Customize your coffee: Create personalized beverages at home

(ARA) – Home personalization has extended to new heights, going beyond the trend of creating customized kitchens to creating customized beverages. Consumers are brewing up personalized specialty coffee drinks on par with those in high-end restaurants and coffee shops. In fact, “do-it-yourself flavor” is among the top 10 beverage trends of the year, according to The Food Channel, a leading online source for food industry trends.

This trend is due, in part, to the uncertain economy. Recent research from the International Food Information Council found that 79 percent of consumers cite price as a key factor in deciding which drink items to purchase in a store. With equipment and recipes readily available today, consumers are embracing this DIY trend and cutting costs by making their own custom drinks at home.

Whatever your taste preference, it’s easy to create personalized beverages for yourself, your family and guests to enjoy all winter long.

Hot-coffee indulgence.
According to the National Coffee Association, gourmet coffee continues to be a significant portion (37 percent) of total coffee consumed. If hot coffee is your way to pamper yourself, endless varieties are available, from classic French roast to Hawaiian Kona and New Orleans chicory.

Choose to brew your way.
To make great coffee, start with the right coffeemaker. Look for one that fills easily and lets you create large or small batches and different brew strengths. For instance, Calphalon’s Quick Brew 12-cup Coffee Maker offers both regular or bold custom brew settings – plus the flexibility to brew up to 12 cups at a time when you have a crowd, or just one to four cups for smaller groups. Brewing up to 25 percent faster than comparable standard coffee makers, the Calphalon Quick Brew 12-cup Coffee Maker won’t keep your guests waiting either.

Add creme to your cup.
Once you’ve brewed your coffee, personalize it further with coffee creamers. They’re available in everything from traditional vanilla, almond or hazelnut to enticing new combinations like honey-vanilla creme and white chocolate caramel latte.

Make it special.
Many specialty coffee drinks are also easy to make at home, such as mocha coffee, gingerbread coffee, almond coffee and Irish coffee. They can often be made with just a few simple ingredients from recipes on websites such as allrecipes.com and others, providing a fun way to top off a dinner party or savor alone by the fireplace.

Create a new blend.
Research shows more coffee lovers are buying whole beans and grinding them at home for a fresher, richer flavor. Take your coffee grinds one step further and become a true “Roastmaster” by creating a whole new blend of your own. Mix and match flavored beans or beans from different coffee-growing countries to develop new tastes and sensations you won’t find in your average cup of coffee. For peak flavor and the ultimate freshness, package your blend in an airtight container and store it in a dark, room-temperature location.

So go ahead and turn yourself loose in the kitchen. It’s easier than ever to customize your cup.

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Retail stores often have had their coffee beans for longer than they should, making the freshness questionable at best. If a particular bean is not selling well it could sit in the hopper for a month or more. Those beans are not going to be fresh. However, purchasing coffee beans directly from the roaster is one way to insure that the beans are as fresh as possible. It takes a little research to find a roaster who sells to the public but in the end it will be worth it.

The first step is to locate coffee roasters who are near to you. This may not mean in the same state, unless you live in Hawaii or a foreign country. If you do, then lucky you, if not, the next step is to use the Internet to find coffee roasters who sell to the public. There are many different coffee plantations that will sell their fresh roasted beans to individuals. Once these are located it is time to narrow down the field.

Availability and product offerings are going to be two important questions. If the coffee roaster only supplies dark roast and light roast is desired, there is no use wasting time with questions because they don’t have the right product. If the roaster does carry the desired product the next piece of information that is need is product availability. How often do they ship and is it consistent? These answers will help make a determination as to whether or not the company is right for home use.

Shipping methods are also important. The coffee roaster should offer the fastest shipping option available to insure that the coffee beans arrive as fresh as possible. This is going to add to the cost of the beans but will ultimately be worth it in flavor. Stale coffee beans can be purchased at the local grocer, only the freshest should come from the roaster.

Ask about discounts if a regular order is scheduled. The roaster will know they have a shipment every month and fresh coffee is guaranteed to be delivered every month. Some roasters will offer discounts for this type of delivery as well as for prepayment; however, only prepay a company that has a solid reputation.

Purchasing coffee directly from the roaster offers consumers the opportunity to get the freshest coffee available and often at prices much less than the local grocer can offer. Additionally, by purchasing directly from the source there are often more varieties to choose from than the grocer can offer. Often, some of the best gourmet coffees must be purchased directly from the roaster or coffee plantation, as they do not sell them to retail stores.

-Sharon Chapman

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Acidity: The acidity level of coffee varies by growing regions and growing methods. Coffee grown in higher elevations and in mineral rich soils tends to be more acidic than other coffees. The acid levels in coffee are what give coffee a dry, crisp, sweet-like finish. Too much acidity can cause the coffee to be tart with a sour aftertaste. The perfect level of acidity will give the coffee a subtle, floral taste that is somewhat sweet.

Coffee roasters often refer to the acidity in a variety of ways. They may say the coffee is lively, crisp, dry, sharp or vibrant. They don’t usually use the word acidic simply because it sounds like a bad thing.

Aroma: Simply put the aroma of coffee is how it smells. Coffee is enjoyed as much by the olfactory senses as it is by the taste. A person’s opinion of coffee is as much affected by the aroma as it is by the taste. Some people will want to taste coffee simply because of the way it smells.

Body: Body refers to how coffee feels in the mouth. This is dependent on the amount of oils in the coffee, which depends on where it was grown, processed, and roasted. Lighter bodied coffees have very little feeling in the mouth while medium-bodied coffee has a consistency similar to that of water. Full-bodied coffees leave a lingering coat on the tongue. Describing the body of coffee is often done using terms like full-flavored, thick, rich or heavy.

Finish: The finish is a term used to describe how coffee tastes after it is drunk. The finish, like the body, depends on the growing area and methods and varies from region to region. Like wine, a pleasant finish is desired in a good coffee. The finish is what lingers after the coffee is swallowed. It should be pleasant and smooth, not harsh and bitter.

Flavor: Flavor can’t be summed up in one or two words and is a highly opinionated term. It is a combination of body, finish and aroma and varies from person to person. Flavor is the general overall experience that embodies the coffee.

Knowing these coffee roasters terms makes it easier to discuss coffee with the pros when trying to order coffee from them. This knowledge can also be handy for those morning runs to the local coffee shop while waiting for the coffee to be made.

-Sharon Chapman

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Roasting coffee beans at home is the best way to insure that coffee is as fresh as it possibly can be, without growing it at home. The beans are purchased green and roasted as they are needed, another factor that insures freshness. Green coffee beans stay fresher longer than roasted coffee beans, which make roasting at home the ultimate way to get fresh coffee.
First, coffee roasting can be done using a popcorn popper. It has the necessary mechanisms, a constant flow of air and movement for the beans to keep them from burning. However, if roasting coffee beans is going to be more than a one-time experiment, it is well worth investing in a proper coffee bean roaster that has timers, temperature controls and more.

There are two main types of coffee bean roasters to consider when searching for a home coffee bean roaster. There is the fluid bed or air roaster and the drum roaster. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered.

The fluid bed or air roaster is designed primarily for home use. These are small appliances that are compact enough for use in most any kitchen. These types of roasters are similar to popcorn makers in that they work using hot air. Some fluid bed roasters allow the individual to see the beans as they roast while others have preset roasting times that are selected before the roasting.

Beginning roasters should choose an air roaster due to the ease of use and the economical costs involved. These roasters are much less expensive than drum roasters and allow home roasters to get a feel for the roasting process before moving to a more complex roaster that requires more hands on supervision.

The downside to the fluid bed roasters is the controls don’t have much variance and some have no controls. They also don’t roast as much coffee as other models and if used often the unit’s motor will burn out quickly. However, it is an excellent beginner model to let users decide how in depth they want to go with their home roasting.

Drum roasters are the other type of roaster that can be purchased for home use. These were once found only in coffee shops but have crossed over to home use. Drum roasters work using either convection or a conduction method. The drum roaster is more complex to use and may take time to master  but in the end it is a better, longer lasting roaster than the fluid bed roaster.

Users of the drum roaster have to learn to listen for the cracking of the beans to know when the roasting process is in full gear and use their sense of smell and timing to get their roast perfect. Once the process is learned, the drum roaster will be the best choice.

Coffee roasters for home use are more popular today but still require a learning curve to get the process just right. Both fluid air and drum roasters will produce a nice roasted coffee bean but the final decision should be based on how often it will be used and how much of a learning process is going to be needed.

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Many people have begun to roast their own coffee beans. This is not a new process but it has undergone many changes due to the invention of different types of home roasters. In order to roast coffee at home, consumers must first find a supplier of green coffee beans. The Internet has many options and can point consumers to the perfect coffee plantation from which to order their green beans.

In order to roast coffee at home there are some crucial elements that must be present, regardless of the type of roaster or equipment used to get the job done.

Green and Roasted Coffee Beans

First, the beans have to reach temperatures ranging from 370 degrees Fahrenheit to 540 degrees Fahrenheit. The faster that the air current is moving through the coffee beans, the lower the temperature can be.

Next, the coffee beans must be in motion continuously to prevent them from burning or having an uneven roast.

Once the roasting process is complete the coffee beans must be quickly cooled down to stop the roasting and prevent them from accidentally burning.

Home coffee roasting must be done be properly ventilated to allow the smoke that is created during roasting to escape.

Lastly, at the end of the roasting process the beans will have shed their outer skin and left a messy substance called chaff that must be cleaned up.

Home roasting might sound as though it will be complicated but it really isn’t. There are many different methods and even commercially made coffee roasters that will do the job quickly and with less work than some of the more primitive methods.

Roasting coffee without an expensive roaster is as simple as pulling out the stovetop popcorn popper. These are older pots that have a handle on the top for stirring and can get as hot as needed. The temperature should be measured using a candy or deep fry thermometer to maintain a constant, steady temperature and prevent scorching. Make sure to turn the stove’s exhaust fan on to help eliminate the smoke that will appear in four to eight minutes after starting the process.

The coffee beans will begin to make cracking sounds about the same time the smoke appears. This is when it is important to check the bean about every minute, as they will change colors fast and frequently. The darkness of the roast is up to the individual.

When the desired roast has been reached the coffee should be removed from the heat immediately, placed in a metal strainer or colander, and allowed to cool. Tossing the beans will help to cool the beans and separate the chaff from the beans for easier removal.

Home roasting allows coffee drinkers to roast their coffee to their exact level of darkness and have more control over the flavor of the coffee. Finding a good supply of green coffee beans and getting either a commercial type coffee roaster or a stove top popcorn popper are all that is necessary to roast coffee beans at home.

-Sharon Chapman

Also, you can read more on green coffee beans at Coffee Beans 101.

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