The Reading Room

What is a green water fountain and why does it make me so happy? They started putting in green water fountains at work recently and I was thrilled when the water fountain near my office broke so I could request...

/files/u2252/tuktant_500.jpg" align="right" height="300" width="201" />One of the fun things about going to CoffeeCon 2012 over the weekend was getting to try coffee from Buzz Artisanal Coffee located in Wicker Park (home to C.M. Punk and Colt Cabana), a neat Chicago...

I normally don’t order any coffee that doesn’t have any reviews on them. I guess that’s because I am playing safe. It would be a torture to finish a bag of coffee you don’t really like and it’s a huge...

/files/u16346/10168dsc00487_1.jpg" width="375" height="500" />   Ever since I got my first lever La Peppina, I have been enchanted by the uniqueness of lever espresso machine. I don't think i have experienced the "zen" thing when using these lever espresso machines,...

http://ketchikanarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/100514_busking_broadway_thomas_600.png" /> "Multa cadunt inter calicem supremaque labra" Or, "many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip" - or, "unexpected outcomes!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd3Yu-ImZk0

The last few batches of beans I’ve had were distinctive in the sense that you could pick them out based on appearance alone for various reasons. I say this as someone who’s curious and pays attention to coffee trivia but...

Breaking in Burrs I was reading James Hoffman’s blog on the burrs for espresso grinders and how long it takes to break them in.  http://www.jimseven.com/2011/06/15/dear-grinder-manufacturers/ He had a mini rant that was intended to get signatures from other coffee pros...

The Aeropress conspiracy continues to expand in surprising directions. I thought I had it licked.  There is this problem that I have.  Everywhere I turn in the coffee world people are talking about how great the Aeropress is.  I keep...

I have been job hunting for quite some time now. I have applied for positions at chain coffee stores but while I have the customer service experience I have not been successful yet. I began to wonder if maybe pure...

I read just a little blurb in the paper over the weekend about people working really well in coffee shops, or other public places. It was a little bit to fill in a blank piece of paper of a weekend...

I had a chance to play with the Bunn Trifecta MB over the weekend. The brewer's finish looks nice with a solid appearance and feel. For $499 you get a couple brew chambers (one for tea and one for coffee)...

What I am drinking now – Hobo Ed's Train Hoppin' Espresso   http://www.roaste.com/product/Kimberton-Whole-Foods/Hobo-Eds-Train-Hoppi...   I think this is an espresso that you just have to like if only because of the great name (edit to point out that ironically I...

A wild card enters the water race.  I have been testing waters for my own taste lately and decided for fun to add in one more water.  It is the Cirqua AB water formulator.  I believe I had read once...

This is the second (and almost certainly last) in my series of posts on reasonably cheap ways to get into home roasting.  I found that doing so was fun and informative and I learned a lot about coffee, but I...

Along with getting a new espresso machine lately I also got something that I have been wanting for a while, a Hario V60 02. The other types of brewing methods that I have at my disposal are all kind of...

What are the cheapest ways to get into home roasting?  I have some favorite methods that I have never tried, but have always been fascinated by.  Most of them have some risk and probably should not be attempted in some...

The other day I decided to try filtered water versus non-filtered water for pour over coffee and the result was that the filtered water was better.  This is not shocking since that was what I also concluded drinking the water...

I have been saving this one for a while to write about, mainly because due to shipping delays I ended up with three bags of this coffee. So a big thanks goes to the excellent customer support of Aaron at...

Homogeneity in coffee blending I recently ordered Hobo Ed’s Railroad espresso.  I have just started pulling shots of it and am enjoying it and as I get to know it better I expect to post a review of it soon,...

Recently, I have been enjoying cold brewed coffee in the evening. Sometimes I incorporate it into a dessert, other times I have been drinking it straight up. The biggest problem I have had with cold brewed coffee is how long...

I think we may have a contender here for most efficiently (and also somewhat strangely) fulfilled online coffee order ever. Here’s the story as it unfolded with time stamps (EST) for dramatic effect. 1. Tues., 2/21, 10:26 a.m. I decide...