2014年5月30日星期五

Coffee Cafe Proudly Presents

Our YouTube Channel

It has been a while since our last post. To enhance our reader interests, we are hard working on our first YouTube video.

Jump in to have a look below. It took our team more than 50mins uploading the 1080P Full HD video, but if you experience any lags due to the video taking up too much processing power of your PC, please let us know!

We listen to every individual's suggestions and recommendations and take your contributions seriously.

Hope you all enjoyed it!

By
Zhutian Cai
Tim Wang
Shine Wu

2014年5月12日星期一

How and where was coffee discovered?

How and where was coffee discovered?


The most popular story told is of a goat herder named Kaldi who went looking for his flock and found them dancing wildly. He soon discovered that they were eating the leaves and berries of a certain plant. When he tried some of the berries, he quickly felt energized. Soon, a monk noticed Kaldi's vigor, and he asked the goatherd how that came to be; Kaldi told him about the plant, and the monk picked the berries and brought them back to the monastery, where the monks used them to stay awake for late night prayer and study. Unfortunately, this story is almost certainly simply a legend, and the true story of how the effects of the coffee bean were discovered is lost to history. What is not in dispute is that coffee originated in the highlands of Ethiopia.

Reference:Galla Coffee, Unit 3 Warwick Road, Fairfield Industrial Estate, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 0YB, UK,viewed 28 April 2014

                                                                      Tianxiang Wang

Starbucks - coffee chain tax evasion

Starbucks Tax Evasion

Background
Late 2012, Starbucks was one of the multinational corporations that were under fierce attacks from the general public. Nationals from the UK were outraged by the fact that Starbucks had only paid £8.6 million in corporate tax for its 15 years of operation in the UK, while the company's sales in 2011 is close to £400 million. This doesn't sound good in spite the company's attempt to market itself green and sustainable-friendly.

Anti-tax avoidance campaigners protesting in central London
Citizens are outraged by Starbuck's misconduct

June 2013, BBC reported Starbucks finally paid its first UK corporate tax since 2009. If you've been following the news, you should be aware of that Starbucks was not the only company evading tax, among it Microsoft, Google and Apple were also brought to the attention in media around that time.

How companies evade tax
By now, I know you've been asking yourselves, how do companies do that? Well, that's what I'm here to explain.

I am an high-achieving accounting merit scholar at Macquarie University (having achieved GPA 4 out of 4 so far! Yay, a nerd hey?), now is the time to put everything I've learnt into practice. There is a mechanism that corporations can use called Transfer Pricing. Transfer pricing was originally used to examine the profitability of each different business divisions within a large organisation. In other words, it is a performance monitoring and measurement tool especially benefiting multinational companies to monitor its performance in different geographic locations. 

This is how it works with the use of an example (yes, we all love examples). Company XYZ Group Limited, a mobile phone manufacturer operates in two countries Singapore and Australia. The Singapore company (S Ltd) runs a factory and produces mobile phones to be sold in Australia (A Ltd). The phones cost $50/unit and sells for $150/unit in Australia. The company tax rate in Australia is 30%, in Singapore 17%. If A Ltd sells 10000 mobile phones in Australia, how much tax will XYZ Group pay? Consider the following two scenarios.

1. S Ltd sells to A Ltd at cost, which is $50/each. S Ltd makes no profit. However, A Ltd buys the phones from S Ltd for $50/each and sells for $150/each, hence makes $100 profit per mobile phone. The amount of tax payable for the XYZ Group will be: 
$100 x 10000 phones x 30% tax = $300,000 tax to the Australian Government.

2. S Ltd sells to A Ltd at $150/each. It costs S Ltd $50/each to manufacture, but it sells to A Ltd for $150/each , hence S Ltd makes a profit of $100 per mobile phone shipped to Australia. A Ltd buys the phones from S Ltd $150/each and sells for $150/each, hence makes no profit in Australia. The amount of tax payable for the XYZ Group will be:
$100 x 10000 phones x 17% tax = $170,000 tax to the Singapore Government.

Starbucks and all other multinational corporations cleverly enacts international transfer pricing to shift profits between countries with higher tax rates to countries that attract lower tax rates to reduce their tax liabilities. Starbucks UK pays a high loyalty fee to its other international subsidiaries for the coffee and branding, hence, increasing the cost of operation in the UK and therefore paying less tax.

Below is an interesting video on Starbucks' tax evasion scandle:



References:
BBC 2014, Starbucks pays UK corporation tax for the first time since 2009, viewed 12 May 2014, <http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-23019514>.

Transfer pricing example is from my own knowledge.


By Zhutian Cai (42880815)

2014年5月11日星期日

Gloria Jean's

a bit about Gloria Jean's

Australians have love and passion about their country and culture. That's what makes an Aussie unique to the rest of the world. When it comes to coffee, Aussies too have their love and choices - Gloria Jean's. It is named Australia's favourite coffee brand.

In recent years, the Gloria Jean's brand has gone international with operations across 39 countries with more than 1000 stores. These numbers are no match for Starbucks, which the number of the stores in the US alone surpasses Gloria Jean's worldwide figures as you may have noted in the previous blog post. But for a coffee lover, size doesn't matter! It's all about quality, taste, feel and the environment.

Gloria Jean's has a bit of twist to its history. The brand similar to Starbucks, Gloria Jean's  was established in the US, by a guy called Gloria Jean Kvetko in 1979. However he is no business man. Two Australians purchased the brand and it's rights to operate in countries other than the US and eventually, the brand grew to its presence today. 

Due to strong presence in Australia, the brand is one of the longest supporters of Jeans for Genes day, having raised over $630,000 since 2002. Gloria Jean's is also part of the Rainforest Alliance, which aims at protecting ecosystems and supporting the people and wildlife that depend on them. The company conducts business ethically and was awarded Rainforest Alliance Corporate Green Globe Award, becoming the first Australian company winning the award.

Sadly however, the company was acquired by Yellow Pages Singapore in 2013 for $35.6 million.


References:
Wikipedia 2014, Gloria Jean's Coffees, viewed 8 May 2014, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Jean's_Coffees>.

By Zhutian Cai








Starbucks

The first brand for people to think about coffee should be starbucks.
Starbucks is a global coffee company from America. The general headquater is based in Seattle. Starbucks is started in 1971, and now it develops as the biggest coffeehouse shop company in the world, in 64 countries with 20891 stores, with 13279 stores in the USA,851 in China, 1324 in Canada, 989 in Japan and 806 in the United States.
The first Starbucks is built my three students who met together in the Univercity of San Francisco, on march 30, 1971.At the first the Starbucks also be called Pequod, but the name was refused by some co-founders. 
Starbucks serve serve hot and cold coffee drinkings, whole-bean coffee,snacks, cakes and crosants. Some stores also sell mugs or tumblers, hot or cold sandwichs, even beers, wines and appetizers after 4 pm.
Starbucks opened at average 2 new stores per day from 1987, it expanded rocketly. Starbucks also supply some products like films, musics or books.
When it have the store in the California, it has became a fashion. The first global shop outside the USA and Canada is in the Tokyo in 1996. Now, it has became the symbol of coffee in the whole world.

Reference:
"Loxcel Starbucks Map". Starbucks. March 22, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
"Starbucks Evenings | Starbucks Coffee Company". Starbucks.com. Retrieved 2014-05-09
"5 Things You Didn’t Know: Starbucks | The Best Article Every Day". Bspcn.com. 2007-12-10. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
Sheng Wu

Starbucks

a bit about STARBUCKS

Some thoughts just came to my mind today as I walked down the pavement in freezing cold wind after uni, late at night, none of the shops are open. A cup of hot drink, that's all I'm needed. Starbucks, Gloria Jeans, Max Brenner, are the list of places that pop out of my mind.



Well, it has become a household name. It is now a multinational conglomerate with annual revenue in excess of $14 billion with a history of just over 43 years.

Like any other businesses, it was started as a  high quality coffee bean and equipment selling business by three students of University of San Francisco.

Named after a whaling ship's chief mate, Starbucks now boosts stores in 64 countries, according to Wikipedia, 13,279 in the United States, 1,324 in Canada, 989 in Japan, 851 in China and 806 in the United Kingdom. 

Starbucks has well integrated into many of the local cultures, especially in China where I come from, it has also become a household name amongst the educated middle class throughout the nation, despite main differences between the eastern and western way of having hot beverages.

Here in Australia, Starbucks also finds itself sitting comfortably in the market.

References:

Wikipedia 2014, Starbucks, viewed 5 May 2014, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbucks>.

By Zhutian Cai

2014年5月6日星期二

Choice of Espresso Maker - MAN Power vs Automation vs 'Jelly'

Choice of Espresso Maker - MAN Power vs Automation vs 'Jelly'

It can be a hassle when you gain entry into appliance retailers today. You are bombarded with different colours, makes, brands and types of Espresso makers. Depending on if it's your first machine or you are yourself an experienced barista, the choice can still be mind bogging.

Before you start
The recommendation is not to experience the so called 'features' or 'price-tags' of each brands and machines, but to first make it straight to yourself: what value am I looking to get out of the machine. When I say value, I don't mean the greenbacks you handover over the counter. I mean, what job you want the machine to do for you - whether it be convenience, quality taste, barista-like experience or showoffs in front of your mates.

Once you've cleared your mind, lets move on!

As you be aware of, there are three types of Espresso machines a normal consumer can buy:

  • manual/semi-automatic machines (MAN POWER)
  • fully automatic machines (AUTOMATION)
  • capsule machines (JELLY)

Let's start choosing
Manual/semi-automatic
Semi-automatic machine by Breville

These are suited for those who are looking for a barista-like experience. These machines usually have a lower price tag and barrier of entry for a number of reasons. 
  1. Usually doesn't come with a grinder, so prepare to spend extra to get yourself the powder you need to kick into action.
  2. More difficult to operate, a few tries and kicks are needed to get yourself started to brew your favourite cup.
  3. Time consuming to clean after use.
  4. But you do have full control over the whole process, the extraction, the milk frothing and all that action!
What now? Don't buy it just for the looks, YES, you do look like a pro in front of your mates, but if you are buying it solely to show off, I recommend you to hold your fire. You won't enjoy cleaning it.

Fully automatic
Fully automated coffee machine by Delonghi

Well, made for the dummies who have cash in their pockets. These goodies are more expensive, but you do get all the convenience of the push of a button to get your favourite cup of espresso at just the right temperature and settings. 

What now? If you're someone who enjoys the end result rather than the process, save yourself some bucks and get one of those.

Capsule


Capsule machine by Delonghi
Capsule machines are a new marketing child for those who prefer fancy premium looking jelly capsules and the ease of getting exactly the taste you are after. Despite the Delonghi capsule machines are generally a lot cheaper than the proper espresso machines, the running cost can be high. One capsule is used per cup of coffee and each capsule is priced between $0.80 to $1.50, adding the cost of the machine plus a milk frother over 2 years and the price of milk, you are looking at spending close to cafe money for the same cup of coffee.

What now? You make the call, whether convenience is more important to you or the barista-like experience.

References: none. all written using personal knowledge. Pictures are gathered from Harvey Norman.

By Zhutian Cai (42880815)


2014年5月2日星期五

Coffee Varieties


Coffee Varieties

As we grab a cup of coffee whether early in the morning at home or at a cafe before work, whether from an espresso vending machine, instant powder or a barista, coffee is something that is widely available and a thing that has been deeply embedded into any Westerner's daily lifestyle. 

Despite having coffees everyday, did you know there are two varieties of coffee beans? Arabica and Robusta. 

If you are not aware of this and this is the first time reading about it, why not read further and dig into this. You will definitely learn something for your next coffee beans hunt.

Arabica
Arabica Bean
Arabica beans are the higher quality beans that contains less caffeine characterised by its sweet and acidity taste. They are grown at higher altitudes above 800m, thus more expensive. Arabica beans contain about 1.5% caffeine while robusta beans can contain 2.7% caffeine.

Robusta
Robusta Bean
Robusta beans are the lower grade beans that are generally much cheaper and used in instant coffees. They are stronger in caffeine, almost doubles the caffeine content compared to Arabica beans. Robusta beans are grown at a lower altitude and the trees are essentially disease resistant. Robusta beans can be too strong for direct intake and are generally blended with Arabica beans to enhance taste.


Verdict
Now you might have learnt that the Arabica and Robusta comparison is all about quality coffee beans. In your next coffee beans shopping, have a look at the origin of the beans, by referring to the map below to get a clue of the type of the bean used. You can act as a 'nerd' by asking your barista whether they use a blend of Arabica/Robusta or higher grade Arabica. I am sure you will get some value out of it and know where to go for your next hot drink.
Country of Origin for Robusta/Arabica
r = robusta, a = arabica, m = both specieis

References:

Grinders Coffee 2014, What's the difference between Arabica and Robusta?, viewed 2 May 2014, <https://www.grinderscoffee.com.au/index.php?action=help&helpcatID=678&helpID=4471>.

Vittoria Coffee 2014, Arabica Vs Robusta, viewed 2 May 2014, <http://www.vittoriacoffee.com/arabica-vs-robusta.html>.


Wikipedia 2014, Carte Coffea robusta arabic.svg, viewed 2 May 2014, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carte_Coffea_robusta_arabic.svg>.

By: Zhutian Cai (42880815)


2014年4月29日星期二

Coffee cups

Coffee cups



Coffee cups is a most important factor when people making coffee. But the issue of the 'right' coffee cup seems to have mainly anecodotal responses. Normally, they knowing the amount of their expresso and how many milk they should add in the cup, then they can select what they wanted.
Otherwise, the type of containers are commonly used for travel mugs which is insulated plastic and metal containers. And their cup can be durable and relatively lightweight. Usually, the plastic and paper coffee cup are handling by producer, which can heat insulation and protect the customer's hand.

Reference 
Galla Coffee, Unit 3 Warwick Road, Fairfield Industrial Estate, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 0YB, UK,viewed 28 April 2014

                                                                       Tianxiang Wang

2014年4月28日星期一

Iced coffee

Iced Coffee



Ice coffee is a special kind of straightforward drink, which has a lot of room for improvement. The biggest mistake when made in restaurant is they always put the hot expresso in the cup, then add some ice inside. Also, this basically results in cold, but have weak coffee, though this effect can be mitigated by starting with a very strong brew.


However, there also have some restaurant keep their special mathod to making ice coffee. First of all, they made the expresso one or two day and put it in the freezer before use. And then, they can take the cold expresso out from freezer when they need use it. Otherwise, they put cold expresso in the cup as well as put milk inside. Finally, some restaurant will also put fresh cream on the top of the cup, and put some chololate powder.

Reference
Galla Coffee, Unit 3 Warwick Road, Fairfield Industrial Estate, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 0YB, UK,viewed 28 April 2014
http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk/coffee-knowledge
                                                             Tianxiang Wang

History of coffee

The history of coffee is first begin at the thirteenth century with many myths. East Africa is thought to be the place where the original native population came from of coffee. Arabs maybe first one to grow the coffee beans in the 14th century. The earliest evidence of coffee drink or the coffee tree knowledge  first appears in the 15th century, in Yemen,  Sufi monasteries. In the 16th century, it spread to Persia, North Africa, Turkey and Middle East.  and then Italy, Balkans and rest Europe. then Indonesia and the Americas.
Dutch koffie added the word coffee 'coffee' in 1582, like the meaning of 'wine of bean'.



Reference:
John K. Francis. "Coffea arabica L. RUBIACEAE". Factsheet of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
 Bennett Alan Weinberg, Bonnie K. Bealer (2001). The world of caffeine. Routledge. pp. Page 3–4. ISBN 978-0-415-92723-9.
Meyers, Hannah (2005-03-07). ""Suave Molecules of Mocha" -- Coffee, Chemistry, and Civilization". Retrieved 2007-02-03.
                                                                         Sheng Wu

Type of coffee 5

The last type of coffee is Americano. It is a coffee drink made by espresso and covered water. It is a coffee style that put hot water into espresso. It is a different but similar to the comoon drip coffee. Americano is a very very light coffee, it is dubbed 'jus de chaussette' by Frenchmen which means the water wash the socks. Americano is pale bright, which is almost transparent, people can ecen see the brown coffee at the bottom. Pure American coffee into two prart, East coast of U.S is concentrater than West, South is concentrater than North. Europeans pay attention to all sorts of coffee brewing, and Americans drink coffee freely.
Write by myself so no reference.
Sheng Wu

Type of coffee 4

Seventh is Cappuccino, which  Italian pronunciation is [kapputˈtʃiːno]. It is a traditional Italian coffee drink that made by espresso, hot milk and steamed-milk foam. The name came from the hsbits' colour from the Capuchin friars. . In Italy, cappuccino is the diminutive form of cappuccio. In 19th crntury, the Viennese named Kapuziner.


Eighth is caffee mocha. Mocha is a coffee drink mixed by espresso, chocolate and hot milk. It loved by senior general. In the coffee world, there are 3 meanings of Mocha coffee, First is Italian mocha [moka]means coffee pot. Second is mocha coffee beans from mocha port. Third is Mocha chocolate coffee frinks.

Reference::
cappuccino. Dictionary.com. Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cappuccino (accessed: September 15, 2012).
                                                                      Sheng Wu

Is coffee harmful?

Is coffee harmful?



Human health be attacked by coffee are colsely linked due to the ages. Its stimulatory effect was quickly noted, and that, possibly, formed the basis for some very unscientific accusations early on, with "nervous disorders" forming the core of these accusations. Perhaps the peak of the anti-coffee hysteria occurred during the nineteenth century, with coffee being blamed for every imaginable illness and disorder. Conveniently, many of those who blasted coffee also offered alternate products, the most successful being C. W. Post's Postum.
More careful research has been conducted in the last few decades, though fallacious conclusions still occur; some relatively recent studies, for example, failed to take concomitant tobacco use into account. The current research is mixed.

Reference 
Scott Rothstein 2006,Coffee FAQ
http://www.thecoffeefaq.com/

                                                                            Tianxiang Wang

How to growing your own coffee


Growing coffee trees



There are three sprouting coffee could be selected. First of all, coffee cherry, it always contains 2 seeds ( one seed in peaberries). Secondly, an unprocessed seed which still has the pergamino attached. Finally, a processed green bean.
The coffee tree should be kept indoors in plenty of light or placed outside in milder ckimates which no lower than 50 degrees, Fahrenheit. It watered twice a week and fertilized twice a year during the growing season. It could replant in larger pots if needed. Otherwise, some nurseries also carry seedling and small plants, as well as some seed suppliers carry green seeds that have higher germination rates.

Reference 
Galla Coffee, Unit 3 Warwick Road, Fairfield Industrial Estate, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 0YB, UK,viewed 28 April 2014
http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk/coffee-knowledge



                                                         Tianxiang Wang  

Type of coffee 3

Fifth is flat white. This is a kind of coffee drink creat and develop in Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s.It is like a double shot espresso sometimes ristretto espresso at bottom and  pouring microfoam cover it like steamed milk. It is smaller than cappuccino and latte but sometime they are similar.

Sixth is caffee breve. This is a coffee type that use espresso as the base and use 1:1 mixture of milk and cream which means steamed half-and-half to cover the espresso, on the top of this coffee drink will add milk form at last. This is  an American variant on the latte.

Reference:
Symons, Michael (2007). One continuous picnic: a gastronomic history of Australia. Melbourne University Publishing. p. 366.
                                                            Sheng Wu

Type of coffee 2

Third is espresso con panna. In Italy, it means espresso with cream. people take the whipped cream on the topo of the espresso with singal or double shot. In the UK, it can also called  café Viennois and can be called café Vienne in the U.S. To compare with latte or cappuccino, these two will be more popular, and espresso con panna will be more traditional.



Forth is cafe latte. It is a cafe drink with espresso and steamed milk. This word is first be used in 1867 and is a short form of the Italian caffè latte or caffellatte which means milk coffee. In English, this word sometimes be spelled incorrectly as latté or lattè with different accents.
                                                            
Reference:
 Davids, Kenneth (2001-05-04). Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying, Fifth Edition. St. Martin's Press. 
                                                             Sheng Wu

Type of coffee 1

First is espresso, Italian pronunciation is [eˈsprɛsso], which  is brewed by finely grounding coffee beans with few nearly boiling water under pressure. Nearly all the other coffee need espiesso to be the base, like cappuccino, cafe mocha, caffè macchiato and caffè latte. This is perhaps the most important coffee.

Second is espresso macchiato, Italian pronunciation: [kafˈfɛ mmakˈkjaːto], sometimes can also be called espresso machiato. This is a coffee drink with some milk on the cover of the espresso, today usually use foamed milk. In Italy, the word machiato means 'spotted' or 'stained', so we can call  'stained coffee' as directly translate of espresso macchiato.

Reference:
 "Milk Frothing Guide", CoffeeGeek.com, 13th June 2012

                                                                              Sheng Wu

2014年4月27日星期日

common sense of coffee 2


Temperature




For coffee brewing, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) prescribes a water temperature of 92 - 96 degrees C (195 - 205 degrees F); see The Basics of Brewing Coffee by SCAA Executive Director Ted Lingle. Avoid boiling then cooling the water to the proper range, or at least letting it boil for more than a few moments; boiling hot water rapidly loses dissolved air and will taste flat. If the water is too cool, the brew will be sour and underextracted. The temperature range during brewing should not vary by more then a few degrees, or extraction will not be optimal. Temperature loss often occurs as a result of heat absorption by the equipment itself (for example, if an espresso machine's portafilter is not kept warm between shots by storage in the machine) or into the atmosphere (as in a uninsulated glass French press during the approximately four minute steeping period). Pre-warming the equipment or insulating it, respectively, will solve these problems.


Water quality


Coffee is 98.5 to 99 percent water, so water quality will critically affect the resultant brew's taste. When making coffee, you should only use water that tastes good enough to drink straight. As a result, the best cups of coffee are made with filtered tap water or bottled water. Carafes or sink-based filters will likely perform better and have a lower per-gallon cost than the modest charcoal filters that some manufacturers include with their auto-drip machines. Do not mistake distilled water for filtered: the former is missing minerals that contribute to the water's taste and aid in extraction. When certifying a coffee brewer, the SCAA uses fresh cold water containing a formulation of between 50 to 100 parts per million dissolved minerals. The water should be fresh; it it has been sitting too long (or has been heated then cooled), it will be missing the dissolved air that is an important component of the water's taste.The water should also start cold: hot water has lost some of its dissolved air, and may have picked up minerals or solubles from your pipes.


                                                                 ShengWu

common sense of coffee

Overall Factor


Coffee quality depends on a combination of factors. Fresh beans, measured by both how long it's been since the beans were roasted and the time elapsed since grinding the beans, are imperative. High quality beans (measured by the specific crop, processing, handling, etc.) are, obviously, desirable, but the highest quality beans are all but useless if stale. Clean good-tasting water must be used, and the coffee must be brewed with clean equipment at the proper temperature for the proper amount of time.
Simply buying top-quality beans is no guarantee of great coffee; if those beans are stale, the water quality poor, the brewing temperature low, or your equipment dirty, you will have wasted money on those expensive beans. Lesser quality yet freshly roasted beans, ground before use, will almost certainly be superior to a higher quality sample that is stale.
With all brewing methods, the goal is to balance strength and yield. These two elements are distinct but often confused. As noted in the section on water quality, brewed coffee is over 98 percent water; this is a measure of its strength--i.e., how much extracted coffee there is as a ratio to water. Not counting espresso or Turkish coffee, this mainly refers to the concentration of solubles; with espresso, that can be broadened to include emulsified oils (Turkish coffee often has a significant component of suspended solids). If your ratios fall outside of the proper range, the coffee is perceived as too weak or too strong. Most commonly this is a function of the quantity of ground coffee used for any given volume of water. However, the quality of solubles that are extracted determine another factor, the yield. If too little is extracted from the ground coffee (because the grounds are too coarse or the water contact time is too short), then the coffee will miss essential taste components. If too much is extracted (the coffee was ground too finely or the contact time is too long), then the brew will be bitter. Rather than being a measure of the total quantity of solubles extracted, yield is a measure of the desirable range of extracted solubles. To put it grossly, if you mix hot water and coarsely ground coffee in a one to one ratio and allow it to extract for thirty seconds, you will have a cup with a very strong grassy taste. A lot was extracted just because of the sheer quantity of coffee, but not enough of the desirable components. Similarly, if you add a tablespoon of finely ground coffee to a quart of hot water and let it steep for ten minutes, you will have a weak yet bitter brew.

                                                                                  Sheng Wu

How to make coffee at your home

How to make coffee at your home 

First of all, we need buy some coffee bean before we start to making coffee. And, we also need prepare water in your coffee machine. Because your coffee machine is not same with cofffee store. Therefore, the air pressure and the amount of water is not same as well.


Step 1: We need wash the water tank and insert & lock water tank into coffee machine.

Step 2: Wash & rinse fillter baskets & portafilter. 

Step 3:  Fill hopper with fresh beans.

Step 4: make sure your coffee beans in hooper already.

Step 5: open coffee machine and wait 60 seconds which will let water be full of the machine, then run water through group head to flush machine.

Step 6: put the coffee powder in portafilter and tamp grinds to plane, then insert & lock portafilter into group head.

Step 7: Insert steam wand to 3 o'clock position inside jug,and then turn steam on. Spin milk ( whirlpool motion). And stop when jug is hot to touch.

Step 8: ture steam off and run steam to clear milk from wand after texturing.

Step 9: finally, wipe steam wand after each use. And put milk in to espresso.

Here is my own make coffee exprience, i hope it can help you.

                                                                   Tianxiang Wang

Basic coffee knowledge

Grading


Generally, the coffee beans are sorted and graded by size and density as well as the larger the coffee beans the better the coffee. The largest bean is known as 'Maragogype' or Elephant bean.
There is no international grading system for coffee beans, with different countries using alternative systems. For example, in many African countries, the highest grade of coffee is AA, but, in Indonesia it is Grade 1.

Roasting


Green coffee beans must first be roasted before they can be used to make a cup of coffee. The roasting process produces the primary flavour and aroma of coffee. Beans are roasted by a skilled coffee roaster, who judges how long to roast the beans in order to produce the optimum taste. For example, Javanese coffee is usually roasted for a lengthy time to give it a full-bodied and earthy flavour. However, if heat is applied to the beans for too long, it will destroy this flavour and give it a burnt aroma and bitter taste.
Coffee is usually sold in two general categories of roasting; medium and dark. As a basic rule of thumb; if you prefer milk chocolate to dark chocolate then you will prefer medium roasted coffee to dark roasted coffee.

Reference
Galla Coffee, Unit 3 Warwick Road, Fairfield Industrial Estate, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 0YB, UK,viewed27 April 2014
http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk/coffee-knowledge/from-harvest-to-cup.html

                                                    Tianxiang Wang

Basic coffee Knowledge

Coffee Knowledge

From Harvest to Cup

Coffee is a plant. However, before it can be drunk it must pass through a number of stages and travel thousands of miles.

Harvesting


Coffee beans come from the red cherries of the coffea bush. Each cherry usually contains two seeds, or coffee beans. The exception to this is the Peaberry, where only one bean is produced. The flavour a bean produces is affected by where the coffea bush is grown. Soil, climate and altitude all alter the way coffee tastes; this is why, for example, coffee from Columbia will differ in taste from region to region and from year to year.
Most coffee comes from two species of the coffea bush: Coffea arabica, simply known as 'arabica'; and Coffea canephora var. robusta, simply known as 'robusta'. Robusta beans are cheaper to buy then arabica beans because they produce coffee with an inferior flavour, containing more caffeine.

Pulp and Skin Removal


When the red cherries have been harvested from the coffea bush, the outer layers of pulp and skin must be removed to reveal the green coffee beans inside. There are two common methods of doing this: the 'natural' or drymethod, and the 'washed' or wet method. The natural process of removal tends to give coffee a full-bodied yet mild aroma, whereas the washed process yields strongly aromatic coffee, with a fine body and a lively acidity.
The washed method involves removing the outer pulp by using a mechanical pulping machine before the cherry is immersed into a fermentation tank for between 12 to 32 hours, after which the remaining pulp and skin is washed off revealing the green bean. Finally, the bean is left out in a sunny area for between 12 to 15 days to dry.

In the natural method, the cherry is simply left to dry out in the sun for up to four weeks. During this time the pulp and skin become shrivelled and can then be easily removed.

Reference

Galla Coffee, Unit 3 Warwick Road, Fairfield Industrial Estate, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 0YB, UK,viewed27 April 2014
http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk/coffee-knowledge/from-harvest-to-cup.html                                                                                                                                                Tianxiang Wang