed.
One thing to consider, many of the farmers who grow and harvest coffee beans never get to have a cup of the coffee you enjoy each day. They can't afford it.
Getting coffee from the plant to your cup is one of the most labor intensive processes in the world. Some of it is automated, but much of it is still done by hand. When you consider how much we pay for it in other parts of the world, compared to the men, women, and children who labor for hours that don't even have the means themselves to have one cup. Then you wonder where is all of that money going.
Then you have to stop thinking about it because it is sad and embarrassing.
-Mike
these guys will be going into the chamber this weekend:
ok, i couldn't wait until the weekend and had to roast:
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,230
- 45,090
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
The sun made an appearance and temps finally reached upper 30’s F yesterday. I celebrated with roasting some Honduras origin beans.
My visual aid for gauging done-ness says FC+ range. Taste test says success.
My visual aid for gauging done-ness says FC+ range. Taste test says success.
no way! is that a popcorn popper? i started out with something like that, it had a yellow cover on it. smoke and chaff blowing everywhere.
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2 teaspoons instant into microwaved water.
Lived in a bandhouse for a few years in the mid '80s was next door to an espresso shop. Everyday would buy drip coffee with a shot in it. They came to be known as "Rycannos". Once I moved away got out of the fancy coffee habit -- altho every blue moon will get a latté.
In the early '80s was a street cart downtown Seattle on my way to work. Thought I'd be real cosmo and start drinking espresso like they did in New York! Everyday would buy a little cup of espresso and try and drink it. Thought after a couple of weeks might get to like it like it was an acquired taste thing. No -- quit after two weeks. Wasn't 'til years later someone told ne one was supposed to put steamed milk in it. OH!! Certainly made it taste A LOT BETTER!
Lived in a bandhouse for a few years in the mid '80s was next door to an espresso shop. Everyday would buy drip coffee with a shot in it. They came to be known as "Rycannos". Once I moved away got out of the fancy coffee habit -- altho every blue moon will get a latté.
In the early '80s was a street cart downtown Seattle on my way to work. Thought I'd be real cosmo and start drinking espresso like they did in New York! Everyday would buy a little cup of espresso and try and drink it. Thought after a couple of weeks might get to like it like it was an acquired taste thing. No -- quit after two weeks. Wasn't 'til years later someone told ne one was supposed to put steamed milk in it. OH!! Certainly made it taste A LOT BETTER!
I customized this:
To this:
Then decided to go for it and got me one of these, a Huky 500T:
I sold the Huky in a space saving downsizing decision, went back to my roots and use the one from picture number two, and I love it. I roast just enough for the next day. Always fresh, no leftovers sitting around.
-Mike
To this:
Then decided to go for it and got me one of these, a Huky 500T:
I sold the Huky in a space saving downsizing decision, went back to my roots and use the one from picture number two, and I love it. I roast just enough for the next day. Always fresh, no leftovers sitting around.
-Mike
yeah, milk will sort that out.
for a while i was doing Turkish coffee from a Cezve at home. it's a lot of work for little reward imo. thought I would try it because years ago we had some middle eastern guys working at a previous employer and they would prepare it on little one burner propane camping stoves out on the shop floor in small groups. kinda like a tea break but with hi-torque coffee. interesting ritual. the older guys would get served first and then after this was done, they would be zipping about the shop.
I learned this tradition after having coffee with a roaster in Denver who was Israeli. When the coffee is prepared, it is enjoyed in order from oldest to youngest. We're not Turkish or Israeli, but I have started doing this when enjoying coffee with friends.
When you're done, you turn over the cup and dump the grounds on the table to read your future. We don't do this part though.
-Mike
I’ve had a water distiller for the last 10 years, that’s all I use for my coffee at home and at work. We also use it for our drinking water and making soups etc. Even though the tap water here is amongst the best in the world, distilled beats it hands down. Also goes well with whiskey as adds no flavour of its own.
Every utility tells it's customers that they have the best water in the world, even the ones who get their water straight from glacier melt in the Cascade mountains.
EWG's Tap Water Database: What's in Your Drinking Water?
I wouldn't drink that water without running it though an RO filter.
at the day job we have a Milipore ro system for our industrial water. it seems to waste 1 gal per every 5 that it processes and it's always breaking down -it's broken right now actually. that 1 gal of water goes right down the drain.
at home, we use a Life Straw pitcher thing. seems to work ok. filter lifespan is getting shorter though as our is water is getting worse. we used to have a Berkey but the maint was just too much and one of the filters dumps aluminum oxide into the water. after you remove that, what's the point? it seems no better than any other carbon filter.
funny thing about our water supply reports is that the first page has a picture of a reservoir, a dude in a dinghy, and a zillion plastic balls floating on the surface. not the most quality inspiring image. one would expect to a see a picture of small children, a golden retriever, and approving parents holding up a gleaming glass of the purest water possible and celebrating.
at home, we use a Life Straw pitcher thing. seems to work ok. filter lifespan is getting shorter though as our is water is getting worse. we used to have a Berkey but the maint was just too much and one of the filters dumps aluminum oxide into the water. after you remove that, what's the point? it seems no better than any other carbon filter.
funny thing about our water supply reports is that the first page has a picture of a reservoir, a dude in a dinghy, and a zillion plastic balls floating on the surface. not the most quality inspiring image. one would expect to a see a picture of small children, a golden retriever, and approving parents holding up a gleaming glass of the purest water possible and celebrating.
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'Wasting' is an interesting term. Is water that we bathe with or discard after mopping the floor wasted? Flushing the toilet? My Watts RO system has a permeate pump and a pressure shutoff, so it only sends 1/20th of it's throughput to waste. If the water came in pure, I wouldn't need to filter it. With cooking, beverages, dogs, etc, we consume about four gallons a day, so one fifth of a gallon leaves with all the junk I don't care to ingest. Way less water than flushing the toilet once a day or taking a three minute shower.
so, about blending. what's the pathway here? blend before roasting? roast separate then mix beans? last time i tried this with the usual melange of leftovers, it was ugly. today i threw some leftover roasted Lake Toba into some El Volcan in a 1 to 2 ratio and it actually worked pretty good. what might be some good combos to try?
