
Send me a text messageIf you’ve ever pondered the significance of the word ‘washed’ in a coffee’s description, you are not alone. In this episode we lift the lid on some ‘good to know’ coffee jargon that can have a profound effect on the flavour in your cup. This week’s FACQ poses an important question about the environmental impact of the washed coffee process.Get in touch! Email: [email protected]: @thecoffeedrinkersguideLusona Publishing and Media Limited website: h...
Jul 17, 2024
8 min

Send me a text messageFor most of our coffee drinking history we have habitually put additives - notably sugar, spices, milk and syrups - in our coffee to make it palatable to drink. But in the last 20 years or so this practice has become frowned upon by some people in Specialty Coffee who seem to be obsessed with making you drink coffee black. If you have ever wondered what the deal is with black coffee - or have been made to feel like an ignoramus simply by asking for the sugar and milk the...
Jul 10, 2024
9 min

Send me a text messageIn this episode we tackle the question of how much coffee you need to use to brew a tasty cup and why the ubiquitous coffee scoop is not in fact the best tool for the job. It gets a bit technical as we get out the scales and get our heads around brew ratios so you may need to grab a biscuit to keep you going through this one! In this week's FACQ answer we dig into espresso brew ratios and what they actually mean in the cup.How to use a brew ratio:To work out how much cof...
Jul 3, 2024
10 min

Send me a text messageIn this episode we’re exploring the topic of defective coffee beans which are beans with problems that make them taste bad. What exactly is defective coffee and how can you tell if you are unfortunate enough to be drinking a cup of it? All will be revealed along with the importance of defective beans in defining the quality of a coffee. This week’s FACQ asks the crucial question of how to avoid buying defective coffee.Get in touch! Email: [email protected]...
Jun 26, 2024
9 min

Send me a text messageThe word ‘acidity’ doesn’t sound particularly pleasing, especially as its so often associated with indigestion. So you might be surprised to discover that in the Specialty Coffee world acidity in coffee is both desirable and prized. In this episode we take a deep dive into acidity in coffee and find that it is about much more than just pH levels. That said, in this week’s FACQ we discover the actual pH of coffee and how it relates to other drinks. Is coffee more acidic t...
Jun 19, 2024
9 min

Send me a text messageEver wondered about the significance of the word ‘Arabica’ on your coffee packet? In this episode we take a look at why Specialty Coffee is all about Arabica and why Arabica coffee is so special. This week’s FACQ wonders where the plant came from in the first place and how it rose to dominate the coffee world. Check out the Robusta episode from Season 1 here:Apple PodcastsSpotify PodcastOn the Blue Sky Coffee websiteCheck out the coffee brewing equipment episo...
Jun 12, 2024
9 min

Send me a text messageDid you know that the flavour of your coffee is influenced by the way that you brew it and especially the brewer that you use? Perhaps more mind blowing is that despite the many and various types of brewing kit available on the market there are actually only two basic methods of brewing coffee. This episode takes a look at the range of coffee brewing kit out there and how your choice of brewer may be affecting your coffee experience. This week’s FACQ tackles the question...
Jun 5, 2024
10 min

Send me a text messageWelcome to Season 2! This season we will be exploring various - potentially surprising - things that affect the flavour of your coffee. In this first episode of the new season we return to the topic of water. In Season 1, Episode 1, we covered the influence of the temperature of your brewing water on coffee extraction. This time it's all about the quality of the water that you brew with as the minerals, metals and salts in water not only affect its taste but also influen...
May 29, 2024
9 min

Send me a text messageIt's the season finale! In the last episode for this season we find out why that great coffee you just had was in fact a miracle in a cup. Discover just what had to go right all along the way from coffee bush to cup so that you could have a moment with your coffee. This week’s FACQ answers the frustrating question of why it is that when you find a good coffee it’s never there when you go back for it again.Get in touch! Email: [email protected]: @t...
Apr 24, 2024
8 min

Send me a text messageIt’s time to tackle coffee blends. Did you know that while all coffee blends are coffees not all coffees are blends? In this episode we explore this distinction, why it’s important and what it means to you as a consumer. This week’s FACQ wonders just how many different coffees you can find in a blend.Get in touch! Email: [email protected]: @thecoffeedrinkersguideLusona Publishing and Media Limited website: https://www.lusonapub.co.ukYou can also f...
Apr 17, 2024
9 min
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