With so many choices on the market, it is hard to decide what coffee grinder is right for you. When you're craving a great cup of coffee, nothing can beat a brew made from freshly ground arabica beans. Gone are the days when everyone bought their coffee already ground, but today finding a coffee grinder on your neighbor’s kitchen counter is becoming the norm.
Blade Grinder
There are two kinds of coffee grinders that are readily available to the average consumer - the burr grinder and the blade grinder. The blade grinder is the less expensive of the two and while it does a decent job of grinding the beans it doesn’t always grind them as fine as some might like and the grounds are uneven in size which can affect the flavor and strength of your coffee.
Burr Grinder – Wheel vs. Conical
The burr grinder is a bit more expensive but it allows for a more consistent grind and a consistent flavor in your coffee. There are two types of burr grinders and while they both grind the coffee well, the wheel burr is more noisy and messy than the conical burr. The latter does the same job with less noise and less clean up afterwards. The conical burr is recommended for flavored or oily beans.
Coffee grinders come in various shapes and sizes to suit any décor and they also vary in price from as low as under $20 up to hundreds of dollars. Keep in mind expensive does not always mean better; consider what your grinding needs will be in advance and then compare the coffee grinders that offer the features you are looking for before purchasing anything. There are many sites that offer a great deal of information on the latest coffee grinders along with reviews and opinions of many different brands and styles.
A coffee grinder can be an appliance that will last you many years if you are careful when selecting the right one instead of picking up the first coffee grinder that you run across or picking the one that looks pretty. While you want an attractive grinder, you also want one that is practical for you. Take your time and find the right one for you and then brew the best cup of coffee you will ever enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
Tags:
arabica bean,
coffee,
coffee beans,
coffee grinder
April 10 2008 | beans | No Comments »
Espresso coffee is becoming one of the most popular types of beverage consumed throughout the world. It is a blend of several different types of coffee beans from different countries, principally from the arabica coffee bean. Espresso coffee is more popular today than it has ever been at any time in its history, perhaps thanks to the marketing power of coffee giants such as Starbucks.
Many of the most popular drinks that we consume everyday are made using espresso, rather than the more traditional filter or drip coffee. Espresso coffee is therefore very strong and usually served in small "demitasse" glasses, or mixed with a large amount of milk as in a latte or cappuccino. The first espresso machine was invented by Bezzera in 1901, and produced by the Italian company La Pavoni in 1905.
Espresso coffee is usually enjoyed alone with a rich, bold taste that stands up very well on its own. It has a distinctive aroma which is similar to freshly ground coffee, only richer. Many people like to enjoy a cup of espresso coffee in the afternoon as a pick-me-up. The concentrated flavor and caffeine level serves to give you an energy burst, especially if you are feeling sluggish after a big meal.
Espresso coffee involves extracting only the best parts of the coffee bean by using water and pressure. You can purchase machines for the home that will produce some surprisingly good espresso coffee. It is best if you do some research before purchasing one of the machines since they offer different ways to extract the coffee bean flavor. The cheaper home machines usually put out a bitter tasting espresso which is not that great to drink. By paying a little more for a quality machine you will find that the difference in the taste of the espresso is well worth the difference in price of the machine.
Enjoying the Perfect Grind at Home
Learning how to produce a great cup of espresso coffee will take practice and patience. Creating that special blend will take a lot of hands-on tasting experience. There are websites that offer suggestions and help with this process.
Espresso is quite often dark roasted which will turn out bitter. A light roast is usually sweeter and offers the best aroma. Espresso is best if brewed within four days of roasting. The grind is also an important factor in flavor. Typically espresso is ground finer than regular coffee. The best taste is achieved when it is brewed just after the grinding process. This is when you get the maximum benefit of aroma and taste.
Water temperature for brewing espresso coffee is usually best if it is just under the boiling point. This prevents the coffee from having a bitter flavor. When looking to purchase an espresso machine you should always look to see what temperature water the machine produces. This is a very important factor when you are looking for great taste.
The taste of espresso is also added to many other drinks to provide richness and flavor. Frozen espresso drinks are becoming a very popular item at specialty coffee stands. Espresso syrup is also used to flavor ice cream. For those people who really love coffee, espresso will be something they feel they must experience on a daily basis.
Tags:
arabica bean,
cappuccino,
coffee,
coffee beans,
expresso,
expresso machine
April 04 2008 | expresso | No Comments »