The Clover Coffee Brewer :: Great Northern Roasting Company

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Roaster Jack Davis : GNRC

A couple of months ago I was griping about never having tasted coffee brewed in the Clover.  Now that the Clover is owned solely by Starbucks appeared to make my quest to taste superb coffee brewed by this method in vain.  Even if I wanted to experience the Starbucks coffee brewed in the Clover, I would have to drive more than 400 miles to the nearest Starbucks that offers Clover brew.  I was lamenting this sad fact on Twitter one day and I was surprised by the response I got.

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CoffeeNate and Ben Schmerler from @FairTradeUSA

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Join me and Ben Schmerler (Coffee Category Manager : Fair Trade USA) as we discuss coffee, fair trade, and how consumers can make a real difference in individual lives and communities across the globe.

Did you know that we drink more than 400,000,000 cups of coffee EVERY DAY in the USA?  Wow!  How often do we stop to think about the journey that those beans had to make in order to grace our mugs?  Do we ever wonder about where it is grown, or the lives of those who carefully cultivated it?  If you were like me a couple of years ago, the answer is no.  Why would you?  You go to the store, buy the coffee and drink it.  Well, now you will know [Read more…]

CoffeeNate #29 :: How to Decode Coffee Labels


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Maybe you’ve seen them, maybe you haven’t…the tree frog, the half black / half white dude with baskets in his/her hand, or perhaps a flock of Smithsonian birds on your coffee labels?  What the heck do these coffee certification labels mean to us, the consumer?  Watch the vid and keep reading to find out! [Read more…]

CoffeeNate #28 :: How is Decaf Coffee Made?



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Decaffeinated coffee, something that I rarely punish myself with, but there are those who are unfortunately subjected to this sub-par beverage. Many people cannot properly process caffeine and it effects their heart rate negatively. Admittedly, I haven’t tried very many decaf coffees, but those that I have tried have left me feeling unsatisfied and used. 😉 In addition to the less than desirable flavor, most decaffeinated coffee is processed using harsh chemical solvents. BUT, if you are one of the unfortunate ones who must endure the decaf version of coffee, take heart. There is better decaf out there, but you have to search for it. There is a mystic about the decaffeination of coffee. Just how do they remove the caff from the bean?


The most popular method of decaffeinating coffee is a synthetic chemical process where the beans are steamed for 30 minutes to draw the caffeine to the surface of the green coffee bean. Once this has occurred, the beans are washed with a chemical solvent of either Methyl Chloride or Ethyl Acetate. MMmm delicious! These two are used in paint strippers, nail polish remover and glue, not exactly appetizing. After this process the beans are again steamed to ‘remove’ the residual solvent. I’m not sure if they can guarantee that all of the chemical has been removed, and I don’t think I would tend to believe them if they did.

The healthiest method of decaffeinating coffee is called the Swiss Water Method. This method involves no synthetic chemicals, and uses only fresh water. You can check out the pdf (provided by SwissWater.com) to the right that explains the process in detail. The Swiss Water method involves soaking the green coffee beans in water for ten hours. The caffeine and the flavor solids from the beans are diffused into the water. This initial batch of beans are discarded. Then the caffeine is filtered from the remaining liquid, leaving behind the flavor component of the coffee. A fresh batch of beans are soaked in this solution, and since the liquid is saturated with the coffee flavor solids, only the caffeine diffuses into the solution. It’s quite simple, and ingenious! There is only one place in the world that uses this method, and it is located in British Columbia, Canada. Green coffee is shipped to them, treated with their patented process, and then distributed to roasters throughout the world. A complete list of companies that use their service can be found at their website.

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Click Image for Full Screen pdf version

 


Video showing the Swiss Water Decaffeination Process


Here’s something I just discovered, the Coffee Beanery sells only Swiss Water Processed decaff for all of their decaffeinated coffees! Buy today and get this great discount as well… Enjoy Free Shipping on All Orders with code: CBValentine

You may also find some excellent decaf coffees at your local roaster! There are some great tasting decaf coffees to be found, but it will take a bit of hunting on your part. Exceptional regular coffee is getting easier to find, but the decafs are still a bit of a challenge. If you’re diligent and determined, you will eventually find the right one for you! Don’t settle for bitter or tasteless coffee, keep looking until you get it right. When you do, please share it with us in the comments section! If you still have questions about anything that I’ve covered, let me know and I’ll gladly get some answers for you! Just click “Ask CoffeeNate” above, or click ‘Contact’ at the top of any page 🙂

Entering our FREE coffee contest is easy! This month it is being sponsored by Kohana Slow Roasted Coffee. Check out their site, and also follow them on Twitter @KohanaCoffee Kohana offers great slow roasted coffees that are prepared in small batches to ensure quality and freshness!

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Here’s how you can enter today!

  • Leave a comment on any CoffeeNate.com post (1 entry per contributing comment)
  • Become a fan of CoffeeNate.com on facebook or click “Become a Fan” in the toolbar at the bottom of the page.
  • Click the “Tweet” button at the top left or bottom of any CoffeeNate.com post
  • Follow me and ReTweet my tweets that contain contest info
  • Sign up for our email updates at the top right of any page

At the end of February, I will draw a winner and they will be able to choose any coffee from Kohana Coffee’s website (does not include ultra premium %100 Kona coffee). Kohana will ship directly to you at absolutely no charge! Enjoy 🙂 The contest is open to all North American residents, and Kohana ships to everywhere in North America!

If you enjoy what you see at CoffeeNate.com then please pay me back by visiting my sponsors! Every time a visitor from my site goes to a sponsor’s site, they know where the click came from. Show my sponsors that you appreciate their contribution to this site! Thank you and good luck!! 😀

CoffeeNate #26 :: Grind Em If You Got Em


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Welcome to the first post of 2010 at CoffeeNate.com  After eating about 8 million calories worth of holiday food, it’s time to get back to reality.  This week I am addressing a very serious issue, as far as coffee quality is concerned anyway.  The coffee grinder.  Just how important is the way you grind you coffee?  It is the single most [Read more…]