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The water you use is very important to the quality of your coffee. Use filtered or bottled water if your tap water is not good or has a strong odor or taste, such as chlorine.
If you’re using tap water, let it run a few seconds before filling your coffee pot, and be sure to use cold water. Avoid distilled or softened water.
A general guideline is called the "Golden Ratio" - one to two tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water. This can be adjusted to suit individual taste preferences.
Check the cup lines or indicators on your specific brewer to see how they actually measure. And remember that some water is lost to evaporation in certain brewing methods.
Your brewer should maintain a water temperature between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal extraction. Colder water will result in flat, under-extracted coffee, while water that is too hot will also cause a loss of quality in the taste of the coffee. (However, cold brew does not need any heat.)
If you are brewing the coffee manually, let the water come to a full boil, but do not over boil. Turn off the heat source and allow the water to rest a minute before pouring it over the grounds.
Coffee usually cools rapidly after being served, depending upon the container from which it is being served. And, many coffee drinkers may add cream or milk which also has a cooling effect. Ultimately, the temperature at which any individual coffee drinker will prefer their coffee is a personal preference, like so many other things that make coffee special. These are some of the reasons why it is best to serve coffee right after brewing, when it is fresh and hot. Cupping quality standards suggest brewing at 200˚F. When serving hot beverages, especially in retail or clinical care settings which present risks for burning or scalding, lower temperatures should be considered. Coffee drinkers often desire to add cold milk or cream, or just allow the hot beverage to cool to reach a comfortable temperature for drinking. One study has shown that coffee drinkers typically drink their coffee at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
The amount of time that the water is in contact with the coffee grounds is another important flavor factor.
In a drip system, the contact time should be approximately 5 minutes. If you are making your coffee using a French Press, the contact time should be 2-4 minutes. Espresso has an especially brief brew time — the coffee is in contact with the water for only 20-30 seconds. Cold brew, on the other hand, should steep overnight (about 12 hours).
If you’re not happy with the taste of the final product, you're likely either:
Over-extracting - the brew time is too long
Under-extracting - the brew time is too short
Experiment with the contact time until you get the right balance for your taste.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where a character comes into contact with water in some way.
☕️ 2. Read a book with less than 195 pages OR more than 205 pages.
☕️ 3. Read a book you felt was too long OR too short to do justice to the storyline.
☕️ 4. Read a book set in a hot climate.
Prompt # / Name: 6J: 10 Steps from Seed to Cup - Brewing the CoffeeBook: Demons Do It Better
Author: Louisa Masters
Date Read: December 6th
Pages: 296
Task: 2. Read a book with less than 195 pages OR more than 205 pages
How it Fits: more than 205 pages
Mod
More than 90% of American coffee drinkers choose caffeinated brews, but decaf is a great option for those who want the taste and social connections of drinking coffee without the energy boost of caffeine. Luckily, a serendipitous accident in 1905 swamped a shipment of coffee beans with seawater, washing the caffeine out and prompting the development of modern decaffeination methods.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where an accident happens.
☕️ 2. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in DECAF.
☕️ 3. Read a book set in the 1900s.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are found in SERENDIPITOUS.
Prompt # / Name: #7A: All About DeCaffeinated CoffeeBook: Fake It for Christmas
Author: Raleigh Ruebins
Date Read: December 16th
Pages: 137
Task: 2. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in DECAF.
How it Fits: Fake It for Christmas starts with a letter in DECAF.
Mod
Like regular coffee, decaf coffee begins as green, unroasted beans. The hard beans are warmed and soaked in liquid to dissolve and remove the caffeine in one of four ways: using water alone, using a mixture of water and solvents (most commonly methylene chloride or ethyl acetate) applied either directly or indirectly, or using water and “supercritical carbon dioxide.”
All four methods are safe, and once the caffeine is removed (well, at least 97% of it), the beans are washed, steamed, and roasted at temperatures that evaporate all the liquids used in decaffeination.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with a mostly green cover.
☕️ 2. Read a book with the word HARD OR the word BEANS found in the text.
☕️ 3. Read a book with a question mark in the title.
☕️ 4. Read a book where a character is faced with more than one option to solve a problem.
Prompt # / Name: 7B: How Is Coffee Decaffeinated?Book: No Elfing Way
Author: Hayden Hall
Date Read: January 5th
Pages: 236
Task: 2. Read a book with the word HARD OR the word BEANS found in the text
How it Fits: pg. 50 "Although spilling the beans would have some effect..."
Mod
Decaffeination removes about 97% or more of the caffeine in coffee beans. A typical cup of decaf coffee has about 2 mg of caffeine, compared to a typical cup of regular coffee, which has about 95 mg of caffeine.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with some type of chart or graph in it.
☕️ 2. Read a book with a 2 in the page count.
☕️ 3. Read a book with a 9 AND a 7 in the publication date.
☕️ 4. Read a book with the word TYPICAL found in the text.
Prompt # / Name: #7C: How Much Caffeine Is In Decaffeinated Coffee?Book: Devil's Dance
Author: Garrett Leigh
Date Read: January 10th
Pages: 412
Task: ☕️ 2. Read a book with a 2 in the page count
How it Fits: 412 pages
Mod
Like all coffee, decaffeinated coffee is safe for consumption and can be part of a healthy diet.
If you are wondering whether the decaffeination process itself is safe, the answer is yes. All four methods are safe, and once the caffeine is removed (well, at least 97% of it), the beans are washed, steamed, and roasted at temperatures that evaporate the liquids used in decaffeination.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has set a rigorous standard to ensure that any minute traces of solvents used to decaffeinate coffee are safe. FDA measures these traces in “parts per million.” After decaffeination, coffee can contain no more than 10 parts per million of, for example, methylene chloride -- that’s one one-thousandth of a percent.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where the MC feels safe by the end of the story.
☕️ 2. Read a book with the letters F-D-A all found in the title.
☕️ 3. Read a book with at least a million ratings.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the author's FIRST initial is found in METHYLENE and the LAST initial is found in CHLORIDE.
Prompt # / Name:#7D: Is Decaf Coffee Bad For You?Book: Fluke and the Faultline Fiasco
Author: Sam Burns
Date Read: January 24th
Pages: 254
Task: 2. Read a book with the letters F-D-A all found in the title.
How it Fits: F-D-A all found in the title.
Mod
Regulators and health authorities in the United States and around the world have concluded moderate caffeine intake can be part of healthy diets for most adults -- generally up to 400mg per day, or about 4-5 cups of coffee. Guidelines may vary for people with certain medical conditions.
As you think about caffeine intake, be mindful that caffeine is found not just in coffee but also in other foods and beverages, so consider all potential sources. Every body is different, so everyone should check health recommendations from recognized authorities, listen to how your body responds to caffeine, and consult your personal physician if you have any questions.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where only one eye is completely visible on the cover.
☕️ 2. Read a book that has up to 400 pages.
☕️ 3. Read a book where a major character is a doctor.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the MC does not have a healthy diet.
Prompt # / Name: #7E: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?Book: Crash-Landed in Love
Author: Piper Scott
Date Read: March 5th
Pages: 355
Task: ☕️ 2. Read a book that has up to 400 pages.
How it Fits: 355 pages
Mod
Your beans’ greatest enemies are air, moisture, heat, and light.
To preserve your beans’ fresh roasted flavor as long as possible, store them in an opaque, air-tight container at room temperature. Coffee beans can be beautiful, but avoid clear canisters which will allow light to compromise the taste of your coffee.
Keep your beans in a dark and cool location. A cabinet near the oven is often too warm, and so is a spot on the kitchen counter that gets strong afternoon sun.
Coffee's retail packaging is generally not ideal for long-term storage. If possible, invest in storage canisters with an airtight seal.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with multiples of one item on the cover.
☕️ 2. Read a book where the MC has more than one enemy.
☕️ 3. Read a book you would invest in, as in purchase your own copy.
☕️ 4. Read a book where at least one scene happens in a DARK and/or COOL location.
Prompt # / Name: #8A: How to Store Coffee - Keep Beans Airtight & CoolBook: Geburtstag mit seinem Omega
Author: Lorelei M. Hart
Date Read: April 7th
Pages: 216
Task: ☕️ 1. Read a book with multiples of one item on the cover
How it Fits:
several candles on the cover
Mod
Coffee begins to lose freshness almost immediately after roasting. Try to buy smaller batches of freshly roasted coffee more frequently - enough for one or two weeks.
Exposure to air is bad for your beans. If you prefer to keep your beans in an accessible and/or attractive container, it may be a good good idea to divide your coffee supply into several smaller portions, with the larger, unused portion in an air-tight container.
This is especially important when buying pre-ground coffee, because of the increased exposure to oxygen. If you buy whole beans, grind the amount you need immediately before brewing
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book that took you one to two weeks to read.
☕️ 2. Read a book where the MC goes shopping or buys something.
☕️ 3. Read a book with an attractive cover. {Your discretion.}
☕️ 4. Read a book where the first letter of each word in the title starts with a letter found in IMMEDIATELY. {3-word minimum}
Prompt # / Name: 8B: How to Store Coffee - Buy the Right AmountBook: Forgive Me Father
Author: Garrett Leigh
Date Read: April 20th
Pages: 428
Task: 1. Read a book that took you one to two weeks to read
How it Fits: took me 8 days to read
Mod
Freshness is critical to a quality cup of coffee. Experts agree that coffee should be consumed as quickly as possible after it is roasted, especially once the original packaging seal has been broken.
While there are different views on whether or not coffee should be frozen or refrigerated, the main consideration is that coffee absorbs moisture – and odors, and tastes – from the air around it, since it is hygroscopic (bonus vocabulary word for all the coffee geeks out there).
Most home storage containers still let in small amounts of oxygen, which is why food stored a long time in the freezer can suffer freezer burn. Therefore, if you do refrigerate or freeze your beans, be sure to use a truly airtight container.
If you choose to freeze your coffee, quickly remove as much as you need for no more than a week at a time, and return the rest to the freezer before any condensation forms on the frozen coffee.
Freezing your beans does not not change the basic brewing process.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with ice or snow on the cover.
☕️ 2. Read a book where you can share a critical point in the plot with me.
☕️ 3. Read a book that took you less than a week to read.
☕️ 4. Read a book with a bonus vocabulary word that you needed to look up in a dictionary, like hygroscopic.
Prompt # / Name: #8C: How to Store Coffee - Freezing Your Beans?Book: Dead Weight
Author: Pandora Pine
Date Read: June 13th
Pages: 283
Task:☕️ 3. Read a book that took you less than a week to read.
How it Fits: read in two days
Mod
Most roasters have specialized names for their favored roasts and there is very little industry standardization. This can cause some confusion when you’re buying, but in general, roasts fall into one of four color categories — light, medium, medium-dark and dark.
Many consumers assume that the strong, rich flavor of darker roasts indicates a higher level of caffeine, but the truth is that light roasts actually have a slightly higher concentration.
The perfect roast is a personal choice that is sometimes influenced by national preference or geographic location. Within the four color categories, you are likely to find common roasts as listed above. It’s a good idea to ask before you buy. There can be a world of difference between roasts.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with a silent letter in the title, like the K in KNOW.
☕️ 2. Read a book with a very light OR a very dark cover. {Your discretion.}
☕️ 3. Read a book with a plot that required concentration.
☕️ 4. Read a book with a geographic location that is very different from your own.
Prompt # / Name: #9A: Know Your RoastsBook: SOS Hotel: Great Service from Top to Bottom
Author: Adam Vex
Date Read: July 4th
Pages: 214
Task: 2. Read a book with a very light OR a very dark cover. {Your discretion.}
How it Fits: dark cover
Mod
Light brown in color, this roast is generally preferred for milder coffee varieties. There will be no oil on the surface of these beans because they are not roasted long enough for the oils to break through to the surface.
Light City
Half City
Cinnamon
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with the word CITY found in the title.
☕️ 2. Read a book with any type of light source on the cover.
☕️ 3. Read a book with the word CINNAMON found in the text.
☕️ 4. Read a book where you feel like there is something brewing just under the surface throughout the story.
Prompt # / Name: 9B: Light RoastsBook: Wild Goose Chase
Author: K.M. Neuhold
Date Read: July 24th
Pages: 343
Task: 3. Read a book with the word CINNAMON found in the text.
How it Fits: pg. 73 "...there is a slight hint of cinnamon that distracts me..."
Mod
This roast is medium brown in color with a stronger flavor and a non-oily surface. It’s often referred to as the American roast because it is generally preferred in the United States.
City
American
Breakfast
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where the MC lives in or visits a large city.
☕️ 2. Read a book set in America.
☕️ 3. Read a book where a character eats breakfast.
☕️ 4. Read a book with a subtitle.
Prompt # / Name: 9C: Medium RoastsBook: The Resort
Author: Ana Ashley
Date Read: August 24th
Pages: 408
Task: 3. Read a book where a character eats breakfast
How it Fits: pg. 176 "When we finished breakfast, I cleared our plates."
Mod
Rich, dark color, this roast has some oil on the surface and with a slight bittersweet aftertaste.
Full City
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with a bittersweet moment.
☕️ 2. Read a book where the MC eats chocolate.
☕️ 3. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in AFTERTASTE.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is NOT found in FULL CITY.
Hooked on Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Resort (other topics)Wild Goose Chase (other topics)
SOS Hotel: Great Service from Top to Bottom (other topics)
Dead Weight (other topics)
Forgive Me Father (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Ana Ashley (other topics)K.M. Neuhold (other topics)
Adam Vex (other topics)
Pandora Pine (other topics)
Garrett Leigh (other topics)
More...
Book: Three of a Kind
Author: Nic Starr
Date Read: November 21st
Pages: 175
Task:☕️ 3. Read a book with a 1, 2, or 3 in the page count.
How it Fits: 1 in page count