Coffee is a favorite beverage around the world. Morning, noon, or night a fresh cup of coffee is satisfying. In recent years we have been introduced to a wide array of coffees include gourmet. Gourmet coffee is considered gourmet because it is freshly ground from the coffee beans. Learning to make a great cup of gourmet coffee at home is deeply satisfying and simple as long as you keep in mind a few simple tips.

For the best flavor you should purchase whole coffee beans from specialty shops only. Although larger grocery stores are starting to carry coffee beans, the specialty shops beans tend to be fresher and therefore have more flavors.

When you grind your coffee beans only grind enough for current needs. This will keep the coffee fresh longer. If you don’t have a grinder and buy the ground coffee, keep it in an airtight container. I t is important to close the bag or container tightly to keep the aroma in the coffee. Keep the coffee in a cool dry place, if you keep it in the refrigerator or freezer keeps it away from foods which produce a strong odor. The flavors may mix making the coffee bitter tasting. Try to use you coffee up in a few days to two weeks since coffee loses flavor quickly.

Water from the tap is fine although some people swear by fresh bottled spring water. No matter which type of water you choose, always use the coldest water possible. Water contains more oxygen the colder it is making the coffee richer and more flavorful. Do not use distilled water as it produces a flat cup of coffee.

Measuring your coffee is more a matter of taste than anything else. Generally it is recommended 1 teaspoon of coffee for every six ounces of water. Don’t trust the measurements on your coffeemaker. Measure out the water to get the best tasting gourmet coffee.

When brewing, the best cup of gourmet coffee is brewed using the manual drip method, a French press pot, or a vacuum pot. Traditional drip pots do an okay job but vary greatly from each other. Some of the best coffeepots are quite expensive but well worth the money. Your coffee should only be kept warm on the burner for twenty minutes, after that it will become bitter. You should brew your coffee no more than five minutes before you plan to drink it, after that transfer the coffee to a thermos or carafe.

Drinking gourmet coffee black will preserve the most flavor. Using creamer in your coffee will produce a richer creamier taste. Skim milk will not change the taste much unless you add a lot, therefore is not recommended. If you would like to add sugar raw sugar will add sweeter flavor than white. For artificial sweeteners Splenda is recommended as other sweeteners will add a bitter taste to your coffee.

Making a gourmet cup of coffee at home is pleasing and easy to do. The flavor and aroma will satisfy you as well as stepping into your favorite specialty shop. Enjoy your gourmet coffee to the fullest by following these tips!

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Delicious Gourmet Gifts at http://www.deliciousgourmetgifts.com

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The trick for coffee manufacturers is to not negatively affect the taste and aroma of the coffee in the decaf process. During the decaf process, the coffee beans are soaked to remove the excess oils and materials that contain the caffeine. Once the coffee beans are soaked appropriately, the coffee beans are roasted as usual for premium coffee. This intensive process creates the best decaf gourmet coffee that is later exported around the world. Which means it soon finds itself safely packaged and shipped to a retail shop near you.

It is important to remember that Arabic coffee, not Robust coffee, is used to create the best decaf gourmet coffee. Arabic coffee is grown in hot and dry areas. The higher the altitude, the denser the coffees bean. A denser coffee bean means a better decaf gourmet coffee for consumers around the world. In addition, only Arabic beans contain the high quality needed for gourmet coffee beans: both decaf and regular coffee. Moisture in a growing coffee bean stunts the productive growth and creates a less flavorful and aromatic coffee bean.

Decaf gourmet coffee comes in most of the same options and choices as the regular coffee beans. Many people notice a unique, different taste associated with decaf gourmet coffee. However, many people agree that the unique features contained within gourmet decaf coffee bring a pleasant and refreshing change. Those that enjoy a truly good cup of coffee, get the coffee without the stimulating factors associated with regular coffee. Deciding to try decaf coffee is an opportunity to try something unique. Although decaf coffee is similar to regular coffee, the difference is more evident to many coffee drinkers. Drinking decaf may take time to adjust too.

Decaf coffee is usually sold along side regular coffee in all retail shops. The specialty coffees are commonly in both regular and decaf as well. Decaf and regular coffees are sold side-by-side in retail shops. Decaf coffee customers are increasing and growing in strength and as they grow, coffee manufacturers are recognizing the importance of meeting the demands of both markets equally. Opportunity has called, and coffee manufacturers have met the cry. Take a look at those decaf coffees along side your regular coffee. For a coffee experience minus the stimulating affect of caffeine, give decaf gourmet coffee a chance.

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They deliberately slurp the gourmet coffee and swirl it all around the surface of the tongue and mouth. They want to enjoy the full body of the gourmet coffee without the coffee being so bitter its perks their nose. Note to Readers: The taste profiles and characteristics discussed in this article apply to drip gourmet coffee. Flavor characteristics and descriptions will change with alternate brewing processes.

For all intents and purposes, our sense of smell and sense of taste are inseparable. Without our sense of smell, our taste sensations are limited. The tongue detects 4 basic sensations: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Most of what we experience as taste depends upon our sense of smell.

The tasting experience begins before you brew – with the grinding. When you inhale the aroma of ground gourmet coffee, you experience the first impression of its flavor – its Fragrance which alos comes out as you brew it. Aroma refers to your first encounter with a gourmet coffee when it’s brewed – literally, the first contact of water and gourmet coffee. Lastly, there’s a gourmet coffee’s Nose. Take a sip of gourmet coffee. As soon as it reaches your tongue, it stimulates taste and simultaneously releases aromas inside the mouth.

Follow the lead of the experts: allow your sense of taste and smell to mingle. Enjoy the tactile feel of the gourmet coffee on your tongue.

Now that you’ve taken a good whiff and your first sip, it’s time to let your tongue do the talking. Of all the facets of gourmet coffee, Taste is the most complex to discuss. Most experts concentrate on three elements Body, Acidity, & Balance. Body: A gourmet coffee’s lipid or “oily” quality creates the tactile sensation of Body or “mouth feel.”

Acidity: Naturally occurring acids in the beans combine with natural sugars that produce a sweetness that gives certain gourmet coffees a sharp pleasing tang or piquancy.

Balance: Think of Balance as a harmony of the many sensations yielded by a fine gourmet coffee. A “balanced” gourmet coffee is one whose flavor characteristics are all at the proper level for that variety. A quick note on Acidity: Don’t let the term scare you. Acidity does NOT refer to pH levels discussed in high school chemistry class. It is not like hydrochloric acid or stomach acid. Instead, it is a basic taste sensation in gourmet coffee, especially those gourmet coffees grown in higher altitudes. You’ll notice a gourmet coffee’s acidity at every facet of tasting, but especially in a tingling sensation on your tongue. Acidity produces some of the pleasurable and distinctive sensations we enjoy when tasting gourmet coffee.

Now, back to our brew! After a sip is swallowed, the mouth and tongue retain a minute residue of gourmet coffee. The strength and type of the gourmet coffee bean causes it to have an aftertaste or not. It is similar to the concept of “finish” in wine tasting. Aftertaste can vary considerably according to the gourmet coffee’s body we mentioned Body as a primary characteristic. You’ll notice a gourmet coffee’s acidity at every facet of tasting, but especially in a tingling sensation on your tongue. It is a distinctly tactile sensation, and is sometimes called simply “mouth feel.” Another comparison to wine is helpful. Burgundies are sometimes said to be “heavier” than most other reds and whites. The difference is not weight. Rather, Body is the texture and consistency, the thickness or slipperiness of the gourmet coffee.

A good cup of gourmet coffee represents the collaboration of many highly trained artisans – growers, professional tasters and roasters all working together to create a fine product. So, let all your senses work together to enjoy the fruits of their collaboration!

One good turn: about the gourmet coffee wheel. Much as wine tasters have created a wine tasting wheel to use an agreed upon terminology, professional gourmet coffee tasters use the Gourmet coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel to grade gourmet coffees. This flavor wheel is designed for the trained pallet of a professional. Professional “cuppers” use this guide when buying gourmet coffee and for creating “taste characteristic profiles” of the gourmet coffees. Most of us are much better off using our “Flavor Characteristics” chart. The Flavor Characteristics chart is for use by the average “Joe”. It is a simplified method of charting your favorite java’s characteristics. The flavor descriptions that are most commonly used are defined below.

Know thyself: what flavors appeal to you? Here are some specific desirable flavor characteristics of gourmet coffee and the types of gourmet coffee that are associated with those characteristics.

Bright, Dry, Sharp, or Snappy – typical of Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Kenyan.

Caramels – candy like or syrupy, typical of Colombian Supreme.

Chocolaty – an aftertaste similar to unsweetened chocolate or vanilla. Typical of Costa Rican, Colombian Supreme and the House Blend.

Delicate – a subtle flavor perceived on the tip of the tongue.

Earthy – a soil characteristic, typical of Sumatran.

Fragrant – an aromatic characteristic ranging from floral to spicy, typical of Costa Rican, Sumatra Modeling and Kenyan.

Fruity – an aromatic characteristic reminiscent of berries or citrus.

Mellow – a round, smooth taste, typically lacks acid, typical of Colombian, Sumatra Modeling, Whole Latti Java and Organic Mexican.

Nutty – an aftertaste similar to roasted nuts, typical of Colombian and Organic Mexican.

Spicy – a flavor and aroma reminiscent of spices typical of Guatemala Huehuetenango.

Syrupy – strong, and rich, typical of Sumatran.

Sweet – free of harshness, typical of Colombian.

Wildness – an unusual, gamey flavor, typical of Sumatran.

Church coffee – harsh without much flavor

Winery – an aftertaste reminiscent of well-matured wine, typical of Kenyan, Guatemalan.

You will soon realize that Costa Rica has the best gourmet coffee – the perfect balance of flavor and smoothness – lots of flavor without the bitterness found in gourmet coffee. The Columbia gourmet coffee and the Brazil gourmet coffee are a close second as they deliver more flavor they tend to get slightly bitter and can lave an aftertaste of the gourmet coffee. The Africa gourmet coffee is harsh and the Asian gourmet coffee is sour, while the other Latin America gourmet coffee lacks full body and taste.

But have fun discovering for yourself as you sample and taste gourmet coffee from around the world. Now if we could only get our church coffee to sample some good gourmet coffee and learn how bad church coffee is. Once you have set values and methods you can better define which gourmet coffee you like but more importantly why you like the gourmet coffee.

And we hope a more educated gourmet coffee will understand better why Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee is the best gourmet coffee in Costa Rica and the best gourmet coffee served in America. Mission Grounds: Gourmet coffee for gourmet coffee drinkers and gourmet coffee experts.

As an adjective, gourmet is defined as: Referring to fine food. So, gourmet coffee is fine coffee, that doesn’t help narrow it down much more. It may be stating the obvious, but what makes a coffee fine is its taste. There are five primary taste sensations; salty, sour, sweet, bitter and umami (savory). Understanding how these sensations apply to coffee is not important to the majority of us. What’s important is our preference; what tastes good, bad and to what degree. People have huge variations in preference. A coffee you may love, I might hate. C’est la vie!

This variation in preference is where gourmet coffee fills a need. Gourmet coffee offers choice and variety. These choices come in countless combinations of international coffee beans, varying degrees of roasting, flavoring and preparation.

International Coffee Beans

International coffee is probably the biggest factor in gourmet coffee; it’s the starting point for variety and choice. From a purest point of view the bean’s original flavor should play a bigger role than artificially flavored coffees or specialty coffee drinks.

Coffee is international by nature, even though all the world’s coffee beans are grown within 1000 miles of the equator – from the Tropic of Cancer in the north to the Tropic of Capricorn in the south. Two varieties make up nearly all of the beans; Arabica and Robusta. Arabica contains less caffeine, it is the most popular and it grows between 1,500 and 6,000 feet above sea level. Robusta contains the most caffeine and grows at lower elevations.

South American, Central American and Caribbean coffee beans for the most part are lighter in body than other regions, a bit sweeter and slightly more acidic. These beans are often described as smooth and nutty. Central American varieties are not usually as sharp as the South American. African and Middle Eastern coffees often have a more medium body and what can be described as a wild and syrupy feel. African beans are strong, sharp and assertive. The majority of the world’s Robustas are grown along the African coast. Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Indonesian coffees are almost completely Arabicas. Characteristics include spicy, heavy body and low acidity.

Flavored Coffee

Flavored coffees become popular in the 1990s but can be traced back centuries ago to the Turks, who used a unique method of preparing coffee that is still popular in the area today. Spices like clove, cinnamon, anise, and cardamom were added to flavor the coffee. People typically have strong feelings towards flavored coffee; they love it or prefer to let the natural flavor of the bean to prevail.

Coffee is typically flavored by adding flavor oils to the beans after roasting and prior to grinding. Flavoring oils are combinations of natural and synthetic flavor chemicals which are created by flavor chemists. There are also liquid flavors which are added to coffee during preparation much like adding cream or sugar. Flavored coffees are generally classified into four categories:

– Spice based flavors – like cinnamon.

– Fruit based flavors – like coconut or raspberry.

– Chocolate based flavors – like chocolate mint.

– Nut based flavors – like vanilla, hazelnut or macadamia nut.

– Cremes – like Irish Creme or French Vanilla.

Specialty Drinks and Preparation

There seems to be a million ways to prepare coffee these days; Dark roast, light roast, espresso (and all its derivatives), regular coffee, with cream and sugar or simply black. Coffee preparation is a topic that’s been the subject of many other articles. However, like all facets of gourmet coffee the theme of choice and variety applies.

Most of the fancy coffee drinks start with espresso, which is just coffee that is brewed a particular way. The beans are finely ground to an almost powder consistency then very hot water is forced through the grinds at high pressure. Some examples of Espresso based coffee drinks are Espresso Macchiato, Espresso Con Panna, Caffé Americano, Cappuccino, Caffé Latté and Caffé Mocha. Specialty coffee drinks are becoming very popular but most people still drink regular coffee optionally adding different amounts of cream or sugar.

Summary

The bottom line is Gourmet Coffee offers today’s selective coffee drinker choice. These choices come in the form of beans farmed around the world, flavored coffees and vast array of specialty drinks and preparation techniques. Some people drink coffee only as a means to an end, to wake up! More and more people are starting to take notice of the flavor. People’s taste evolve, many people start out drinking coffee with lots of cream and sugar and overtime take less or even drink it black. With all the choices available, why not try something new for your next coffee.

Coffee is made from coffee beans which are found within the berries that develop and ripen on a number of smaller evergreen bush plant species known as the Coffea plant. After ripening, coffee berries are harvested, and then undergo a processing which also includes drying them. It is the coffee beans that remain after the processing and drying of the coffee berries. The beans are then roasted to various degrees which cause them to change physically and in the tastes they produce. Finally, the coffee beans are grinded down into a fine consistency that is commonly known as coffee grounds, and packaged and shipped to destinations around the world where consumers can buy and brew coffee grounds to make coffee in commercial, hospitality, institutional, and residential settings. Some people prefer to grind their own coffee beans before brewing them for coffee. Packaged coffee beans that have not been ground can be purchased in stores and ground using the grinding mills that are made available in most of the stores selling them, but also with grinding machines in the home.

The two most commercially grown species of the coffea plant that produce the coffee beans used to make the coffee that the world’s population consumes, are Robusta and Arabica. Gourmet coffee is made from the top tier coffee beans from the arabica coffea plant. These top tier arabica coffea plants are typically grown at very high altitudes (above 3000ft) with ideal soil and climate conditions. The coffee beans produced have fuller flavors, are more aromatic, and have less caffeine in them than other varieties of coffee beans such as Robustas. The coffee beans of arabica coffea plants grown at lower altitudes are still noted among consumers as having richer flavors than the flavors produced by Robusta coffee beans, but it is only the top tier arabica coffee beans that are considered to be Gourmet, and thereby from which gourmet coffee is derived.

Coffee bean grounds and coffee beans that have not been grinded down need to be stored in air-tight containers and kept cool in order to protect them from losing their flavor. The containers that coffee is typically sold in are not the most ideal for storing coffee for a long period of time. When you arrive home after purchasing coffee grounds at the store, consider transferring the fresh coffee grounds to appropriate storage containers to extend its shelf life and full flavor.

Coffee can be brewed in many ways such as boiling, pressuring, and steeping. Most of us brew our coffee using automatic coffee brewing machines and percolators which use gravity to pull hot water through coffee grounds where the hot water mixed with the oils and essences of the coffee grounds empties into a liquid holding container below. Filters are used to keep coffee granules from being emptied into the carafe or liquid holding container from which the brewed coffee can then be served from because most people do not want to drink the coffee granules. Coffee granules can be very bitter once the flavor able oils and essences have been removed through the brewing process. Plants and flowers love coffee grounds though for anybody who is looking for a greener alternative of what to do with coffee grounds after brewing instead of just throwing them in the trash.

Of course, Gourmet coffee beans are only the beginning to creating a truly gourmet coffee experience for many gourmet coffee drinkers. Some people are quite content with drinking their gourmet coffee black, without adding anything like milk, creamer, sugar or other sweeteners or flavorings, to their coffee. While many others want to enhance their gourmet coffee and drinking experience with tasty additions like milk that is whipped into a froth, sweeteners, and mixing in other flavors like chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and mint, to name just a few. Big name coffee chains sell a wide variety of gourmet coffee with different tasty additions and flavors to appeal to gourmet coffee lovers. However, brewing gourmet coffee at home is usually much cheaper, and you can add what you want to your coffee to satisfy your refined, gourmet tastes.

About Author:

Craig Elliott is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to the food and beverage industry such as Gourmet Coffee | Tazo Tea

WHAT IS GOURMET COFFEE?

Gourmet basically means fine food or drink. These substances have been judged by experts in the field, and have been found to be exceptional compared to most. Gourmet coffee, in particular, is coffee with a unique flavor. Coffee beans used to create gourmet coffee typically come from selected places in the world. These places typically have the best elevation and climates for growing coffee, and have rich soil and special cultivation practices, allowing the production of coffee beans with distinct flavor. Various flavors, such as mint or vanilla, are then added to further enrich the taste and the aroma of the blend.

Although gourmet coffee usually denotes the finished product itself, the term gourmet coffee actually refers to the entire specialized process of manufacturing the finished product. This includes the selection of the beans, the roasting, the addition of flavors, until the final product is formed.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF GOURMET COFFEE?

There are numerous kinds of gourmet coffee available in the market. They are made in different flavors, including almond, French vanilla, amaretto, Swiss mocha, chocolate, vanilla, and mint, just to name the more common ones. Some gourmet coffees are caffeinated, while others are decaffeinated.

WHERE CAN YOU BUY GOURMET COFFEE?

Gourmet coffee is readily available from your local grocery store and café. However, the best place to find gourmet coffee is a coffee roaster, where you can literally choose from hundreds of different coffee blends and mixes. If you’re too busy to check out these local coffee stores, you can also opt to buy gourmet coffee online. There are a load of gourmet coffee websites that sell various kinds of gourmet coffee. The best part is they will deliver your order straight to your doorstep!

In general, gourmet coffee costs more than regular coffee. The price can range from around $50 to over $100. Remember, good quality is something you have to pay for!

When choosing a gourmet coffee blend, sample different types of roasts and flavors. Don’t forget to smell the coffee, as fresh gourmet coffee always has a tempting aroma. Allow the merchant to grind the gourmet coffee for you. Finally, match the coffee to the specific brewing method recommended to fully enjoy the distinctive flavor of your gourmet coffee.

Let’s start with Fair Trade. Fair Trade is a viable solution to this crisis, assuring consumers that the coffee we drink was purchased under fair conditions. To become Fair Trade certified, an importer must meet stringent international criteria and pay an American company an astronimical fee to use the label; paying a minimum price per pound of a dollar.26, providing much needed credit to farmers, and providing technical assistance such as help transitioning to organic farming. Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education, and environmental stewardship. The beauty of Fair Trade is it helps farmers in third world countries – so instead of getting $.50 per pound they get $1.50 per pound. A noble concept and should be at the basic of every purchase as a minimum. If given the choice choose Fair Trade over non Fair Trade.

But this is settling -when you can do so much more. There are now coffee companies that use their profits to help so many worthy causes.

There are a few great gourmet coffee companies that give all their profits to help so many worthy causes. For example two companies come to mind:Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee and Coffee for Children give all their profits to helping children. And best of all they are Fair Trade so they are helping support the small farmers on the back end. But more importantly instead of helping a Starbucks fill their coffers with more profits you are helping impoverished children with the retail profits.

We believe in a total transformation of the coffee industry, so that all coffee sold in this country should be as a minimum a Fair Trade Certified, or if produced on a plantation, that workers’ rights should be guaranteed and independently monitored. Our view includes social justice and environmental sustainability: all coffee should be certified organic and shade grown where applicable. And all these coffees should also be Shade Grown and Bird certified coffee.

But more importantly the coffee should be used to help children or the elderly. Can you imagine the help that would come from the $5 billion coffee industry helping homeless children? So next time you are Sipping on that $6 cup of coffee and on that next time you sit inside your Starbucks and try to figure out how you can make the world a better place.

Organic gourmet coffee is a special coffee treat because not only is it gourmet, meaning that you can expect rich, smooth, flavorful and full-bodied coffee, but it’s organic, meaning that you can expect that the coffee has been grown with the best, most environmental and people-friendly practices. The rarest coffees that are highly sought after as gourmet coffees can all be grown organically, and if you look, you can find excellent organic gourmet coffee varieties.

The best way to purchase any gourmet coffee and of course organic gourmet coffee is fresh from the roaster. This isn’t really possible from your local supermarket although your favorite store probably offers organic gourmet coffee – both whole bean and ground. Often, it’s best to order fresh organic gourmet coffee straight from a specialty business that roasts specialty coffees fresh daily. You can do this online, or from specialty catalogs.

The key to getting organic gourmet coffee is getting it freshly roasted. The fresher it is, the better the flavor and overall quality will be. The fact that you are getting gourmet coffee made from organically grown coffee beans means that your gourmet coffee is going to the very best you can possibly get – the best of the best!

The Best Flavored Organic Coffee Uses the Best Ingredients

Determining which organic coffee is the best-flavored organic coffee could prove to be rather difficult. After all, isn’t it simply a matter of taste? Even though your opinion might differ from that of a fellow coffee lover, there are still some things that you will find that all of the best-flavored organic coffees have in common.

First, really good flavored coffee, organic or otherwise will have 100% natural flavorings. The use of natural flavors gives the organic coffee delicate hints of the fruit, nut or other extracts that are used. Medium roasted organic coffee beans seem to lend themselves better to accepting flavorings and tend to make the added flavors come alive on your taste buds better.

Common flavorings used to add different tastes to your organic coffee can include hazelnut, chocolate, vanilla, Irish cream and Macadamia nut. Almond, amaretto, coconut, cinnamon and peppermint are among other common flavors added to coffee. Sometimes you will find these in exotic combination’s with yet other flavors.

Rich organic coffee is sometimes considered best when it is accented by a hint of something else – maybe a bit of hazelnut with a whisper of chocolate or a dash of almond and coconut to lend a South Seas taste.

No matter what your personal preference of flavorings, the best-flavored organic coffee is one that uses the finest organic coffee beans combined with the best natural flavorings. The combination will surprise and delight you with every sip!

About the Author Alex Sysoef is an owner and operator of Organic Coffee Deals that specializes on delivering premium grade USDA certified organic coffee beans

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Article published on December 06, 2008 at Isnare.com