Coffee & Tea Information

Lean More About....: Shade Grown Coffee; Brewing Great Coffee; Brewing Great Espresso; Brewing Great Tea; Green Tea; Coffee Glossary; Kosher Certification

A Note to Our Customers About Shade Grown Coffee

The shade trees that protect coffee plants help maintain soil quality, reduce the need for fertilizers, and contribute important nutrients to the soil. These shade coffee plantations have also served as a sancturary for migratory birds whose habitats have been diminished by shrinking tropical forests.

This time honored tradition of coffee growing is now being threatenened by sun coffee production. While sun cultivation results in a higher yield, these plantations cannot be sustained without intensive fertilization and frequent plant replacement. Aside from the agronomic risks, sun coffee production poses a serious threat to the habitats of migratory birds.

Old City Coffee supports the shade grown coffee movement and will continue to make varieties of shade grown coffee available to you. If you would like more information about shade grown coffee, please ask our staff when placing your bean order or contact the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoo, Washington DC 20008; or Conservation International, 2501 M Street NW, Suite 200, Washington DC 20037, phone 202-973-2258.

Old City Coffee Brewing Guide: 10 steps to a delicious cup of coffee

Select your beans carefully. We suggest high-altitude grown, small-batch roasted Arabican coffee.
Grind beans to the consistency that is appropriate for your brewing method.
Always use clean equipment and a fresh filter for each brew
Use cool, fresh water. It is best to remove any foreign odors or sediment from the water.
Ideal temperature range for brewing is between 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use a sufficient amount of coffee to prepare a flavorful brew: 2 tbls. coffee (or 1.5 in. bed depth of grounds) for each 6 oz. of water to be brewed.
Select the appropriate batch size for the most enjoyment and least amount of waste.
Do not "hold" coffee over direct heat for more than 20 minutes.
Stir coffee when using a steeping method to brew.
Temper brewing vessels and cups with dry heat or hot water before serving. Savor and enjoy.

Brewing Great Espresso

In Italy, where the drink originated, the word espresso means "instant" or "express." The term "espresso" refers to a unique brewing method that forces hot water through a bed of finely ground coffee beans that have been dark roasted. The extraction is a thick, flavorful, highly concentrated coffee. Espresso is prepared by the cup, ensuring deliciously fresh coffee every time.

The key ingredients for espresso are known as the "four m's": miscela (blend), macinazione (grinding), macchina (espresso machine) and mano (the skilled hand of the barista).* The right blend of espresso is crucial to your cup. There are many different espresso blends, and Old City Coffee carries an ideal, traditional Six Bean Espresso that is delicate, with many nuances. Our original Espresso will appeal to those looking for a stronger, sharper taste.

Grinding your beans to the correct consistency is critical to the espresso's flavor. When ground and packed correctly into the portafilter (the brewer's filter basket), the espresso will trickle like honey dripping off a spoon. If the beans are ground too coarse, the espresso will be too watery and bitter; if ground too fine, there will be no coffee at all due to a clogged filter. The correct grind for espresso varies from machine to machine. We suggest you grind until you can feel slight granules and the ground coffee packs but does not cake when pressed between your thumb and index finger. For typical home grinders (such as Krups) we recommend grinding small amounts of espresso, and through trial and error, finding the grind that is right for your machine.

If you choose to have your espresso ground by Old City Coffee, we will grind your espresso at #4 on a Ditting commercial grinder (an ideal setting for typical home espresso machines). In some cases, the ideal grind may be finer (a lower number) or coarser (a higher number). You are welcome to specify grind in increments of .5 (example, 4.5). Please specify your grind in the comments box on the order page.

Correct brewing temperature and pressure are of the utmost importance when brewing espresso, and the quality of your espresso machine will determine the quality of your cup. Espresso is made by hand, and the skill of the barista is the key determining factor in the flavor of the cup. The signs of a properly made espresso are a concentrated, sweet coffee aroma and a thick, foamy, cocoa-colored head (called "crema"). Read on to find out more about how to brew your perfect cup.

Use only the freshest coffee beans.
Grind coffee only as you need it. Use 6-8 grams of espresso per 1-1.5 fluid oz. shot ("single"), and 15 grams of espresso per 2 fluid ounce shot ("double"). The portafilter should make the weight determination easy by "leveling off" the ground espresso at the top rim. Then pack the portafilter lightly, so that the portafilter will easily engage on the brew head.
Brewing time for a single or double shot should be 20-30 seconds. We like 25 seconds.
Keep your brewer clean. Oily residue will compromise the taste of your espresso.
Experiment. It takes time and many test-runs to find the right combination of grind, measure of coffee, packing tension and amount of water.

Espresso Recipes: Caffe Latte: equal parts espresso and steamed milk; Cappuccino: equal portions of espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk; Caffe Americano: espresso mixed with hot water to the consistency of drip coffee; Espresso con Panna: espresso topped with whipped cream; Espresso Macchiato: espresso topped with a dollop of milk foam

How to Froath and Steam Milk

Tips on froathing milk (ideal for cappuccino and macchiato):

Fill one-third of a metal pitcher with cold milk. (We suggest whole milk.)
Position a liquid thermometer so that it does not touch the bottom of the pitcher.
"Clear" your steam nozzle by releasing steam through it.
Position your pitcher of milk under the steam wand so that the nozzle tip is just under the surface of the milk.
Activate the steam valve to create a vortex around the nozzle tip where the air is drawn down into the milk.
Slowly lower the pitcher to achieve proper texture of foam.
Close steam valve when the temperature reaches between 140-150 degrees. Note that most liquid thermometers take some time to respond to temperature changes. Stopping the steaming process at a lower appparent temperature will, in fact, show the final milk temperature is 5-10 degrees higher.
Remove pitcher and wipe the steam wand with a clean, damp cloth.
Clear the steam nozzle again.

Tips on steaming milk (ideal for cafe au lait and caffe latte):

Fill one-third of a metal pitcher with cold milk. (We suggest whole milk.)
Position a liquid thermometer so that it does not touch the bottom of the pitcher.
"Clear" your steam nozzle by releasing steam through it.
Position your pitcher of milk under the steam wand so that the nozzle tip is immersed into the milk.
Activate the steam valve to allow the steam from the nozzle tip to quickly heat the milk.
Steam milk to 140-150 degrees. Note that most liquid thermometers take some time to respond to temperature changes. Stopping the steaming process at a lower appparent temperature will, in fact, show the final (milk temperature is 5-10 degrees higher.
Close the steam valve when desired temperature is reached.
Remove pitcher and wipe the steam wand with a clean, damp cloth.
Clear the steam nozzle again.

E-mail your questions, recipies and comments to jack@oldcitycoffee.com

* Information copyrighted by the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

Brewing Great Tea

For a flavorful cup of tea, ideal brewing temperatures are:

Green Teas: 180 degrees

Semi-Fermented teas: 195 degrees (just off boil)

Black Teas: 212 degrees (just off boil)

Herbal Teas:

Green Tea

From its humble beginnings in the cup of Emperor Shen Nung 5,000 years ago, tea has played a key role in social and political events throughout history. The 3,000 varieties of tea that are consumed around the world all come from the tropical evergreen known as Camellia sinensis. After harvesting, green tea, unlike black or oolong, is immediately heated and dried. By skipping the oxidation process used for black teas (often miscalled "fermentation"), the leaves retain their green color. A potent antioxidant, a flavonoid known as EGCg, that is found in green tea has been credited with many medicinal properties. Green tea has approximately one-third the caffeine of black teas, making it a good alternative for those who have adverse reactions to stimulants. Whether you are drinking green tea for its healthful benefits or for its wonderfully fresh, vegetative flavor, we hope you enjoy our selections.

Coffee Glossary

Acidity: High acid coffees have a sharp, pleasing, piquant quality that points up their flavor and gives them snap, verve, and liveliness in the cup. Acidity is characteristic of high-grown coffees.
Aspiration: Drawing coffee brew into mouth by vigorous suction and spraying it evenly across tongue.
Baked: A taste description given to underroasted coffee, or coffee roasted too slowly at too low a temperature so the flavor is undeveloped.
Blend: A mixture of two or more varietal coffees.
Body: The tactile impression of weight and texture in the mouth. Coffees may be watery, thin, slight, light, medium, full, heavy, thick, or syrupy in body, as well as buttery, oily, rich smooth or chewy in texture.
Bouquet: The total aromatic profile of a coffee brew.
Buttery: Said of an oily body or texture in the mouth. Denotes full flavor and richness.
Complexity: A tasting term describing coffees whose taste sensations shift and layer pleasurably, giving the impression of depth and resonance.
Crust: The bed of coffee particles that rise to the brew's surface when water is poured directly onto ground coffee.
Earthy: A dirt odor and flavor taint picked up by coffee when dried on the ground.
Finish: The aftertaste of a coffee.
Fruity: A flavor taint said to come from overripe fruit pulp.
Infusion: A brewing method in which coffee grounds steep in water for a pre-determined length of time.
Light: Used to qualify aroma, acidity or body. A light coffee is delicate in flavor.
Mellow: A term to describe a full, well-balanced coffee. Implies low or medium acidity.
Natural Coffee: Aroma and flavor characteristics of coffees processed by the dry method. They are often blander than washed coffees and may lack clarity of flavor and pointed acidity; some may have intense, complex flavors and full, thick body.
Rich: Indicates depth and complexity of flavor and full, buttery body.
Steep: To soak in hot water at a temperature just under the boiling point.
Varietal Coffee: An unblended coffee from a single country, region, and crop.
Viscosity: The resistance of internal flow in the brew because of oily material suspended in the fluid.
Winy: Sometimes used to indicate thick body and mellow quality, but also used to denote sappy, vinous acidity.

Kosher Certification

Old City Coffee in is the process of becoming Kosher certified. We'd like to hear you thought and comments. Send your e-mails to jack@oldcitycoffee.com.