The big advice book for coffee enthusiasts
The big guide to coffee: Proper storage of coffee has a great impact on the flavor of the brewed cup. Enemies to coffee’s flavor include heat, oxygen, light, and moisture. Most commercial coffee today is sold in vacuum-sealed bags with one-way valves to allow gasses to escape while keeping oxygen out. Once the seal on the bag is broken, extra care must be taken to keep the beans fresh. At home, coffee beans should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark, and dry place. Although some people advocate keeping coffee beans in either the refrigerator or freezer, this can present issues with exposure to circulating air, excess humidity, and absorption of rogue flavors.
Lungo – Lungo is often confused with Americano, but it’s not at all the same. Lungo is a long shot prepared by extracting double the amount of water with same amount of coffee grounds. In figures, it means, 50 ml of water is extracted with 7 grams of coffee. This results in extraction of more caffeine, but with dissolved off-notes of coffee. It’s a less popular drink but it’s a preferred drink for people who demand more caffeine. Caffe Crema – An extra long espresso drink served in Northern Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It has different flavor profile than related drinks like Lungo and Americano due to different extraction process. Rough brewing ratios of ristretto, normale, lungo, and caffè crema are 1:2:3:6 and the average water part per shot is 6 oz (180ml). Cafe Zorro – This is a double shot of espresso that is added to water in a 1:1 ratio.
Let’s discuss about latte machines. Gaggia Brera Black Super Automatic Espresso Machine with Frother. Ramping things up on the price front, the Brera is towards the upper end of the legendary Gaggia’s starter range. This means you can get the brand heritage without needing a PhD to operate the machine. With a sleek stainless steel finish, this compact unit is a pleasure to use. Fill the water tank and bean hopper, hit a button and let the machine do its work. Hand frothing of the milk might seem inconvenient but it affords you more control over your drink. All other aspects of your coffee making are fully automatic.
There was a time when Liberica coffee was incredibly popular. Near the end of the nineteenth century, a plant disease now known as “coffee rust” had set in and eliminated almost all of the Arabica plants across the entire planet. Because coffee was such a huge commodity, even at that point, farmers and government bodies both set out to find suitable substitutes. The Philippines were the first to harvest and sell the Liberica plant at a noteworthy volume and as the sole supplier the nation saw its economy grow tremendously. At this point, the Philippines was a U.S. territory but as its economy grew the nation declared its independence. As a result, the U.S. imposed steep economic sanctions and cut off supplies to the country. This ultimately led to the downfall of the Liberica coffee bean in the global marketplace, as no other nations were ever able to step up and match the production that the Philippines had once pioneered. See more information on Learn more about coffee.
Excelsa is actually a sub variety of Liberica; however, the two types have very different profiles, so many people still consider them two completely different types. Liberica beans peaked in popularity in the 1890s when coffee rust destroyed 90% of the world’s Arabica crops. The Philippines were the first to start any kind of serious production and thus became a major supplier. These beans were (and are when you can find them) known for having a distinct, woody or smoky flavor with a full body and floral or fruity aroma. However, after the Philippines declared independence, trade between there and the United States was cut off. So by the time a crop of Liberica could be reestablished, Arabica had already reclaimed the top spot for coffee production. It has remained that way since then.