"The four M"S to great
Espresso"
Macinazione - the correct grinding
of a coffee blend
Miscela - the coffee blend itself
Macchina - the espresso machine
Mano - the skilled hand of the barista.
WARNING- COFFEE MAY BE GOOD FOR
YOU
Coffee's Mysterious Benefits Mount
LiveScience.com Remy Melina
staff Writer
livescience.com – Tue Jun 22, 5:45 pm ET
From lowered cancer risks to a sharper memory, more
studies are
showing that coffee is good for you - but why?
Regular coffee drinkers have a 39 percent decreased
risk of head and
neck cancer, according to a new study published
in the journal Cancer
Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Those
who drank an estimated
four or more cups a day had significantly fewer
cancers of the mouth
and throat than non coffee drinkers, the study found.
"Coffee contains more than a thousand chemicals,
some of which have
antioxidant and antimutagenic activities,"
Mia Hashibe, assistant
professor of medicine at the University of Utah
and the study's lead
researcher, told Life's Little Mysteries. "Further
research is
necessary to identify which ingredients in coffee
are responsible for
the results we observed in our study."
Scientists are still trying to determine exactly
what it is about
coffee that gives it its disease-fighting properties,
but recent
research is getting closer to unlocking the mysterious
power behind
the energizing brew.
Your brain on coffee
Coffee may be good for the brain, too. A study earlier
this year by
neuroscientists at the University of Lisbon showed
that drinking
coffee can help to prevent the neural degeneration
associated with
brain disorders and aging. The scientists found
that drinking up to
four cups of coffee a day over a long period of
time actually
prevented the deterioration of memory.
Other research has shown that coffee is good for
the cardiovascular
system. Women who drank one to three cups of java
a day reduced their
risk of cardiovascular disease by 24 percent, according
to the Iowa
Women's Health Study that tracked 27,000 women for
15 years, although
it was noted that this benefit diminished as the
quantity of coffee
rose above three cups.
And while coffee has been given a bad rap for supposedly
upping the
risk of stroke and coronary heart disease, scientific
studies have
revealed the contrary. Drinking coffee lowers the
risk of stroke by
19 percent among women, according to a 2009 Harvard
Medical School
study that tracked the coffee habits and stroke
occurrences among
83,000 American women for nearly a quarter century.
The risk of some cancers may be cut by drinking
coffee. Research
presented at the 2009 American Association for Cancer
Research
Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference
showed that coffee
cut male coffee drinkers' risk of aggressive prostate
cancer by 60
percent, based on a 20-year study of 50,000 men.
And people who drink coffee reduce their risk of
developing liver
cancer by 41 percent, compared to people who never
drink coffee,
according to a study in the journal Hepatology.
The researchers
theorized that compounds found in coffee may block
the action of
enzymes involved in detoxifying carcinogenic compounds
that may lead
to liver cancer, the third largest cause of cancer
deaths around the
world, after lung and stomach cancer.
Other recent studies have shown that coffee is protective
against
certain brain tumors, endometrial cancer and advanced
prostate
cancer, Hashibe said.
While it is true that some of the chemicals present
in a cup of joe
may be gastrointestinal irritants, coffee is not
as much of a cause
of heartburn and acid reflux as previously believed.
Scientists have
actually identified a chemical in coffee, called
N-methylpyridinium,
which inhibits acid production. The compound is
more common in dark
roasts like espresso and French roast blends, according
to the
Research Platform of Molecular Food Science at the
University of
Vienna.
Chemical coffee concoction
But not all of the chemicals found in coffee are
good for you. It's
been blasted for containing pesticides and dangerous
chemicals.
A typical cup of coffee contains about 10 milligrams
of known
carcinogens, such as benzene and formaldehyde, according
to McGill
University chemistry professor Joe Schwarcz, writing
in "The Fly in
the Ointment: 70 Fascinating Commentaries on the
Science of Everyday
Life" (Ecw Press, 2004). However, other experts
argue that these
trace amounts are too small to pose a serious cancer
risk, and point
to studies showing that coffee reduces the risk
of several cancers.
In fact, for most adults, coffee is the number one
source of
antioxidants, or chemicals that prevent cellular
damage, according to
a study funded by the American Cocoa Research Institute.
"Americans get more of their antioxidants from
coffee than any other
dietary source," said Joe Vinson, lead author
of a study on
antioxidants conducted by the University of Scranton,
in
Pennsylvania. "Nothing else comes close."
While antioxidants help to reduce cell damage and
aging, scientists
have yet to determine if they are the compounds
responsible for
coffee's weird -but wonderful- health benefits.
There are many organic and inorganic compounds
in a regular cup of
coffee, including chemicals called phenolic compounds,
melanoidins,
and diterpenes. Some of these chemicals are believed
to be
beneficial, such as chlorogenic acid, which is a
natural compound
found in coffee beans and other plants that is an
antioxidant and
believed to aid in digestion, according to the American
Journal of
Clinical Nutrition.
"Coffee is a very complex mixture of various
chemicals," Hashibe
said. Researchers are still trying to track down
exactly what it is
that makes coffee so mysteriously beneficial, but
it's antioxidant
components may be part of its protective effects
against cancer.
Potential downside
But because coffee contains caffeine, which is
a stimulant, drinking
too much of it could lead to headaches, jitters
and a racing
heartbeat. Even decaffeinated coffee contains at
least trace amounts
of the drug, as the decaffeinating process cannot
remove caffeine
completely.
The safe daily dosage of caffeine is 300 milligrams
for adults and 35
to 40 milligrams a day for children, according to
the U.S. Department
of Health & Human Services (HHS). While caffeine
was once considered
unsafe for women to consume while pregnant, the
HHS has determined
that mothers-to-be who drink less than 300 milligrams
of caffeine a
day do not put their child in any risk.
However, the HHS warns that women who drink or
eat more than 300
milligrams of caffeine per day may have a harder
time getting
pregnant, and a study by the Kaiser Permanente Division
of Research
found that high doses of daily caffeine - two or
more cups of regular
coffee or five 12-ounce cans of caffeinated soda
- during pregnancy
may increase the risk of miscarriage.
"Each individual metabolizes caffeine and
the other components of
coffee differently," Hashibe said, so broad
recommendations for
everyone aren't possible. Coffee can increase heart
rate, blood
pressure, and affect sleep, but do each of these
things differently
in different people.
Beware of past crop coffee's- they
are everywhere, if it's cheap there is a reason,
Africa coffee's are expensive this year, in fact
Kenya is way out there, 5.00 lb and more. This is
wholesale price! It seems we have been forced to
select Fair trade organic because that about all
there is in some regions, but they are cupping nicely.
We are not FTO certified and thus do not sell our
coffee as such
With that said, great coffee is
still a bargin if you brew it youself
.
Woman's health-
Coffee benefits read
here
You can now purchase 1lb bags
at Taft street coffee, they have a limited supply
of Gunslinger, Sidamo, usually a central and Sumatra
OLD News
We had a grinder shootout at JonR's
house, used the GS3 and Gunslinger, interesting
results on the following grinders
Mahlkoenig K30 ES
Mazzer Super Jolly
Macap M7KR (stepless 68mm conical)
The *new* Baratza Vario
for the rewiew follow these links
http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/grinders/418092
http://www.home-barista.com/reviews/baratza-vario-grinder-second-look-t10195-40.html#p119391
Past news
I have Colombia on the way, it is
not Spectacled bear but some of Zephyr's Hulia and
maybe a bag of the Supremo, we should have it here
at the end of the week.
Back from Tampa. The Gulf Coast
Roasters Group meeting was a great time had by all.
We started Friday night with a Sake tasting course,
as this is one more assist in developing our palates.
It is similar to wine tasting or coffee cupping
in that your are looking for the natural attributes
of each. This is caused by either nature, or man's
manipulation through the processing stages. This
was my first time to try so many sushi rolls as
well. We did have a designated driver and everyone
recovered by day 2.
Saturday started out with SCAA sensory
skills test. I passed the first two tests with 100
on each, but failed the final test with -26 points
(this one required -20 to pass it.)
I did learn some valuable tips,
which will make retaking this much easier. Here
is a link to a nicely written article about this
test http://www.home-barista.com/scaa-sensory-skills-test.html
Next came the Decaf triangulation
cupping. We performed 5 sets of exercises using
five different coffees but always with the decaf
in the mix. The idea is to place three coffees with
one either a decaf or regular and the other two
the same either decaf or regular. Now can you try
to spot the odd man out. Is it decaf or regular
and what is the origin. I will say Swiss water process
has done a very good job in removing caffeine without
destroying the coffee flavor. This proved evident
when even our sensory instructor, Rocky Rhodes,
missed a couple. Of course, most everyone else did,
too. Yes, myself included.
Recession coffee!! Starting today
through the end of the year we are offering 20%
off on a minimum order of 2 lbs Colombia Excelso
Huila - a great coffee from a superlative mill known
for clean, sweet, bright, citrusy coffee. We
sold out in two weeks - 150lbs. Sorry. I am reordering.
Look for it soon!
click
here
I am heading to Tampa the 24th-26th
for the Annual Gulf Coast roaster group. It is a
get together and training venue. It's not just a
meetup, but a great opportunity to further my education
into coffee at a price that can't be beat. Here
is the schedule http://www.ambexroasters.com/pages/special_event.jsp
I hope to have some cupping classes
this fall along with Le Nez Du Cafe Training &
Test of my own. If anyone is interested I will bring
my small roaster back to Catalina for more roasting
demos. For me November-March is my coffee season
although its not really harvest season to most growers,
I just prefer Houston Cool weather
Catalina was selected Houston
best Coffee House, and I suppose since we supply
Max with the coffee you could say we are Houston's
Best Roaster. Although that may not be accurate
to surmise that, we are a part of Catalina success.
The Synesso is hooked up and Pulling
shots, it has further opened up the Gunslinger.
There is even more to rock your palate, citrus,dark
chocolate, thick syrupy with great finish.
The Mysore is on its way, along
with a new El Salvador natural and Nicaragua decaf.
These are due in the first of next week
Our favorite coffee shop Catalina
will be installing a new Synesso 3 group machine
in two weeks on the 20th. Can you say ultimate espresso
machine, PIDed controlled, Paddle group, pre infusion,
it does not get any better than this.
Week of August 25th
Summer has come and gone, OK the
heat will be with us until mid October but at least
coolness is in sight. With my new super ventilation
system roasting in summer is not so bad, and when
its too hot I have AC in the roastery. It only cost
a small fortune to run it, besides AC will suck
all the moisture out.
I have cupped a few new coffees
this week, one being Mysore Nuggets extra bold and
although I have not cupped it straight drip style
or a shot of espresso it did go into my espresso
blend and wow was it good. Caramel,toffee,sweet,thick,syrupy,buttery
shot. Gayla asked how many bags I was ordering!!
I had another Mysore but was a little more laid
back with similar characteristics. I would say it
is on its way
Coming soon "Coffee Club",
I will also be sending out Newsletters with discount
coupons
Week of August 17th
Hey coffee geeks, I am cupping some
new India Mysore nuggets this week, while I can
not say I have cupped this before I will give anything
a try. I am always looking for something different,
yes more better. I am also creating a new Espresso
blend.
Go USA, its be fun watching our
athletics compete, although I was hoping for a better
showing from track and field, overall they have
done great. Way to go guys and gals
Week of August 11th
We
now have a new Sumatra besides our Old School Mandeling,
It is a Lintong triple pick special prep. It cupped
great both for Gayla and I as well as the crew at
Catalina. I will have all my new coffee's up over
the weekend. I will be looking for a new Espresso
blend ( limited time offer with this Sumatra)
Cupping note:
Body- heavy, but clean finish, syrupy
Acidity- its there but medium, a good balanced
cup, not always found in Sumatra
Sweet, a little dried fruit, a touch of earthiness,
a little pepper spice
Wonderful Aroma
Old News
I have been traveling
in New Mexico and Colorado this last week riding
my Harley through the mountains as well as sampling
coffees. I was pretty disappointed in what I found.
Of the ten shops, three were worthy as espresso
bars and would say 20-30% of the coffee shops in
these two states are of reputable quality. How do
you make a great coffee shop, well here are my short
list requirements
1. Great espresso and
coffee- This means using superior beans, equipment,
coffee skills, and water.
2. Great service- look
me in the eye and acknowledge me, even if I have
to wait
3. the look and feel
(ambiance) cool does not mean corporate looking
but not dirty or silly.
4. If you have food,
it must be the best at whatever you serve, even
if its pastries.
5. I would like to
see French press used as well as warm porcelain
cups to serve in
When in Crested Butte
visit Camp
For Coffee
In Taos visit World
Cup Coffee ( google
direction)
In Gunnison Colorado
visit
The Steaming Bean
Coming in this week,
two fine new additions to the Hopson stable of coffees.
I have also doubled my Sumatra order, as more and
more coffee geeks are discovering this wonderful
Mandheling Grade 1, yes its old school but that's
the beauty in it
Kenya Peaberry Gituamba
Greens lot 382
My Cupping notes:Big,Bold,Acidic,Heavy
Body,Winey,Citrus,Lemon. Only in the Kenya can you
have it all
Grown in Nyeri. Body, acidity, lemon. SL28.
Nicaragua Limoncillo
Estate, Java variety ************COE 2nd place
****************
My cupping notes Medium
Acidity, citrus,Honey,very clean,Light meduim body,delicate
aftertaste. A french press for sure.
A long story behind this one. Let's just say that
there is a small amount of Java variety of coffee
growing in Nicaragua, most of which is bought out
every year. Somehow, like a Java, somehow like a
Central. An early cupping of this year’s crop
was very different- bright citrusy acidity and flavor
with all the Java body and spiciness. Visit the
Mierisch family website: http://smierisch.googlepages.com.
New coffee has arrived
!!! In stock
Harrar Boldgrain- sounds
like it should be a beer
Mexico Don Eduardo-
One of the best Mexicans I have had, same as last
years, not as pretty but a better cup.
Guatemala SHG EP Antigua
'Acate'
Costa Rica SHB EP Tres
Rios La Dama - Outstanding Costa
I will have these up
for sale ASAP
4-25-08
Roasting samples
are cupped, I have other samples awaiting cupping
as well
The Harrar I have been
waiting for for the past month or so is in but,
I have been told it is not exactly what I was hoping
for. It had blueberry in the bean and grind but
did not come through in the cup. We shall see.-
The Harrar cupped very nice,
hints of blueberry came through, a touch of earth,
chocolate, med heavy body, some spice, acidity holds
up nice, and a nice finish as well. Overall a very
good cup, maybe not the stellar cup I wanted but
(maybe I am too picky)
Costa Las Trojas (new
crop) I am looking for a new stock of Costa. -I
was not that impressed, a little flat so I will
be waiting on mid season shipping.
The Don Educardo from
Mexico (new crop) last years is still a very Mexican
coffee. What I mean is its typical, medium acidity,
medium body, milk chocolate, hints of fruit. They
usually have a nice finish, but short.It can be
enjoyed as straight shot but one dimensional, smooth
milk chocolate. -This year
is better than last, with a nice medium body, silky
smooth, milk chocolate with toffee or caramel, with
some nice acidity as well.
Panama Hortigal Estate.-
Its a nice Pana but will pass
at the moment, some better crops are shipping
A PNG, that smells
great as a green-I was not
impressed, to medicinal
Daterra Espresso collection-
It was just OK
Daterra Sweet Blue-
A little better than the Espresso
collection but was expecting more
OK, it's CoE,
not COE, not coe. Look guys I am lousy at spelling
and grammar, they were not my top achievements in
school. So I am sorry, OK
4-6-08
Please forgive
me if it seems we are running out of coffee, we
are! But that's good news in a way. It usually means
new coffees are on the way. I have been holding
out on Costa's as my usual La Minta estate shipped
most of the first crop to the west coast. I just
do not buy enough to warrant the freight cost for
4-5 bags off the west side, it normally ships from
in Texas which saves us all money.
I am still looking at other Costa's but may be 2-3
weeks out.
I have some Harrar
which will be in shortly that has blueberry for
its middle name !!!!! Its called "Boldgrain"
. I have several Daterra samples on the way, these
Brazil's are a little pricey but well worth the
extra dollars. I could spend hours discussing coffee's
I want to try or buy and would bore you to tears
so I will stop here and say visit my site weekly
for the next month or two and see the new spring
arrivals.
From one of
my new customers, she ran out and needed some Hopson
quickly so I sent her over to Catalina as Max always
has my espresso blends in stock. She wrote me to
say this. BTW, She sports a Elektra plumbed in machine!!!
"Hi, Mr. Bill!
It was great speaking with you today, and THANK
YOU for directing me over to Catalina. It was neat
to see the barista's pulling shots off the Faema
and not the super-automatics that seem to be taking
over. Daniel was very kind to give my 3 yr old son
the shortbread cookie he was drooling at from the
jar. What a great cafe to have in the community.
Here are a couple shots of the Gunslinger. Man,
this is great stuff! This is compared to my previous
experiences from the Intelligentsia Black Cat and
Klatch WBC blends. The Gunslinger is the taste I've
been searching for, and it's been right here in
Houston...Perfect! I can't wait to try the Pony
Espresso, but for now I'm content to have dumped
the whole bag of Gunslinger into my grinder until
it's finished. I bought 2 lbs each of Gunslinger
and Pony.
I have owned my home espresso bar since the beginning
of March. It's plumbed in/drained out and the water
is treated with Spectrapure Coffee Lover's System,
which is r/o with Ph8 remineralization.
Thanks again for the great coffee. I know where
to find the best and that's Hopson Coffee
God bless,
June "
A couple of pics she
sent
Not bad for just
getting started 
of course great coffee
helps 
3-22-08
Pulled a shot this
morning of COE Brazil. Here is how I saw it. ROASTED
TO 443, few snaps into 2nd crack
Flat on the tip of
the tongue, needs to be pulled to the back quickly,
you can pick up a deep fruit, like plum
finish is nutty, toasted almonds
very balanced
clean
buttery
I am sorry but could not get any chocolate, maybe
because I had pulled a shot of bittersweet before
the COE
Have a shotty day
News- 3-14-08
Hey friends, we will
see many new coffees in the next several months,
most Central America growing regions have coffee
on the way. I will be cupping extensively in April
and May looking for new relationships and a superior
cup.
The word is spreading
that Catalina Coffee is the place for Coffee. From
COE coffees to a shot of our Pony Espresso, you
can count on excellence in service and product.
SCAA in May. I am trying
to decide if I want to leave early and become a
official barista judge, which requires a two day
course prior to the USB championships. I also would
like to take several new advanced coffee classes,
espresso and a ton of others. I spent last year
as an Instructor in Roasting and Administrator in
the Espresso Class
Upcoming SCAA conference
in May
Coffee on the way,
we have acquired 25 lbs of Two
Cup Of Excellence Coffee's
More
about COE coffee here
Lot#: 16
Fazenda Cachoeira Da Grama
- Gabriel De Carvalho Dias
Fazenda Cachoeira da
Grama has been in the Carvalho Dias family since
1890. Gabriel de Carvalho Dias, son of the owner,
Lindolpho de Carvalho Dias is responsible for the
property's management. It is located 3 miles from
Minas Gerais state line and has characteristics
from the mountainous areas of Mogiana and from Sul
de Minas. On this farm everything is done manually,
which includes coffee plantation handling and harvest,
since its topography does not allow any kind of
mechanization.
Social and environmental sustainability is considered
very important in the farm management. Lindolpho
de Carvalho Dias developed a program of planting
native species to keep a better ecological balance.
The farm has a school, a club and an official size
soccer field for the employees' benefit. There are
47 houses for the employees and their families,
all with modern facilities. The wastewater is treated
to avoid polluting the stream that runs across the
farm.
The altitude is between 1,100 and
1,250 meters and the precipitation is between 1,800
and 2,000mm per year with an average temperature
of 19ºC. Ideal conditions for coffee.
The farm still produces Bourbon
coffees, famous for their exceptional quality.
Coffee processing system
Coffee is harvested manually on
cloth, preventing beans from getting in touch with
the earth. The coffee processing is done as fast
as possible to avoid any chance of bean fermentation.
The harvested coffee is immediately transferred
from production fields to washers, with the separation
of the cherry and green beans from the dry beans,
which are sent to the terrace to dry. The cherry
and green beans are processed by the coffee pulper,
where the cherry beans are pulped and separated
from the green coffee.
The pulped coffee is dried under
the sun in terraces until the beans reach 20 percent
humidity. At this stage, the coffee is transferred
to the dryers to reduce humidity to 11 percent.
Subsequently, the coffee lots are stored in a warehouse,
with very low humidity level and free from odors
that can affect the coffee.
Concern with quality
The quality of the coffee produced
by Fazenda Cachoeira is a result of dedication and
care during all coffee production stages, from the
selections of the nursery trees and plantation to
harvesting and processing. After harvest the beans
receive the maximum attention possible so as not
to lose any of the body and cup qualities that the
region is known for.
Lindolpho de Carvalho Dias was among
the finalists of the Brazil Cup of Excellence Competition
in its 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005 edition.
Property Characteristics: Coffee Characteristics:
Farm: Fazenda Cachoeira Da Grama
Farmer: Gabriel De Carvalho Dias
Rank: 16
City: Araponga
Region: Mogiana
Country: Brazil
Farm Size: 471.00 Hectares
Coffee growing area: 170.00 Hectares
Altitude: 1200 masl
Certification: None
Variety: Bourbon
Processing System: Pulped Natural
Lot Size: 28 bags
International Jury Score: 85.88
Cupping Number #: 2045
Price: 4.95 USD
Winning Bidder: Café Imports, The Roasterie,
Paradise Roasters, 49th Parallel Roasters, Java
Blend Coffee Roasters, Condaxis Coffee, Atomic Café,
Green Coffee Cooperative, Barrington Coffee Roasters
Jury Descriptions: sweet (16) complex aroma (3),
honey (8) watermelon, creamy body (5) toasted nuts
(2) jasmine, consistent
Lot#: 5 Rodolfo
Boillat Silva - Finca Carrizal
Finca Carrizal
Rodolfo E. Boillat continues his family’s passion,
being the third generation producing gourmet coffee.
Finca Carrizal is located between the Barva and
Poas Volcanoes in the Central Valley Region of Costa
Rica, surrounded by two clear water rivers and blessed
with brilliant summer days, nebulous rainy winters,
and in the middle of natural forests and wildlife,
the emerald green coffee plantation is nurtured
under perfect conditions by Mother Nature.
The Coffee cherries are grown and
hand picked by dedicated workers in a very special
way. The beans are then processed in order to obtain
a perfectly balanced cup. Its full body, rich flavor
and floral aroma, will delight the most demanding
palates.
Property Characteristics: Coffee Characteristics:
Farm: Finca Carrizal
Farmer: Rodolfo Boillat Silva
Rank: 5
City: Carrizal de Alajuela
Region: Barva Volcanoe
Country: Costa Rica
Farm Size: 33.00 Hectares
Coffee growing area: 30.00 Hectares
Altitude: 1500 masl
Certification: None
Variety: Caturra
Processing System: Sun predried, finalized in Guardiola
Lot Size: 24 bags
International Jury Score: 89.34
Cupping Number #: 132
Price: 5.11 USD
Winning Bidder: Cafe Imports, Zoka Coffee Roasters,
49th Parallel, Montana Coffee Traders, PT's
Jury Descriptions: very sweet, syrupy (15), toffee
(10), complex aromatics (9) hazelnuts (10), cinnamon
(9), buttery mouthfeel (10) berries (10) dark chocolate
(10), sugar cane (12) crisp (10), mango (4), nasturtium
In The News 2-18-08
Cupping Class
went well. I want to thank those who attended for
being well behaved students. I think we all learned
a lot...even if you could not pick out the double
raspberry-vanilla-malt-cocoa-jasmine attributes.
My first class at CoffeeFest in 2004 had about 75
students who were confused as well. Cupping takes
time to learn, but by having the tools you can now
start to explore the art of coffee.
I have a truck
load of coffee on the way with two COE coffees.
More of my regular staples and some new offerings
as well.
BEWARE coffee
prices are edging up and certain origins are downright
expensive. Mostly African and Indonesians.
We are now Rainforest Alliance
certified. I really like their program; it does
more than just save trees http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/index.cfm
