Coffee?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

how do i get started with the whole home brewing thing.

what all do i need?

[Oso]

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/

pretty much one stop shopping...plus they have a bear in their logo.

start with a kit that has everything you need. then, when you have an idea of how it works you could start messing with stuff on your own.

this is the same style as that Tasgall

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLI..._P1076C190.cfm

[qiphlow]

for home roasting shopping i use www.sweetmarias.com
they have a huge selection of green coffee beans, plus a good selection of roasters and related equipment. prices are comparable to williamsbrewing that oso mentioned.
don't be put off by the idea of home roasting--it's so easy, you'll wonder why you didn't start sooner.

[The Willow Sword]

Qiphlow,
How long do you let your beans "Mellow and Cure" After you roast and before you grind and brew? I was doing 24hr mellowing and a week tops on curing. And YES there is a difference is how the coffee tastes when it is fresh roasted. Most people have not really tried a FRESH roasted coffee.

Oh and for those here do not know. Mellowing is a term used to describe how long the oils start to seep out of the bean takes. When you fresh roast your coffee at home you have to let it stand in an open container for about 24 hrs. to allow the gasses to escape out of the bean after roasting. you then seal the coffee up and let it Cure for about a week(shaking the container once a day to stir the beans). After a while the oils and such seep out of the bean to create that flavor. the longer you roast the darker and oiler the bean will be. I prefer medium roasts myself.

TWS

[Oso]

for home roasting shopping i use www.sweetmarias.com
they have a huge selection of green coffee beans, plus a good selection of roasters and related equipment. prices are comparable to williamsbrewing that oso mentioned.
don't be put off by the idea of home roasting--it's so easy, you'll wonder why you didn't start sooner.

sweet link dude.

i was posting williams from mainly a beer perspective. maria's looks awesome for coffee.

[qiphlow]

i usually will let the beans cool outside for a few hrs after i've roasted, then bring 'em inside and let 'em sit until i have time to put 'em in their jars (one big main jar, and a smaller one for overflow in case i've roasted a bigger than normal batch). i will drink the very next morning, so they rest for about 14-18 hrs depending on when i roasted the previous day. the very best days for drinking for me (flavor-wise) are days 2 and three after roasting (day one being the day immediately after cooking), but the beans stay good for me for about 8 days max. i generally roast every 5 to 8 days depending on how busy i am.
as far as degree of roast, i like to take the beans to the point that they are dark, but not yet oily. when they get all oily like that, they taste burnt to me. but i can't really deal with a light roast either.
and BTW, oso--
i really dig that 7 seconds of love song you've got in your sig. it's in my limewire library.

[Oso]

i think 7 Seconds would be a great bar band or party band.

[kfson]

Is it good or bad for you?

[Lucas]

depends on how much you drink i think. some studies have shown that coffee actually helps fight prostate cancer. i read an article about that a while ago and how this has prompted a trend for a large portion of japanese men to begin drinking decaf coffee.

i personally like coffee but i dont drink a lot.

[kfson]

My doctor of oriental medicine says no, no.

But when the weather becomes cold, I get a craving for the roasted flavor. At least that's what I think I'm craving. Tea just doesn't cut it.

[Lucas]

well it is a diuretic. im sure as with many things we dont need, you would be better off abstaining.

however, and this is my personal take, its not going to kill me. likely even if i drink coffee for the rest of my life, ill live into old age without serious health concerns directly related to coffee. or something else will kill me.

plus coffee helps prevent prostate cancer, thats a plus. someone would have to show me a negative side effect that is worse than giving up an aid against prostate cancer, so far as with anything moderation is the key and I have as yet to notice any negative results from long term coffee intake. I'm a man, so I dont want prostate cancer, anyone with a history of this in their family would probably be happy to take in any all natural aids against developing this.

[GeneChing]

Follow the link for more - I only cut&pasted the China ones.
For the record, I never go to Starbucks.

Is That Really a Starbucks?【Photo Gallery】
2 days ago by Michelle


Starbucks stores throughout Asia3Most Starbucks coffee houses are easily identified by their oversized green umbrellas out on the patio, a huge green and white cap-locked name sign and a twin-tailed mermaid emblem beckoning the caffeine-deprived masses in for a cup of joe. But the following Starbucks coffee houses, some with wooden signs and earth-tone color schemes, are hardly recognizable. In fact, many of these unique Starbucks stores were created in response to opposition from local residents who were concerned that the addition of a cookie-cutter corporate monstrosity would ruin the area’s original ambiance. Take a look at these surprisingly beautiful Starbucks stores throughout Asia.

▼ Beijing, China


▼ Beijing, China


▼ Chengdu, China


▼ Hangzhou, China


▼ Hong Kong


▼ Shanghai, China


▼ Shanghai, China


▼ Xi’an, China

[David Jamieson]

Not bad ~G
You are raising necros better than Jonah Hex!

[GeneChing]

I like to think of it a little more like Re-Animator than Jonah.

Actually, I'm just not that into launching new threads. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

[Drake]

I know my roaster. I hand grind my beans just before brewing, using two small scoops of beans. I preheat my decanter, and bloom and brew my coffee in a Chemex. I brew at around 205-208F.

Bloom with 60g of water. Brew with just under 20 oz of water.