There is no excuse. Do not serve awful tasting coffee.
Doesn’t matter where you are in the home or office there is no excuse serving bad coffee to your friends/coffee/colleagues (unless you don’t like them 🤔)
So how do you impress someone?
You have 7 seconds.
Welcome them to your company & then ask them if they would like a cup of coffee. Easy.
Not sure what type to buy?
I’m going to generalise massively here (no doubt be beaten by the coffee officials) but a roaster once told me to chose a South American coffee for your first taste, they are usually non-bitter and smoother than the coffee which originates from African/India.
Not sure what strength to buy?
When the packet says “Strength” – this can be a bit misleading but they are trying to tell you how dark the roast will be and how intense the bitterness.
A shorter roast can emphasize fruity, acidic aromas and a longer roast can bring out darker, more toasted notes.
If you are new to coffee then go for a 2 or 3 strength.
1 Light roast
2 Medium roast
3 Medium to dark roast
4 Dark roast
5 Very dark roast
To Decaf or not to Decaf?
It’s always best to offer both.
Just a point of interest when it says Decaf it isn’t 100% Caffeine free – no Decaf coffee is.
Do you buy beans or ground coffee?
Go for coffee which is already ground. Grinding your own will ensure a fresher taste but it’s not always practical. Buy the smallest bag possible until you find out which one is the most popular.
Start a Coffee Club at work
It could be fun – you never know who you could meet over a Colombian Excelso.
Put up a whiteboard and chart peoples reactions.
Invest in a Cafetiere
They are not expensive – most supermarkets sell them. They will give you the perfect start to coffee making.
Follow the instructions …it’s usually 1 tablespoon of coffee per person & brew for 3-4 minutes. Again it’s trial and error but don’t over brew or it will affect the flavour.
To change the strength of your coffee, adjust the ‘dose’ by increasing or lowering the amount of coffee you use.
Serve it black & give them the option of fresh milk or packet of UHT creamer.
How to store your Coffee
Coffee will lose its freshness when it is exposed to light, heat, moisture, & oxygen. Keep beans and grounds an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Coffee doesn’t need to be complicated but there are mind-blowing coffee varieties out there but it is fun trying to find the ones you like. Don’t try and do it all in one day or you’ll not sleep.😲
Give your customers superb coffee – try Crazy Cat’s – It’s non-bitter, creamy & delicious, we even sell a decaf & don’t forget the Coffee cups..buy some nice ones!
Crohns & Ground Coffee a match made in heaven or caffeine hell?
I appear to have fallen down a rabbit hole.
I began with writing a piece on caffeine and end up with all kinds of inflammatory bowel diseases. 🤔
My intention was to highlight the effects of Ground coffee on the body. Specifically the digestive system, it came apparent that there are lots of people out there who just cannot tolerate caffeine.
I suffer occasionally with IBS when I overload on Wheat & Dairy. Having done a little research I’m also maxed out on Coffee (which is a nightmare considering we sell the stuff).
Whilst I’m at it – rant about to happen – why do people dis the decaf?
Why is it that the “coffee snobs” roll their eyes and decide you are some kind of philistine for asking for a decaf coffee?
My point is (when I get to it ) that Coffee & more specifically caffeine can have a detrimental impact on your health. If you are already suffering from a debilitating digestive condition then it could make it worse.
Reasons to reduce or ditch the coffee altogether:
1) It makes you go to the toilet more – when you’re already faced with a sensitive bowel the last thing you want is to add to the emergency.
The coffee response can be immediate or it could happen hours after you consume it. Great if you’re constipated but not so good if you are already “loose” in that department.
Researchers found that coffee promotes the release of gastrin, a hormone produced in the stomach and known to increase motor activity in the colon. But the response with decaffeinated was the same as caffeinated coffee so it must be something else.
2) Coffee reduces your ability to deal with stress– when you’re already having to cope mentally & emotionally with a debilitating disease you don’t need caffeine. If you have too much it can lead to restlessness, anxiety, irritability, and sleeplessness.
Caffeine elevates the stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These are the hormones that increase your heart rate and blood pressure and divert blood flow away from other bodily functions, like digestion, to prepare your body for “fight or flight.”
3) Coffee can disturb your sleep pattern– my mother in law always says that “while your body is sleeping it’s healing” at least we agree on one thing 😏
Here’s an easy explanation of why coffee affects our sleep patterns from the National Sleep Foundation
“Because caffeine is a stimulant, most people use it after waking up in the morning or to remain alert during the day. While it is important to note that caffeine cannot replace sleep, it can temporarily make us feel more alert by blocking sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain and increasing adrenaline production”
4) It may also increase chances of a “leaky gut” & trigger the Immune System.
Or Intestinal permeability. Sounds horrible and the condition becomes very painful very fast.
Coffee beans are seeds which contain protective compounds to prevent digestion, this is how they ensure the survival of the plant species. These same compounds can cause increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut). Coffee can also cause the immune system to exaggerate inflammation which is why coffee and other seeds are initially eliminated on the paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP).
No Caffeine or Decaffeinated – is there a difference?
“Decaffeinated” does not mean 100% caffeine free. Most ground coffee still has between 5-10% caffeine so be careful on your choice of coffee.
Test the amount of caffeine you drink – if you have an adverse reaction then reduce it or cut it out.
But then that goes for everything we humans do be it relationships, jobs, exercise.
I say “If it hurts don’t do it” 🤗
Extract from Gutsy by Nature:
Coffee beans are loaded with antioxidants—and we know that antioxidants fight off free radicals that cause damage to our cells, which can age us prematurely and potentially cause a whole host of other health issues. That said, coffee beans do lose some of their antioxidant content through the decaffeination process, but there are still some present, so it’s beneficial all the same. Apart from antioxidants, a cup of decaffeinated coffee has 2.4% of the recommended daily intake of magnesium, 4.8% of potassium and 2.5% of niacin. There are certainly some decaffeinated coffee health benefits.
Extract from The Paleomom:
In a nutshell (er, a coffee bean husk), coffee offers a variety of pros and cons that are extremely context dependent. For many people, coffee is a fine addition to a Paleo diet (especially when consumed in moderation, in filtered form, early in the day, and with a meal rather than on an empty stomach). People with gallbladder problems, who metabolize caffeine more slowly, or who simply experience adverse side effects like an upset stomach or heartburn should proceed with caution where coffee is concerned.
References: The Paleomom
You wouldn’t believe it but making Coffee Ice Cubes could get complicated 🤪 It’s a bit trial and error before you find the right coffee, the right amount of coffee to water ratio.
If you don’t want to be wired all day then choose a regular ground coffee, brew it overnight. If you do want to be wired all day then go for an Espresso roast.😵
Ingredients
16 oz coffee (480 mils) brewed regular strength
Recommended coffee: Crazy Cat 3 Bean Blend it’s a Medium strength and is delicious! or if you’re sensitive to Caffeine but want the coffee flavour then use our Crazy Cat Decaf Coffee just use more coffee & less water (steep overnight)
Equipment
Cafetire or Coffee Machine
1 Ice cube tray
Directions
Brew regular coffee and let it steep for a few hours or overnight – like I said depending on how strong you like your coffee, let it cool to room temperature.
Pour evenly into an ice cube tray, then place into freezer. Once frozen, you can use coffee cubes for up to two weeks.
You see it’s that easy – have a go and experiment.
