No Time for Coffee Messes! November 05 2019

How Coffee Drinkers can Save Time and Money

Everybody is busy!  It takes less time and money to brew your own coffee at home or at the office.   Unless an overflow occurs, this can take away time cleaning up, and cause costly damage.  Time is money, and money takes time, in other words, time is valuable. The Justin Case Deck will help solve this issue.

We all have experienced occasions when our efficiency (aka rush around, corner cutting, etc.) backfires on us.  Thankfully there is a solution to combat the backfire issues and save us from potentially wasting valuable time and money!  It is the Justin Case Deck.  Listed below are ways we try to be efficient in brewing coffee and how the Justin Case Deck can increase efficiency by resolving potential time and money zappers when our shortcuts fail.

• The automatic brew button is great for starting the brew before you get up, or get to the office, though it does come with the risk of malfunctioning and spilling coffee all over the place leaving a huge mess, and potential water damage. This also can happen when you start it manually and walk away. You can see how this could zap both time and money, not to mention attitude!  The Justin Case Deck captures the mess and only takes a few minutes to clean up now or save the cleanup for a more convenient time. 
• Filling the coffee makers reservoir with a pitcher of water, or gallon water bottle instead of using the coffee carafe. The reason is the water pours easier and faster out of a pitcher or bottle than it does from the carafe, some carafes pour so poorly it spills water all over the place. Though, if you over fill the reservoir, water will leak out a hole in the back of the unit, which is designed to keep from over filling. These are smaller spills that occur from time to time are also captured by the Justin Case Deck, saving time moving things and wiping up the mess.
• Distractions occur and the coffee carafe doesn’t get completely emptied. Often the left over coffee in the carafe is missed because the background behind the carafe is black so it is not obvious there is still coffee in it. This does cause an overflow of coffee and not the best tasting coffee at that!  Thank goodness the Justin Case Deck captures the mess!
• When rushing around so much there are times the coffee grounds basket is not properly snapped into position and this also will cause an overflow issue. Again, thank goodness for the Justin Case Deck!
• Gremlins!!! That’s right, there are times that cannot be explained or we don’t have the time to explore what has caused an overflow, but again the Justin Case Deck comes to the rescue!

What are your reasons for Coffee Maker overflows? Do you have a need for a Justin Case Deck?  Here is how it works.  Want a 15% discount?? Use code NO TIME at checkout.

Should you Freeze your Coffee? December 01 2017

There are many different suggested ways to store coffee in order to maintain freshness. One of the suggested methods is to put your ground coffee or coffee beans in the freezer. Is storing coffee in the freezer a good way to maintain freshness? Let’s look at the pros and cons.

Freezing has been used for centuries as a way to extend the life of many foods. A diverse selection of foods can be frozen. Bread, meat, fruits, vegetables and even butter can be successfully stored in your freezer. Freezing even maintains many of the vitamins and nutritional value of a wide variety of foods. Coffee, however, isn’t as likely a candidate for storage in the freezer.

Coffee has four main enemies against freshness: air, heat, light and moisture. At first, freezing doesn’t seem to contain many of the offending enemies. However, appearances can be deceiving.

Coffee beans have been roasted in order to enhance flavor. The beans are also porous. Unfortunately a freezer can contain many other foods which have odors. The porous beans can absorb the flavors of many other frozen foods. Flavored coffees can be pleasant, but no one wants to drink seafood or garlic flavored coffee.

Moisture can also be absorbed by the coffee beans. Moisture can cause deterioration and loss of flavor. The more often you take coffee out of the freezer and put it back in, the more moisture absorption takes place into the bean. If you absolutely need to freeze some coffee because you have a large excess you’d like to keep, only freeze it once. The more you take it in and out of the freezer, the more damage you do.

Freezing also breaks down the oils in the beans. The oils contribute to the flavor of the coffee. Breaking down the oils means taking away flavor, and let’s face it, a large part of a good cup of coffee is the flavor.

When it comes down to it, freezing is not the best way to store your coffee. Keep coffee stored in a cool, dry, airtight container away from light. Freezing coffee is possible, and is best if you only freeze it once. The resulting loss of flavor and quality from repetitive freezing makes it a method of storage to stay away from. Your best bet is to purchase only enough beans or ground coffee to supply you for 1-2 weeks. Enjoy the coffee at its freshest! 

Another helpful hint for a great stress free cup of coffee is the Justin Case Deck.  It captures overflow messes that may occur when using an automatic coffee maker. This is a great gift for the holiday season.

Coffee Five Ways! November 15 2017

"Turkish" or "Greek" Coffee

Turkish coffee or kahve, the traditional name, is made in small containers directly on the flame.  The water and finely ground kahve comes to a boil. Often times it is brewed up with sugar already introduced. In some traditions they will pour off a little into each cup and then bring it to a second boil, pouring the rest into each cup insuring an even distribution of grounds. In some regions they serve the kahve with added spice which is usually cardamom. The coffee is not filtered from the liquid which leaves a thick pungent and muddy brew. The mud settles to the bottom of the tiny demitasse cups the coffee is served in. In many countries they read the coffee mud after you have drank your coffee and tell you your future.

Concentrate Brewing

Concentrate brewing is very popular in Latin America and other parts of the world. It is beginning to make a comeback in the U.S.. Concentrate brewing takes large amounts of coffee that is brewed with small amounts of water to brew a concentrate. To make a cup of coffee you mix some of the concentrate with hot water. The concentrate is brewed either hot or cold. When it is brewed cold you must let the coffee sit for at least a day. This method creates a mild light-bodied coffee with little aroma and a little acidity with a muted flavor.

Percolating

This procedure involves a continuous brewing of the coffee grounds using boiling water which then turns to boiling coffee liquor brewing over the grounds. This method is practical but is an insult to the coffee bean. Brewing with boiling water is bad enough, then boiling the liquid is asking for a thin, bitter and tarry coffee.

Though this produces an awful cup of coffee many people still prefer percolation. If it’s for you then more power to you!

Auto drip

This is the most popular way to brew coffee in the U.S.A. Pouring hot water over grounds in a filter and letting the brew drip out the bottom, simple. Drip brewing can produce an excellent cup of coffee. One of the biggest issues with auto drip machines is they can malfunction from time to time and cause an overflow of coffee over the counter top and onto the floor. The Justin Case Deck at JustinCaseDeck.com is a great accessory to have for capturing the liquid before it makes a mess (for a 15% discount, use the code BLOG15). If you have an auto drip brewing machine then the next hurdle to tackle is the filter. Paper filters can deposit a flavor in the coffee and also do not allow a lot of the coffee oils and organic compounds through. A gold-plated reusable filter is the perfect option for drip brewing. It will not deposit a taste in the coffee and doesn't trap as much of the coffee's essence as paper filters do.

French Press or Press Pot

French Press brewing is more labor intensive than auto. Coarsely ground coffee is placed in a glass carafe. The hot water is then poured over the grounds. When the brewing is complete the top is placed on and a plunger that consists of a metal mesh plate is pressed down pushing the grounds to the bottom. The coffee liquid is on top ready to be poured off. The mesh filter allows the oils and fine coffee particles through without a problem. Also because a coarser grind is required a longer brewing time is required. A general rule of thumb is four minutes for a French press. This direct contact of the grounds to water allows a more complete, controllable, and even extraction. Even with the coarse ground coffee, it will still produce some fine particles, thus it will have sediment on the bottom of the cup. A cup of French-pressed coffee will be fuller, more body, and more flavorful.

Good Quality Specialty Coffee and Tea November 01 2017

Coffee and tea has long been a traded commodity in the orient.  It has been considered as a drink only for royalties and kings.  These two commodities are processed in almost the same manner for it to become a soothing and relaxing drink.

Knowing Good Quality Specialty Coffee and Tea

Specialty coffee and tea should be made from the best coffee beans and tea leaves in the market.  Coffee and tea experts believe that the best brews come from homegrown and handpicked batches.  But this handpicking process can just be a myth since it really does not affect how the taste and texture comes out.  The one thing that could affect the flavor and texture of coffee and tea is the climate since this can affect the humidity and moisture of the raw products. 

It is important to know the quality of specialty coffee and tea since top quality produce are prized at a bigger rate than that of mediocre quality ones.  Having to know the difference can give you the edge in the specialty coffee and tea market by going to specialty coffee and tea shops that are willing to give you the right value for your money.

A good hint to detect a medium or a mediocre type of specialty coffee and tea commodity is the smell of burnt beans from roasting.  These kinds of produce are intentionally burnt because it gives out a good flavor if it is in this state. 

Adding Flavor to Your Specialty Coffee and Tea

In the past decade the specialty coffee and tea business has exponentially grown.  Many specialty coffee and tea shops have been sprouting and eating up each other’s neighborhood market shares; each of them brewing and concocting their own original flavors and mixes.  

The way coffee and tea is consumed has drastically changed over the years.  Before coffee and tea was only taken hot and straight out of the coffee maker or from an instant foil pack.  Now, specialty coffee and tea drinks are made hot or cold depending on the consumer’s preference.  Vast variety of flavors and other ingredients such as grounded spices and whip creams are added to the drink to have that perfect specialty coffee and tea concoction.

But these are just flavors and ingredients to enhance the specialty coffee and tea experience.  A good flavored specialty coffee and tea should not be overpowered by the taste of its other ingredients.  The aroma, texture and flavor of the original coffee and tea must still be present to give coffee and tea drinkers the full experience.

Have fun experimenting with your home brew.  The Justin Case Deck is a quality coffee maker stand that captures spills or overflows that occur.  It is a sturdy and tough product made in the USA out of Terpolymer.  It makes a great addition to your Coffee Station in your kitchen or place of business.