The Reading Room

 Making espresso at home is more achievable than most people think. The right machine, a quality grinder, and a few hours of practice produce shots that rival your local cafe. Here is everything you need to know to start.

Tried coffee via the Keurig K cup for the first time today while visiting a relative. She likes the convenience and speed of it. I tried it and was not impressed. The coffee seemed weak. To be fair I decided...

About two weeks ago Revel Coffee started selling here on Roaste, and I my interest was piqued by this little roaster. When I say little this is a little operation out Billings MT. Yes I said Montana, not exactly the...

As one moves up the upgraditis ladder of espresso machines, one will eventually face a crossing path: to go a Double Boiler(DB) or to go with a Heat Exchanger(HX) machine? Here’s exactly one of the many threads that are being...

Revisiting gas packed coffees A recent blog post asked about if the coffees packed with intert gasses were really not as good as fresh coffee and or frozen coffee. I bought some Illy to try to confirm the answer.  The...

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...

Light roast is not weak coffee. It is the most complex, acidic, and origin-expressive roast level , and the most demanding to brew correctly. These 5 things explain what makes light roast different and how to get the most out of it.

/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

Coffee beans from different species and origins taste completely different. Arabica and robusta define the quality ceiling. Ethiopia, Brazil, Colombia, Kenya, and Guatemala each produce distinct flavor profiles that no other region replicates. Here is what separates each.

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...

 Agitation is one of the least discussed variables in coffee brewing. How you stir, pour, and create turbulence in the grounds bed directly affects extraction evenness, body, and flavor. Here is how it works across every major brewing method.

Dark roast coffee is not stronger, not more caffeinated, and not supposed to taste burnt. These 5 myths about dark roast coffee get in the way of understanding what well-roasted dark coffee actually delivers: bold body, low acidity, chocolate and caramel depth, and a forgiving brew.

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...

Get ready to enter the “Caffeine Zone”. Yep, someone by the name of Frank Ritter has come up with an iPhone app that can keep you within the Zone, where you stay at an even level of caffeinated bliss. Scien-tifically...

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...

Colombian coffee is one of the most consistent specialty origins in the world. Five distinct growing regions produce coffee with different altitude profiles, processing methods, and flavor characteristics. This guide covers what makes Colombian coffee distinctive and how each region differs.