Author Archive
I’m a Coffee Snob!
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When you ‘Pin’ this, replace “YOUR NAME” with…your name 
Be a proud coffee snob. It doesn’t mean that you are pretentious, It means that you are informed!
Hello, my name is Nate…and I’m a Coffee Snob!
I’m a Coffee Snob! [image] p.ost.im/p/eaCCyN via @CoffeeNate :: RT 2 enter @KirkJeffery #coffee giveaway! #CoffeeNateMe
— Nathan Smith (@CoffeeNate) January 28, 2012
Click “RETWEET” to get 2 free coffee giveaway entries!
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Ingredients of a So-Called ‘Healthy’ #Coffee
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Ingredients of a ‘Healthy’ Coffee
Source: Uploaded by user via “Coffee” Nate on Pinterest
I’m really down on these ‘healthy’ coffee companies. While there are several other scammy outfits out there selling snake oil, it blows my mind that these people try to market to people who actually know what coffee tastes like, and that whole bean coffee is naturally healthy. It’s like trying to tell a cigar aficionado that a Swisher Sweet is better than a Fuente Fuente OpusX, or serving fish sticks to a food critic who specializes in seafood.
This week somebody sent me a sample of ORGANO GOLD CAFE LATTE. I had to laugh when I opened the package, and I remember saying “These clowns are relentless!” Not a week goes by that someone doesn’t send me their miracle coffee, beg me to join their healthy coffee company to become a millionaire, or request to advertise on my site. The answer to all of these requests is NO FREAKING WAY! I have yet to taste a ‘healthy coffee’ that I would even consider finishing the cup, let alone drinking it by choice.
Do yourself a favor and enjoy a cup of the REAL healthy coffee…coffee! The stuff grows on trees, and is only processed by drying and roasting. How in the world could powderizing and lacing it with preservatives be better than the natural product? By adding a mushroom extract? I don’t think so, give me the original healthy coffee…real coffee!!!! (Health benefits of coffee) The reason for this post is to share the ‘healthy’ ingredients of this…beverage. No matter what unproven health benefits this mushroom may possess, I would have to say that in this form it would be negligible.
Single Serve Coffee Tips :: Kirk Jeffery Coffee Review
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Single Serve Coffee Tips & Kirk Jeffery Coffee Review
:: Single Serve Coffee Craze ::
Have a coffee question…ASK COFFEENATE!
Single serve coffee makers are all the rage at the moment. Masses of people are choosing these convenient brewers as their daily brewer, but is this a wise choice? Check out the video
for my thoughts and tips on making single serve coffee that is far superior to these expensive gizmos. Don’t waste your money by trading taste, value, and sustainability for the convenience of a plastic coated stale coffee product. Click here for more of my thoughts on Kcups and other single serve brewers like the Keurig.
I received some coffees from Kirk Jeffery Coffee, a micro roaster who specializes in small batches of fine coffees. I really liked one of these coffees, and it is very reasonable at $10/lb. Check out the video for my thoughts.
Have a question, comment, or want to start a conversation about this video or other coffee topic? Leave a comment below and I will reply c[_] Merry Christmas, and thank you for taking the time to check out this post!
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#Coffee Lover’s Gift Giving Guide : Great ideas from $25
Posted by: | CommentsIf you are like me then you absolutely detest having to put up with the huge crowds and endless searching from store to store for the perfect gift for the loved ones on your list. I know I really benefit from online gift shopping, especially since I don’t live anywhere near an urban center where I can even find what I’m looking for. If it’s not at WalMart, then I have to buy it online 
Also, if you’ve never purchased gifts online, then you are in for a treat. It is super easy and you always get what you want. In addition, it is very secure. Some folks are afraid to use their credit/debit cards online (and with good reason with all of the identity theft nowadays), but do you honestly feel better handing your card to a store clerk that makes $6/hour, or a waitress who makes $4/hour? I have been using the same credit card online for 10 years and haven’t once experienced any issues. So check out my recommended gift ideas for the coffee drinkers on your list. I have broken it down by price range, and there is something for everyone from the regular joe coffee drinker, or the snobbiest of coffee snobs!
GIFTS UNDER $30
Bodum Chambord 3-Cup French Press
The French Press is a must have for ANY coffee drinker. Even the most sophisticated coffee snobs hold the press pot in high regard! I personally love this method because it allows you to experience coffee in its barest form, ground beans + hot water…nothing else to get in the way of the rich flavor! The 3 cup size is perfect for a single cup, but larger sizes are available too.
AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker
The AeroPress looks like a giant coffee syringe, but it really is a coffee brewer. It is a unique design that uses a combination of pressure extraction, steeping, and paper filtration. It produces a very smooth and clean cup of coffee that is reported by some to be easier on the digestive system than other brewing methods. I have yet to meet someone who has tried the AeroPress that did not agree that it makes a super cup of coffee. The AeroPress is likely not in your local store, but you can purchase it online for less than $30.
Planetary Design Double-Shot Stainless Steel French Press Mug
A travel mug and a french press coffee brewer all in one! The lid has a plunger attached to it, you simply scoop some coffee right into the mug, add hot water, put the lid on, and push the plunger down 4 minutes later. Now you have a flavorful cup of coffee, and you don’t have to share This particular model has a compartment in the bottom with a little cup that you can store another cup’s worth of coffee grinds in. These mugs are available in many fun colors and will be sure to be a hit. This is an updated version with a much improved handle and storage compartment. The customer service at Planetary Design is super! The handle fell off of my original mug a year after I had purchased it and they replaced it with the updated version NO CHARGE! Now that is standing behind your product.
Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Maker
The Moka pot is yet another excellent, yet inexpensive, brewer. You’ll find my instructional video here. The moka pot, also known as the stovetop espresso maker, brews a concentrated cup of coffee…not espresso. I love the flavor filled cup that it makes and it is nearly dummy proof. I’ve seen these in stores for almost $100, but it is much cheaper here.
TightVac Coffee Storage Container
Coffee freshness is impacted negatively by heat, light, moisture, and oxygen. The TightVac coffee storage containers can help with all of the above (unless you store them in the oven). What I found really cool about the TightVac is the pressure release valve, quite similar to what you find on bags of coffee. This allows the CO2, produced by the roasted beans, to escape the container without allowing oxygen to enter. These containers start a just a few dollars and can keep up to 5 lbs of coffee fresh! See my post on this product.
GIFTS UNDER $100 Read More→
The Difference Between a Latte, Cappuccino, and an Au Lait [visual]
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>>>>>>>>>Click to Enlarge<<<<<<<<<<<<<
So today I posted this image on my facebook page in order to help you visualize what the difference is between different espresso and coffee based drinks. Although there are some regional variances, this espresso field guide [courtesy of orbitvisual.com] There are other more popular image guides, but none are more detailed, or more accurate than this one (note there is no caramel, whipped cream, or sugar on the Macchiato)! I am surprised at the number of ‘baristas’ that do not understand the difference between even the most basic of coffee drinks! There are many great baristas out there that are exceptionally knowledgeable and create spectacular drinks for sure, but I am not privileged enough to live close to any of them 
Oh well, this has fueled my desire to learn how to brew the best coffee at home, and I have been quite successful. It also makes traveling even more of an adventure when I get to hunt for (and find) amazing coffee shops. So here is the guide, click on the link below the image to get a larger view of it, and you can zoom in on it as well. Also note that you can order this image on shirts, posters, and other items at Orbit Visual’s Cafe Express page. Cheers! c[_]
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A Review of @KumaCoffee & #Coffee Cupping Tips
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Kuma Coffee Review & Coffee Cupping Tips
:: How To Cup Coffee ::
Have a coffee question…ASK COFFEENATE!
“Coffee cupping” it sounds like a weird thing. It would be much easier to know what the heck it is if they would’ve simply termed it ‘coffee tasting’. There are many things that impact a coffee’s flavor characteristics, not the least of which is the brewing process itself. So when ‘cupping’ or tasting coffees, we eliminate all of the things that impact the flavor outside of the bean itself. When we cup coffee, we simply add hot water to ground beans. We do this into a glass or a ceramic cup, because these two items will not impart any odor or flavor into the brew. We use the same amount of coffee in each cup, as well as the identical amount of water. Now, we can make this as informal or as technically precise as we want. In this instance, I was really informal. The point of this cupping was Read More→
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