Learn about coffee: Choosing coffee

According to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), specialty coffee is coffee that has been graded above 80. Specialty coffee is globally conscious. Roasters that are a part of the specialty coffee industry are known for participating in Direct Trade sourcing. By going to the farms themselves and making deals directly, they are able to secure better wages for the farmers and can build long-term relationships. 

[Keep reading FAQs to learn to make coffee]

Coffee only stays fresh for a short amount of time and most coffee from large retailers sits in bags for at least a month. If you are drinking this type of coffee, is probable stale and has less caffeine and less flavor, but most people don't know the difference. [Keep reading FAQs to learn to make coffee]

Keep your roasted coffee away from excessive humidity, aridity, high/low temperatures, light and oxygen. Put simply: if you store coffee in the same cabinet you would store grains or bread, your coffee will be happy.

For how long is your coffee fresh? Freshly roasted coffee has a shelf life and should be treated with the same care as baked goods or fresh produce. For the best flavor, coffee needs a minimum of 12-24 hours rest after roasting before it is brewed. Don’t wait too long to drink it – depending on the coffee, the “cup quality” will begin to show a loss in flavor after about a few weeks. Coffee stored beyond that will still taste good but not as amazing as it did a few days out of the roaster. Therefore, we call coffee “fresh” for the next 30-45 days after it's roasted.

[Keep reading FAQs to learn to make coffee]

A single origin coffee has the most original and unaltered flavour profile, while a coffee blend combines the elements of various beans. Single origins tend to have an exotic taste, are bolder and more robust, while a coffee blend balances it out with different beans that complement each other. [Keep reading FAQs to learn to make coffee]

There are two main types of coffee bean: Coffee Robusta and Coffee Arabica. Coffee Robusta are a lower grade of beans, and are grown at lower altitudes. They are easy to maintain and are more disease resistant, meaning that they produce more. They also contain a larger amount of caffeine. Coffee Arabica make up for more than three-quarters of beans sold worldwide. They are referred to as gourmet coffee beans but only have half the amount of caffeine that Coffee Robusta has. [Keep reading FAQs to learn to make coffee]

Fair trade is a non-profit organization that aims to improve the lives of all types of farmers around the world. For a coffee farm to receive the official Fair Trade Certification, it must adhere to highly regulated standards. They must pay their workers a fair, living wage, they must employ strategies for environmental sustainability on the property, and finally they must adopt healthy, ethical business practices.

Direct trade is a very different approach to coffee sourcing. Instead of approaching importers who buy coffees (Fair Trade and not) from around the world, direct trade roasters work out deals with farmers directly. [Keep reading FAQs to learn to make coffee]

• Caffeine improve energy levels
• Coffee may give your workout a boost and improve your physical performance
• Coffee can help you burn fat
• Contains essential nutrients
• Some research even shows that coffee may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, dementia and Parkinson's.
• Coffee is the biggest source of antioxidants
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Caffeine content in different types of coffee can vary. A standard cup of coffee (around 8oz) will contain an average of 94.8mg of caffeine. An Espresso on the other hand will have an average of 63mg of caffeine, and a standard latte will contain an average of 77mg of caffeine. The caffeine content depends on the size, strength and type of coffee you are consuming. 

Depending on the type of coffee you are drinking, the amount of calories will differ significantly. Adding extras such as milk, sugar and syrup will all directly affect the calorie content of a coffee. A standard cup of black coffee (around 8oz) contains 1 calorie, but a cappuccino for example can contain anywhere from 60 to 160 calories, depending on the type of milk you take and the size of the cappuccino.

You can drink coffee while you are pregnant, although it is recommended to limit the amount of caffeine you consume to around 200mg – which is about the equivalent of two mugs of coffee. 

There is significantly less caffeine in the average cup of tea than there is in coffee. Before tea has been prepared and brewed, its dry form does contain more caffeine, but once brewed it’s caffeine content drops. We also use less tea to make a cup than we do coffee. 1 cup (8oz) of coffee contains around 94mg of caffeine, whereas an 8oz cup of tea only contains 26mg of caffeine.

Coffee stains can be dark and difficult to remove. As soon as coffee has been spilt, blot the stain with paper, and then rinse it with cold water. These two simple steps usually help to remove the stain, but if it is a little more stubborn, add detergent or vinegar to try and remove the stain. With detergent, rub it on, leave it for a few minutes and then rinse it off. With white vinegar and water, mix some detergent into a paste and add this to the stain, as long as you are sure it won’t cause any discolouration. Scrub the stain and rinse it thoroughly.