The Reading Room

Uncommon Grounds, final impressions.
So I finished this book a few day ago written by Mark Pendergrast (You can read the intro here). The main chord that struck me about the book was the fact that it mainly delt with the relationship between the...
Iranian Coffee Shops Offer Lattes and Haven
“The music of pop singer Ricky Martin filled the air as customers ordered $4 shots of espresso and connected to the shop’s wireless Internet with their cell phones. Girls with long hair spilling out from under their obligatory Islamic head...
How honest should customers be with baristas in coffee shop?
How honest should customers be with baristas in coffee shops? I have had a few experiences lately where I was left to ponder if I should tell the coffee shop that they were not measuring up.  Once I held my...
The secret recipe - what is the point?
I recently was on a trip and went to a coffee shop where I got a shot of coffee that I quite liked.  It had come highly recommended and so I was not shocked (recommended by someone who has good...
Moka pot - basic guide
Moka Pot is a nifty little brewer that makes really strong coffee. It is sometimes called a stovetop espresso maker. But espresso it is not, just strong coffee that is very close to espresso. When done right, it can give...
Hello Hario, Pourover Method Returns
We’re excited to soon be offering the essential tools for a complete pourover brewing experience from Hario.  Why pourover?  Arguably the low-tech side of coffee brewing, and also the most interesting with the right coffee! The ubiquitous Melitta cone and...
Have Coffee, Will Hike
A Willoughby Ohio coffee shop has come up with a novel idea for combining coffee, socializing and exercising every Saturday morning. We’ve read about biking coffee clubs, so now we have hiking coffee clubs - well, at least one. Chris...
The perfect cup?
A good coffee is a real treat when it's brewed correctly. However, to present the good coffee in its best form, do we need some kind of specific cup to go with it? Is the perfect cup important?I’ve seen people...
Is it really all about the grinder or is that an exaggeration?
Is it really all about the grinder or is that an exaggeration? If you read any espresso obsessed message boards, blogs, or articles you will almost certainly hear someone say something along the lines of “It is all about the...
A Lush experiment with coffee and water temperatures.
A lush experiment with coffee and water temperatures. One of the fascinating blog entries on Roaste is by Scott Lush and can be found herehttp://www.roaste.com/CoffeeBlogs/scott/2-Surprising-Finds-about-Coffee-... he does something, which is always worth doing and he challenges conventions of brewing and...
A few parting thoughts.
Just finishing up my day and well I've finished "Uncommon Grounds," pretty interesting read and there is a lot of information there. The book is pretty indepth history into the coffee industry of North America. However, I would like to...
Espro Press Review: Is the Double Filter French Press Worth It?

The Espro Press uses a double micro-mesh filter to eliminate sludge from French press coffee without sacrificing body or oils. Here is an honest breakdown of how it performs.

What Makes a Great Coffee Shop? 5 Things to Look For

Most people judge a coffee shop on atmosphere. The real markers are different. These 5 things separate a genuinely great coffee shop from one that only looks the part.

Thoughts of sipping coffee.
So for the past couple weeks I have been reading through "Uncommon Grounds" by Mark Pendergrast. The book mainly revolves around the history of coffee through the eyes of the United States and it's relationship with the countries that provide...
Coffee Cupping for Harvard Students
What does the average Harvard student think about during mid-November? Exams, term papers, grades, beer……? From the looks of the school paper, it is occupying and protesting. Yet, in the midst of the protests, some students took time to learn...
Conical burrs taste profile - is it true that it's brighter?Is yours?
Recently, I have acquired both decent grinders in each class of conical burrs( Pharos) and flat burrs(Major), this made me wondering about the differences between these two burrs. They might not be a representative of each class but they sure...
Lessons I learned through roasting
Lessons I learned through roasting I think there are some things I learned about coffee as a result of roasting that I might not have learned just buying other people’s coffee even though I am not a great roaster.  ...
Checking grind conventions for brewed coffee
Today’s brewed coffee experiment – does the grind convention (coarse vs fine) hold or is this something people do because it is what they do?   I really like James Hoffman’s blog and I find it especially interesting when this world...
OE Pharos hand grinder from Orphan Espresso -Part 3: Impression & Summary
Continued from OE Pharos hand grinder from Orphan Espresso -Part 2: First Impression Here's Part 1: OE Pharos hand grinder from Orphan Espresso -Part 1:Introductory   Retention: Titan conical grinders tend to have a bad name for their ground retention....
Is a Hand Grinder Worth It for Espresso? A Practical Guide

A hand grinder for espresso produces excellent results at a fraction of the cost of a quality electric grinder. Here is what to expect, the real tradeoffs, and the technique changes that make it work.