Comments on: The Science of Coffee http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:26:47 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Nick http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19327 Nick Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:55:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19327 Esspresso is an artificial way to prepare coffee. Esspresso is an artificial way to prepare coffee.

]]> By: James Hoffmann http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19348 James Hoffmann Tue, 05 Sep 2006 19:48:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19348 Roasters don't use water baths, instead some use a quenching mist of water sprayed over the beans as they spill from the roaster to try and arrest the chemistry within the bean driven by heat. Many roasters who rank quality above ease and speed prefer to use air to cool the coffee because it doesn't shorten the shelf life the way that water does. Illy's article is an interesting, and the research they have done is excellent. I do, however, dislike the way that the crema of an espresso is treated in a romantic and mystical way. It is merely a foam of the coffee beneath, caused by bubbles of CO2 being trapped by a compound called a melanoidin that acts as a surfactant. The reason that it fades quickly is down to drainage. The most common reason that most people don't get a crema on their espresso at home is that they are using an incorrect grind of coffee. The grind of the coffee is the most important thing in espresso as it determines the resistance to the machine's pump which in turn affects the brew time/contact time of the coffee. The finer the grind, the slower the brew, the more flavour we extract. Most, if not all, preground coffee bought in a supermarket or store is too coarse, no matter what the label tells you. The correct grind should allow 2oz of liquid through a bed of 14-18g of coffee in around 25 seconds (quite slow). The other reason is that coffee stales very quickly once ground and not only are aromatics lost but much of the CO2, so necessary for crema, is freed in the process of grinding. Espresso is a wonderful thing. Roasters don’t use water baths, instead some use a quenching mist of water sprayed over the beans as they spill from the roaster to try and arrest the chemistry within the bean driven by heat. Many roasters who rank quality above ease and speed prefer to use air to cool the coffee because it doesn’t shorten the shelf life the way that water does.

Illy’s article is an interesting, and the research they have done is excellent. I do, however, dislike the way that the crema of an espresso is treated in a romantic and mystical way. It is merely a foam of the coffee beneath, caused by bubbles of CO2 being trapped by a compound called a melanoidin that acts as a surfactant. The reason that it fades quickly is down to drainage.

The most common reason that most people don’t get a crema on their espresso at home is that they are using an incorrect grind of coffee. The grind of the coffee is the most important thing in espresso as it determines the resistance to the machine’s pump which in turn affects the brew time/contact time of the coffee. The finer the grind, the slower the brew, the more flavour we extract. Most, if not all, preground coffee bought in a supermarket or store is too coarse, no matter what the label tells you. The correct grind should allow 2oz of liquid through a bed of 14-18g of coffee in around 25 seconds (quite slow).
The other reason is that coffee stales very quickly once ground and not only are aromatics lost but much of the CO2, so necessary for crema, is freed in the process of grinding.

Espresso is a wonderful thing.

]]> By: glenn http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19326 glenn Wed, 16 Aug 2006 10:46:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19326 My best coffee ever was a freshly roasted coffee bean and grounded by a wooden mortar and pestle and just plain boiled in a very hot tin cup over a fire produced by wooden logs. No modern technology just plain third world methods. :) My best coffee ever was a freshly roasted coffee bean and grounded by a wooden mortar and pestle and just plain boiled in a very hot tin cup over a fire produced by wooden logs. No modern technology just plain third world methods. :)

]]> By: coturnix http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19324 coturnix Wed, 16 Aug 2006 02:46:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19324 Esspresso - it's so artificial and machine-made. I fix my own Turkish coffee at home. Will anyone do chemical analysis of that? Esspresso – it’s so artificial and machine-made. I fix my own Turkish coffee at home. Will anyone do chemical analysis of that?

]]> By: Nonoscience / The Scian Melt - Edition Twenty http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19349 Nonoscience / The Scian Melt - Edition Twenty Tue, 15 Aug 2006 18:26:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19349 [...] The Science of Coffee [by Mark at The Cosmic Variance] [...] [...] The Science of Coffee [by Mark at The Cosmic Variance] [...]

]]> By: Betablokker » A few links http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19329 Betablokker » A few links Mon, 14 Aug 2006 22:22:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19329 [...] (2) A post about the science of coffee, on Cosmic Variance. [...] [...] (2) A post about the science of coffee, on Cosmic Variance. [...]

]]> By: Wim L http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19325 Wim L Mon, 14 Aug 2006 01:40:14 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19325 It is interesting how different drugs are temporarily gven the status of social or industrial necessity and are eventually supplanted by other drugs. Lately it's coffee. Tobacco has also played that role, as has alcohol (in many forms: beer, wine, distilled liquor), and opium, and tea, and arguably cocaine, and probably others I'm not thinking of right now. At least coffee is not as harmful to our health as some of the others. It is interesting how different drugs are temporarily gven the status of social or industrial necessity and are eventually supplanted by other drugs. Lately it’s coffee. Tobacco has also played that role, as has alcohol (in many forms: beer, wine, distilled liquor), and opium, and tea, and arguably cocaine, and probably others I’m not thinking of right now. At least coffee is not as harmful to our health as some of the others.

]]> By: Christine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19347 Christine Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:39:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19347 Brazil produces almost a third of all the coffee in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_coffee Certainly, the best grains do not stay here. In any case, Brazilians who do not drink coffee (our "cafezinho", as we call it) are somewhat rare indeed. It is also relatively common for young Brazilians to drink coffee with milk in their breakfasts. At work, there is always the so-called "cafezinho"´s time. A time to drink coffee and for informal talks and gossips of course. I myself didn´t like coffee too much. Today, I simply can´t drink at least about 3 or more cafezinhos every day. I agree it is an aquired taste. It´s funny, because I generally do like more its smell than its taste. On the other hand, I love cappuccino. Best wishes Christine (from Brazil) Brazil produces almost a third of all the coffee in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_coffee

Certainly, the best grains do not stay here. In any case, Brazilians who do not drink coffee (our “cafezinho”, as we call it) are somewhat rare indeed. It is also relatively common for young Brazilians to drink coffee with milk in their breakfasts. At work, there is always the so-called “cafezinho”´s time. A time to drink coffee and for informal talks and gossips of course.

I myself didn´t like coffee too much. Today, I simply can´t drink at least about 3 or more cafezinhos every day. I agree it is an aquired taste. It´s funny, because I generally do like more its smell than its taste. On the other hand, I love cappuccino.

Best wishes
Christine (from Brazil)

]]> By: David Harmon http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19337 David Harmon Thu, 10 Aug 2006 00:55:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19337 I usually put espresso-ground coffee in a drip maker, and toss a few spices in. (Any combination of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, anise, etc). Does that make me an irredeemable heretic? I usually put espresso-ground coffee in a drip maker, and toss a few spices in. (Any combination of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, anise, etc). Does that make me an irredeemable heretic?

]]> By: Stephen Uitti http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/comment-page-1/#comment-19338 Stephen Uitti Wed, 09 Aug 2006 21:17:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/07/the-science-of-coffee/#comment-19338 While coffee is indeed complex, it is an aquired taste. I went far enough to be barely able to tolerate coffee, but not far enough to enjoy it. My caffeine intake was mostly Coke and Mt. Dew. You get the caffeine rush. You tell yourself it keeps you awake and alert at meetings. After all, it really does keep you awake when you really want to sleep, and otherwise disrupts your sleep schedule. Caffeine interferes with the body's uptake of calcium, and is implicated in arthritis and osteoperosis. It's highly addictive, so years after going cold turkey, i smell coffee and want it. I have some control over getting it, but no control over wanting it. Only the memories of severe arthritic pain allows me any leeway. Maybe having choice was always an illusiion, but i want it back, and know it won't happen. At least the arthritis is better now. While coffee is indeed complex, it is an aquired taste. I went far enough to be barely able to tolerate coffee, but not far enough to enjoy it. My caffeine intake was mostly Coke and Mt. Dew. You get the caffeine rush. You tell yourself it keeps you awake and alert at meetings. After all, it really does keep you awake when you really want to sleep, and otherwise disrupts your sleep schedule. Caffeine interferes with the body’s uptake of calcium, and is implicated in arthritis and osteoperosis. It’s highly addictive, so years after going cold turkey, i smell coffee and want it. I have some control over getting it, but no control over wanting it. Only the memories of severe arthritic pain allows me any leeway. Maybe having choice was always an illusiion, but i want it back, and know it won’t happen. At least the arthritis is better now.

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