11
votes
What do producers usually mix ground coffee with to make it cheaper?
I will not go into any political discussion, theory or similar, but I can give you a few historical facts.
There have always been times in the last few centuries when coffee was a rare commodity. And ...
7
votes
What do producers usually mix ground coffee with to make it cheaper?
On the less conspiratorial side of things, the problems you are describing can also be explained by less sinister circumstances. Coffee that has been roasted too dark is often bitter and somewhat ...
7
votes
What do producers usually mix ground coffee with to make it cheaper?
An easy (but unscrupulous) way to lower the seller's cost of coffee is to add coffee that is cheaper, older, or unfit for consumption because spoiled or contaminated. The frequency and severity of ...
5
votes
Accepted
What makes coffee from a coffee shop/cafe better than the coffee I make at home?
Three things contribute to a good cup of coffee.
The coffee itself.
The tools used to prepare the coffee.
The skills of the person making the coffee.
Unless you're talking about espresso or espresso ...
4
votes
Is an inflated bag of coffee a problem?
If the coffee is, (ground or not) sealed directly after roasting, the coffee will still gas out, releasing CO2 as a result from the roasting process wich leads to inflated bags. On many coffee bags, ...
4
votes
What do producers usually mix ground coffee with to make it cheaper?
One method to stretch coffee is to grind it finer. This leads to over extraction and a bitter taste. There isn't much of a saving. In the plant I managed, we produced 2.5 oz. pouches for coffee ...
4
votes
What are the differences in perceived quality of Robusta vs Arabica bean blends?
Robusta is often used to "cut" blended coffee because it is most often cheaper to purchase than Arabica beans. Since it generally has a higher level of caffeine than Arabica, it may also be used to ...
4
votes
How Much Should I Spend When Investing In An At-Home Espresso Machine?
It's important to note that you should be thinking of your entire espresso budget (i.e. Machine, Grinder, and Accessories) when trying to find the "right" price. If you were to buy a $1000 machine, ...
3
votes
Accepted
Why some coffee pods are under pressure?
Inert gases are known to be chemically stable; they don't react with materials around. Based on that fact Ernesto Illy, the son of the founder of the famous coffee roasting company, invented the ...
3
votes
What affects coffee quality?
Coffee is at it's heart and agricultural product and suffers from some of the same issues apples do plus some additional ones stemming from it's need to be roasted/stored/ground and brewed before use.
...
3
votes
What affects coffee quality?
This is a fairly general question, so pardon me for a slightly generic answer.
First thing you'll want to consider is the quality of the coffee itself. Typically, the more expensive a coffee is, the ...
2
votes
Store Costco beans in individual vacuum sealed canisters?
First, I think you need to start with the quality of the bean you bought. I have noticed both at Sam's Club and Costco that more often than not, the bags of beans are not sealed. You need to dig to ...
2
votes
How Much Should I Spend When Investing In An At-Home Espresso Machine?
After years of experience, the answer is simply depends on your budget and how much you want to invest in coffee.
This is coffee; if you are experienced, you can brew magic out of one dollar cezve or ...
2
votes
Why some coffee pods are under pressure?
Regarding quality issues, the chances are the gas in the pod isn't air. Perishable products are frequently described as being 'packaged in a protective atmosphere'.
As to why, I'm not sure what the ...
1
vote
French Press: why do grounds sit at the bottom of the pressor before I press it?
These things can affect grind buyoancy:
Roast level--lighter tends to be more buoyant due to greater retention of gasses during roasting
Roast freshness--fresher roasts retain more gasses due to ...
1
vote
French Press: why do grounds sit at the bottom of the pressor before I press it?
It is perfectly normal for the grounds to fall to the bottom relatively soon, even before pressing. In fact, you don't even need to press, you can just use the plunger as a strainer when you're done ...
1
vote
How Much Should I Spend When Investing In An At-Home Espresso Machine?
My first espresso machine was a Nuova Simonelli Oscar which I bought for $400 on Craigslist. I have switched to a fully manual Olympia Cremina since then, which costs three times more, and is in a ...
1
vote
Accepted
Get the best from a Gaggia Unica coffee machine
I suggest your first port of call should be the operators manual. Here is an excerpt:
• Empty and clean the coffee grounds drawer daily, with the machine turned on.
• After having removed the coffee ...
1
vote
What do producers usually mix ground coffee with to make it cheaper?
In Spain, it's common to find "Torrefacto", where the beans are glazed with sugar during the roasting process, historically to increase shelf life and mask the taste of low-quality coffee:
https://en....
1
vote
Store Costco beans in individual vacuum sealed canisters?
I store beans two ways, 1. Place bag the beans came in, inside a plastic zip lock freezer bag, squeeze out the air and zip lock freezer bag. Place in freezer, when removing beans, allow to warm to ...
1
vote
Store Costco beans in individual vacuum sealed canisters?
Yeah, why not? Imagine a big container with all of your beans, there are gonna last the same time if you separate it on 3 containers. And the "oxygen expossure" will be minimal (not necessary), but at ...
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