5 Coffee Questions: Answered

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When you’re enjoying an espresso, do you ever wonder how much caffeine you’re consuming or what the Fairtrade label on your coffee actually means?

We’ve answered 5 of your coffee-related questions so that you never need wonder what makes the perfect espresso!

Why?

Yes. Coffee can be stored in the freezer. Buying coffee in large quantities to cut expenses and freezing it is a great way to save money if the coffee can be brewed and enjoyed in less than a month.

Coffee beans can be stored in the freezer provided that they are not commuting to and from the freezer too frequently. Too much back-and-forth from a warm environment to a frozen tundra shocks coffee cells and breaks down their delicious flavours.

1. Can coffee be stored in the freezer?

1. Can coffee be stored in the freezer? (cont’d)Skip the refrigerator, the best flavour will come from coffee stored in an air-tight container, such as a well sealed plastic bag in a dark, dry place like a pantry - or maybe in an unused filing cabinet!

Weekly portions of coffee beans frozen, then taken out of the freezer on a weekly basis and stored properly can money without depreciating its great taste.

Whether you just bought the best espresso machine on the market or still own the same kitchen arsenal you used to survive your university years, there are many ways to enhance and optimise your at-home espresso.

Like a curious first-time painter lacking the perfect green hue for a painting, mixing the perfect harmony of blues and yellows takes practice, a lot of experimenting and patience. Take a few days with a stopwatch, thermometer, and notepad to really find your “espresso of zen.”

2. How do I make a good espresso, great?

• Control the temperature of the espresso. Espresso needs between 92 and 96 degrees to turn over the bean's full flavour. Maybe it is better at a lower temperature than you expected.

• Control the extraction time. Start with an average time for your equipment and then add and subtract seconds to find your favourite flavour.

• Buy quality coffee and consume it between 9 and 15 days after its roast date. Experts suggest this time period emits the fullest flavour. The same rule applies to milk. Full milk with a naturally sweet, non-acidic flavour from organic or high-quality milk producers greatly promotes a delicious coffee beverage.

• Keep equipment clean. Residue from days, weeks, and months old coffee can sour the flavour of freshly brewed espresso.

2. How do I make a good espresso, great? (cont’d)

3. What does Fairtrade coffee mean?The World Fair Trade Organisation was once a small group of passionate and concerned coffee producers who in 1988 decided to stick to a standard set of values that would protect workers in the coffee industry.

Today the WFTO has expanded outside the coffee industry, but the set of fair trade principles remains the same.

3. What does Fairtrade coffee mean? (cont’d)Coffee produced in accordance with the fair trade principles will: • create opportunities for economically disadvantaged

producers • be paid for (including wages) at an agreed price with

collective bargaining • not use child labor/comply with the United Nation's

Rights of the Child regulations• be produced in a safe working environment, use eco-

friendly practices, and other additional regulations.

The set of principles or guidelines from the WFTO does more than just ensures that the coffee is not being produced by children or enslaved workers.

The WFTO wants people to better themselves and their community, rise out of poverty and use their experience in the organisation as a stepping stone to a better life.

Concrete, written goals, and projections are monitored, executed and evaluated within the specific organisation to make sure the goals do not remain a dream but become a reality.

3. What does Fairtrade coffee mean? (cont’d)

4. How much more caffeine does an average espresso/espresso drink have compared to an average cup of drip coffee?

Trick question! The general assumption that the tiny cup of espresso contains the biggest punch of caffeine is just an urban legend, a myth, a hoax. Fortunately, it is not so much a coffee scandal but rather a simple misconception.

A standard two-ounce espresso contains about 80 milligrams of caffeine while a twelve-ounce cup of drip coffee contains 120 milligrams. On average the minimum, smallest serving for drip coffee is between ten and twelve ounces, making drip coffee the caffeine winner by volume for an average serving.

The big question at the cafe counter or coffee roasting cache, “Would you like a light or dark roast?”

Instead of having sweaty palms as you dart your eyes between the different labels and stutter an inaudible response, there are a few easy things to remember before committing to your final answer.

Light roast coffee, like a medium-rare steak, is cooked or brewed for a shorter amount of time. The flavour is not necessarily “light” but has more of a sweet, floral or fruity flavour than a dark roast.

5. What is the difference between light and dark roast?

Light roast coffees will have more caffeine. Shorter roasting time means more of the fruits natural qualities, such as generating caffeine is preserved.

Dark roast, on the other hand, is more bitter and acidic because it is more burnt with hints of caramel or dark chocolate (I imagine if you like dark chocolate or milk stout beer a dark roast is your winner).

5. What is the difference between light and dark roast? (cont’d)

At Honest Coffees, we’re committed to sourcing delicious Fairtrade coffee for your workplace. We can also match you with a commercial coffee machine to suit your requirements so why not get in touch with us or visit our website to find out more

www.honestcoffees.com@HonestCoffees