Grumpy Goat Coffee

Category: Espresso

Espresso

  • Cheap vs Premium Coffee From the Roaster’s Point of View

    Cheap vs Premium Coffee From the Roaster’s Point of View

    [fusion_builder_container type=”legacy” hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” min_height=”” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” align_content=”stretch” flex_align_items=”flex-start” flex_justify_content=”flex-start” flex_column_spacing=”” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” container_tag=”div” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” publish_date=”” class=”” id=”” link_color=”” link_hover_color=”” border_sizes_top=”” border_sizes_right=”” border_sizes_bottom=”” border_sizes_left=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” margin_top_medium=”” margin_bottom_medium=”” margin_top_small=”” margin_bottom_small=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_top_medium=”” padding_right_medium=”” padding_bottom_medium=”” padding_left_medium=”” padding_top_small=”” padding_right_small=”” padding_bottom_small=”” padding_left_small=”” padding_top=”25px” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_vertical=”” box_shadow_horizontal=”” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ box_shadow_color=”” box_shadow_style=”” z_index=”” overflow=”” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_blend_mode=”none” video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” absolute=”off” absolute_devices=”small,medium,large” sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_background_color=”” sticky_height=”” sticky_offset=”” sticky_transition_offset=”0″ scroll_offset=”0″ animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”true” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_sizes_top=”” border_sizes_bottom=”” border_sizes_left=”” border_sizes_right=”” first=”true” type=”1_1″][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” content_alignment_medium=”” content_alignment_small=”” content_alignment=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” font_size=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_color=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]

    Brian Abernathy, our master roaster and founder at Grumpy Goat Coffee Company, was interviewed for an article that explores cheap vs premium Coffee. Lauren Corona, a food, lifestyle, and commerce writer authored, “Experts Weigh In On The Key Differences Between Cheap Vs Expensive Coffee.“

    The detailed article discusses several factors including the two main types of coffee beans, Arabica and Robusta, and how they affect the flavor of coffee.  Several coffee roasting experts contributed to Corona’s article.

    Arabica beans are generally considered to be higher quality and have a more complex flavor, while Robusta beans are more bitter and acidic.

    In fact, Robusta beans are a key ingredient for making coffee blends for espresso which you can learn more about in our article Espresso’s Dark Hidden Secret.

    The article also discusses how growing conditions, processing methods, and sourcing can affect the price of coffee. Beans that are grown at high altitudes and carefully processed tend to be more expensive.

    Still, some coffee is expensive simply due to limited supply and not so much for the superior quality. Jamaica Blue Mountain and Kona Coffee from Hawaii are examples.

    Abernathy is quoted in the article as saying that the quality of the coffee beans is the most important factor in determining the price of coffee.

    He also discusses how the processing method can affect the flavor of coffee.

    For example, wet processing removes the fruit from the coffee bean before it is dried, which results in a brighter, more acidic flavor. Dry processing, on the other hand, leaves the fruit on the bean as it dries, which results in a more full-bodied flavor.

    Overall, the article comparing cheap vs premium coffee suggests that it is worth spending more money on high-quality coffee beans. However, the best type of coffee for you will ultimately depend on your personal preferences.

    We invite you to read all of Abernathy’s comments as well as those from other coffee roasters in the full article at Mashed.com.

    At Grumpy Goat Coffee we are committed to making a wide variety of premium coffee origins available to everyone at an approachable price.

    [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Espresso’s Dark Hidden Secret

    Espresso’s Dark Hidden Secret

    Espresso’s Dark Hidden Secret

    We get the question from customers all the time. Do you have espresso beans?

    Most people expect to hear a yes or no answer.

    But it’s not that simple.

    We gently coach people that espresso is not a type of bean or a specific roast type.

    Espresso coffee
    Courtesy: Demion, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    It’s a type of grind and brew method.

    You will see it as a setting on many coffee grinders and it results in a finer grind.

    Any coffee beans can be ground to an espresso level of fineness. That doesn’t mean that every coffee bean makes a great cup of espresso.

    Which brings us back to the premise that Grumpy Goat loves to teach coffee lovers about.

    A main key to the perfect cup of coffee is the quality and freshness of the coffee beans.

    Espresso is widely popular. The power of marketing and messaging has taught us that it is a special coffee experience. Espresso lovers have come to cherish the crema that forms on the surface of their espresso style coffee.

     

    What exactly is espresso?

    There’s more to the espresso story than meets the eye.

    In fact, there’s a dark hidden secret about traditional espresso.

    It has to do with the coffee beans used to make it.

    Typically, espresso is a blend of arabica coffee beans with some robusta coffee beans.

    Robusta beans, although low quality and almost undrinkable on their own, serve two important roles in the making of an espresso.

    First, the robusta beans contain about double the caffeine of arabica beans.
    Second, it’s the robusta bean that allows for a thicker crema to form on top.

    What really defines an espresso is how it is brewed, and that’s why the grind type is critical.

    The grind size for espresso is very fine. This fineness creates a more compact surface area and resistance for the pressurized hot water to flow through. This process results in a more intense and concentrated coffee experience.

    An espresso machine is designed to create pressurized extraction as it forces hot water under very high pressure through a compressed bed of roasted, ground coffee.

    This style of coffee is widely popular, helped along with mass marketing that this is how a great cup of coffee should be experienced and thereby creating a use for robusta coffee beans that are bitter on their own.

     

    The secret behind espresso crema

    Espresso style coffee is known for the thick foamy crema that forms on the surface of the coffee.

    Reddish and caramel in color, the tiny bubbles of the crema are visually appealing and make for great Instagram posts.

    But the carbon dioxide gas in the crema contributes to the bitterness of the espresso taste.

    So, it’s not uncommon to have an attractive looking espresso with a less than desired taste.

    See for yourself and try scraping the foam away and letting the coffee stand on its own. Or, mix the crema in and experience an entirely different flavor profile.

    Either way, know that you can enjoy a strong cup of espresso without an overly thick crema as long as you are using fresh, high quality coffee beans.

     

    Does Grumpy Goat have espresso beans?

    goat on coffee farmIt’s a valid question and we are happy to answer and offer advice.

    But it all starts with the origin, quality and freshness of the beans.

    Grumpy Goat focuses solely on high quality, single origin, fully traceable coffee beans. No blending, no flavoring, no risk of mishandling.

    There are several Grumpy Goat coffee origins that will make a great espresso style experience.

    Examples include Colombian, Ethiopian, Kenyan and Sumatra and although traditionally most people would opt for a dark roast, do not be afraid to try making an espresso with a medium roast.

    In fact, many coffee-forward cultures such as in Scandinavia, have fully embraced enjoying espresso style coffee using single origin beans and using lighter roast profiles than the traditional Italian espresso.

    There’s no right or wrong here. It boils down to your personal taste and we encourage you to experiment and land on what types of coffee fit best with your palate.

    But without the blending of the robusta beans you are unlikely to see the same thick, foamy lid form on the surface of your cup. Not to say there won’t be some crema – there will be – just not the same as when the low quality robusta beans are blended in.

    The crema is arguably a mask that inhibits the true tasting notes of the beans from being experienced. If you’re using low quality beans then perhaps the crema is a nice complement to hedge against the bitterness.

    But when you’re using high quality coffee beans you want that flavor profile to shine.

    And remember, it’s the marketing that has “taught” us that the crema is what makes espresso special.

    We think it’s still all about the coffee.