Wake Up to Coffee!

Jul 13, 2023 by Chef David

By Chef David

Coffee has become a morning ritual many people depend on, providing a multisensory experience involving smell and taste. Some crave the jolt from caffeine, which increases alertness by preventing drowsiness caused by adenosine. Caffeine stimulates neurotransmitters like dopamine, which may increase focus and performance.

Coffee does not affect everyone the same way.  It can be a mood booster for some, and increase anxiety in others. There might be a placebo effect, where just inhaling the scent of coffee improves memory and stimulates alertness.

Caffeine has a half-life of about six hours, which means that if you have your final cup of coffee at noon, half of the caffeine is still in your system at 6 pm.

Making the Perfect Cup

Utilitarian coffee drinkers who use instant coffee can produce a consistent brew by adding hot water to grounds or pods. Interestingly, some studies show caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee provide the same health benefits differing only in the amount of caffeine per cup, 80–100 milligrams in regular coffee while decaffeinated contains about 5–12 mg.

Whether you like to use whole beans or ground, 2.5 tablespoons of coffee for 6 ounces of water produces a cup with a bold, smooth taste.

Freshness Factor

Coffee always tastes best when it is fresh. That’s why coffee aficionados begin by grinding whole beans and it’s important to store it properly. Whole beans stay fresh longer. Once the beans are ground, they begin losing their flavor after 20 minutes.  Check the expiration date when purchasing whole beans and bags.

Sealed packaging extends their freshness. Whole beans in unopened packages stay fresh an additional six to nine months past the expiration date, while ground coffee can last an additional three to five months. Freezing may extend the life of whole beans to 1 to 2 years.

To keep them fresh longer, store whole or ground beans in airtight containers away from light, heat, and moisture, like in a cool, dark cabinet.

Health Considerations

Roasting breaks down caffeine. Darker roasts tend to have lower caffeine content, fewer antioxidants, and lower levels of chlorogenic acid, a compound that may reduce inflammation and cell damage.

Coffee filtered through paper may be healthier than coffee made with a metal filter or no filter at all because the substances in coffee that can raise LDL cholesterol can be removed using a filter. Studies have found that a cup of unfiltered coffee typically contains about 30 times the concentration of lipid-raising substances compared with filtered coffee.

Finer grind size releases more polyphenols, providing slightly more beneficial effects.

Grind Size Determines Brewing Speed

Small grounds extract fast, large ones take longer, and tiny adjustments to your grind size can make your coffee taste better. Does your coffee taste too bitter? Try using a courser setting to reduce the amount of extraction and produce a more balanced flavor. Sourness and acidity signify under-extraction. Try a finer grind size.

We found that the way the coffee was brewed made a difference. Better coffee grinders, with more precise grounds, yielded exceptional flavors.

We recommend experimenting with a variety of flavors and roasts. Coffee flavors are rated from lighter to bolder. Beans can include the subtleties and flavor profiles associated with wines. We experimented with beans from Brooklyn Roasting Company.

Brooklyn Roasting Company

The Brooklyn Roasting Company, founded by Jim Munson in Williamsburg in 2009, sells coffee beans, whole or ground, all under the OU certification. They offer an array of amazing unusual coffees (available as ground or beans) for retail and wholesale customers, organized by roast type and region. Like fine wines, they use a scale to classify the roast.

We tasted Bali Kintamani and Guatemala Huehuetenango whole beans.

Bali Kintamani comes from the Indonesian island of Bali, in the northern highlands of Kintamani, and is sun-dried. This coffee is described as having hints of chocolate and strawberry. Rated at a 3, this is a lighter, milder brew.

Guatemala Huehuetenango originates in the Antigua and Huehuetenango regions benefiting from the rich volcanic soil. This brew has smoky chocolate notes and a hint of crisp green apple, toasted almond, and blackberry. Rated a 5 it is slightly stronger than Bali and well-balanced. Our tasters detected the subtleties in the flavors and enjoyed their vibrance, and unique combination.

Brooklyn Roasting Company sells custom blends like Iris Expresso, described as jammy, spicy, balanced with notes of bakers’ chocolate, root beer, flowers, and figs, and 3D which includes flavors of berry, dark chocolate, and honey.

Their philosophy is simple they “believe coffee is an inspirational beverage and supports the life of the mind in general”. They describe themselves as serious but not snobby, practical not pretentious, accessible not exclusive. Like Brooklyn, they are bold, brave, colorful, and creative. “The outline of our logo, like the boundaries of the borough of Brooklyn, never changes, but what’s inside —the colorful characters of our coffees, our customers, and our employees— is always changing”.

Brooklyn Roasting Company has been expanding, beginning their flagship roastery and retail operation at 25 Jay Street in Dumbo they are now sold at locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Japan. Locations are listed on their site and they can be ordered online.  For wholesale customers, Brooklyn Roasting Company offers classes in coffee roasting, packaging, delivery, equipment sourcing, service, and additional employee training.

Embrace Your Inner Barista

Our investigation of coffee led to the discovery of Ozeri’s handmade, double-wall barista coffee glass, the perfect accessory for the coffee aficionado who has almost everything coffee. This easy-to-read and simple-to-use glass has measure lines that show the correct proportions making anyone an expert able to create Espressos, Macchiatos, Cortados, Americanos, Flat Whites, Cappuccinos, Lattes, and Cafe Au Laits. Ozeri included all the most popular coffee drinks.

What makes this glass different is its signature double-wall construction, which provides protection from hot beverages, free of condensation with chilled coffee drinks. It is designed to be microwave and freezer safe, in addition to being practical it is attractive, elegant, and professional, barista-quality.

Ozeri’s barista can be purchased online or from select retailers.

Elevate your Coffee-ista

Coffee lovers will enjoy the decadent flare of barista quality flavors and flawless presentation with beans from the Brooklyn Roasting Company prepared using Ozeri’s handmade, double-wall barista coffee glass.  Treat yourself to these craft beverages from the convenience of your home, and explore the fanciful brews.