coffee talk

Coffee and water

Coffees and waters are variables in your cup. Some municipal waters are great for coffee. Visalia California used to have really good, plentiful water. The aquifers were close to the surface almost artesian in well access. Unfortunately, the water sources have been drained through over-pumping of the aquifers and by the cutting of the gravel beds the water slips through to get to the valley towns as the water flows westward.

Socorro, New Mexico USA has an interesting water history using aquifers that have been contaminated by the mining industry and agriculture ( I did not state that for Visalia’s water, but the same applies there as well. ).

Water has markers such as Total Dissolved Solids ( or TDS) , “Hardness” or mineralization , flavor profiles ( yes, water has flavor profiles too).

Coffee prepared with “pure ” water ( filtered , reverse osmosis, or steam distilled) will have a different flavor or “bite” to it than coffee prepared with municipal or mineral spring water sources.

Arkansas’ s “Mountain Valley” brand spring water is my upscale favorite for brewing a top notch cup of joe. Next on the list, I found surprising, is the Topco grocery brand ( ” Food Club” ) of spring water sourced from the Hill country of Texas. Samantha Springs, Keller , Texas, or Caney Springs, Grapeland , Texas. Much cheaper and just as delicious ( hard , too).

I haven’t tried to brew a cup with the “Poland Spring” Brand ( Nestle’s owns it) of bottled water yet. It is sourced from the Dallas Plantation in Northern Maine ( I suspect from the Allagash water basin. )

So minerals are important for coffee flavor, have at it and let me know what you think. Cheers,

Life after Loss.

I cannot believe I started a business after losing Sally. At age 63 I formally incorporated a small business -coffee roasting- kind of like Colonel Sanders and his fried chicken..

Coffee , just beans , nothing fancy , purchased as ethically as I could afford ( the ” C” price of coffee as the commodity varies from $0.99-2.15, however , most of the times it hovers around $1.00 a pound ) Coffee costs $2.55 a pound to produce world wide(!).

Coffee mostly is subsidized by various governments. But the “Geisha” name associated with super expensive grades of coffee isn’t.

How can a small roaster compete with the roaster owned farms and NGO owned fair trade and free trade groups?

I am still working through that. I apologize to the Blog World for being all over the map. Will post more soon.

Thank you for all your business.!

Coffee Anyone?

Coffee for the summer

If I were to choose coffee for the summer there are several ways to prepare coffee I have found fun and practical.

First, I have tried iced coffee, black. First ice in a glass , then filtered drip or Aeropress cooled slightly over the ice.

I do not like the current cold -brew mania. I have tried it and find it lacking. I have cold – brewed the Costa Rica Jaguar Honey and found that even though the flavors “pop” in their way it is a bit too acidic for my tastes. Better to either Aeropress at 20 grams coffee to 200 grams 165 F or 80 C water, or drip filter the same.

Cold Brew Recipe # 1:

Start with 1/4 lb or 125 grams medium grind coffee in a pint or quart mason jar. Add 250 ml or 1 cup / 8 oz of water stir in thoroughly, then lid and keep in fridge for 2 days, Stir daily. After 2 days ( at least 48 hours ) filter through a paper filter . It will be a concentrate that will make about three 12 oz glasses of ” iced Americanos ” Of course , you may want to stretch it out to make 4 of them..

Cold Brew Two:

Using a Puck Puck ( tm ) device on an Aeropress you can use a pound of ice drip into the coffee grounds filtered through the Aeropress.

Cold Brew Three: Using the Aeropress ( with the funnel ) and recycling a one liter water jug as a funnel. Fill the one liter jug with water and freeze. once frozen un-cap and hoist upside down over the Aeropress filled with 125 grams of coffee grounds, allow to drip into a one quart cup or mason jar.

The above devices are brands of their companies Puck Puck, and Aeropress received no compensation .

“Outside Agitator Coffee” name origins

I named the second “brand” of my coffee ” Outside Agitator” after my Dad.  He was called that  by unknown parties who did not agree with the image presented in the press of the actions of a Believer.  He was called into the ordained and graduate-level educated ministry while in his early 20s. At the behest of his bishop he wrote to Dr. Martin Luther King  while King was in the Birmingham Jail. Martin wrote him back. The rest as they say is history. As a youth I moved with the family many times.

What does this have to do with coffee? Ever gone to church/ smelled coffee after the service?

Well that’s part of it. The welcoming smell of coffee.Other parts follow;

Dad was named for a relative who invented the burlap bag so essential for coffee., That relative later is known for adding chicory to coffee which is still a New Orleans tradition all these years later.

Coffee traces its history through the sands of Araby and the Ethiopian provinces. Coffee is filled with visions of change, rebellion and conspiracy. I am not against selling ideas, but I am for selling coffee. Coffee is the second most widely traded commodity in the world. Behind petroleum.

“M” Mountain Coffee

I love coffee shops in all their iterations. To me, though ownership of the property is vital to longevity.”M” Mountain Coffee has been a Socorro staple for many years and has really assisted me in getting my operation off the ground.  There is a God and its not me!

I am grateful for their insight, wisdom and experience. My arrogance gets in the way of my success as a business person. They have helped me put the brakes on so to speak, and kept me humble in good ways.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have a week-to-week contract  for coffee sales with them. I would like to gain more such contracts  from other brewers, and someday soon will pursue  that objective further.

“M” Mountain Coffee provides  community space , walls for art, tables for conversation and wifi for work that needs to be done.  Their coffee comes from several sources including me.  If you are found wandering through Socorro stop by “M” Mountain Coffee and grab a bite and a cup! If you mention you read this on WordPress they may not throw you out! Enjoy!

Costa Rica Jaguar Honey.

I have roasted two Costa Rica Honey process Coffees. My favorite was the Terrazu Red. The Jaguar Honey Process is a bit harder to define. I think its one of the lighter honeys.. the Terrazu Red was a great intro to Costa Rica Coffee. I  blended it with Sumatra and came up with a close second to my favorite blend of beans “Rincon Red” from the Santa Barbara Roasting Company in Santa Barbara, CA.

Coffee Anyone?

Holiday times –

It is that time of year again – the so called Holidays… Lots of activity…Lots of food… no real rest…”Feelings, all my life I feel it, Nothing left but feelings alone with my heart” (owed to Mo Albert 1978) Hobby as Therapy dba Outside Agitator Coffees LLC is now in business in your neighborhood.

Do you as an individual, like coffee? are you a fan of whole bean, single origin, single sourced close to the farm coffee?

Do you want the real flavor profile of the bean to come through? There are people who love coffee, who like my coffee. Have you purchased more than one bag from me? Much Thanks and Thoughts go with you. You are the real heroes in the world. Not the one time buyer, but the repeat customer . If you “love” my pages, Facebook and the like..Instagram ETC, and you have not purchased my beans, I feel for you. Overcome the fear of strange purchases over the web of the second most traded commodity in the  world. Coffee!.

Think about the busyness of Black Friday…Well good coffee can set things straight.  Try some today..” Coffee, Its not just for Mondays…”

 

 

 

Pour overs ( or drips ) , Presses ( French and Aeropress ) , Vacuum pots , and Mokka Pots ( stove top espresso ) .

Which coffee methods are best?

I do not know!

Coffee tends to be an intensely personal experience. Even when with friends at your weekly small group get – togethers at Synagogue, Church or Mosque. Or if you are not particular about any organized religious expression, at campfire, coffee shops,  lounges ,  restaurants or at your table.

 

We have our favorite brands.

We have our favorite methods.  Aeropress is my personal favorite.

The “dosing” for the Aeropress can be as little as 9 grams per 200 grams of water , to 18-20 grams per 200 grams of water.

The 9 grams per 200 can have water added prior to pressing out the water from the Aeropress. If I  place the Aeropress filter-end down on the cup, pour in the grounds, then place cup and press on a gram scale. Start pouring the water until you see 200 grams on the scale, then stir the grounds for ten seconds, then add roughly  100 grams more water. ( if you only add 50 grams water to the first 200 it will be a full 8 ozs. of coffee) Then move cup and Aeropress off the scale and  on to the  counter top so as not to damage the scale, Place plunger or piston in tube and press!

It is not an “Americano” it is a regular cup of coffee, full of full brewed flavor.

And it has saved us 5-9 grams of coffee per serving.