Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts

39 Steps Filter Coffee Review

A good cup of coffee is the holy grail of drinks, isn't it? But to get a good cup of coffee at home can be harder than you think. Supermarket coffees can be bland, a small roaster is where the coffee experts go where you want to have a decent cup of coffee at home. So let's have a look at one such small roaster, 39 Steps Coffee.

39 Steps Coffee was started in early 2018 in Soho, London to provide the finest speciality coffee to those living and working in central London, as well as delicious food in their cafe. The roastery is approved by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and also offers workshops and courses for the coffee enthusiast. 

If you can't get to central London you can now order your coffee online from 39 Steps Coffee. They sell a range of coffee from filter and espresso coffee to compostable coffee pods. 

coffee-1

As I only have a cafeteria to make coffee, otherwise known as a French Press, then I opted for the filter coffee to review. The filter coffee I was sent was the Colombia Malla 14 and Burundi Microlot 2145. 

coffee packet


coffee packet

So the coffee has the date on which it is roasted so you can see how fresh it is. The packet is fully recyclable too and it has a tear-off enclosure which is easy to reseal. 

Colombia Malla

colombia malla

The Colombia Malla 14 is a filter coffee that also comes in espresso too. Sourced from Colombia's Huila region from a variety of producers, this blend, they say has notes of apple, sugarcane and flora tones. 


colombia malla

Priced at £13.50 for 250g it is now on special offer for £12.50. 

malia

To make the coffee I used one dessertspoon per cup of coffee, so in this French Press, I used two dessertspoons of coffee to make two cups. I then poured freshly boiled water up to the top and waited 3 minutes before I pressed the plunger down.

The Malla coffee didn't have a strong smell in the packet, so I expected it to be milder coffee. This coffee though has exciting flavours and it made a mellow medium-strength coffee. I felt it was a good coffee for those of you who don't like a robust flavour. I added my favourite plant based milk to it, Alpro soya milk. Made with soya milk this coffee tasted mellow, and I thought it was a good cup of coffee to have in the afternoon.

Microlot 2145

microlot coffee

The Microlot 2145 is a filter coffee from The Kayanza area of Burundi. This coffee is sourced from a single coffee producer, and this coffee has flavours of citrus, cinnamon and cane sugar. 

microlot


This coffee is priced at £13 for 250g. 

microlot coffee

To make the coffee I made it exactly the same as before to compare. I used one dessertspoon per cup of coffee, so in this French Press, I used two dessertspoons of coffee to make two cups. I then poured freshly boiled water up to the top and waited 3 minutes before I pressed the plunger down.

The coffee was my favourite as it was a darker roast. I could taste slight cinnamon flavours in the coffee and it had more of a tang that I could taste for longer. It would be good as a coffee to have in the morning. Have it black for an extra kick or add your favourite milk, I recommend either semi-skimmed milk or oat or soya milk.

Marcus-drinking-coffee
Conclusion

My husband and I both enjoyed the coffee. Our favourite was the Microlot 2145 which we both said we could buy in the future. If you are looking for a speciality coffee producer, why not check out 39 Steps Coffee? They also offer certified training in areas related to coffee including understanding the roasting process and barista skills. 

Let me know, what is your favourite type of coffee?

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How To Check Your Coffee Is Sustainable

If you are a coffee lover you may be aware that not all coffee is equal in regards to taste as well as its ethical status. If you are rightly concerned about your cup of coffee's sustainable pedigree there are some things you need to consider. Let's have a look at how to check your coffee is sustainable.

What is sustainable coffee?

coffee picker

Sustainable coffee is coffee that provides a fair price for the farmer and his family as well as one that is grown and marketed for its sustainability to the environment. When you think that over 2 billion cups of coffee are made every day you can see how that could affect the environment if the process was not sustainable. 

Check the label

There are certain things to look for on the label of the coffee you buy. Coffee that is certified organic is grown without pesticides that can harm the environment. If coffee is labelled Fair Trade it means that the farmer is paid a fair price for the coffee, they have decent working conditions and there is local sustainability. If coffee is labelled certified by the Rainbow Alliance it has also been grown in sustainable ways and they say they build connections to create a better future for people and nature. 

Avoid the packaging if you can

coffee beans

I personally feel if you try and buy coffee beans and grind them yourself you get the freshest coffee and you can avoid the worst of the packaging like coffee pods. If you find a company that provides fair trade, sustainable coffee, it's worth buying from them again, especially if they offer monthly subscriptions. This helps you save money and the planet. You can buy a coffee grinder relatively cheaply to grind coffee too. If you have to buy hard coffee pods, the aluminium type, check if they can be recycled first and be sure to do this. Some of the soft style coffee pods are compostable so that is a definite preference, however, if you try and avoid unnecessary packaging then that's a better way to have your coffee.

Before you buy your coffee in packaging, check you can recycle it first, If you are buying your ground coffee in a jar, be sure to recycle the glass, and before you buy your coffee in a bag check that you can recycle it first.  Also when you are buying your coffee without all the packaging then you are avoiding the higher prices too and the farmer doesn't have so many middlemen to get his cut. 

Look at the price

Something you may not know is that it can take between four and seven years for a coffee tree to produce its first harvest.

If the coffee is remarkably cheap then you can guess that the farmer won't be paid a reasonable price, and often the quality won't be there either. When farmers are paid a low rate they could be in the position to deforest the land so they can make more and not focus on quality instead. 

When you are out

coffee brewing
If you are having a coffee when you are out and about, firstly use a coffee shop that displays its eco-friendly credentials and uses Fair Trade or Rainbow Alliance coffee wherever possible. These are often the smaller independent coffee shops, so you are supporting a local business too.  Starbucks says their coffee is 99% sustainable but as with any claims or places big or small, do your own research to back up any claims, and I'm always wary of large organisations claiming ethical and sustainable status.

If you are buying a coffee when you are out there are some things you can do to help the environment. If you have to have a takeaway, take your own cup that can be reused if the coffee shop allows this. Or check if the coffee shop uses compostable cups if you are taking your coffee away. Sit in when you can and have your coffee in a china coffee cup or mug, it tastes better and you are avoiding a disposable container. 

Read up about sustainability

If you are interested in reading about sustainability in coffee production then eraofwe.com are a global community committed to the future of coffee. They are committed to traceability and accountability so everyone is aware of the supply chain and work in partnership with their suppliers so everyone gets a fair price.

Tell me, have you thought about your coffee's production? Do you look for ethical and sustainable coffee?

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The Variety of Coffee Flavours and How to Understand Them

Coffee is one of the most complex beverages in terms of aroma and flavour – scientists are counting hundreds of flavour compounds found in roasted coffees, making it especially flavourful and intriguing to taste. For easier flavour navigation, SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) has created the Coffee Taster's Flavour Wheel – a descriptive diagram showing the variety of taste profiles coffee can have. It helps pinpoint the exact notes and guides the tasters when trying to understand their coffee. However you may wonder, how do those hundreds of flavours develop, what growing and natural conditions do they require, and what defines the notes and how we taste them brewed in a cup of coffee? Find the answers in this article below.

Does it matter where my coffee was grown?



Growing coffee requires specific natural conditions. Specific climate factors such as soil, altitude, wind, sun and rainfall affect the coffee plant’s health and ability to produce flavours. For Arabica coffee beans, the Coffee Research website suggests the following two growing conditions:

High altitudes between 1800-3600 feet with rainy and dry seasons are very well defined. Such conditions are most common in the subtropical regions, Mexico, Jamaica, the S. Paulo and Minas Gerais regions in Brazil, and Zimbabwe are examples.
The regions around the equator at altitudes of 3600-6300 feet with frequent rainfall, like Kenya, Colombia, and Ethiopia.

The optimum temperature for Arabica beans is between 15-24ºC all year round, however direct sunlight should be avoided. The soil should be rich, well-drained and porous, as well as nutrient-dense. However, how does that reflect the taste, and why are the same coffee arabica plants grown in different parts of the world taste different? 

At low altitudes there is more oxygen, however, the higher you go – the less oxygen you get, therefore coffee grown in higher altitudes, such as mountainous regions will have difficulty taking its energy from oxygen, and hence releasing lactic acid and complex sugars. It helps the plant grow and naturally adds richness and creaminess to the brew, as well as fruitiness and acidity in the taste, developing very complex notes. On the opposite – coffees grown in lower altitudes will have more sweetness and an earthiness to the taste. It’s more expensive to grow coffee in high altitudes, however, it’s also where the most interesting taste notes develop, as days are mildly warm, and nights get cooler – this dynamic thermal environment is helping the coffee cherries produce and lock down those flavour compounds.

5 elements that help you taste your coffee



The complexity of coffee as a beverage comes down not only to the growing conditions, region and variety of the plant but also to a few other important steps. These are processing, roasting and brewing, and all of that helps develop the end result – taste. When tasting, especially with little experience or dedication to understanding the notes behind it, it’s very important to know what to pay attention to. There are five different elements of the coffee taste – aroma, flavour, acidity, body, and aftertaste.

Aroma or the scent of coffee is what you smell after you brew a cup. It’s a key factor that helps you understand the taste, as it’s very closely linked to smell, allowing our brains to add both of these aspects and form a unified verdict. Aroma gives a good indication of where this flavour is heading – light and fresh, or heavy and nutty?
Flavour is the reason why most of us enjoy coffee so much – it’s the most obvious characteristic and helps us understand what our tongue feels – vanilla sweetness or berry sourness? Sometimes aroma and flavour of the same bean can be different, so it’s recommended to first smell and then taste the coffee. When tasting – do it with small sips, slightly opening the mouth to let some air in, as it will help you sense the notes.
Acidity is found in every coffee and means brightness and clarity of the taste, it’s the dry sensation that brings out the flavour profile of the coffee, without acidity, it would not be possible to taste much.
Body is the mouthfeel of the sip – how heavy or light it feels. When tasting, the body of coffee can be described as full, light, watery, silky, creamy, syrupy, etc. and it contributes to the whole tasting experience.
Aftertaste is an important characteristic. At the end of the sip, it’s the flavour that lingers after drinking the coffee, and it's affected by all characteristics mentioned before.

So next time before tasting your coffee, find out where it came from and how it was grown. Look at that region deeper and try to find out if it’s been grown high or low, this will give you a heads up on what to expect in the taste. Then focus on the 5 characteristics mentioned before and try to indicate each of them while tasting – takes notes as you go along and taste different coffees – the more experience you’ll get, the better you will understand your own preference.
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Secrets Unleashed To Preparing The Best Coffee

Are you a coffee lover who cannot spend a day without a sip of coffee? The truth is making coffee is an art. Many workaholics start their day with coffee because they feel that it keeps them energised. However, there are some key secrets to preparing the best cup of coffee. I will talk about them here.

How to prepare the perfect cup of coffee

coffee

Firstly the best coffee is prepared from fresh coffee beans. Always grind fresh coffee beans if you want the best.  The best will be roasted perfectly and not taste bitter. To avoid a bitter taste, then make use of the french press as it helps you to get the right ratio of grounds to water and prepared at the right temperature.

When you are brewing coffee at home, then make sure that you use whole bean coffee. When you grind the beans right before having your coffee, then it will turn out to be more flavourful. The reason is that when coffee beans get roasted, then compounds start to escape from the coffee beans. The process is referred to as degassing. As a result, the coffee starts to lose flavour. 

Grinding your coffee beans speeds up the degassing process. The benefit of the process is that it exposes the surface area of the beans and they will still be able to retain a lot of flavours. If you do have any over keep it in an airtight container and use up quickly.

Always make sure that you buy quality coffee beans. The best will be roasted perfectly and not taste bitter. 

Deciding the appropriate quantity of coffee in your cup is crucial. If you prefer strong coffee, then you will need to add more quantity and for a lighter cup of coffee, the quantity needs to be reduced.

Deciding the best quantity of coffee to use



Now, deciding the right quantity of coffee in your cup can often be a challenge.  You need to consider the ratio of the amount of coffee used to the amount of water used.

For example, for a French press consider a ratio of 1:12. Well, this means that you need to make use of about 35 grams of coffee for about 400 grams of water. I like a dessertspoon of ground coffee per cup for my cafeteria.

Try making use of a burr grinder for grinding coffee

coffee grounds

What you must keep in mind is that a burr grinder plays a crucial role in brewing your coffee. A burr grinder is an old fashioned hand mill. It is made up of two revolving burrs in between which the coffee is ground. The beans are crushed between a moving grinder wheel and a non-moving surface. Try going for a good brand because a grinder is not something which you will buy frequently.

With the help of a burr grinder, it becomes very easy for you to grind the coffee to a specific size. Try going for a grinder that has about 15 different grinding settings so it will be versatile for whatever coffee machine you have.

Occasionally you may fancy a coffee at night but don't want the caffeine hit. Try making a milky latte instead for a coffee hint that won't keep you up all night. 

Don't forget you always have the option to visit the coffee shops in your area or when on vacation. You may be surprised by the quality of their coffee. I find Italy and the Netherlands are great for coffee.  You always have the option to visit a coffee shop Amsterdam if you are out sightseeing for your caffeine fix.

Nurture your love for coffee. Make sure that you follow these tips before preparing your cup of coffee. It's a luxury everyone can afford. You will enjoy it and will become a pro at making coffee by following these tips.

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French Coffee Press Giveaway With Domu Ends 21/01

Are you a coffee lover? If so you may want to pay attention to my newest review and giveaway.

 Recently I was sent a French coffee press set from Domu to review. The VonShef French press set consists of a large cafetière, a handheld milk frother and 4 glass cups.


Firstly I think the set looks great. Encasing the strong heat-resistant glass is a gold stainless steel frame in a pretty brushed lattice effect. It looks so good it would make a great gift.


Secondly, the set is generously sized. Whilst the cups hold 200 mls each - a good size for coffee lovers, when your cup is full just replenish from the cafetière which holds one litre of coffee.

The milk frother that comes with the set is a useful addition, especially if you love cappuccinos (like I do!). You heat the milk, then pour it into the frother. It is recommended that you do not fill it more than halfway, as the milk expands. Then you put the lid on and pull the plunger up and down for 10-15 seconds. This makes the milk all frothy and luscious. 


There are a number of ways to make a good cappuccino, and everyone has their own way. To make a great cappuccino with the frother,  make your coffee double strength, pour into the cup, add sugar to taste then top with frothed milk. For a yummy accompaniment, get some good quality biscotti and dip in the coffee. Eat, drink and enjoy! 

 For maintenance, it is recommended that the set is hand-washed to preserve its appearance but you can put the cafetière upside down on the top shelf of a dishwasher to wash it.

 You can buy this VonShef French coffee set from Amazon, and if you are quick you can get it in the sales at a bargain price of £27.99.

 The combination of stylish design, large capacity and great functionality make this French coffee press set a useful addition to any coffee lovers home, and today on my blog I am giving you a chance to win a set. Just answer the question below and enter via the Gleam app. Also, check out my Coffee Box review here. 

 Good luck!

Win a French press coffee set with Domu
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Blue Coffee Box Review And Giveaway Ends 31/12

The Blue Coffee Box is a subscription service for the freshest coffee to be delivered to your door.


 For a monthly cost, speciality arabica coffee from over 17 different countries are selected for your taste preference, hand-roasted and delivered to you.

What I like is that you don't have to have a box every month, so you are in control. This is perfect for someone like me that adores travelling and whose plans change from one day to the next. However, the boxes are also letterbox friendly so you don't have to be in to receive the parcel.

The coffee is ethically sourced direct from the farmers, so there is no middleman taking all the profits, so you know the farmers are getting a decent price. That is always good to know.

You can order a bag at £7.99 a month or a box of three bags at £16.99. Delivery is always free. You select how your coffee is prepared - beans, cafeteria, dripper and espresso.  You can even send it as a gift, which can be a thoughtful idea for all your coffee-loving friends, especially at Christmas. You could also try it in a machine for cappuccino. 


The coffee comes in bags, you snip off the top, use what you want, and the bag is then resealable, keeping all the freshness in.

It was exciting getting the box and trying the different coffees. With each bag comes an information card explaining where the coffee is from, and notes such as how it is harvested, how it is farmed and processed. It was interesting reading about the farmers especially. I really enjoyed tasting the San Ignacio coffee from the Cast Iron Cofee Roasters. It was rich and yet mellow, without the bitterness you can get from some coffees, and has hints of chocolate in the flavour. The EQ Espresso Version 11 from Clifton Coffee Roasters was sweet and vibrant whilst the Finca Las Nubes from Campbell and Syme had flavours of fig, grape and toffee. 
If you want to try the coffee I have a code for my lovely readers FD518. Enter this at checkout to get £5 off your first order. 

Today on my blog I am giving you a chance to win a three-month subscription for one of the boxes worth £16.99 a month.



Terms and Conditions

You must be 18 + to enter. 
Open to entrants in the UK only.
One entry per household. 
Winner will be contacted within 7 days of the competition ending.
Coffee will vary from that shown based on preference and availability.
If I do not hear from the winner within 28 days I reserve the right to redraw.
Please allow 28 days for delivery. 
Closing date 2017-12-31 11:59:59 PM

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Rombouts One Cup Filter Coffee Review And Giveaway Ends 20/04

Making coffee has become a bit of art these days. You take the best coffee seeds that have been nurtured by coffee farmers then selected and picked. These coffee cherries as they are called are selectively picked then dried, milled, roasted then ground. The process is called from seed to cup. 

Luckily Rombouts have done that all for you. Then packaged it in a one-cup filter. I am sure you have heard of Rombouts. The family-owned and run coffee company was founded in Belgium in 1896 and in 1958 they founded the One Cup Filter product

The magic of the One Cup Filter is that it is simple and easy to use with no coffee mess, as the coffee is contained in the sealed filter.


I was sent a selection of Rombouts One Cup Filters to review, and a prize of a selection of products to give away on my blog. Before I tell you how to enter let's have a look at the products.


The One Cup filters come in a packet of 10 with a lid. So simple to use, first you boil the water then you sit the filter on the cup. When the water has boiled you carefully pour the water onto the filter up to the level which will only take a few seconds. To keep the water hot you pop the lid on the filter and wait for it to drip. Less than 20 seconds later your coffee is made, all you have to do is add milk and sugar to taste and voila!

So I must admit I was a little dubious about the quality of the coffee. How could something so quick taste good? 

Original Filters
These filters are a medium strength filters which they say are suitable for any time of day. The coffee tasted well rounded, with no bitter aftertaste, which delighted me. I particularly hate getting bitter coffee when I go to a cafe.  It wasn't too strong for me, or too weak. It was as Goldilocks would say 'just right'. 

Italian Style Filters
These filters give a rich dark coffee with a full-bodied flavour. Perfect for after an evening meal these filters are for the real coffee connoisseurs, those that take their coffee seriously. Personally, I wouldn't drink these after 10 pm as they are a stronger coffee.

Columbian Filters
The Columbian filters are a medium roast filter. The coffee tastes rich, flavourful with a hint of sweetness. A coffee you can drink at any time and a coffee that I thought was particularly delicious. One up from the original filters in my opinion.

Decaf Filters
The Decaf filters are an interesting product. I was intrigued to see how they would taste. The coffee is a medium roast and comes with a blue filter. It didn't smell as rich and robust as the other coffee and wasn't as smooth but if you want a coffee before bedtime it was perfectly acceptable. I think it is a good idea to have these in the cupboard to indulge in your coffee fix if you want to reduce your caffeine intake. 

All these filters cost £2.69 for a pack of ten. Great value I think you will agree. They also come packaged in foil to keep fresh. 


Today on my blog you can win a selection of Rombouts products including some one cup filter coffees. Whilst you are here don't forget to check out the rest of the competitions I have running too and this coffee box review. Good luck!

 Win a selection of Rombouts products

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