B1, 416 Meridian Road S.E., Calgary, AB T2A 1X2
Telephone: (403) 230-8636 / 230-1644
Toll Free: 1-800-813-5336

Coffee Facts (cont.)


Caffeine

Up There is about as much caffeine in a 12 ounce cup of French Roast Arabica Specialty Coffee as there is in a 10 ounce cup commercial grade DECAF! from MJB, Folgers, Hills Brothers, Chase and Sandborn or the typical grocery coffee. You also get more caffeine from a cup of regular coffee than you would from a shot of espresso, even a double shot! Rationale, one or even two ounces versus a regular eight ounce cup.


Varietals, Style, Roasts and Blends

Up Varietals is the term used for the coffee that comes from a geographical region. A Sumatra, Kenya, Costa Rica or a Java are varietals. As in wine...soil, climate and cultivation methods affect the taste of your coffee. Some generalizations are formed due to these inherent variables in every region. Typically, coffee from South America is medium bodied and mild in acidity. Central American coffee has good acidity, a medium body and full aroma. Costa Rican coffee is the stand-out here in Central America, it is perhaps the best to blend with any other coffees. The only North American coffee produced in commercial quantities comes from Hawaii and it is a favorite of many coffee drinkers but its best description is buttery which is a rare example, it is mostly "earthy." African coffees are more often winey, well balanced in acidity and medium to full bodied. The Pacific coffees are a varietal, unblended and pure, perfectly balanced "coffee" taste sometimes sweet, sometimes spicy, low in acidity and full bodied. Styles: a French Roast, Italian Roast, Vienna, or even the ever popular Espresso "bean" are NOT beans! There is no Espresso plant nor is there an espresso bean. These are styles of roast. Espresso is a blend of beans roasted in an espresso style so are the blend of beans in the French or Italian. The typical roasts are: Light - which also consists of Cinnamon or Half City roasts. Medium - which are Full City, American, Regular or Breakfast. Dark - Continental, New Orleans, Vienna, most Starbucks roasts. Darkest - are French, Italian, Espresso, a lot of Pete's. Blends are just that.


Choosing the Right Coffee

Up The discriminating Specialty Coffee drinker marketed by Mr Cappucino brings (the masses) up to another level...that of a connoisseur. Coffee should be "experienced," not drank as a habit.

Just as wine has no single flavor compound that gives rise to a winelike taste, there is no integral "coffee flavor." Certain coffees have two to three times more aromatic oils than others, so why do we limit our experiences to just one style of roast or one varietal?


Grinders

Up For you non-purists. Never ever grind your pristine whole beans of any variety in the same grinder that you use for flavored coffees! If you must buy flavored coffee, buy them ground. After all, they are so infused with other oils that they do not expire for as long as a month...even ground! Enough about flavored coffee, no maybe not...Did you know that the beans used for this product are the lowest grade, no flavor, no acid, may as well be Robusta pretending to be Arabica beans! Okay, I'm done with that. Here's an idea! If you like flavored coffee, buy good quality whole bean coffee. The kind that stands alone. Then just put a drop or even two of your favorite flavor in YOUR cup AFTER it's brewed. The oils are now sold by "Mr Cappuccino." Let's get back to grind. They are in order: Turkish , extra-fine, very-fine, fine, medium-fine, medium, medium-coarse and coarse. These are standard grind settings calibrated at most Specialty Coffee Retailers. For the home, invest in an electric grinder ($20). A coarse is about 5-8 seconds, medium is 10-12 seconds, and fine is 15-18. Cone filters: start with 25 seconds and if the coffee is too bitter or "strong" bring it down to 20 seconds. Espresso machines: start with 30 seconds and check your "pull" time.
Return to Mr Cappuccino's Home Page
Mr Cappuccino
B1, 416 Meridian Road S.E. Calgary, Alberta. Canada T2A 1X2
Phone: (403) 230-8636 Fax: (403) 277-2874
You can contact us at: coffee@agt.net