Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Coffee Good for You?
Moderate coffee intake is linked to a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson’s disease and depression. People who drink coffee may even reduce their risk of mortality.
Coffee is a natural stimulant — caffeine — that gives people energy and keeps them alert throughout the day. Caffeine binds on adenosine receptors, which normally make you feel sleepy, and reduces their depressive effects.
Coffee contains lots of antioxidants called polyphenols, and they’re likely to confer various health benefits. Some polyphenols have been found to fight inflammation and protect against some diseases.
Coffee contributes the most antioxidants compared to any other staple in the American diet. Americans eat few antioxidant rich foods but drink several cups of coffee per day. Due to this dietary habit, the total amount of antioxidants provided by coffee to the typical American far outweighs that of any other antioxidant rich foods and beverages.
The only antioxidant rich forerunner to coffee are blueberries.
Studies suggest that some of the same reductions in diabetes and heart disease risk are associated with decaffeinated coffee, which means it’s not just the caffeine.
When was coffee bad for you?
Caffeine has been found to have negative impacts on pregnancies. That’s why people who are expecting are usually asked to limit their coffee intake to 200 mg a day, (the equivalent of about two cups). Note: For the espresso lover, one shot of espresso (approx. one ounce) contains 40 mg of caffeine, depending on the Robusta-Arabica content.
For people suffering from panic or anxiety disorders, too much caffeine or its coffee equivalent can cause anxiety or other unwanted side effects.
Where Does Coffee Come From?
The coffee tree is a tropical evergreen shrub (genus Coffea) and grows between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. This region includes parts of Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Coffee beans develop inside a “cherry” (Cascera) that grows from a Coffee plant. The term “coffee bean” is misleading; the beans we roast to make coffee are seeds. You’ll usually find two of these seeds inside each cherry-like fruit of the coffee plant. Coffee producers pick these cherries at just the right level of ripeness needed for them to express the most flavor possible.
How important is the beans' country of origin?
Coffee origin can have a significant impact on the taste and quality of a roast.
Single-origin coffee beans might sound like something trendy, but the implications of traceable coffee are both wide-reaching and incredibly important. Traceability gives recognition to the producers and validates where the coffee is grown, picked, and processed.
What is the best temperature to brew coffee?
According to the National Coffee Association, your brewer should maintain a water temperature between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal extraction. Colder water extraction will result in flat, under-extracted coffee, while water that is too hot will also cause a loss of quality in the taste or even bitterness of the coffee.
What is the difference between Arabica and Robusta?
Arabica coffee comes from the beans of a Coffea Arabica plant, which originated in Ethiopia. Arabica is the world's most popular coffee type, equating to over 60% of cups drank.
Arabica Coffee is typically grown at elevations above 900 m (3000 ft ASL). Terrace Farming is one of the more popular ways Arabica is grown, resulting in most Arabica beans being hand-picked.
Robusta Coffee yields from the Coffea canephora plant, the origins of which are in Africa. Robusta coffee is notoriously bitter and is used primarily in the mass production of canned coffee, instant coffee, espresso, and in certain blends of ground coffee.
Arabica and Robusta differ when it comes to taste, growing environments, price, and quality. Robusta coffee, while grown at lower elevations and level grounds, is easier to harvest with machinery vs. handpicked Arabica. Arabica is the gourmet coffee choice for most. Today’s coffee production sector focuses a bit more on Arabica cultivation. In fact, 60% of the world’s coffee production is Arabica, while the remaining 40% is Robusta.
Arabica coffee has a more favorable balance of healthy compounds than Robusta. (An aside on roasting: Roasting degrades chlorogenic acids but builds up brown compounds called melanoidins are good for you.)
Robusta coffee beans generally deliver a much more intense kick of caffeine and bitterness. While the average caffeine content of Arabica coffee is up to 1.7%, Robusta beans step this up to a maximum of 3.5%. That’s approximately twice the hit of caffeine from the same cup of coffee.
What’s the Difference Between Coffee and Espresso?
Espresso is not a type of coffee, but a type of grind. An espresso machine extracts coffee content under pressure, (typically 9 Bars or 135PSI). The espresso machine pumps water through this very fine, sand-like coffee grind. In contrast, regular coffee grinds will always be coarser for standard slow drip (gravity feed) or immersion brewing for percolator, cold brew, and French press.
Just how much ground coffee do I need for ‘x’ amount of coffee?
About two teaspoons of ground coffee for every 6 ounces of coffee. (Approximately 0.38 oz. or 10.6 g of whole coffee beans.) If you're preparing more than one cup, simply multiply the recipe by the number of cups you'll need.
Where did the term "cup of joe" come from?
There are three theories on the origins of the term "Cup of Joe": Secretary of the Navy in 1913, Josephus Daniels, prohibited alcohol aboard naval vessels leading to more coffee consumption. From then on, the strongest drink of any kind allowed on naval ships has been coffee. Out of spite, the disgruntled and sober sailors started to call coffee a “cup of Joe”. “Cup of Joe” is a shortened version of two other slang terms for coffee: java and jamoke. Coffee is considered "a common man" drink and the name ‘Joe’ is considered a common man’s name.
How much caffeine is in regular and decaf?
Decaf is short for decaffeinated coffee. It’s coffee from coffee beans that have had at least 97% of their caffeine removed. United States standard for decaf coffee is 97% caffeine free; the European Standard is 99% caffeine free.
A six-ounce cup of regular coffee typically has around 95 to 200 milligrams of caffeine, (depending on the Arabica- Robusta mix). According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Decaf coffee typically only has between two and 15 milligrams per six-ounce cup, according to the FDA.
FAQ’s Should I Buy Whole Bean or Pre-Ground?
There are three things to consider when purchasing whole beans or ground: (1) Your brewing method, (2) how much time and patience you have, and (3) how much and how frequently do your drink coffee.
For the drip brew method, (common to average coffee makers), and manual pour-overs, pre-ground coffee might be the one for you because it has the level of coarseness that’s perfect for these machines.
Opting for whole bean coffee means you must prepare everything yourself, from calibrating the grind size according to your brewing method, to measuring the right amount of beans, to the actual grinding, to cleaning your grinder. If you have the time and patience to do all these, you’ll find that it’s worth it.
Compared to whole bean coffee, ground coffee loses its freshness quickly, usually losing freshness after 7 days. The more exposed coffee is to oxygen, the faster it starts to go stale; and because ground coffee has much more surface area that is exposed to air, its complex flavor begins to decline after two to three weeks.
Fresh roasted coffee starts to lose freshness after 30 days.
What kind of grinder is better, blade or burr?
A burr grinder is made up of one revolving burr and a stationary burr, each possessing multiple teeth with which the coffee is ground. The beans are ground between a moving wheel and a non-moving surface.
Blade grinders are a more common option for those just entering the world of fresh coffee. They’re typically more affordable than burr grinders and are very easy to use. But consistent grind size is much harder to achieve in a blade grinder.
Burr grinders are much more durable and offer better consistency, taste, and control. In contrast, Blade grinders are more affordable, convenient, and faster to use.
Is flavored coffee bad for your health?
Why aren't our coffee bags sexy?
We are proud of the coffee we roast and gladly show you the customer of what you are purchasing. We do not have to hide behind flashy bags, logos, or completely covered bags. We believe you should see what you have, what you are getting and will always see when you need to reorder. Our bags are the top of the line sealed, one-way vented and always a full pound, not 10 or 12 oz., but a full 16 oz. for your gourmet enjoyment.
Does coffee contain any gluten?
Coffee is naturally gluten-free but be careful that you're not adding things to it that contain gluten. Although milk and sugar are gluten-free, some flavored coffees, coffee creamers and syrups may not be. These products may contain thickening agents and other ingredients, (such as wheat flour), that contain gluten.