Coffee is coffee...right?
Don't be so sure! Not all coffee is created equal. There are a few primary factors that make one coffee different from another. Even coffee from the same region of Ethiopia can taste different from one coffee house to another. The older coffee beans get, the more the flavor changes. Therefore, freshness is high on the list of great tasting coffee. Freshness is judged, not just on when it was harvested, but also, on when it was roasted. Fresh coffee beans emit gases that give off the desirable aromas we enjoy...so if most of the gases are emitted due to sitting around for a long time...then the coffee is flat tasting and stale (like sodas). If the bag your coffee is in isn't puffy, then just maybe its' not as fresh as you think. By the way, it should also have a 1-way vent that allows a little of the gas to escape, but doesn't allow air in. This vent is what prevents the bag from exploding under the pressure of the emitting gases. So it's safe to say that the way the coffee is packaged can either protect the integrity of the coffee or kill it.
When the beans are ground, again many of the gases are emitted immediately. Which is why coffee tastes better when brewed right after it is ground. Having ground coffee sitting around causes it to loose flavor and freshness faster. So keep your beans whole until you're ready to brew is a great way to make certain you enjoy it!
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Harney & Son's Teas
Ceyon (Decaf)...The finest black tea from Ceyon. A great refreshingly full-bodied tea with none of the caffeine. Not available in the tin, but each sachet is wrapped 20 to a box.
Earl Grey...(also available in Decaf)...A special blend of 4 black teas are combined with silvertips and lemony bergamot oil.
Engilsh Breakfast...Produced in late spring in the Annui Province, China hand plucked and fully oxidized, this traditional black tea has a strong but simple and elegant flavor that charges up your day anytime.
Hot Cinnamon Sunset...Hand picked Chinese black teas blended with cinnamon and other spices to make it a medium-bodied, remarkably assertive tea loaded with sweet and spicey flavors. A local favorite for many!
Paris...Carefully blended black teas, citrus flavors, vanilla, and fruit (reminiscent of black currents and chocolate) with even a light hint of lemony bergamot. Whether hot or iced, this tea dances on your tongue!
Vanilla Comoro (Decaf)...Hand picked Ceylon tea blended with Vanilla. Leaving this tea naturally sweet aroma and taste without the calories.
Earl Grey...(also available in Decaf)...A special blend of 4 black teas are combined with silvertips and lemony bergamot oil.
Engilsh Breakfast...Produced in late spring in the Annui Province, China hand plucked and fully oxidized, this traditional black tea has a strong but simple and elegant flavor that charges up your day anytime.
Hot Cinnamon Sunset...Hand picked Chinese black teas blended with cinnamon and other spices to make it a medium-bodied, remarkably assertive tea loaded with sweet and spicey flavors. A local favorite for many!
Paris...Carefully blended black teas, citrus flavors, vanilla, and fruit (reminiscent of black currents and chocolate) with even a light hint of lemony bergamot. Whether hot or iced, this tea dances on your tongue!
Vanilla Comoro (Decaf)...Hand picked Ceylon tea blended with Vanilla. Leaving this tea naturally sweet aroma and taste without the calories.
