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0800 578 2832
Coffee Tips
from the horse's mouth
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Some tips to help you make a great tasting cup of coffee, from buying to brewing and storing.
Buying Fresh CoffeeAt Excelso's factory, we roast to order for maximum freshness and all roasted coffees are dispensed or sold within a week. For flavourful, aromatic coffee it is important to know how long the coffee has been roasted. Coffee beans will keep their freshness longer than ground coffee so if you don't have a grinder, buy only what you will use in approximately one week. When buying ground coffee, make sure it is the right grind. See the tip for grinding below.Storing CoffeeKeep your coffee in an airtight container (canister, jar with rubber ring, Tupperware, etc) in a cupboard or pantry, not in the fridge. Freshly roasted coffee will lose its flavour and aroma with time but storing it correctly can prolong this. Factors that greatly increase this loss are light, air/oxygen, heat and humidity. Remember that ground coffee loses freshness more quickly than beans so buy only what you will use in a week.Grinding CoffeeIf you grind your own coffee, grind only what you need immediately. If you are buying ground, purchase small quantities, enough to last a week to 10 days. Each method of making coffee requires a different consistency of grind (hence a different grinder can be used) with the coarsest for a plunger (or French press), slightly finer that this for a filter machine (drip), much finer for an espresso machine and stove top espresso maker. Each of these methods can require a different grinder. |
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Making Coffee
When using a drip filter, the coffee should be ground to the consistency of granulated sugar and take about 6 minutes to complete the cycle. If it is finishing much quicker, the grind needs to be finer. The grind should be coarser than this for a plunger (or French press) making sure that you wait approximately 3-4 minutes after adding the water before you 'plunge'. Espresso coffee requires a much finer grind, powder-like with a slight grittiness. Once tamped into the portafilter, the pour should take apporoximately 25 seconds for 30mls (single shot). This grind is also used for a stove top espresso maker.Water Quality
Water quality can greatly affect the flavour of your coffee. Chlorinated water is some areas can alter the taste considerably. So, whilst you have taken care to buy fresh roasted coffee and stored it properly you can still end up with a 'bad' tasting cup of coffee. Filtered water is ideal and you will notice the difference immediately.In the Garden - Recycling Coffee Grounds
Worms love coffee! Worms produce excellent compost when coffee grounds are introduced. Coffee chaff (a byproduct of roasting green beans) is also ideal for the compost and breaks down faster.Both coffee grounds and chaff are acidic and make good compost for many of the acid loving plants such as rhododendrons, asaleas, camellias, blueberries, etc.
Useful Tip
Fresh ground coffee acts like baking soda to absorb unwanted odours in the refrigerator. Put some on a saucer and leave in the fridge overnight. Remember to throw it away when you have finished.Reducing Caffeine
If you want to cut back on your caffeine consumption, try mixing 50/50 (regular/decaf). Our 'Swiss Water' Decaffeinated coffee is Colombian so try a blend of Colombian and decaffeinated Colombian.
You may also be interested in reading about the health benefits of drinking coffee.
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OPENING HOURSMONDAY TO FRIDAY7am to 3pmSATURDAYS 8.00am to 1pm |
 112 Third Ave West, Tauranga, NZ |
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