Category: Brew Guides

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3 Shocking Facts About Artificially Flavored Coffee

3 Shocking Facts About Artificially Flavored Coffee

Mmmmm . . . . ! Mocha, caramel, and hazelnut flavored coffees fly off the shelf daily. Unfortunately, many coffee drinkers remain in the dark about artificially flavored coffee. Learn the 3 Shocking Facts About Artificially Flavored Coffee and keep reading to the end to learn the 4 Keys to Mind-Blowing Natural Coffee Flavor.

A Smorgasbord of Chemicals: Cream, Sugar, or Antifreeze?

That’s right, you read that correctly, a smorgasbord. The popular coffee flavoring chemical compound propylene glycol, also exists in antifreeze! Do you love Irish Cream? That’s made with ethyl alcohol, dimethylamine-D1, and formamidine acetate. Does that sound delicious? If you’re a fan of peanut flavor, you’re drinking 2,4-dimethyl-5-acetylthiazole. Yum! There’s got to be a better way to enjoy coffee.

HAZMAT Is The New Black!

Naturally, using strong solvents and chemicals to flavor coffee can have an adverse effect on employees. Hazmat suits — this is the dark side of flavored coffee. Without these suits, workers risk terrible long term health effects such as bronchiolitis obliterans, a type of incurable lung cancer. Now just think you drink these flavored beans. Do you really know what’s going into those beans? When you think of employees working at a coffee company, do you picture them wearing HAZMAT suits? Neither do we. That’s why we never flavor our beans. We don’t have to. Read to the end to find out why.

Bitter Beans, Better Taste?

Speaking of brewing flavored coffee beans, what kind of coffee needs to be flavored anyway? The cheap stuff. The stuff that’s left over. The stuff that you couldn’t drink without strong chemicals tricking your taste buds. Most flavored coffee is cheap robusta beans: the highly acidic, bitter coffee beans most big coffee companies use as filler. These beans are simply the carriers of the chemical flavors. You’re not really drinking coffee.

4 Keys to Mind-Blowing Natural Coffee Flavor

Coffee Has More Flavor Potential Than Wine

If your coffee is fresh, organic, and free of imperfections it will blow your taste buds away. How? Because if coffee is taken care of, it will release the power of 800 naturally occurring chemical compounds. To give you some perspective, wine has only 200 flavor compounds. Coffee is packed with flavor — you just have to treat it right.

Freshness Is Key

Protect your coffee experience with fresh coffee. Coffee loses its flavor within the first few weeks after roasting. To give you some perspective, grocery store coffee is on average 3 months old due to the logistics of transportation and distribution. Protect your coffee flavor by only buying coffee that’s been roasted fresh within the past few days.

The Soil Must Be Nutrient Rich

A little known fact about coffee is how it gets its flavor. Coffee draws its flavor from the minerals and nutrients stored in the soil. The soil replenishes its nutrients and minerals naturally when a variety of plant life is grown together. That’s one reason why we only roast coffee that is shade-grown. It simply improves the soil quality and therefore the flavor.

Country of Origin Also Plays a Role

The coffee tree is affected by the climate and elevation of the coffee’s country of origin. The higher the elevation the better. The more tropical the climate the better. The combination of soil type, climate, and elevation all combine to give you 800 chemical compounds that make up coffee’s complex flavor.

Adding it all together . . .

When you add together the soil type, the high elevation, and the tropical climate you find there are only a handful of places in the world that can grow truly phenomenal coffee.

It’s Your Lucky Day!

If you love artificially flavored mocha, then you’ll love our organically grown Papua New Guinea with its naturally strong cocoa tones. If hazelnut is your flavor of choice, then our Brazil Dark roast with its strong nutty flavors will knock your socks off.  And right now, when you join Buzzbox you can have either of these coffees for free. Give them a shot and let us know what you think.

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7 Tips To Make The Best Coffee – French Press

Here at Buzzbox, we like to give credit where credit is due. So, Vive la France! Thank you France for giving us the best coffee extraction method known to man – the French Press. Here are 5 Tips to Make the Best French Press Coffee.

1. The First Step to Make The Best Coffee For French Press – The Right Water

Using tap water will handicap your flavor. You must use filtered or spring water. Nope, distilled water won’t work either; you need minerals to aid in the extraction process. So, only use cold filtered, or spring water.

2. The Second Step to Make The Best Coffee For French Press – The Coffee

Yes the coffee beans make a difference in your cup of coffee. You need the best coffee in the world. Of course this means you need certified organic, shade-grown and freshly roasted coffee. But how do you grind it? Coarse! The beans must be ground coarse to prevent the sludgy post-brew grounds from ending in your cup. You need 2 tablespoons per 6 ounces. 

3. The Third Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – The Equipment

You need a good filter. The best filter will keep the coffee grounds in the press – not in your cup. Bodum makes some of the best french presses. Their filters come in three pieces that you can take apart and clean. 

4. The Fourth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Don’t Boil The Water

Never pour boiling water on your freshly ground beans. Boiling water will scorch the beans and alter the taste. You need hot water that is just off of the boil. The ideal temperature is between 195 and 205?F.

5. The Fifth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Bust the Crust!

Once you have doused all of the grounds in water wait for the ‘crust’ to form. The ‘crust’ is the grounds that will rise to the top. To aid in the extraction process you must stir the grounds and break up this ‘crust’. If you have a glass french press, only stir using a wooden stirrer or chop stick. Over time a metal stirrer or spoon can cause the glass to crack and break due to the high temperature of the water. 

6. The Sixth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Let It Sit!

 Let your coffee sit for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how strong you want your brew. Then, finally, press and pour.

7. The Seventh Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Enjoy

The dark brew falls, splashing and swirling til it comes to its resting place – in your warm mug. Warm your mug prior to pouring to maintain the heat and flavor of your coffee. Lastly drink your beautiful french press coffee within 10 minutes of pouring. The flavors of the coffee will change as the temperature cools. This provides you with the widest range of flavors.

So there you have it: the 7 tips to make the best coffee for french press. The best coffee extraction method: French Press, running the length and breadth of coffee’s vast variety of flavors.

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7 Tips To Make The Best Coffee — French Press

7 Tips to make the Best Coffee - French Press

7 Tips to make the Best Coffee - French Press

 

We as Americans have had a tempestuous relationship with the French. Anyone remember “Freedom Fries.” Well at Buzzbox we like to give credit where credit is due. So, Vive la France! Thank you France for giving us the best coffee extraction method known to man — the French Press. Here are 5 Tips to Make the Best Coffee — French Press

 

Frenchman
Yes. How do I make the best coffee?

1. The First Step to Make The Best Coffee For French Press —  The Right Water.

Using tap water will handicap your flavor. You must use filtered or spring water. Nope, distilled water won’t work either — you need minerals to aid in the extraction process. So, only use cold filtered, or spring water. That’s the first step to make the best coffee for french press.

 

2. The Second Step to Make The Best Coffee For French Press – The Coffee

Yes the coffee beans make a difference in your cup of coffee. You need the best coffee in the world. Of course this means you need certified organic, shade-grown and freshly roasted coffee. But how do you grind it? Coarse! The beans must be ground coarse to prevent the sludgy post-brew grounds from ending in your cup. You need 2 tablespoons per 6 ounces. That’s the second step to make the best coffee for french press.

 

3. The Third Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – The Equipment

You need a good filter. The best filter will keep the coffee grounds in the press — not in your cup. Bodum makes some of the best french presses. Their filters come in three pieces that you can take apart and clean. That’s the third step to make the best coffee for french press.

 

Bodum-filters
Bodum filter system

4. The Fourth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Don’t Boil The Water.

Never pour boiling water on your freshly ground beans. Boiling water will scorch the beans and alter the taste. You need hot water that is just off of the boil. The ideal temperature is between 195 and 205?F. That’s the fourth step to make the best coffee for french press.

 

5. The Fifth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Bust the Crust!

Once you have doused all of the grounds in water wait for the “crust” to form. The “crust” is the grounds that will rise to the top. To aid in the extraction process you must stir the grounds and break up this “crust.” If you have a glass french press, only stir using a wooden stirrer or chop stick. Over time a metal stirrer or spoon can cause the glass to crack and break due to the high temperature of the water. That’s the fifth step to make the best coffee for french press.

 

6. The Sixth Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press – Let It Sit!

 Let your coffee sit for 3 to 5 minutes — depending on how strong you want your brew. Then, finally, press and pour. That’s the sixth step to make the best coffee for french press.

 

7. The Seventh Step to Make The Best Coffee for French Press –Enjoy.

The dark brew falls, splashing and swirling til it comes to its resting place — in your warm mug. Warm your mug prior to pouring to maintain the heat and flavor of your coffee. Lastly drink your beautiful french press coffee within 10 minutes of pouring. The flavors of the coffee will change as the temperature cools. This provides you with the widest range of flavors. That’s the seventh step to make the best coffee for french press.

So there you have it — The 7 tips to make the best coffee for french press. The best coffee extraction method — French Press, running the length and breadth of Coffee’s vast variety of flavors.

 

Let’s Change The World

Join us and support amazing ministries through the Bronner Burgess Memorial fund. You can change lives with your daily cup of coffee – and to get you started, the first pound is free.

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Are Gangsters Holding Your Keurig Hostage?

““I don’t want your Buzzbox Coffee. I have a Keurig!”

This is what a friend of mine told me recently. I told her, “Great! But, did you know your Keurig is being held hostage by Gangsters?”

““What! What are you talking about?””

Here’s what I told her. . .


1. Big Coffee’s Gangster Tactics are Shackling Your Keurig Cost Per Cup

It’s not really who you know, it’s who you pay. A variety of big coffee companies have paid to have the exclusive rights to produce K-Cups. This has created a ‘coffee monopoly.’ Why does a ‘coffee monopoly’ matter to you?

Well, with a ‘coffee monopoly’ the Keurig cost per cup is astronomical. Around 80 cents per Keurig cup. Compare this to around 25 cents for a cup of organic, shade grown coffee. To give yourself the best Keurig cost per cup keep reading!

Also, these coffee companies roast their coffee in big batches, pre-grind the coffee and then store it for months in prepackaged K-Cups. These K-Cups can be upwards of 12 months old by the time you pop them into your Keurig. Since coffee goes stale around 10 weeks after it has been roasted (and even sooner after grinding ) these pre-packaged K-Cups contain stale coffee.

2. Use a Solofill Filter to get the Best Keurig Cost Per Cup

How do you beat big coffee’s stale and pricy cronyism? Make your own K-Cup. Keurig makes the My K-Cup filter. Simply purchase fresh coffee from a local independent roaster and batta-bing-botta-boom you’ve got yourself a quick and easy, fresh and flavorful, K-Cup. Keurig’s My K-Cup filter also helps to alleviate the environmental burden on local landfills since prepackaged K-Cups aren’t recyclable.

We specifically recommend the Solofill reusable filter for the best Keurig Cost Per Cup. The Solofill does a great job of providing convenience with less mess. Plus with the Solofill your cost per cup is at 25 cents cost per Keurig cup instead of 80 cents. Give yourself the best Keurig cost per cup!

3. To get the best tasting K-Cup use only freshly ground Coffee

Why let big coffee companies extort you for K-Cup convenience? A stale, prepackaged K-Cup cost per cup is around 80 cents. For around 25 cents a cup give yourself fresh coffee from the local roaster of your choice. At a local roaster you can buy coffee that is hours young not months old. Coffee that’s fresh is the most important factor in brewing the best tasting cup of coffee. So combine the convenience of K-Cup with the great taste of fresh coffee with the Solofill reusable filter to give yourself the best Keurig cost per cup!

Let’s Change The World

Join us and support amazing ministries through the Bronner Burgess Memorial fund. You can change lives with your daily cup of coffee – and to get you started, the first pound is free.

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The Best Way to Store Coffee: Avoid These 5 Easy Polar Bear Mistakes

The Best way to Store Coffee: Avoid these 5 Polar Bear Mistakes

Why do Polar bears brew terrible coffee? Because, like many humans, they continue storing coffee in the freezer. I know. I know. HAAAARDY HAR HAR. But it’s true. Want to learn the best way to store coffee?Ccheck out the 5 Steps to NOT Storing Coffee Like a Polar Bear.

1. Don’t expose the beans to extreme temperatures.

Many coffee lovers mistakenly store their coffee in the freezer, thinking they are preserving the freshness of their beans. Instead, the extreme cold deteriorates the oils that gives coffee its great flavor. So, don’t store them in the freezer or the oven. That’s right – the oven is just for cooking.

2. Don’t expose the beans to direct sunlight.

The sun can cause the beans to fade in appearance and taste. So, keep the precious little beans in a cool, dry, and dark place. Just another step to the best way to store coffee beans.

3. Don’t store your fresh roasted beans in the fridge!

The fridge will make your fresh roasted coffee stinky! Coffee is a deodorizer. If you leave it in the fridge, your coffee will absorb the flavors in your fridge. Leftover salmon. Last night’s kimchi. The carryout box with the bleu cheese burger – they’re all going to give your coffee a very different taste. But hey, if you need to get that smell out of your refrigerator, just leave a bowl of coffee beans in there. Just don’t brew them!

4. Don’t expose the beans to oxygen.

Fresh roasted coffee beans are kind of like a loaf of bread. If you leave them out they’ll go stale. Stale. In fact if you don’t use them within 6 to 8 weeks they start to go stale too. Stale. Stale. Stale. So, oxygen deprivation is extremely important to maintaining the quality of your fresh roasted coffee beans. Stale.

5. Don’t store your coffee in its own package.

You can store your beans in their packaging just make sure to place the packaging in an airtight zip-loc bag and keep in a cool dry place like a cupboard. Remember coffee is a bakery item. It’ll go stale if you don’t keep it sealed. So, that’s the best way to store coffee! Just another step to the best way to store coffee beans.

Let’s Change the World

Join us and support amazing ministries through the Bronner Burgess Memorial fund. You can change lives with your daily cup of coffee – and to get you started, the first pound is free.