Your selection of coffee is most important as it is the last thing that one tastes at the end of their meal. After you have indulged and tasted everything during the course of your meal; it will be the flavour and taste left by the coffee you are drinking that will seal the deal. liQuid heaVen ~ 'so satisfying'
12/26/2011
12/24/2011
World Wide Coffee Consumptiom
United States alone has over 130 million
coffee drinkers.
Where as twelve billion pounds of coffee is consumed around the globe annually.
Where as twelve billion pounds of coffee is consumed around the globe annually.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
All of us here at liQuid heaVen wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all who are reading this. May the New Year bring you and yours everything you hope and dream for.
12/15/2011
Energy drinks ~vs~ Coffee!
Energy Drinks! A bevy of them are out there. It's a new industry for God's sake and it is raking in lots of money. Why? There is about 135 milligrams of Caffeine in a cup of coffee enough to increase metaboloism during more than two (2) hours!
Coffee ~vs~ Energy Drinks...it's a no brainer!
Coffee ~vs~ Energy Drinks...it's a no brainer!
K-cups, they just keep getting better...
People may be getting it, finally. Mark my words, not long
from now we will hear about health issues, lawsuits, etc regarding k-cups.
Thought I'd once again share some recent comments on safety
of plastic used in k-cups below from coffeedetective.com.
by: Anonymous
El Pablo (pihlenfe) will steer clear of any products that
contain plastics & liquids combination! The USA-FDA does not really help
here either since they are more for corporations & the 1% and less for the
99% of everyday regular folks. No Keurig or K-cups or whatever they call it for
El Pablo!
Dec 05, 2011
Does it leach styrene?by: Anonymous
Why is everyone only talking about BPA? Wouldn't the risk be
styrene? If the water reservoir is recycle code #6, it's polystyrene. Styrene
is a suspected carcinogen, and a suspected toxin to the gastrointestinal,
kidney, and respiratory systems, according to the US Environmental Protection
Agency. Shouldn't water that comes out of a Keurig be tested for styrene?
Dec 04, 2011
WHAT?! by: Anonymous
Of COURSE they're going to tell you it doesn't contain BPA. Because they want to sell them to you. ANYthing with plastic emits stuff because it's PLASTIC. Buy a melitta ( sp? ) ceramic cone filter and be done with it. Your life is much more valuable than that cup o' joe. Really, I care more about you than Keurig does. Buy the ceramic filter. Your coffee tastes WAYYY better and it is wayyy cheaper. Please don't be fooled by these posts that tell you the product is safe. Err on the side of caution and throw out, or take back the Keurig.
~ A concerned fellow man
12/06/2011
Hamilton Beach Single Serve Scoop Coffee Maker
Hamilton Beach Single Serve Scoop Coffee Maker - Use Any Coffee
Over at the SSC
forums there's word on a new single serve coffee maker dubbed the Scoop from
Hamilton Beach which allows you to use ground coffee with no pods or special
filters required. You simply scoop up some coffee in the special filter, and
then close the brew head. There are two metal scoops included for precise
measuring ensuring the perfect cup of coffee, and you can can brew up to 14oz in
as little as 1.5 minutes. The Scoop also fits a travel size or regular
mug.
The Scoop single serve coffee maker brews hotter than the leading competitors
per SCAA standards, and is made of a durable stainless steel construction. The
Scoop will only set you back around $60 dollars as well.
The Hamilton Beach web site also has a video of the Scoop in action.
\
Source: singleservecoffee.com
11/28/2011
Is the plastic used in Keurig K-Cups safe?
Nov 03, 2011
#7, but no BPA? by: Anonymous
The Keurig comment that the cups
contain NO BPA, yet are plastic #7 is very confusing. I know that #7 is a mix
of different types of plastic, so basically they're declaring that no BPA
plastics are used in the composition of their plastic #7. Are we to trust them,
or trust the manufacturer who tells them they don't use BPAs? Hmmm. There are
lots of other coffee makers out there, and most are more
environmentally-friendly to boot. Why take a chance?
Nov 27, 2011
Recycle #6 on bottom of water
reservoir by: Anonymous
I bought a B60 from Target just because it
said it was BPA free on outside of box. It is actually my 2nd one after the
first one conked out in less than a year. I use filter water for everything in
the house and noticed a weird metallic plastic chemical taste with the coffee
to the point of being undrinkable. I went to amazon.com and qvc to see if other
reviewers say same. There was and some recommended cleaning the reservoir with
vinegar or baking soda. I pulled mine out and see a #6 on bottom which is known
to leach harmful toxins and to top it off the World Health Org suspects #6 as a
carcinogen. Thanks Keurig for making me think I am buying something healthy.
With all the links to cancer and endocrine dysfunction with some plastics I am
not very happy right now.
Taken from coffeedetective.com
11/19/2011
Ah...The Holiday season...Christmas to many of us
Tis the Holiday Season and a lot of us will abandon reason and buy an over priced
Keurig Brewer. Can't bring myself to say 'coffee maker'. Foolish people will spend in excess of a $hundred$ dollars just so they can again spend over $.45 or more per 6oz cup for coloured water.
Lets see, a pound of Real coffee will make 256 ounces. That's 32 eight-oz (not 6 oz) kitchen cups or about 42 six-ounce coffee cups. So, carrying it further. If a fool buys this brewer, then sepends minimum $.45 per so-called cup, let's do the math:
42 x .$45= $18.90 per pound of coffee for inferrior coffee! If they pay $.50 each..$.50x42=$21.00! If I had audio on this blog you would be hearing: "What Kind Of Fool Am I" playing. Think REAL! Think papery pillow like single cup coffee pods. Their coffee brewers are way cheaper, pods that accompy them are too. Most of all your getting an 8 oz cup of real coffee! Happy Holidays from all of us at liQuid heaVen!
Keurig Brewer. Can't bring myself to say 'coffee maker'. Foolish people will spend in excess of a $hundred$ dollars just so they can again spend over $.45 or more per 6oz cup for coloured water.
Lets see, a pound of Real coffee will make 256 ounces. That's 32 eight-oz (not 6 oz) kitchen cups or about 42 six-ounce coffee cups. So, carrying it further. If a fool buys this brewer, then sepends minimum $.45 per so-called cup, let's do the math:
42 x .$45= $18.90 per pound of coffee for inferrior coffee! If they pay $.50 each..$.50x42=$21.00! If I had audio on this blog you would be hearing: "What Kind Of Fool Am I" playing. Think REAL! Think papery pillow like single cup coffee pods. Their coffee brewers are way cheaper, pods that accompy them are too. Most of all your getting an 8 oz cup of real coffee! Happy Holidays from all of us at liQuid heaVen!
11/02/2011
Coffee Picks You Up AND May Reduce the Risk of Diabetes
A recent trial with humans conducted at Harvard University found that caffeinated coffee may reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
A recent trial with humans conducted at Harvard University found that caffeinated coffee may reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Participants were given five cups of a coffee per day for 60 days. Findings published in the Nutrition Journal showed significant metabolic benefits and liver function. Results of this study add to the increasing body of science that supports the possible benefits of coffee.
Generating over $70bn a year in retail sales, coffee has increasingly become of interest in the research world. Conducted by Nicole Wedick, ScD from the Harvard School of Public Health, this study specifically found that the benefits were associated with caffeinated coffee, further supporting the hypothesis that caffeine itself may be responsible for the associated health benefits.
The randomized study involved 45 healthy, overweight, 40-year old coffee drinkers who were asked to drink five cups of caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee or water, per day for two months. Results showed a 60% reduction of a compound called interleukin-6 in blood levels for those participants who drank the caffeinated coffee as compared to the water group. This compound is known to promote inflammation. Adiponectin, a hormone that plays a role in regulating insulin sensitivity, was also reduced for participants that drank caffeinated coffee, indicating that caffeine may have anti-diabetic properties.
Researchers wrote, “Our findings suggest that improvements in adipocyte and liver function…may contribute to beneficial metabolic effects of long-term coffee consumption. Given the popularity and widespread consumption of coffee, the effects of coffee and coffee components on metabolic risk factors warrant further investigation.”
Research has continued to support the health benefits of coffee and its effect on the risk of diabetes. A meta-analysis conducted in 2009 and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that including three to four cups of coffee each day may reduce the risk of diabetes by 25 percent.
Compounds within the beverage that may be contributing to these benefits are magnesium, antioxidant lignans or chlorogenic acids. Additionally, a report by Mario Ferruzzi from Purdue University and published in Physiology and Behavior (doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.01.035) revealed that coffee is also a rich source of polyphenols, with 350 milligrams of phenolics found in each cup of coffee.
Source: Supplement Manufacturer
A recent trial with humans conducted at Harvard University found that caffeinated coffee may reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Participants were given five cups of a coffee per day for 60 days. Findings published in the Nutrition Journal showed significant metabolic benefits and liver function. Results of this study add to the increasing body of science that supports the possible benefits of coffee.
Generating over $70bn a year in retail sales, coffee has increasingly become of interest in the research world. Conducted by Nicole Wedick, ScD from the Harvard School of Public Health, this study specifically found that the benefits were associated with caffeinated coffee, further supporting the hypothesis that caffeine itself may be responsible for the associated health benefits.
The randomized study involved 45 healthy, overweight, 40-year old coffee drinkers who were asked to drink five cups of caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee or water, per day for two months. Results showed a 60% reduction of a compound called interleukin-6 in blood levels for those participants who drank the caffeinated coffee as compared to the water group. This compound is known to promote inflammation. Adiponectin, a hormone that plays a role in regulating insulin sensitivity, was also reduced for participants that drank caffeinated coffee, indicating that caffeine may have anti-diabetic properties.
Researchers wrote, “Our findings suggest that improvements in adipocyte and liver function…may contribute to beneficial metabolic effects of long-term coffee consumption. Given the popularity and widespread consumption of coffee, the effects of coffee and coffee components on metabolic risk factors warrant further investigation.”
Research has continued to support the health benefits of coffee and its effect on the risk of diabetes. A meta-analysis conducted in 2009 and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that including three to four cups of coffee each day may reduce the risk of diabetes by 25 percent.
Compounds within the beverage that may be contributing to these benefits are magnesium, antioxidant lignans or chlorogenic acids. Additionally, a report by Mario Ferruzzi from Purdue University and published in Physiology and Behavior (doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.01.035) revealed that coffee is also a rich source of polyphenols, with 350 milligrams of phenolics found in each cup of coffee.
Source: Supplement Manufacturer
Coffee Mug good enough to eat!
Who said you can’t have your donut and eat it too? Coffee just isn’t coffee without a donut and now you’ll never miss out with our Donut Coffee Mug! We guarantee no more errant sprinkles or powdered sugar dirtying up your favorite suit or dress! No napkin required!
Measures 4 inches tall x 3.75 inch diameter. Holds 14 oz.
Source: Pepertual Kid
10/30/2011
My Cuppa Coffee Mug helps you make the perfect cup of Joe
Making the perfect cup of coffee in the morning can be considered an art form by some people. And if you’re depending on that sweet, sweet caffeine to get your day started, perfection is key. So how do you know when you’ve gotten the mixture of coffee, milk/cream, and sugar just right? If you have the My Cuppa Coffee Mug, it’s as easy as matching colors.
The My Cuppa mug is essentially your average, ordinary mug. However, there are a set of swatches around the inside, which act as a guide for your coffee making. Once you’ve concocted a flavor that you love, just remember which swatch the color corresponded with. From then on, you’ll be able to make a perfect cup every time. Not too shabby for $14.
Source: Redferret
10/03/2011
Coffee Reduces Risk of Depression in Women
A woman’s daily dose of
coffee may do more than just keep her perky and awake - it may just make it less
likely they'll fall into depression.
According to a study of
over 50,000 females, a women who drank two or more cups of coffee every day
was less likely to be diagnosed with depression over a 10-year span.
Women who
drank two to three cups of coffee were 15 percent less likely to be treated for
depression, while those who drank four or more had a 20 percent lower risk.
Source: singleservecoffee.com
7/29/2011
Keurig coffee brewer... NOT!!!
Why would anyone in their right mind want K-cup coffee after viewing these two videos?
Notice the rich dark tone and crema of the cups of coffee exuded from these precise machines.
Notice the rich dark tone and crema of the cups of coffee exuded from these precise machines.
The Pods are BIODEGRADEABLE! These machines use less wattage/power than Keurig brewers! K-Cups, biodegradeable? NOT!
I would love to see a taste test between these machines and "coffee" brewed in a k-cup!
Keurig fans...pick your best K-Cup and watch it get humiliated by any of the TRU Eco Single Serve Pods. Matter of fact, let's bring in a Professional Cupper to be the judge.
7/09/2011
Coffee could lower risk of skin cancer
A combination of coffee drinking and regular exercise may help to lower the risk of developing skin cancer, according to scientists in the US.
The two are thought to work together to kill off precancerous cells whose DNA has been damaged by ultraviolet-B radiation from the sun.
If the cells are left to divide, they can form malignant skin cancers and ultimately become fatal.
Rates of skin cancer in the UK have quadrupled for men and tripled for women in the past 25 years.
The disease is the fastest growing cancer in the UK, partly because more people are taking sunshine holidays abroad.
More than 8,000 cases of malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, are diagnosed in the UK every year, leading to almost 2,000 deaths.
At least 75,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer, a much milder and less harmful disease, occur each year in the UK.
Previous studies have suggested that exercise and coffee may each play a small role in protecting against skin cancer, but the latest research shows for the first time that when combined, the two may offer far more protection.
Scientists led by Allan Conney at Rutgers University, New Jersey, examined the effect of ultraviolet light on mice bred to be hairless, and so particularly vulnerable to the effects of sunlight.
Four groups of mice were exposed to UV-B radiation, but were given different diets and exercise regimes. One group drank caffeinated water, giving them a caffeine intake equivalent to one to two cups of coffee a day. A second group was fed pure water but allowed to exercise on a running wheel.
The third group was given caffeine and access to a running wheel, while the fourth did no exercise and had no caffeine.
The scientists later took samples and checked for signs of UV-induced genetic damage. They also looked for evidence of a natural survival mechanism called apoptosis, in which damaged and potentially cancerous cells are forced to commit suicide before they can form tumours.
The tests showed that caffeine alone led to a 95% increase in programmed cell death and there was a 120% increase from exercise alone. But when combined, exercise and caffeine led to a four-fold increase in cell death, suggesting the body was able to rid itself of pre-cancerous cells much more effectively.
Details of the study appear in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The team plans to investigate the underlying reasons for its findings before organising a clinical trial in humans.
Source: The Guardian
6/28/2011
Who invented the paper coffee filter?
The paper coffee filter was invented by a German housewife. Until then the coffee grinds and the hot water remained in a pot and, as a result, the coffee soon became bitter. That’s what happens when you leave the grinds in the water for too long.
So she tinkered around a bit and came up with the idea of creating a filter that would hold the coffee...and to then pour the hot water over the ground coffee and through the filter.
Today, this idea seems blindingly obvious to us. But back then, nobody had thought beyond just mixing the water and the coffee grinds together. To just pour hot water over the coffee grinds was a revolutionary concept.
And yes, as we know, the result is a great coffee taste without the bitterness.
Her idea – the conical filter paper - was patented on July 8th, 1908. Six months later she and her husband started a company and began to manufacture and market the filters.
Now for the fun part...her name.
Her name was Melitta Benz. And yes, her Melitta conical coffee filters are still selling well, under the Melitta brand name.
That’s pretty amazing. She sold her first conical filters over 100 years ago. And you can still go to your local store and buy Melitta filters today.
So she tinkered around a bit and came up with the idea of creating a filter that would hold the coffee...and to then pour the hot water over the ground coffee and through the filter.
Today, this idea seems blindingly obvious to us. But back then, nobody had thought beyond just mixing the water and the coffee grinds together. To just pour hot water over the coffee grinds was a revolutionary concept.
And yes, as we know, the result is a great coffee taste without the bitterness.
Her idea – the conical filter paper - was patented on July 8th, 1908. Six months later she and her husband started a company and began to manufacture and market the filters.
Now for the fun part...her name.
Her name was Melitta Benz. And yes, her Melitta conical coffee filters are still selling well, under the Melitta brand name.
That’s pretty amazing. She sold her first conical filters over 100 years ago. And you can still go to your local store and buy Melitta filters today.
Source: Coffee Detective dot com
5/26/2011
Pods = Better Coffee
What is a coffee pod?
Coffee pods are pre-measured for single-cup brewing, which means no grinding, no measuring, no mess—one pod equals one perfect cup! Single-cup brewing was developed as a solution to varying coffee tastes in the office environment. Coffee pods evolved from single-cup brewing systems that have been used in Europe for the past 30 years.
Why coffee pods?
Simply put, coffee pods offer a higher quality single-cup. Remember the old saying, ‘You can’t please all the people, all of the time?’ With pods you can! And here’s why—you have the choice of a variety of specialty-grade coffees and teas from around the world. Coffee pods cater to individual tastes.
Unlike a ‘pot’ of coffee — with pods one size can fit all.
By purchasing a variety of coffee and tea pods, it’s as if you have a coffee house right in your own kitchen! Plus, there’s no scooping, no measuring, no filters, no mess. Pods are quick and easy. Imagine the perfect cup in seconds! Your friends and family will be amazed!
The environmental single-cup choice
Due to their construction, pods are inherently respectful to the environment. Pods are the earth-friendly alternative to other package intensive single-cup options that are often associated with mediocre flavor, thin body, and a plastic aftertaste. Spent pods are fully biodegradable and make great garden compost. While the overwrap that preserves the freshness of each pod is not compostable or recyclable, this represents a small fraction of the volume of waste generated by other single-cup systems. Pod cartons are made from 100% recycled material (50%+ post consumer).
Source: Coffee Marvel dot com
Coffee Drinkers Won’t Get Price Break as Colombia Supply Slumps
Colombia, the second-largest producer of mild arabica coffee bought by companies such as Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) and Nestle SA, said consumers will have to get used to higher prices because of rising demand and reduced supply.
Production next year will fail to meet demand, keeping the cost of arabica coffee in a range of $2 to $3 a pound for the next 12 months, according to Colombian National Coffee Growers Federation’s Chief Executive Officer Luis Munoz. Higher prices are also reflecting increased farming costs, he said.
Coffee has almost doubled in the past year as storms hurt plants in Colombia and consumption increases globally. Rising costs are prompting Starbucks to boost the price of bagged coffee sold at U.S. cafes by an average of 17 percent, according to spokesman Alan Hilowitz. The company will likely continue to be an “important” buyer of Colombian coffee, Munoz said.
“The final consumer is realizing that you have to pay a bit more for those little enjoyments,” Munoz said yesterday in an interview at the federation’s headquarters in Bogota. “Not just Starbucks, but the industry in general, wouldn’t have been able to do anything besides raising prices.”
Higher prices reflect how increases in farming costs, like more expensive fertilizer, are starting to be passed onto consumers, Munoz said. At the same time, coffee drinkers from Brazil to Asia are increasing consumption and are willing to pay more for high-quality coffee, Munoz said. J
Arabica coffee for July delivery rose 0.75 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $2.6560 a pound at 1:00 p.m. on ICE Futures U.S. in New York. Coffee reached $3.089 a pound on May 3, the highest since May 1997.
Storm Damage
In Colombia, storms last year that damaged flowering likely will cut the second-quarter crop by about 10 percent to about 2 million bags, according to Munoz. Worldwide, producing nations’stocks are at “precarious” levels and won’t make a sustained recovery, partly because of adverse weather, he said.
“It’s been raining here for two years,” Munoz said.
The Colombian harvest will improve in the second half of the year, he said. The federation, which represents the majority of Colombia’s more than 553,000 coffee growers, forecasts 2011 production will be 9.5 million bags, compared with 8.9 million bags last year. In April, output declined 19 percent to 523,000 bags, from 647,000 bags a year earlier.
Global coffee supplies will likely be “tight” through the rest of the year as stockpiles held by exporting nations such as Colombia stay near a 40-year low, Jose Sette, head of the International Coffee Organization, said in February.
Brazil is the largest producer of arabica beans.
Source: Bloomberg
Sara Lee in talks for Brazil coffee brand
Sara Lee could buy Brazil's Marata coffee brand
* Brazil is the world's No. 2 coffee consumer market
SAO PAULO May 18 (Reuters) - U.S. diversified food company Sara Lee (SLE.N), which controls 22 percent of Brazil's retail coffee market, is in talks to buy Marata, a local producer of coffee and beverages, a local newspaper said on Wednesday.
The Valor Economico financial paper reported sources linked to both companies said Sara Lee was also open to a possible merger. An acquisition or merger would strengthen Sara Lee's foothold in Brazil's fast growing northeastern consumer market.
Brazil is the world's second-largest coffee consumer market after the United States, and is the world's largest producer and exporter of the bean.
Marata has seven processing plants in the region and a potential deal would be valued at 1 billion reais ($617 million), Valor said. Aside from coffee, the company produces teas and powdered drinks.
"The conversations began with an offer to buy from Sara Lee. Marata knows to grow, it has to make a move like this, but the family wants to continue in the business, so that's why a merger was suggested," one of those involved in the process told Valor.
Sara Lee was not available for a comment early Wednesday. A representative for Marata declined to comment. ($1=1.620 reais) (Reporting by Reese Ewing, editing by Maureen Bavdek)
Source: Reuters
J.M. Smucker Completes Acquisition of Rowland Coffee
J.M. Smucker Co., the third biggest U.S. coffee maker, said it completed the acquisition of Rowland Coffee Roasters Inc.’s coffee brands and business operations for $360 million.
The purchase of the Miami-based seller of Hispanic brands Cafe Bustelo and Cafe Pilon will help J.M. Smucker of Orrville, Ohio, expand its coffee business in the northeast of the U.S. and southern Florida, where Rowland Coffee’s distribution channels are concentrated, according to a statement today.
Rowland Coffee is the first company that J.M. Smucker acquired since it bought Folgers Coffee Co. from Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) in 2008, according to a filing with the Security and Exchange Commission. J.M. Smucker, led by Co-Chief Executive Officers Timothy Smucker and Richard Smucker, gained 30 percent in the past year, compared with 17 percent for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. The company fell 22 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $75.22 in New York Stock Exchange trading today.
“The addition of the Cafe Bustelo and Cafe Pilon coffee brands, each with a rich heritage, provides us with a unique opportunity to establish a strong presence in coffee with Hispanic consumers in the U.S.,” said Richard Smucker in the statement.
J.M. Smucker said the merger will add about 5 cents a share to fiscal 2012 earnings, excluding the one-time costs of the transaction, which may reach as much as $30 million, according to the statement. About $10 million of the one-time costs will be incurred in fiscal 2012 and the rest through 2014.
Manufacturing Consolidated
Manufacturing operations will be consolidated into J.M. Smucker’s coffee facilities in New Orleans in about three years, the company said.
Sales at privately held Rowland Coffee surpassed $110 million in 2010, the statement said.
J.M. Smucker started in 1897, when Jerome Smucker opened a mill and first pressed cider in Orrville, Ohio, according to the company’s website. He then began selling apple butter from the back of a horse-drawn wagon.
Smucker’s sells products such as ice cream toppings, jams and syrups under its name. The company owns more than 30 brands in the U.S. and Canada and exports its products globally, according to a SEC filing.
*Source: Bloomberg
5/20/2011
The Health Pros and Cons of Coffee
Over 18,000 studies have looked at coffee use in the past few decades. Lately more and more are reporting real health benefits for coffee drinkers—but they must be balanced against the brew’s possible bitter effects, especially in higher, caffeinated doses. An ideal "dose" of java is hard to determine, since people’s perceptions of "a cup of coffee" vary as widely as coffee-mug sizes do. But the good news is that many of the benefits are associated with around two to four (8-ounce) cups a day—"and that’s what most Americans drink anyway," notes Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a coffee expert at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Some intriguing findings: PERKS
Brain Gains. Moderate coffee drinking—between 1 and 5 cups daily—may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, studies suggest. How? Coffee’s antioxidants may prevent some damage to brain cells and boost the effects of neurotransmitters involved in cognitive function, say experts. Preliminary studies have noted that as coffee (or tea) intake rises, incidence of glioma, a form of brain cancer, tends to drop. Some researchers speculate that compounds in the brews could activate a DNA-repairing protein in cells—possibly preventing the DNA damage that can lead to cells becoming cancerous.
Defeating Diabetes. Studies link frequent coffee consumption (4 cups per day or more) with a lowered risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Scientists suspect that antioxidant compounds in coffee—cholorogenic acid and quinides—may boost cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. While most of the research didn’t assess whether the brews were caffeinated, decaf may be even better, since other studies have found that caffeine tends to blunt the insulin-sensitivity boost.
Hearty Benefits. Some studies show that moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than non-coffee-drinkers; coffee’s antioxidants may help quell inflammation’s damaging effects on arteries. Some researchers speculate that the compounds might boost activation of nitric oxide, a substance that widens blood vessels (lowering blood pressure). More java isn’t better: a 5-cup or more daily habit is associated with higher heart disease risks. Researchers believe excessive caffeine may sabotage the antioxidants’ effects.
Liver Lover. Though the research is limited at best, it appears that the more coffee people drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases. One analysis of nine studies found that every 2-cup increase in daily coffee intake was associated with a 43 percent lower risk of liver cancer. Possible explanation: caffeine and antioxidant chlorogenic and caffeic acids in coffee might prevent liver inflammation and inhibit cancer cells.
PANS
Java Jones. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, it can cause irritability or anxiety in high doses (and what’s "high" varies from person to person). How? Chemically, caffeine looks a lot like adenosine, a "slow-down" brain chemical associated with sleep and relaxation of blood vessels. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors on nerve cells, leaving no room for adenosine to get in—so nerve cell activity speeds up, blood vessels constrict—and you get a caffeine buzz (or irritable jitters).
Tolerance. Of course, if you caffeinate yourself daily, you’ll likely develop tolerance to its effects and the jitters will subside. But that also means that eventually you’ll need a regular caffeine fix just to reach your baseline level of alertness. And your body will adapt by producing more adenosine receptors, making you more sensitive to the effects of adenosine. So if you don’t have your daily cup, you’ll likely develop withdrawal symptoms like extreme fatigue and splitting headaches (caused by constricted blood vessels).
A Sleep-Stealer. If you’re having trouble sleeping it might help to cut down on caffeinated coffee, or to drink it only early in the day. Generally it takes about 6 hours for the caffeine to clear your system, although it varies from person to person. The sleep-robbing effects may worsen as we age, too, a recent study suggests.
Cholesterol Caution. Boiled or unfiltered coffee (such as that made with a French press, or Turkish-style coffee) contains higher levels of cafestol, a compound that can increase blood levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Choose filtered methods instead, such as a drip coffee maker.
Prudence for Pregnant and Nursing Women. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology says it’s safe for pregnant women to get a moderate amount of caffeine (no more than 200 mg, equivalent to 2 cups of coffee per day), but warns that it’s still not clear if higher intakes could increase risk of miscarriage. Since caffeine can pass into breast milk, nursing moms should cut down if their babies are restless or irritable.
Above article courtesy of the good people at EatingWell.com
Some intriguing findings: PERKS
Brain Gains. Moderate coffee drinking—between 1 and 5 cups daily—may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, studies suggest. How? Coffee’s antioxidants may prevent some damage to brain cells and boost the effects of neurotransmitters involved in cognitive function, say experts. Preliminary studies have noted that as coffee (or tea) intake rises, incidence of glioma, a form of brain cancer, tends to drop. Some researchers speculate that compounds in the brews could activate a DNA-repairing protein in cells—possibly preventing the DNA damage that can lead to cells becoming cancerous.
Defeating Diabetes. Studies link frequent coffee consumption (4 cups per day or more) with a lowered risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Scientists suspect that antioxidant compounds in coffee—cholorogenic acid and quinides—may boost cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. While most of the research didn’t assess whether the brews were caffeinated, decaf may be even better, since other studies have found that caffeine tends to blunt the insulin-sensitivity boost.
Hearty Benefits. Some studies show that moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than non-coffee-drinkers; coffee’s antioxidants may help quell inflammation’s damaging effects on arteries. Some researchers speculate that the compounds might boost activation of nitric oxide, a substance that widens blood vessels (lowering blood pressure). More java isn’t better: a 5-cup or more daily habit is associated with higher heart disease risks. Researchers believe excessive caffeine may sabotage the antioxidants’ effects.
Liver Lover. Though the research is limited at best, it appears that the more coffee people drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases. One analysis of nine studies found that every 2-cup increase in daily coffee intake was associated with a 43 percent lower risk of liver cancer. Possible explanation: caffeine and antioxidant chlorogenic and caffeic acids in coffee might prevent liver inflammation and inhibit cancer cells.
PANS
Java Jones. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, it can cause irritability or anxiety in high doses (and what’s "high" varies from person to person). How? Chemically, caffeine looks a lot like adenosine, a "slow-down" brain chemical associated with sleep and relaxation of blood vessels. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors on nerve cells, leaving no room for adenosine to get in—so nerve cell activity speeds up, blood vessels constrict—and you get a caffeine buzz (or irritable jitters).
Tolerance. Of course, if you caffeinate yourself daily, you’ll likely develop tolerance to its effects and the jitters will subside. But that also means that eventually you’ll need a regular caffeine fix just to reach your baseline level of alertness. And your body will adapt by producing more adenosine receptors, making you more sensitive to the effects of adenosine. So if you don’t have your daily cup, you’ll likely develop withdrawal symptoms like extreme fatigue and splitting headaches (caused by constricted blood vessels).
A Sleep-Stealer. If you’re having trouble sleeping it might help to cut down on caffeinated coffee, or to drink it only early in the day. Generally it takes about 6 hours for the caffeine to clear your system, although it varies from person to person. The sleep-robbing effects may worsen as we age, too, a recent study suggests.
Cholesterol Caution. Boiled or unfiltered coffee (such as that made with a French press, or Turkish-style coffee) contains higher levels of cafestol, a compound that can increase blood levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Choose filtered methods instead, such as a drip coffee maker.
Prudence for Pregnant and Nursing Women. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology says it’s safe for pregnant women to get a moderate amount of caffeine (no more than 200 mg, equivalent to 2 cups of coffee per day), but warns that it’s still not clear if higher intakes could increase risk of miscarriage. Since caffeine can pass into breast milk, nursing moms should cut down if their babies are restless or irritable.
Above article courtesy of the good people at EatingWell.com
4/28/2011
Great Article By Sherrill Of The Gourmet Coffee Snob
Gourmet Coffees Cost Only Pennies Per Cup for Premium Coffee When Brewed at Home From Fresh Roasted 100% Grade A Arabica Beans
Gourmet Coffee drinkers have become accustomed to paying $2 or more per cup for fresh brewed coffees at Premium coffee houses and many sources are predicting those prices may increase to as much as $4 per cup soon due to expected increases in green coffee prices.
Smart gourmet coffee consumers have long known that premium coffee brewed at home costs just 12 cents or less per cup, depending on preferences for coffee strength.
Many coffee producers recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of fresh ground gourmet coffee beans per standard 6 ounce cup of water. Starbucks recommends double that amount for stronger coffees at 2 tablespoons per 6 ounce cup.
A pound of gourmet coffee (that is 16 Ounces or 1 Lb.) divided by 1 1/2 Ounces comes to roughly 10 pots of 10 cups (6 Ounce cups) equaling 100 cups for the cost of one pound of gourmet coffee beans.
At the average of 1.5 tablespoons per 6 ounce cup and average size of 12 ounce coffee mug, you can expect 50 cups of home brewed coffee per pound of gourmet beans!
Prices of premium gourmet beans range between $12 and $18 per pound, making a cup of home-brewed gourmet coffee, made fresh to your liking, cost only between .12 cents and .25 cents per cup!
Even the rarest and most expensive coffee sold, the exotic Kopi Luwak, at $175 per pound, is still less than $1.75 per cup when brewed at home!
Gourmet coffee consumers rarely consider the cost of their daily coffee in terms of how much it would cost to brew at home with prices of a pound of gourmet coffee beans versus a three cup a day coffee drinking habit at premium coffee house prices.
~~Sherrill~~
the gourmet coffee snob sez
Always Drink Better Coffee
SpotaJava Coffee
Gourmet Coffee drinkers have become accustomed to paying $2 or more per cup for fresh brewed coffees at Premium coffee houses and many sources are predicting those prices may increase to as much as $4 per cup soon due to expected increases in green coffee prices.
Smart gourmet coffee consumers have long known that premium coffee brewed at home costs just 12 cents or less per cup, depending on preferences for coffee strength.
Many coffee producers recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of fresh ground gourmet coffee beans per standard 6 ounce cup of water. Starbucks recommends double that amount for stronger coffees at 2 tablespoons per 6 ounce cup.
A pound of gourmet coffee (that is 16 Ounces or 1 Lb.) divided by 1 1/2 Ounces comes to roughly 10 pots of 10 cups (6 Ounce cups) equaling 100 cups for the cost of one pound of gourmet coffee beans.
At the average of 1.5 tablespoons per 6 ounce cup and average size of 12 ounce coffee mug, you can expect 50 cups of home brewed coffee per pound of gourmet beans!
Prices of premium gourmet beans range between $12 and $18 per pound, making a cup of home-brewed gourmet coffee, made fresh to your liking, cost only between .12 cents and .25 cents per cup!
Even the rarest and most expensive coffee sold, the exotic Kopi Luwak, at $175 per pound, is still less than $1.75 per cup when brewed at home!
Gourmet coffee consumers rarely consider the cost of their daily coffee in terms of how much it would cost to brew at home with prices of a pound of gourmet coffee beans versus a three cup a day coffee drinking habit at premium coffee house prices.
~~Sherrill~~
the gourmet coffee snob sez
Always Drink Better Coffee
SpotaJava Coffee
4/25/2011
Coffee Facts
The word coffee comes from Kaffa, a region in Ethiopia where coffee beans may have been discovered.
About half of the people in the United States over the age of 18 (that's 107 million) drink coffee every day. On average, each coffee drinker consumes three and a half cups each day.
As early as the ninth century, people in the Ethiopian highlands were making a stout drink from ground coffee beans boiled in water.
Coffee is grown in more than 50 countries in South America, Central America, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
In 1971, a group of Seattle-based entrepreneurs opened a coffee shop called Starbucks. Today there are more than 6,000 Starbucks outlets in the United States. The chain also operates stores in 36 other countries.
Nearly 25 million farmers worldwide depend on coffee crops for their economic livelihood.
Coffee contains caffeine, the stimulant that gives you that "lift." Caffeine is the most popular drug in the world, and 90 percent of people in the United States consume it in some form every day.
Despite what you may believe, dark-roast coffee has less caffeine than coffee that's been lightly roasted.
Scandinavia boasts the highest per-capita coffee consumption in the world. On average, people in Finland drink more than four cups of coffee a day.
After oil, coffee is the world's second-most-valuable commodity exported by developing countries. The global coffee industry earns an estimated $60 billion annually.
Source: TLC
As early as the ninth century, people in the Ethiopian highlands were making a stout drink from ground coffee beans boiled in water.
Coffee is grown in more than 50 countries in South America, Central America, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
In 1971, a group of Seattle-based entrepreneurs opened a coffee shop called Starbucks. Today there are more than 6,000 Starbucks outlets in the United States. The chain also operates stores in 36 other countries.
Nearly 25 million farmers worldwide depend on coffee crops for their economic livelihood.
Coffee contains caffeine, the stimulant that gives you that "lift." Caffeine is the most popular drug in the world, and 90 percent of people in the United States consume it in some form every day.
Despite what you may believe, dark-roast coffee has less caffeine than coffee that's been lightly roasted.
Scandinavia boasts the highest per-capita coffee consumption in the world. On average, people in Finland drink more than four cups of coffee a day.
After oil, coffee is the world's second-most-valuable commodity exported by developing countries. The global coffee industry earns an estimated $60 billion annually.
Source: TLC
How Loyal are Coffee Drinkers? Not Very, Says Customers DNA Benchmark Study
More Than Half of All Starbuck’s Customers Visit Competitive Chains
While there are many millions of coffee drinkers who rely completely on Starbuck’s to satisfy their coffee urges, more than half of Starbuck’s customer visits come from customers who regularly visit Dunkin’ Donuts or McDonald’s for a hot beverage and/or breakfast over the course of a month.
This is among the findings of QSRdna, a massive benchmark survey of the annual shopping habits over 15,000 quick serve restaurant (QSR) customers conducted by CustomersDNA, a marketing and research consulting firm.
The QSRdna report found that while 41 percent of Starbuck’s customer visits come from customers who can be considered “loyals” who did not visit any other coffee/breakfast chain during the average month, 53 percent, identified as “roamers,” also stopped by either Dunkin’ Donuts or McDonald’s during an average month.
Shopping patterns for Dunkin’ Donuts’ customers were similar (42 percent loyals and 53 percent roamers). McDonald’s had the most loyal customers, with 62 percent of the visits by those that did not visit either Starbuck’s or Dunkin’ Donuts during the average month.
“The significance of these patterns became clear when we found that the roamers purchased a hot beverage and/or breakfast nearly twice as often as loyals,” said Dave Jenkins, CustomersDNA's co-founder. “During the average month, loyal customers of each of the three chains visited their favorite store 6.7 times, while the roamers averaged 13 visits per month. Capturing more of these sometime-customers to is key to winning the coffee/breakfast battle.”
The study examined consumer visit patterns, frequency and customer loyalty and menu preferences across five purchase occasions (breakfast, lunch/dinner, hot beverage only, cold beverage only and frozen treat only) over the course of a 12 month period. The report provides chain operators with a diagnostic tool for identifying, evaluating and attracting high-value customers as well as detailing their spending levels, the items they purchase and which other chains they patronize.
Source: Business Wire
4/19/2011
Innovative, Gutsy, Will It Draw A Coffee Crowd? Modern Coffee's Coffee Container!
http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/files/2011/04/Progress-Sketch-Layout.pdf
Say what you will about food trucks, but it is a fact that there should be more coffee trucks in the Bay Area. Here’s something along those lines, kinda.
In Oakland, Modern Coffee is teaming up with its neighbors Arcsine Architecture to create the Coffee Container, a “mobile brew bar” built into a 20-foot shipping container.
It’s anticipated to take a parking space on 13th Street, directly in between Modern Coffee and Arcsine, right smack on street. Unlike trucks, the Coffee Container will be big enough to have room for customers; they anticipate the box — or boxes like it — will be able to make appearances around town, around markets, etc.
If all goes to plan, they’re hoping to unveil it on Park(ing) Day 2011, which takes place in September. Until then, feast your eyes on the very cool early sketches of the Coffee Container, including the sidewalk window, bicycle pick-up window, floorplan, and more.
Modern Coffee: 411 13th Street, near Franklin, Oakland; (510) 835-8000 or @moderncoffee
.
Say what you will about food trucks, but it is a fact that there should be more coffee trucks in the Bay Area. Here’s something along those lines, kinda.
In Oakland, Modern Coffee is teaming up with its neighbors Arcsine Architecture to create the Coffee Container, a “mobile brew bar” built into a 20-foot shipping container.
It’s anticipated to take a parking space on 13th Street, directly in between Modern Coffee and Arcsine, right smack on street. Unlike trucks, the Coffee Container will be big enough to have room for customers; they anticipate the box — or boxes like it — will be able to make appearances around town, around markets, etc.
If all goes to plan, they’re hoping to unveil it on Park(ing) Day 2011, which takes place in September. Until then, feast your eyes on the very cool early sketches of the Coffee Container, including the sidewalk window, bicycle pick-up window, floorplan, and more.
Modern Coffee: 411 13th Street, near Franklin, Oakland; (510) 835-8000 or @moderncoffee
.
4/18/2011
Most French People Don't Have Any Idea That Coffee Can Be Like Wine.
Most French people don't have any idea that coffee can be like wine.
Take an espresso, for instance.
Unlike the Italian original, "un petit cafe" is typically made with cheaper, lower-grade Robusta beans that are not always fresh or perfectly roasted, and with little if any attention given to the coffee machine behind the counter.
The result is often a thinner, less flavourful brew which, coffee aficionados say, leaves something to be desired. "Most of it tastes like cat piss," said barista and art student Britney Bachmann, from Canada.
Take an espresso, for instance.
Unlike the Italian original, "un petit cafe" is typically made with cheaper, lower-grade Robusta beans that are not always fresh or perfectly roasted, and with little if any attention given to the coffee machine behind the counter.
The result is often a thinner, less flavourful brew which, coffee aficionados say, leaves something to be desired. "Most of it tastes like cat piss," said barista and art student Britney Bachmann, from Canada.
4/16/2011
Grounds For Change By David Clements - Langley Times
Research has shown how the energy from coffee grounds could be recycled, adopting techniques utilized at a number of laboratories to show that it’s not hard to convert coffee grounds to biofuel. A University of Nevada study estimated that the 16 billion pounds of coffee grounds produced each year could be converted into 340 million U.S. gallons of biodiesel.
4/11/2011
Starbucks~Keurig
Starbucks has instant coffee Via out there. Soon their brand will be in KCups. Hey! Why go to Starbucks anymore? This offering WILL NOT BE THE SAME.
For if you think that little plasticy K-Cup Starbuckeroo is going to taste like the brew at their coffee house~you will be saddly mistaken.
I know why they did it, I just don't think it was the right thing to do, my opinion.
For if you think that little plasticy K-Cup Starbuckeroo is going to taste like the brew at their coffee house~you will be saddly mistaken.
I know why they did it, I just don't think it was the right thing to do, my opinion.
Two Teas Are Being Tested By Our Public Taste Testers.
liQuid heaVen now has two 'most excellent' teas in taste test comparisons. We sent out jasMine bouQuet and diVine pLum to our tasters.
McDonald's sells more coffee than Starbucks
McDonald's sold 84 million cups for the last 12 months making it the biggest coffee seller in UK. What about Starbucks? Starbucks is a fifth!
Now, McDonald's is really something, it just started selling freshly ground coffee in 2007 and in less than 3 years, it not only challenges the incumbent coffee sellers, but over-taking them.
Again, you may wonder how long Starbucks has been in England.
Try 10 years! So this McDonald's growth is 'super over-powering when you think about it!
If you look at it from a marketing perspective, this is what the two Ps can assist in your marketing plan -pricing and places.
McDonald's has a huge distribution, so when it harness on its network, its exposure is amazing. Then, I believe McDonald's got the right price.
Sure, it might just be a few cents lesser than Starbucks, but if the taste is right and you get to save some money -why not?
Source: oncoffeemakers.com
4/08/2011
Crave Caffeine? It May Be in Your Genes
DNA May Influence How Much Caffeine People Consume, Researchers Say
DNA may play a large role in determining how much caffeine people consume in beverages such as coffee, tea, and soda and food such as chocolate, new research indicates.
Scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health, the National Cancer Institute, and other institutions say they have discovered two genetic variations that influence the metabolism of caffeine and are associated with how much caffeine people consume. People with particular variations of two specific genes are more likely to consume caffeine, and to drink more of it when they do, study leader Marilyn C. Cornelis, PhD, of the Harvard School of Public Health, tells WebMD.
Genes and Coffee
The genes are identified as CYP1A2, long known to play some role in caffeine metabolism, and another called AHR, which affects regulation of CYP1A2.
All people have both genes, but the study, involving more than 47,000 middle-aged Americans of European descent, finds that people with the highest-consumption variant for either gene consumed about 40 milligrams more caffeine than people with the lowest-consumption gene varieties. Forty milligrams is the equivalent of 1/3 cup of caffeinated coffee or one can of soda.
Cornelis says her own father may carry the variations that correspond to higher caffeine consumption because he drinks “at least 10 cups” daily.
“He’s not trying to achieve pleasurable effects,” she tells WebMD. “Rather, he’s trying to maintain levels as a means to avoid the withdrawal symptoms. Without a cup he’d wake up in the middle of the night with a headache.”
That suggests he “could possibly have the genetic profile of a fast caffeine metabolizer,” she says in an email.
The researchers say it’s likely that genetics plays a major role in other behaviors, such as alcohol consumption and smoking.
Coffee Consumption
The researchers say in a news release that their conclusions are based on an analysis of five studies conducted between 1984 and 2001. Average caffeine consumption via coffee, tea, caffeinated sodas, or chocolate was recorded.
About 80% of the caffeine intake among participants involved in the analysis was from coffee, similar to the adult caffeine consumption in the U.S. “We propose that those with the genotype corresponding to ‘higher caffeine consumption’ are metabolizing caffeine at a different rate vs. those with the ‘lower caffeine consumption’ genotype, and so require a different level of intake to maintain or achieve physiological caffeine levels that produce pleasurable effects,” Cornelis tells WebMD.
So what does this mean?
“Clearly these genetic variants are affecting how our body processes caffeine,” she tells WebMD.
Caffeine is implicated in a number of medical and physiological conditions. Caffeine affects mood, sleep patterns, energy levels, and mental and physical performance.
“Caffeinated products, particularly coffee, have long been implicated in various health conditions.”
She says that “studying the effects of caffeine, say, on the cardiovascular system, would be challenging if the group of subjects we’re studying process caffeine differently.”
More ‘Caffeine Genes’ May Be Identified
This genetic knowledge could be used “to advance caffeine research and potentially identify subgroups, defined by genotype, of the population most susceptible to the effects of caffeine,” Cornelis tells WebMD. “More research on the precise function of these variants is needed, however, and there are likely more ‘caffeine genes’ to be identified.”
She tells WebMD that her team’s findings “demonstrate that our search approach -- scanning the entire human genome -- works.”
Also, it shows for the first time that genetics may be responsible for inherited differences in how people drink coffee.
Source: WebMD
4/01/2011
Mass 'scareware' attack hits 1.5M websites
A massive attack that's trying to scare computer users into visiting a bogus antivirus site has infected more than 1.5 million websites and continues to spread, according to an Internet security firm.
Several pages on Apple's iTunes store have been infected.
The so-called LizaMoon "SQL injection attack" began Tuesday and is being tracked by Websense. Such attacks redirect users by exploiting programming errors and poorly written code and scripts.
eWeek says the attack is "out of control ... with no end in sight." Nearly half the compromised sites are in the United States. Other affected countries include United Kingdom, Kuwait, India, Australia, Turkey, Brazil, Israel, Mexico, Taiwan and Chile.
VentureBeat writes that the attack "shows that malware is a bigger menace than ever and that many web sites aren't protected."
Websense has a Q&A about the attack.
Source: USA Today
Several pages on Apple's iTunes store have been infected.
The so-called LizaMoon "SQL injection attack" began Tuesday and is being tracked by Websense. Such attacks redirect users by exploiting programming errors and poorly written code and scripts.
eWeek says the attack is "out of control ... with no end in sight." Nearly half the compromised sites are in the United States. Other affected countries include United Kingdom, Kuwait, India, Australia, Turkey, Brazil, Israel, Mexico, Taiwan and Chile.
VentureBeat writes that the attack "shows that malware is a bigger menace than ever and that many web sites aren't protected."
Websense has a Q&A about the attack.
Source: USA Today
3/28/2011
liQuid alertNess
Our body clock works with Coffee. Our memory, attention, perception and reasoning are maintained by the consumption of coffee.
3/22/2011
Caffe' Factoids!
40% of the 18- to 24-year-olds who responded to a Trends 2011 survey said they are drinking coffee daily, compared with 31% in 2010.
World coffee exports amounted to 8.77 million bags in January 2011, compared with 7.56 million in January 2010.
World coffee exports amounted to 8.77 million bags in January 2011, compared with 7.56 million in January 2010.
3/18/2011
Basic Abbreviations For Coffee
Basic abbreviations for coffee
Latin America
SHG – Strictly High Grown – coffee beans solely from high altitudes; higher density, higher quality
SHB – Strictly Hard Bean – just like SHG, refers to beans of higher density, i.e. higher quality
HB – Hard Bean – lower class of quality, coffee is grown at lower altitudes than SHB
Kenya
These abbreviations usually denote the classification of beans according to bean size, the number of faults and bean density; from the finest downwards
AA TOP – bean size 17/18 – most expensive micro lots; selections from harvests
AA Plus – bean size 17/18
AB Faq – bean size 16/17
Universal
Gr x, Grade x – class of quality; does not really mean anything as every country uses different standards
Bourbon – variety of a coffee plant from Reunion (Bourbon) Island; a very fine sub-variety of arabica
FT – Fair Trade – coffee certified in accordance with Trans Fair International standards
Organic – organic coffee certified as such by a certifying organisation (for Latin America it usually is Bio Latina)
FTO – Fair Trade Organic
Yellow Honey – Yellow Catuai – a sub-variety of arabica in combination with the Honey processing method (pressing freshly picked coffee cherries and then drying the coffee on African beds)
Scr. 17/18 – bean size – does not denote quality, just the standards of a particular country
Courtesy of OXALIS TEA & COFFEE
Latin America
SHG – Strictly High Grown – coffee beans solely from high altitudes; higher density, higher quality
SHB – Strictly Hard Bean – just like SHG, refers to beans of higher density, i.e. higher quality
HB – Hard Bean – lower class of quality, coffee is grown at lower altitudes than SHB
Kenya
These abbreviations usually denote the classification of beans according to bean size, the number of faults and bean density; from the finest downwards
AA TOP – bean size 17/18 – most expensive micro lots; selections from harvests
AA Plus – bean size 17/18
AB Faq – bean size 16/17
Universal
Gr x, Grade x – class of quality; does not really mean anything as every country uses different standards
Bourbon – variety of a coffee plant from Reunion (Bourbon) Island; a very fine sub-variety of arabica
FT – Fair Trade – coffee certified in accordance with Trans Fair International standards
Organic – organic coffee certified as such by a certifying organisation (for Latin America it usually is Bio Latina)
FTO – Fair Trade Organic
Yellow Honey – Yellow Catuai – a sub-variety of arabica in combination with the Honey processing method (pressing freshly picked coffee cherries and then drying the coffee on African beds)
Scr. 17/18 – bean size – does not denote quality, just the standards of a particular country
Courtesy of OXALIS TEA & COFFEE
3/14/2011
Starbucks & Green Mountain to Make Starbucks K-Cups
The wait is finally over in the single serve coffee K-Cup world - Starbucks and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. today announced a strategic relationship for the manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sale of Starbucks and Tazo tea branded K-Cup portion packs for use in GMCR’s Keurig Single-Cup brewing system. The new relationship will provide owners of Keurig Single-Cup Brewers with the additional choice afforded by having Starbucks branded super-premium coffees available for their brewers, and furthers Starbucks stated goals of expanding its presence in premium single-cup coffee, making its premium coffees conveniently available to consumers whenever, wherever and however they want it.
Starbucks is the exclusive, licensed super-premium coffee brand produced by GMCR for the Keurig Single-Cup brewing system. Starbucks and GMCR plan to make Starbucks K-Cup portion packs available through food, drug, mass, club, specialty and department store retailers throughout the U.S. and Canada beginning in the fall of 2011. The companies expect to expand Starbucks K-Cup portion pack and Keurig Single-Cup Brewing system distribution to Starbucks stores and to make Starbucks K-Cup portion packs available through GMCR’s consumer-direct websites: www.greenmountaincoffee.com and www.keurig.com, and Starbucks consumer-direct website: www.starbucks.com beginning in 2012.
Read the rest of this article on singleservecoffee.com .
3/12/2011
Egyptian Coffee... amazing!
My friend who lives in Cairo, Egypt sent me some pictures of a local shop he buys his fresh coffee from. This shop in the Heliopolis district of Cairo has been run by the same family for generations.
They roast and grind their coffees using the same machines as they did when they opened many decades ago!
I was fortunate enough to taste some coffee from this shop when my friend was vsiting here and it was unlike any other coffee I'd ever had, exception being of course liQuid heaVen. This Egyptian Coffee, was a special blend of several fresh spices mixed with freshly ground roasted beans. It was extremely aromatic, and had a deep, rich dark color.
Coffee is called ahwa, in the Egyptian dialect. In other Arabic speaking countries they say qahwa, قهوة .
When ordering coffee in Egypt you order it based on the amount of sugar you want. For example if you would like a medium sweetness you would ask for "ahwa masboot", for very sweet coffee "ahwa zeeada" and for coffee without sugar "ahwa sada."
Here are a few pictures of this great little coffee store....
Words for Coffee Around the World How to Say Coffee in Over 60 Different Languages
I would like to thank the Author Lindsey Goodwin of About.com Guide
"Coffee" In Different Languages
Afrikaans: koffie~Albanian: kafe~Amharic: buna~Arabic: kahioa or ahua
Armenian: surch or sourdj~Basque: kafea or akeuta~Belarusian: kava
Bengali/Bangla: café~Bulgarian: kafe~Catalan: cafe~Chinese (Cantonese): ga feh
Chinese (Mandarin): kafei~Creole: kafe~Croatian: kava~Czech: kava or kafe
Danish: kaffe~Dutch: koffie~English: coffee~Esperanto: kafo~Estonian: kohv
Ethiopia: bunna, buni or bun~Filipino/Tagalog: kape~Finnish: kahvi~French: café
Galician: café~Georgian: qava or chai~German: Kaffee ~Greek: kafés
Haitian Creole: kafe~Hawaiian: kope~Hebrew: ka-feh~Hindi: kofi~Hungarian: kavé
Irish: caife~Italian: caffe~Icelandic: kaffii~Indonesian: kopi~Japanese: koohii
Korean: keopi or ko-pyi~Latvian: kafija~Lithuanian: kava~Luxembourgish: Kaffi
Macedonian: kafe~Malay: kawah or koppi~Maltese: kafe~Norwegian: kaffe
Persian: qéhvé~Polish: kawa~Portuguese: café~Romanian: cafea~Russian: kofe
Serbian: kafa~Slovak: kava~Slovenian: kave~Spanish: el café~
Sinhalese (Sri Lanka): kopi~Swahili: kahawa~Swedish: kaffe~Taiwanese: ka fei
Tamil (Sri Lanka): kapi-kottai or kopi~Thai: kafea or ca-fea~Turkish: kahve
Ukrainian: kavy or kava~Urdu: coffee~Vietnamese: ca phe~Wolof: kafe~Welsh: coffi
Yiddish: kave~Zulu: ikhofi
Armenian: surch or sourdj~Basque: kafea or akeuta~Belarusian: kava
Bengali/Bangla: café~Bulgarian: kafe~Catalan: cafe~Chinese (Cantonese): ga feh
Chinese (Mandarin): kafei~Creole: kafe~Croatian: kava~Czech: kava or kafe
Danish: kaffe~Dutch: koffie~English: coffee~Esperanto: kafo~Estonian: kohv
Ethiopia: bunna, buni or bun~Filipino/Tagalog: kape~Finnish: kahvi~French: café
Galician: café~Georgian: qava or chai~German: Kaffee ~Greek: kafés
Haitian Creole: kafe~Hawaiian: kope~Hebrew: ka-feh~Hindi: kofi~Hungarian: kavé
Irish: caife~Italian: caffe~Icelandic: kaffii~Indonesian: kopi~Japanese: koohii
Korean: keopi or ko-pyi~Latvian: kafija~Lithuanian: kava~Luxembourgish: Kaffi
Macedonian: kafe~Malay: kawah or koppi~Maltese: kafe~Norwegian: kaffe
Persian: qéhvé~Polish: kawa~Portuguese: café~Romanian: cafea~Russian: kofe
Serbian: kafa~Slovak: kava~Slovenian: kave~Spanish: el café~
Sinhalese (Sri Lanka): kopi~Swahili: kahawa~Swedish: kaffe~Taiwanese: ka fei
Tamil (Sri Lanka): kapi-kottai or kopi~Thai: kafea or ca-fea~Turkish: kahve
Ukrainian: kavy or kava~Urdu: coffee~Vietnamese: ca phe~Wolof: kafe~Welsh: coffi
Yiddish: kave~Zulu: ikhofi
Big Announcement I Believe Is Forthcoming From STARBUCKS
Will they enter the Single Serve Market dominated by K-Cups, or will they acquire a
Company already in the Single Serve Market. Time will tell.
If you read my blog you know I have no love for K-Cups. I said in the past they are mediocre at best. I have come to change that and now say, they are not even mediocre!
The Single Serve Market dominated by K-Cups is a 3 Billion dollar industry. I would think that this is what may attract STARBUCKS entry.
Company already in the Single Serve Market. Time will tell.
If you read my blog you know I have no love for K-Cups. I said in the past they are mediocre at best. I have come to change that and now say, they are not even mediocre!
The Single Serve Market dominated by K-Cups is a 3 Billion dollar industry. I would think that this is what may attract STARBUCKS entry.
Can Coffee Cut a Woman's Stroke Risk?
Swedish study shows even a cup a day reduces the risk; experts say more proof needed. So, pour yourself a good hot cup and read the research.
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/650753.html
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/650753.html
3/05/2011
Surprisingly A Lot Of Coffee Houses Mimic/Copy Each Other
I am sure that if you frequent or frequented Coffee Houses you have noticed that the coffees possess a heavily roasted or 'burnt bean' flavour. Why? Is it because it sells?
I contend it is because 'it is the base' from which all the additives you will be ordering
to put in it. If one simply drinks the coffee black, there will be a strong burnt flavor
on one's palate. If one decides to make a pastry out out their coffee instead that
burnt bean flavour is compromised and supports the so called coffee.
Here, at liQuid heaVen we don't mimi or copy, we innovate.
I contend it is because 'it is the base' from which all the additives you will be ordering
to put in it. If one simply drinks the coffee black, there will be a strong burnt flavor
on one's palate. If one decides to make a pastry out out their coffee instead that
burnt bean flavour is compromised and supports the so called coffee.
Here, at liQuid heaVen we don't mimi or copy, we innovate.
The Environmental Single Cup Choice
Due to their construction, pods are inherently respectful to the environment. Pods are the earth-friendly alternative to other package intensive single-cup options that are often associated with mediocre flavor, thin body, and a plastic aftertaste. Spent pods are fully biodegradable and make great garden compost. While the overwrap that preserves the freshness of each pod is not compostable or recyclable, this represents a small fraction of the volume of waste generated by other single-cup systems. Pod cartons are made from 100% recycled material (50%+ post consumer).
2/18/2011
A man in the coffee beans, can you find him?
The "illusion" is that this is just a picture of coffee beans; but it is not.
Can you find a man's face among the beans?
Some say that if you find the man in 3 seconds or less, the right half of your brain may be more well developed than most. (I found him immediately!)
PS: This is not a trick. A man's face is really hidden among the beans.
*(From the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Page)
2/08/2011
Study Finds Drinking Coffee Slows Brainpower In Stressful Situations.
You may not want your male colleagues to have coffee during an important meeting.
While drinking coffee improves women's brainpower in stressful situations, it impairs men's memories and slows their decision-making.
Men who had regular coffee took 20 seconds longer to complete puzzles than those who had decaffeinated coffee.
Women completed the same puzzles 100 seconds faster than if they had caffeine.
*so guys next time you have an affair and get caught, blame it on the coffee you drank which impaired your memory and slowed your decision making!
The study is in the journal of Applied Social Psychology.
From a report appearing in 680news.com
While drinking coffee improves women's brainpower in stressful situations, it impairs men's memories and slows their decision-making.
Men who had regular coffee took 20 seconds longer to complete puzzles than those who had decaffeinated coffee.
Women completed the same puzzles 100 seconds faster than if they had caffeine.
*so guys next time you have an affair and get caught, blame it on the coffee you drank which impaired your memory and slowed your decision making!
The study is in the journal of Applied Social Psychology.
From a report appearing in 680news.com
2/04/2011
Once again, the latest in establishing the TRUTH!
I am in no way a chemist. However, I think I understand questionable plastic when hot 168 degree water is hurridly passed through it, might, just might, cause harm and have lasting harmful effects on one's body.
http://www.coffeedetective.com/is-the-plastic-used-in-keurig-kcups-safe.html#comments
2/03/2011
Continuing drama: Is the plastic used in Keurig K-Cups safe?
Feb 02, 2011
Plastics by: Anonymous
Plastic #7 is predominately polycarbonate which harbors BPA. No way around it... NONE. Even worse is plastic #3 (dubbed the toxic plastic), which is polyvinyl chloride (the name sounds yummy doesn't it?), or our old friend PVC. The sometimes corrupt and always inept USFDA has said that long term exposure to DHEA (one of several plastizers used in it's production) can lead to: reduced body weight and bone mass; damage to liver and testes and cancer. YAAAAY! And to clarify Green Mountain makes billions not millions so they will tell you whatever they want to keep you buying their convenient but wholly mediocre coffee. That said great company, great idea, I own their stock (total hypocrite :-), go capitalism!
Courtesy of:
http://www.coffeedetective.com/is-the-plastic-used-in-keurig-kcups-safe.html#comments
Plastics by: Anonymous
Plastic #7 is predominately polycarbonate which harbors BPA. No way around it... NONE. Even worse is plastic #3 (dubbed the toxic plastic), which is polyvinyl chloride (the name sounds yummy doesn't it?), or our old friend PVC. The sometimes corrupt and always inept USFDA has said that long term exposure to DHEA (one of several plastizers used in it's production) can lead to: reduced body weight and bone mass; damage to liver and testes and cancer. YAAAAY! And to clarify Green Mountain makes billions not millions so they will tell you whatever they want to keep you buying their convenient but wholly mediocre coffee. That said great company, great idea, I own their stock (total hypocrite :-), go capitalism!
Courtesy of:
http://www.coffeedetective.com/is-the-plastic-used-in-keurig-kcups-safe.html#comments
1/21/2011
Coffee Goes Biblical!
Caffeine is my shepherd; I shall not doze.
It maketh me to wake in green pastures:
It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses.
It restoreth my buzz:
It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for its name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of addiction,
I will fear no Equal™:
For thou art with me; thy cream and thy sugar they comfort me.
Thou preparest a carafe before me in the presence of The Starbucks:
Thou anointest my day with pep; my mug runneth over.
Surely richness and taste shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the House of Mochas forever.
~Author Unknown
It maketh me to wake in green pastures:
It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses.
It restoreth my buzz:
It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for its name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of addiction,
I will fear no Equal™:
For thou art with me; thy cream and thy sugar they comfort me.
Thou preparest a carafe before me in the presence of The Starbucks:
Thou anointest my day with pep; my mug runneth over.
Surely richness and taste shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the House of Mochas forever.
~Author Unknown
1/20/2011
Happy National Coffee Break Day!
(WKTV) - Today marks National Coffee Break Day. The National Coffee Association of the U.S. is encouraging everyone to take a coffee break today with a friend or colleague. Studies show a coffee break once a day is not only beneficial for a worker's health but also makes them more productive.
So Don and Megan asked WKTV staffers this question: "Who living, dead, or imaginary, would you like to meet for a coffee break?
Watch video here
1/12/2011
Good News Fellow Coffee & Tea Lovers
Get a cup of your favourite brew, be it coffee or tea and read of their goodness!
1/10/2011
Do You Know The World's Top 5 Commodities? You will now.
The Top Five World Traded Commodities: 1) Oil/petroleum products
2) Coffee 3) Steel and Infrastructure 4) Gold 5) Wheat
2) Coffee 3) Steel and Infrastructure 4) Gold 5) Wheat
1/04/2011
Another Sharp Person Realizing KCUPS Are All Hype!
Posted by Jdean to liQuid heaVen Global at 12/12/10 11:30 AM
All coffee tastes the same going through any of these KCUP machines because of the residue left after each brewing.
And for tea drinkers, every cup of tea tastes like coffee. I have cleaned our machine, cycled water through it, and there is nothing I have been able to do to get tea to taste like tea, instead of like coffee.
I have taken to flavored coffees in a pouch. One cup at a time - and there are some really good ones out there. My favorite I found at an Asian food store in Seattle and it is made in Malaysia. It is a "white coffee" that I just have to add hot water to. I have also tried to find it online and the only place I found, in the U.S., was www.asianwhitecoffee.com. I won't use the KCup coffee again.
liQuid heaVen sez: Welcome to the real world of coffee and thank you!
All coffee tastes the same going through any of these KCUP machines because of the residue left after each brewing.
And for tea drinkers, every cup of tea tastes like coffee. I have cleaned our machine, cycled water through it, and there is nothing I have been able to do to get tea to taste like tea, instead of like coffee.
I have taken to flavored coffees in a pouch. One cup at a time - and there are some really good ones out there. My favorite I found at an Asian food store in Seattle and it is made in Malaysia. It is a "white coffee" that I just have to add hot water to. I have also tried to find it online and the only place I found, in the U.S., was www.asianwhitecoffee.com. I won't use the KCup coffee again.
liQuid heaVen sez: Welcome to the real world of coffee and thank you!
Gifted A Single Cup Coffee Maker To A Good Friend
My good friend, everytime I went over to his house generously offered me a cup of fresh brewed coffee. He used the cone filter into the cup pour over if you know what I mean. I applauded him for doing so, but asked, "Doesn't this get old?"
He sort of laughed and said, "It's better than K Cups, is it not? Could not agree more. I had some single cup prototypes made, 4 to be exact. They did not meet liQuid heaVen's high expectations, so I gave a coffee maker to him explaining what I just put forth here.
BOOM!...my cup was ready in less than three minuetes, his to follow. He told me the only differences he sees now will be speed and cleanup which will be much less with the coffee maker I gave him. As for taste, he said he could not tell the difference. He was correct on both accounts.
He sort of laughed and said, "It's better than K Cups, is it not? Could not agree more. I had some single cup prototypes made, 4 to be exact. They did not meet liQuid heaVen's high expectations, so I gave a coffee maker to him explaining what I just put forth here.
BOOM!...my cup was ready in less than three minuetes, his to follow. He told me the only differences he sees now will be speed and cleanup which will be much less with the coffee maker I gave him. As for taste, he said he could not tell the difference. He was correct on both accounts.
1/03/2011
What Many Have Been Saying All Along
Dec 31, 2010
Plastic Taste
by: totalpi@yahoo.com
In my new single serve Keurig coffee maker when I make a cup of anything with it it comes out with a heavy plastic taste. What is this? I can't stand it, it's disgusting!!!
From: http://www.coffeedetective.com/is-the-plastic-used-in-keurig-kcups-safe.html#comments
Plastic Taste
by: totalpi@yahoo.com
In my new single serve Keurig coffee maker when I make a cup of anything with it it comes out with a heavy plastic taste. What is this? I can't stand it, it's disgusting!!!
From: http://www.coffeedetective.com/is-the-plastic-used-in-keurig-kcups-safe.html#comments
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