This past weekend, central Illinois was hit with an ice storm. As luck would have it, I was visiting my parents’ house when the storm struck. They live in the country, but my dad had gone into town before the storm to take care of the family business for a few hours. When the ice hit, my mom called him with just one request—to stop at her favorite coffee shop to get coffee beans…because it might be days before they would be able to drive back into town.
Coffee? An ice storm hit and our priority was coffee? But I understand; that particular coffee shop has the best brewed coffee in town. And these days, consumers are more and more willing to go out of their way for a good cup of joe.
Coffee is becoming more popular in the US and American coffee tastes are changing. Consumers are becoming better informed and more discriminating in their tastes. Case in point: even McDonald’s offers a premium coffee these days (and the March issue of Consumer Reports Magazine rates its taste better than Starbucks). But what does it take to make great coffee?
The first step to good coffee is good beans. Shop around and do some taste testing. Have your coffee snob friends do a blind taste test. Once you’ve selected the beans, it’s time to brew:
- If possible, buy whole beans and grind your coffee fresh.
- Use clean equipment, free of oils and residue from washing or previous use.
- Use fresh water, preferably filtered, not just tap water.
- Brew at the correct temperature. Ideal water temperature for brewing is 195°-200° F. Bring your water to a boil, wait at least 1-2 minutes, and brew.
Commercial coffee makershelp you get the perfect java by holding the correct temperature. While coffee’s flavor starts to deteriorate after only 20 minutes, it can be safely held for several hours with the right equipment.
Temperature retention for hot beverages:
- For plastic insulated servers, temperature will drop approximately 20° F in the first hour, 10° F in the second hour and 10° F in the third hour.
- For glass insulated servers, temperature will drop approximately 2° F to 5° F every hour. Results are based on pre-heating servers with boiling water prior to use.
And how long will the temperature hold in the various coffee containers? According to Service Ideas, Inc's website:
Q: How long does temperature hold in plastic?
A: 2-3 Hours
Q: How long does temperature hold in stainless vacuum?
A: 6-8 Hours
Q: How long does temperature hold in glass?
A: 8 Hours
So coffee holds longest in glass, but stainless steel is far more durable. Your restaurant or bar's needs will determine which material works best for you.
A quick tip: never reheat old coffee. It will become highly acidic and may pick up a burnt flavor.
