Coffee Deals:

Save lots of money at this great coffee sale!

50% off coffee - coffee at great prices.

25% off Gourmet Coffee - fabulous Kona coffee and more!

Tea Deals

Enjoy wonderful teas at fantastic prices during this tea sale

42% off: Numi’s Bouquet Bamboo Gift Set with Clear Teapot and Nine Flowering Teas - If you haven’t tried these - they are wonderful! They are a fantastic experience. Save even more when you buy 2 at once: Get $10 off today when you buy two eligible Numi Bouquet Bamboo Gift Sets. Use the following promotional code when you check out: NUMITEAC.

25% off Gourmet Tea

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The first thing you need, if you’re going to produce the Cupper’s experience in your own home, is fresh, filtered water. Water can easily take on odors from the air around it and it can also contain minerals that change the taste of your coffee. You should have fresh, filtered water on hand for your coffee tasting experience. You should also avoid softened or distilled water. It may still contain too much of the softening salts.

Aside from fresh water, you may also want a tray, as many small glasses or bowls as you want to make samples for, spoons, measuring cups and, of course, the coffee itself. As a general rule, you should have about two tablespoons (10 grams) of coffee for every six fluid ounces (180 ml) of water. You may want to adjust those amounts as you experiment, though.

First, you should boil enough water for each of your samples. You should also grind your coffee beans with a burr grinder. Try setting the grinder to different settings. Even if you are using the same type of bean, the fineness of the grind can completely change the flavor of the cup.

Second, steep the samples for a few minutes and then filter or allow them to settle accordingly.

Before you begin tasting, you should keep in mind what to look for. A few of the things that professional Cuppers evaluate coffee based on include aroma, flavor, body and acidity.

When you taste each sample, first concentrate on the smell, and then taste it by running the liquid over your entire tongue. After a few seconds of that, spit the sample into a container. As you are going through that process, consider the coffee’s major characteristics. Ask yourself, does it tastes woody, winy, smooth, acidic, thin or syrupy, peppery or floral?

Since coffee is grown in a wide variety of climates around the world, it should come as no surprise to you that their smells and tastes vary greatly. For instance, a Kenyan coffee tastes quite different from a Yemen Mocha or a Columbian coffee.

Always consider the different components of each coffee sample’s profile.

* Aroma - coffee aromas can smell nutty, floral, fruity or herb-like. Explore each coffee’s unique scent.

* Acidity - Both the age of the sample and the type of roast can make a huge difference in this category. Coffee acidity is characterized by a somewhat dry tartness. Mexican, for instance, has a noticeable acidity, while Sumatran is softer.

* Bitterness - Bitterness is something you can measure best by swishing each coffee sample on the back of your tongue. Most coffee bitterness is caused by caffeine, so decaf or darker brews are generally less bitter. Arabica tends to be less bitter than robusta.

* Body - Body measures how ‘thick’ the coffee is. For instance a dark French roast will be a sharp contrast to a light American roast.

* Nuttiness - Nuttiness is generally not considered to be a good thing when it comes to coffee. Aldehydes and ketones combine to create a taste similar to roasted nuts. That’s generally a sign of poor quality coffee beans.

* Sharpness - Sharpness is usually most pronounced in inexpensive robusta coffee. It’s created from a combination of salts and acids.

These are some good beginning guidelines to start you on the road to coffee tasting just like a professional Cupper. Just remember, coffee is an art form. All coffee is unique, so start with these guidelines, but be prepared to journey off into the unknown with each sip.

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Coffee and Tea Gift Baskets

Coffee and/or tea gift baskets are great gifts. If you want to have one that is pre-made with free shipping, this is a fantastic sale.

Save up to 50% off on Coffee and Tea Gift Baskets

Coffee Deals

We all drink coffee or tea - so let’s save on our favorite brews - or try favorites of others to discover something even better.

Save 50% or More on Coffee

5 - 50% Off Gourmet Coffee

Tea Deals

I enjoy afternoon tea. It is a wonderful tradition. Here are great teas to try at a discount.

5 - 50% Off Gourmet Tea

Hopefully you will enjoy these coffee and tea discounts too!

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If you happen to be among those who vote for caffeine-free coffee then you may find it interesting that a type of coffee tree was recently discovered that has almost no caffeine. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that that coffee tree will be commercially grown anytime soon. So, for now, you may be stuck with traditional caffeine removal methods.

You are probably wondering how such methods affect the taste of your coffee, right? Well, honestly, blind taste tests have shown that lots of people can’t tell the difference between regular and decaf if the cups are brewed properly. If you think that there is a difference, though, you are not crazy. The difference does exist.

First, you need to understand the:methods of removing caffeine from coffee.

• The least expensive way to remove caffeine from coffee is hot water and methylene chloride treatment. It begins when the coffee beans are rinsed in hot water after they are picked. The hot water rinse softens the outside of the fruit, so it can be easily removed. Once that is done, the coffee beans are rinsed in a chemical, called methylene chloride. The methylene chloride bonds with the caffeine and then both the caffeine and methylene chloride are rinsed away.
• An alternate method of removing caffeine from coffee is a hot water soak. When the beans are soaked in hot water for several hours, all of the caffeine is rinsed into the water along with several flavor components. After a while, the beans are removed and the methylene chloride is put into the bath. As it does in the rinsing process, it bonds to the caffeine only. After that process is complete, the beans are put back into the bath, where they are able to reabsorb their flavors.
• If the idea of methylene chloride doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry. A method called the Swiss method doesn’t use it at all. The Swiss method also involves soaking the beans in hot water for several hours. However, instead of methylene gas, the water is filtered through activated charcoal, which bonds to the caffeine.

There is a major debate about whether or not any of those methods remove flavors from the coffee permanently. If you’d rather take a different approach to limiting your caffeine then consider darker roasts. Darker, less acidic roasts usually have less caffeine, because the caffeine is lost as the beans are roasting. Also, if you want to cut your caffeine intake back a bit, without eliminating it entirely, you can try a blend of decaf and regular coffee. That may help you limit your caffeine, while increasing the flavor of your coffee.

As with anything else, regular vs. decaf coffee is all a matter of individual preferences. Now that you know the differences, you can find the coffee that works best for you. Enjoy your own personal perfect cup!

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Though making coffee pods are cheaper, this is great when you don’t have time or simply want making coffee to be super easy.

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These teas are already discounted, and you get an additional 50% off. A beautiful gift, at a fantastic price. Remember to use promotional code TEAGIFT5. What a thoughtful Father’s day gift!

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Sometimes, the coffee beans are subjected to a wash at the beginning of the drying and roasting process. Since the beans come in different types and densities, some of them float while others sink. This allows them to be sorted easier. The wash also helps to clean the beans and remove the outer fruit. Other processors use a drying process which is more expensive and takes more time.

Wet-processed beans tend to have a greater acidity than dry-processed beans do. Exactly how much acidity is desired depends on individual tastes. One thing is certain though, some acidity is better than no. If your morning cup had no acidity at all it would taste lifeless and flat.

During the first stage of the roasting process, the green coffee beans slowly turn to a yellowish color as they heat up. Usually, if they’ve been properly roasted, the beans will smell somewhat like popcorn or toast at that point.

As they reach temperatures of 338-392F (170-200C), the carmelization process begins. If the beans do not have the proper moisture content to begin with, then carmelization will not work properly and the final brew will not come out well.

When the beans get to about 400F (205C), the beans begin to get bigger. They wind up being about twice the size they started out at. They also turn light brown and lose around 5% of their weight. The beans will lose around another 13% of their weight and give off CO2 gas by the time they get to temperatures of around 428F (220C).

The next major milestone in the process is 446F (230C), at which point the beans turn a medium-dark brown color and develop an oily sheen. This is also called the ’second crack’ phase, because the beans often make a loud popping noise.

It’s very easy to burn the beans at that point in time. The roasters have to be careful not to overdo the roast. Over-roasting allows oxygen to mix with the oils on the outside of the beans and remove good flavors and leave a burnt taste in their place.

Coffee roasters have to take great care during the entire roasting process if they want the best possible outcome. So many acids, flavors and aromas are produced during the process that the slightest error could cause a completely different end result. Each coffee bean should, with a lot of skill and a bit of luck, produce just the right balance of flavors.

It is also important that coffee have good body. The word ‘body’ actually refers to how coffee feels on your tongue when you rub it against the roof of your mouth. The body of a cup of coffee is determined by its fat content. The fat content is largely determined by how the beans are grown and by the way the beans were roasted.

Dark roasts can have a chocolaty, burnt sort of taste, while lighter roasts can cause the coffee to have a more bitter taste. Which roast is right for you? Well, the only way to figure that out is to try several different types. So, instead of getting stuck in the same old rut, the next time you go for your same old cup of coffee, don’t be afraid to experiment a bit instead. You might find that drinking coffee becomes a whole new experience.

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First, decide how much you want to be involved in the roasting process. If you enjoy mixing and stirring and measuring, you may want to get a simple stove-top model. Those are generally just saucepans with special handles, which have a crank, so you can stir the beans as they roast. Stirring them keeps the air flowing through the pan and prevents the beans from burning. Stove-top roasters should have tight lids as well. They should also have thermometers in the lids. Temperature control is very important as you are roasting.

If, on the other hand, you are only interested in the finished product, you may want to get a more expensive model that can do everything for you. Such models allow you to just put in the beans, close the lid and walk away until it’s done. Such models have thermometers, rotating canisters to provide proper air flow, timers and other options for your convenience.

It is critical that your coffee roaster be able to circulate air well and heat each bean in a uniform way if you want to get a consistently good roast. The most common air roasters accomplish that goal well. They work quite a bit like a popcorn popper does. Some models can even filter out the excess chaff that occurs when the coffee beans expand.

NO matter what type of coffee roaster you choose, one of the most important things you need to consider is visibility. You need to be able to see the beans as they roast if you want to fine-tune the procedure to your individual tastes.

You should also consider the amount of green coffee beans you are likely to be roasting. If you live alone and do not get much company you may want to get a small roaster. If you tend to host frequent parties then a large roaster might be a good choice for you.

Also, the roasting process inevitably creates some smoke, so it’s important to keep your roaster in a well-ventilated area.

So, no matter what your coffee roasting needs are, there’s a roaster out there for you. Do a bit of research and, in no time, you’ll be roasting the perfect green coffee beans for you!

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From the above link, you can buy 2 cases of herbal tea w/ Amazon prime free shipping for $20.54. That ends up being approximately 1.72 per box — a fantastic price! An even better deal, if you enjoy Organic Black Tea you can get 4 cases for $22 with amazon prime free shipping. (ONE case normally retails for $19.90)

Mix and match to your hearts content and get wonderful discounted tea!

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If you would like higher quality, rainforest alliance certified coffee, these 28% off Timothy’s World Coffee, Extra Bold Rainforest Espresso, K-Cups for Keurig Brewers are really wonderful and environmentally friendly. Finding coffee discounts is wonderful for the taste buds and the bank account!

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