In line with Daily Shot Of Coffee’s values of honesty and transparency, every month I share a detailed account of earning and expenses so you can see exactly how the site makes money and how it is reinvested to provide better content for free.

On a more personal note, doing so helps me keep track of my goals, see how DSOC revenues evolve over time, share insights about what I learned and, hopefully, earn your trust as well as provide you with some inspiration.

This past two months have been crazy! So let’s get going.

What Went On

• You might have noticed, the site has been hacked. Since mid-March, I have been busy rebuilding the site from scratch, hence the new look. For this, I got tremendous help from Daily Shot Of Coffee’s web host Fresh Roasted Hosting. The owner, Dave, and his team worked day and night to reinstall backups and restore the site. Throughout the years, I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of hosting services and I can say without hesitation that Fresh Roasted Hosting has the best customer service. Period. Dave, I can’t thank you enough for all you did. Thank you so much!

• Because of this, March’s Income Report has been lost in one of the sites restore (so has other articles, one by Geoff about his experience at SCAA 2013 in Boston). This is why I present both months earnings and lessons in a single report here.

• Obviously, these events have affected the financial results, but not as hard as I would have imagined.

• Now for the good news, despite of all these problems for more than 5 weeks, profits are up by 38% in March. We’ll get to that in more details a little later.

• Another really cool thing that happened in March is the $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway. Congrats to the winner Jeannine Drenchek-Scavo! For the mechanics, readers were invited to share what they would buy if they were given $500 to spend by a generous coffee shop owner. Answers were at both end of the spectrum. Some people would shoot strait for the dream coffee machine, while others were looking for a simple machine that works and is convenient for them. I got to discover a lot of cool equipment through this exercice and I want to thank everyone who entered; it was a lot of fun. And although the giveaway is over, you are more than welcome to add your answer to the list.

• One of the objectives of the Giveaway was to promote the site and get readers to connect on other social platforms. With 457 entries (!), I was overwhelmed with the results. Here is how many people joined DSOC on the different networks.

	Before	After	Difference	Goal	Stay Connected
	1,712 SUBSCRIBERS	1,805 SUBSCRIBERS	+ 93	1,850 SUBSCRIBERS
	2,454 LIKES	2,491 LIKES	+37	2,525 LIKES
	175 IN CIRCLES	188 IN CIRCLES	+ 13	188 IN CIRCLES
	4,243 FOLLOWERS	4,289 FOLLOWERS	+ 36	4,300 FOLLOWERS
	41 FOLLOWERS	54 FOLLOWERS	+ 13	70 FOLLOWERS

For Daily Shot Of Coffee to become a strong community of coffee lovers, I feel social medias will have to play a bigger role. Here is an example of how important this is: I first found out from readers who wrote to me via Twitter and Facebook that the site was hacked. During downtime, I was also able to stay connected with the DSOC community though social media sites. In the future, I hope to organize special events and connect even more…

That’s why I also set goals for May as far as the number of new followers I hope to get. If you want to be part of this community, please take a few minutes to add us to your social networks by clicking on the Stay Connected buttons.

If you do, I can’t thank you enough and I promise to do everything I can to provide you with great content. Do not hesitate to say hi, I love it!

Important Posts

March was a slow month in terms of new posts as I took the first week off to go skiing with my family after our hospital adventure (see February’s Report for the details). Between that and the malware attack, it’s been hard to post as much as I would have liked. It got worse as some of the posts from the first few weeks of Aprils were lost. The backups were infected and we haven’t been able to recover them.

• What Is More Dangerous For Your Health: Coffee or Water?
• Memoria DeNossa Coffee: It’s a Café, it’s a lounge, it’s an – Elephant?
• Must Have Coffee Equipment From SCAA 2013
• Live Coverage Of The Specialty Coffee Event Of The Year In Boston
• Introducing The World’s First Mind Reading Coffee Machine! (April Fool’s)
• Brewing Coffee for Dummies
• Coffee Reviews: George Orwell Montecarlos Bourbon
• What Coffee Equipment Would You Buy If You Were Given $500 To Spend?
• Great Coffee App Review: Coffee Recipes 2.0
• Java Juice : Meet the girlfriends
  • Coffee Cartoon #5 – Getting Older
  • Coffee Cartoon #6 – Triple Shot of Expresso
  • Coffee Cartoon #7 – Pressure
  • Coffee Cartoon #8 – Jitters

Just a quick note: if you sent me an article (or any other mail) in April, it’s also gone. All of my emails have been wiped out. If you read this, and I haven’t come back to you, please send it again. You can reach me using this contact form.

Income Report

As mentioned above, before the site went down, the first two weeks of the month were simply amazing. For March alone, I evaluate the downtime represents about $300 in lost earnings.

With all that happened, I was expecting April to be disastrous, and it was. I don’t even want to know much I lost, on top of added expenses for cleaning and redesigning the blog (shown in Other Expenses). Ouch!

I guess the good news is these are one time expenses. Also, I am disappointed with advertising results, so I will be experimenting with new partners in the coming weeks.

Lessons Learned

1. Water Temperature

I did my first review of a coffee maker this month (it will be published in May) and one thing I learned, which surprised me, is how much water temperature varies when brewing.

Now I haven’t tested other machines yet but to me, if there is one thing that a coffee maker should get right every time, it is that water hits the coffee ground at the right temperature. I discovered it is not a simple thing to accomplish for manufacturers.

This was a revelation to me as it is not something I ever inquired over when buying coffee machines. I took for granted that the temperature was always right. Wrong!  Lesson learned: next time I buy a coffee maker, I’ll worry less about the color of the machine and the various gadgets and more about it’s capability to produce hot water!

2. Backups and Security

It goes without saying that this whole hacker’s attack has affected my morale. I was so enthusiastic at the beginning of the month and felt like things were finally going in the right direction. I always took security seriously (my passwords have anywhere between 20 and over 100 characters) and I do make regular backups.

As a consequence of this, however, I realized that no matter how much security I have in place, I will never be able to prevent every attack, nor will I be able to sleep if I expect nothing to happen.

A few days after finding out about the malware, I made the decision to not let this get to me. This was especially important for my wife and my son, because they did not deserve my bad moods.

3. Giveaways

With the $25 Amazon Giveaway, I wanted to see how readers would engage. However, I didn’t want to simply ask to share for the sake of sharing. Thus the little role play, which was fun. The results exceeded my expectations by far –I was hoping to get maybe 50 to 60 entries–, and I was certainly not expecting to learn so much about coffee gear, such as:

• Technivorm Moccamaster (proposed by Kim) – Some say it’s the best drip coffee maker money can buy!
• Mukka Express pots (by Ada A.) –An espresso maker that steam the milk in the same container.
• Porlex Hand Mill (by Dan Gilbert) – Manual coffee grinders seemed popular among readers. It’s something I never considered before.
• Rancilio Silvia (by Chris) – What a machine! I can see why it’s on Chris’ wishlist.

Take a few minutes to go see all the comments, maybe you will see something you like!

As always, I want to thank you for reading this and I hope to see you on Google+ Facebook and Twitter. If you haven’t done so already, make sure to hop on the email list to receive FREE updates.

Oh! I almost forgot to ask. If you have a minute, please let me know what you think of the new site’s design in the comments below. Your feedback is really appreciated. Thanks again.

My Montly Income Report – March & April 2013 is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog

The Contigo Tumbler is a travel coffee mug “I’m completely
impressed and absolutely love the cup…”

This article about Travel Coffee Mugs is a guest post by Brian Martinowich. Learn more about how you can guest post for Daily Shot Of Coffee. This post was originally published in March, 2012. It has been updated on May 8th, 2013.

If you like to travel with coffee or tea and are tired of cleaning up spills, it’s time to invest in a REAL travel mug.

We have searched all over to bring you what we consider to be the 5 best coffee mugs on the market.

But before we share our findings with you, take a look at some options you should take into account when choosing the best mug for you.

Steel or plastic?

Some of the best travel mugs are made from stainless steel and are vacuum insulated. They also feature sealed lids that resist leaks and spills.

Steel mugs resist breakage and maintain beverage temperature for several hours, but one of the drawbacks of steel is that it can’t be microwaved.

If you think you may want to warm your beverage in a microwave, look for a plastic mug. Health experts recommend plastic mugs that are made from BPA-free polypropylene (no. 5) plastic.

How will you carry it?

Before investing in a mug, it pays to do some research. First, consider how you’ll be using it.

If you want to put it in a cup holder in your car, you’ll need to make sure the base of the mug and the handle will fit in your holder (whether or not your mug has a handle is a matter of preference).

If you plan to use your mug for walking or biking, you may want to look for one with a clip that attaches to a belt or backpack.

How to avoid spills

Another important thing to consider is the type of spout: A good spout closes securely to avoid spills but is still easy to open and drink from while you’re on the go.

5 Travel Coffee Mugs To Choose From

We’ve investigated travel mugs that have been tested and reviewed by Good Housekeeping, Amazon and other websites, and have come up with this list of five of the best travel mugs around.

#1 Thermos Sipp Vacuum-Insulated Travel Tumbler

Thermos is one of the top names in vacuum-insulated containers, so it’s not surprising that they make some of the best travel mugs.

The double-wall design of the Travel Tumbler keeps liquids hot for five hours and cold for up to nine. The BPA-free plastic lid is push-button operated and features a built-in hook for tea bags or a tea infuser.

This travel mug holds 16 ounces and is dishwasher safe. It’s available with or without handle.

By far, our #1 pick… It might just be the last coffee mug you will ever buy!

PRICE $25

414 out of 617 rated this mug 5-Star on Amazon (Click for more reviews)

“This Thermos brand promised it would keep liquids hot for 5 hours. I filled this cup with hot coffee at 7:30am and it was still hot after 1:30 pm!”

– Tia (Indian Harbour Beach, Florida)

#2 Contigo AUTOSEAL Stainless Steel 16-Ounce Vacuum Insulated Tumbler, Blue, Set of 2

This handle-free tumbler features a double-walled steel body that keeps drinks hot for more than four hours and cold for 12.

It holds 16 ounces and is a good fit for most cup holders.

The BPA-free plastic lid has a leak-proof auto-sealing design that’s opened with the push of a button.

The downside of this mug is a steel body that must be washed by hand.

PRICE $20

68 out of 80 rated this mug 5-Star on Amazon (Click for more reviews)

“I immediately had to see if the claim that you could hold it upside down and it wouldn’t leak was true–and it was! I’m completely impressed and absolutely love the cup…”

– Laurel L. Maloy “Laurel” (Rural OK)

#3 Thermos Nissan 12-Ounce Stainless-Steel Tea Tumbler with Infuser

This Thermos travel mug is customized for tea, with an infuser that allows you to brew loose-leaf tea built into the lid.

In addition to a lid for sipping, the mug comes with a travel lid that prevents leaks and spills.

Drinks are kept warm for up to six hours.

On the negative side, the Tea Tumbler is not dishwasher-safe and must be washed by hand. The infuser is also a bit small, especially for some larger leaf teas and infusions.

Not recommended for coffee drinker, although it could to both if you like tea and the occasional coffee.

The mug holds 12 ounces of liquid.

PRICE $18

225 of of 340 rated this mug 5-Star on Amazon (Click for more reviews)

“Unlike so many poorly designed products, you know this one was designed by designers and engineers who love tea and coffee.”

– Ryuji Suzuki (Boston, MA USA)

#4 OXO Good Grips LiquiSeal Travel Mug, Stainless Steel

OXO is always cited as one of the top brands when it comes to well designed mugs. This double-walled insulated stainless steel tumbler is one of the best rated, as it keeps 14 ounces of liquid hot or cold for up to seven hours.

The lid features three silicone seals to prevent leaks and a push button that opens and closes the drinking seal.

The brushed steel body requires hand washing, and the complex seals make it hard to remove residues. Some may find that its wide shape makes it difficult to hold, especially if you have smaller hands.

PRICE $20

223 out of 430 rated this mug 5-Star on Amazon (Click for more reviews)

“I took this on an extended road trip and used it for both hot and cold drinks, most of the time it ended up rolling back and forth on the passenger comparment floor. At the last stop I filled it with cold water and threw it into the trunk while getting my car cleaned inside and out.

Well, frankly, I forgot about it and it bounced around my car trunk for a couple of months and when I went to salvage it and drain the water out, I observed that not one drop had leaked out.

Not only did the seal hold the liquid in and keep the crud out, but when I was actively using it the beverages stayed hot or cold for most of the day.”

–  Food Prep Fanatic “Foodie” (Port Madison, WA)

#5 Steelworks Metro Mug

This 12 ounce BPA-free thermos plastic mug is light, yet it has all the qualities a coffee mug should have. It doesn’t leak, is dishwasher safe and its insulation will keep the coffee warm for hours. A word of caution though, the manufacturer says it will keep liquids warm for 6 to 8 hours, but if this is a key characteristic for you, aim more for 5 hours instead.

What makes this mug stand out is it’s simple design à la Apple, especially in pearl white or black (it comes in 6 different colors).

It has no handle, it fits well in car cup holders and it holds well even in smaller hands. The main drawback, according to some Baristas, is the plastic interior. They argue that, over time, it affects the taste of coffee. On the other hand, the fact that its made of a single material makes it recyclable.

PRICE $22

This is what you need to do before you buy a travel mug

There are a few things you should do before you make your purchase decision:

1. Make sure you do need a new mug!
   How many mugs do you already own? If you answer more than 3, then ask yourself why you are not satisfied with the mugs you have.If they are crappy, poorly design and cheaply built mugs, then don’t feel guilty: give them away or recycle them and invest in a mug that is both functional and well designed that will last!
2. Try them out!
   If you are to really spend some dough on a mug, make sure it fits your needs. We’ve outlined some of the questions you should ask yourself at the beginning of the post. Don’t hesitate to return it if it doesn’t meet your expectations.
3. Do your research
   We’ve posted only partial reviews here. Go to Amazon and find out for yourself all the pros and cons from other reviewers.

If you’ve enjoyed our travel mug review, sign up below to receive our newsletter filled with more great coffee equipment reviews, coffee reviews, exclusive tips, freebies and more.

We value your trust, so we promise to only send you some of the best content there is about coffee online, all for free.

Before you go, I’d like to know what you think is the best travel coffee mug is? Leave a comment either about a mug we haven’t covered here and you think should be on the list or to let us know what is your feedback about one of the mugs above.

—

Brian Martinowich is a freelance writer for EarnMBADegree.com, a comprehensive resource guide for individuals who are interested in an mba degree. As the Community Manager of the global social good campaign, Tweet Drive, Brian enjoys helping others through his experiences and expertise with social media.

—

Related Posts

• French Press to go? Review of the XPress
• Chemex How To And Review
• More Coffee Equipment Reviews

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. For those who choose to use them, thank you so much for your support and for helping us provide  free content on this blog. Please read our Disclosure Policy for more information.

The 5 Best Travel Coffee Mugs is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog

Cartoonist, Michele Johnson, brings us the humorous side of our coffee addiction. Click here for all the Coffee Cartoons and to learn more about Java Juice and the girlfriends.

Don’t miss next week’s Java Juice, enter your email below to receive it directly in your Inbox.

Coffee Cartoon 10 – Pregnancy Test is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog

Mother’s Day is always a special moment and I thought I’d share with you some of the best coffee gifts that every mom will love. There is the “Oh! You Shouldn’t Have” category, the “I Love You” category and the “You Are The Sweetest” category.

“Oh! You Shouldn’t Have!” Category

This reaction is guaranteed if you go for a more expensive gift… And coffeemakers certainly qualify.

1. Single-Shot Verismo 580

Even if your mom is not a big fan of Starbucks, she will definitely appreciate the coffee store’s single-shot machine. It’s easy to use, easy to clean and it makes better than average coffee… consistently. Not only will it pull shots, but she will be able to enjoy teas, cappuccinos and regular brews as well.

As a bonus, this is a gift that you will benefit from since you will have access to better coffee every time you visit!

The Verismo is a good value and it is on sale ($50 rebate) through May 15th. It comes to only $149 with the rebate and it includes a box of latte pods and free shipping

2. Cuisinart Brew Central Programmable Coffeemaker

If your mom prefers a more traditional brew, the Cuisinart Brew Central Drip Coffee Maker is a good option. It has programmable features, such as auto-on and auto-off, self-cleaning capabilities and a retro look that will stand out in any kitchen.

This coffee maker is #1 on Amazon most popular coffee maker lists in the 8-12 cups category (and #2 overall). I have tried it for one week last month and, at $70, it is no wonder why so many people buy it.

For more information, check out some of the reviews here.

“I Love You!” Category

3. Mother’s Day Coffee Mugs

Make your mother cry, or at least think of you, every morning with a uniquely designed coffee mug. You can choose from a wide range of mugs, or better yet, you can create your own personalized mug. Here are a few ideas to get you inspired:

• A classic: “You are the best Mom. I love you. John XX“
• Another classic: put your children’s picture on the mug with a message.
• A variation of this is to have you kids hand paint with multiple colors all over the mug.
• Find a picture of you as a kid and shoot the modern version of the same picture. Put both images side by side on a mug.
• If you want your gift to be about spending quality time with your mom, why not invite her to a local pottery DIY coffee shop where you could make your own creations.

There are a number of places on the Web you could use for personalized mugs. I have had good service and professional results with Zazzle.com. Prices start at $14.95, which is pretty reasonable.

“You Are The Sweetest” Category

4. Coffee Caramel Truffles

If your mother is the sweet tooth kind, she will love theses chocolates.

Get 15% Off Select Gifts at Chocolate.com with code GIFT15

5. Flowers

I know, I know! It’s not coffee… But what can I say?

Flowers are an absolute must for you mom, even if you get her a coffee maker!

But wait! Do not show up with flowers at the door. It’s a no-no. The new trend in etiquette is to have them delivered to her 8 to 24 hours before you meet.

I always use Flowers.com for that as they are fast and reliable… and they have a wide selection on their site. However, I find that it can sometimes be cheaper to go through a local flower shop.

In any case, it’s a great last minute gift with which you can’t go wrong.

Please note that some of the links are affiliate links. Thank you for supporting us if you choose to use them. Read our Disclosure Policy for more information.

5 Mother’s Day Coffee Gifts Every Mom Will Love is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog

I suppose I’ve always been a bit of gear head. I don’t like to admit that I feel the need to have stuff but alas, it’s true.

In my defense it’s selective. Most realms I have the power to say no thanks to. With camping gear and coffee equipment, all bets are off.

So if you’re wondering what to get me for my next birthday, here are a few selections from SCAA 2013.

Porcelain Immersion Filtercone by Bonavita

The porcelain of the Bonavita Filtercone heats up quickly and holds the heat of the water so your coffee remains warmer.

I have a plastic Melita dripper that I got free a few years ago at the New York Coffee and Tea Festival. I use it to do the occasional pour over, mostly for an afternoon cup.

Not too long ago I decided I would upgrade my plastic cone for a porcelain drip cone. When making coffee with the pour over or dripper method, immersion time is an issue.

Here is really where tweaking of a brew variables comes into play. If you’ve ever heard a barista talking about adjusting the grind they are talking about extraction.

Too fine a grind will cause the water to be in contact with the coffee longer than necessary creating a bitter brew.

Too course a grind and you’ll get a weak brew.

The other factor that you have control over is your pour and a good barista is highly skilled in the art of pouring water.

With a pour over cone the water can drain before the proper extraction time is reached if everything is not dialed in correctly.

The new Porcelain Immersion Filtercone by Bonavita allows the coffee to steep a few minutes before you drain the cone into your cup. The porcelain heats up quickly and holds the heat of the water so your coffee remains at the temperature of the water poured into the cone for a longer time. On the bottom of the cone is a lever that controls a silicone stopper.

Close the stopper and the coffee will steep within the water in the cone. Open the stopper to allow the water to flow when the brewing is complete.

It uses #4 filters and has a 19 fluid oz. capacity which yields about 16 oz of brewed coffee. It is available online for $40 from Sweet Maria’s. and $39.87 from Amazon.

Handy Brew Coffee Dripper

The Handy Brew is a hybrid between a Clever Coffee Dripper and a Bodum.

The Clever Dripper Coffee Dripper has been on the market for some time now. The idea behind the device is to combine the clean cup you get with the pour over method by using a filter with the infusion you get when using a french press.

Now the same folks that have produced the Clever Dripper have come out with the Handy Brew. Like the Clever Dripper, the Handy Brew allows you to steep your coffee before placing the dripper on a cup which then opens the valve and allows your coffee to pour out.

The innovation the Handy Brew contains is a double wire mesh filter inside the dripper. The filter is easily removable for cleaning.

The Handy Brew uses 16oz. of water and can be purchased online from Sweet Maria’s for $21. and Amazon for $19.99.

Bonavita .5 Liter Travel Kettle

Bonavita’s Travel Kettle holds enough to brew 2 cups of coffee on the go.

When you travel do you pack a coffee kit with you? This is something I haven’t completely committed to yet, although I do have the equipment to do so.

Or at least I thought I did until I saw Bonavita’s new travel kettle.

Oh yeah, boiling the water. The few times I’ve traveled with a coffee kit for on the road brewing, hot water was not an issue. However as soon as I feel it will be I won’t hesitate to make this purchase.

Bonavita’s Travel Kettle holds a half liter or just under 16 ounces of water, enough to brew 2 cups of coffee on the go. The kettle automatically shuts off when the water reaches a boil. The inside of the kettle is seamless making it easy to clean as well as giving space to pack coffee, filters, even an aero press inside to save space.

You can purchase the Bonavita .5 Liter Travel Kettle online from Sweet Maria’s for $30. and for 32.88$ from Amazon.

The Espro Press [preview]

The unique dual filtration system is the real stand out in the Espro Press. The first filter the coffee meets is 9 times finer than the typical french press.

I’ve had the same french press for over ten years now. It’s a pretty simple method of brewing coffee and was my main brewing method off and on for the majority of time that I owned it.It is a basic Bodum model, no bells or whistles. I haven’t once considered upgrading it- until now.

I had several cups of coffee out of the one being used at Espro’s booth at SCAA 2013. Coffee made in a french press is obviously unique, it’s gritty. The grit often adds a false sense of body to the coffee.

Lately I’ve switched to using a Bee House Dripper and have been favoring the clean cup I get with using a filter. That clean cup feeling was a lot like what Charlie Yates of Espro was serving up in their Espro Press.

The unique dual filtration system is the real stand out in this press pot. The first filter the coffee meets is 9 times finer than the typical french press.

The coffee then goes through a second filter, 12 times finer than than a typical french press. Once you press your coffee the plunger is designed to keep the coffee away from contact with the grounds in the bottom of the pot making immediate transfer of the coffee out of the press unnecessary.

The press itself is double-wall stainless steel vacuum insulated. So you can keep the coffee hot simply by leaving it in the press and not worry about over extracting it.

The press comes in a 8 oz., 18 oz., and 32 oz. sizes and you can only pre-order it from espro.ca

Join our newsletter if you are interested in a full review of the Espro in the coming weeks on Daily Shot Of Coffee.

Must Have Coffee Equipment From SCAA 2013 is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog

This weekend, the biggest names in the specialty coffee industry will descend upon Boston, Massachusetts… And Daily Shot Of Coffee will be there!

This is the 25th year for the specialty coffee event, SCAA conference, and it is a big deal.

I follow a lot of people in the coffee industry on Twitter. This week there has been a barrage of tweets with the hash tag #SCAA2013. Make sure to follow us on Twitter and add the hash tag to your watch list as I will cover the event live for you.

Amazing Coffees And More

The first SCAA conference and exhibition took place in 1989 in New, Orleans. It’s become a tradition for coffee lovers all over the country. For those of you not familiar with the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the SCAA is the largest coffee trade association in the world.

It is responsible for a ton of education and standards that are followed by roasters and baristas. They have their hands in every good cup of coffee you’ve ever had.

Take things like the temperature water should be heated to in order to brew coffee or the amount of ground coffee for a cup of coffee.

I mean who figures this stuff out?

A good coffee shop has more than likely gotten a lot of their information from SCAA classes and publications. Like any good trade organization, in addition to education its 9,000 members it also develops and promotes specialty coffee and the coffee industry.

Get Over Caffeinated With Me

Here at Daily Shot of Coffee we think coffee is a pretty big deal. I mean its neat-o right?

Well we’re certainly not alone in thinking this. This weekend, for Daily Shot of Coffee, I’ll be overwhelmed at the SCAA Boston Exposition.

I’ll be talking to all kinds of cool people in the coffee industry and if all goes well, I’ll be over caffeinated all weekend long.

What will we learn this year at the conference?

• A new technique for brewing coffee?
• Original ways to consume coffee on the go?
• Cool coffee equipment and must have accessories?

For now, I can only speculate. With over 750 exhibitor booths, an innovation showcase and tons of new products, I have no doubt that it will be incredible, if not overwhelming.

Be sure to follow @dailyshotofcoffee on Twitter for all the latest news live from the SCAA Conference, starting Saturday morning. Come back on Sunday as I will write a blog post to share my impressions and best discoveries with you.

Gotta go now!

Live Coverage Of The Specialty Coffee Event Of The Year In Boston is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog

The Drink: Memoria DeNossa
Type: Whole Bean Medium-Dark Roast, Colombian

This coffee showed up unexpectedly in my mail box with no information enclosed, so the first thing I did was to look it up through the website listed on the bag, operationelephant.com.

Upon surfing my way through the website, I found a bit of everything and left with a lot more questions than answers about the coffee I was about to try.

The coffee fit in amongst it all somewhere, but exactly where was not explained. Memoria’s mission statement says that the company is a community of entrepreneurs, creative young professionals, business executives, and industry leaders. Those executives and leaders are pushing boundaries and serving only the best Columbian coffee.

Hmmm, still not clear.

From what I could gather, operates a mini café and an executive lounge in Dallas, Texas. The executive lounge is a shared workspace for individuals in need of an office.

There you have it. A café, workspace, coffee and they even have an energy drink as well as lots of promotion. What we do here at Daily Shot of Coffee is coffee.

So let’s look at that.

Background Notes From The Roaster

Memoria Premium Coffee is sourced, roasted, and packaged to the highest standards. Memoria signature blend, DeNossA, is a registered specialty medium-dark roast, 100% Arabica and Colombian coffee, with the Juan Valdez Coffee Federation.

In order to maintain consistency, Memoria works with OMA Café in Colombia to source a unique Coffee Profile. By selecting green coffee from a specific altitude of farm and climate, Memoria is able to maintain the same flavor and quality from roast to roast.

My Review

With the aromas of chocolate and raspberry coming out of the bag things were off to a good start.

The smell of chocolate became more intense after I ground the coffee for my french press.

As I waited for the brewed coffee to cool I noticed the aroma of paprika.

The first sip was surprisingly ashy and no other flavors were detectible. It was pretty much what I would expect at the average diner.

In the mouth, the DeNossa had a nice feel — thick, syrupy, with a heavy body. That was its only redeeming characteristic. The body of the coffee kept the sensation in the mouth for a bit but there was no aftertaste, no flavor. A slight tingle of acidity was the only other coffee-like characteristic.

You can order DeNossa Coffee online from the Operation Elephant website for $34.00 for a package of three 16 oz. bags.

Final Score

Operation Elephant and their coffee earned 2.5 out of 5 on the Daily Shot of Coffee scale. If you are interested in being part of something larger than your morning cup, give it a try. If on the other hand you are more interested in what is in your morning cup, I would pass.

If you would like to get more coffee reviews like this one, just hop on the email list.

–

Please note that all reviews on DSOC are independent reviews. To know more about our guidelines, read the fine print.

Memoria DeNossa Coffee: It’s a Café, it’s a lounge, it’s an – Elephant? is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog

1. 30 ounces of espresso shots?
2. 100 ounces of distilled water?
3. 250 ounces of tap water?

To answer this question properly, we first need to look at how much caffeine is too much.

What Is The Lethal Dose Of Coffee?

Depending on your weight, your health condition and a number of other factors, you would need to drink anywhere between 80 and 150 cups of coffee in a very short period of time to die from it.

In other words, chance are you couldn’t kill yourself drinking coffee even if you tried to. There is simply not enough caffeine in a coffee cup.

In fact, before you reach that critical point, you would get very sick from… the water in the coffee!

Myth About Distilled Water

It is believed that because distilled water is free from salt and minerals, you can drink less of it than regular water. Your cells would need to draw salts out of your cells to compensate, which would kill you.

This is a myth. In reality, you get most of your sodium from sources other than water. As you know, today’s processed foods have actually too much sodium, so the absence of salt and minerals in distilled water is not really a problem.

As a matter of fact, you wouldn’t get sick if you drank 100 ounces of distilled water.

Thus, the real problem is simply water!

What Happens When You Drink Too Much Water?

Yes! You can actually drink too much water. Doing so will end up diluting the sodium in your body, regardless of whether it’s distilled or tap water.

When you increase your water intake, your cells fill up and expand. As this happen, swelling ensue, especially of brain cells. Since your skull can’t expand, you become erratic. Ultimately, this will cause seizure and then… death!

So drinking over thirty 8 ounces water glass could make you very sick… but you would need to drink it very fast for this to happen!

Good news is, you can drink a LOT of coffee! Just make sure to avoid extreme consumption on a daily basis. Which brings me to my question to you.

What’s The Most Coffee You Ever Had In A Day?

• Anyone here ever got close to having 30 cups of coffee in a day?
• What was the most coffee you ever had?
• How did it feel to drink that much caffeine?

This is your chance to brag a little. Let us know in the comments section.

And make sure to share this article on Google+, Twitter and Facebook. Who knows, you could save someone’s life

What Is More Dangerous For Your Health: Coffee or Water? is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog

The First Mind Reading Coffee Machine

However, never have we seen something quite as innovative as The Ludus – the world’s first mind reading coffee machine! Designed and developed by the vending machine professionals at Express Vending, The Ludus utilizes a wealth of highly innovative technology to undertake a complete body and mind reading and, from this, the coffee machine will dispense exactly what you fancy.

The drinks machine – which provides a huge selection of hot and cold drinks, including a range of coffee and teas, hot chocolate, juice and water – features fingerprint technology and facial recognition software which determines your age, gender, temperature, heart rate and mood. Factors such as the time of day, the outside environment and the environment in which the machine is placed in are also taken into consideration and, surprisingly, the results are reportedly highly accurate!

Tom Briggs, an engineer involved in the creation of The Ludus, said it is “not only a machine that has never been made before, but it’s also something most people would consider impossible to make”.  He continued to say that the technology incorporated in the machine is “extraordinary” and said the body reader “is something you immediately want to play with and show off”.

Memory Technology

The Ludus doesn’t stop there though, as not only can the machine guess which drink you would like after conducting a body reading, it also features mug memory technology to select your individual drink preferences – something bound to impress office workers and techies throughout the world!

So at 9am it might prepare a steaming cup of coffee complete with an extra shot of espresso, just after lunch it will offer you a lovely cup of tea and at 5pm a luxurious hot chocolate will be made to help you wind down towards the end of the day. All of this will be built up in your mug memory and, although the exact way this is achieved is being kept firmly under wraps, Express Vending have revealed that it uses highly advanced radio-frequency identification technology (RFID) to transfer the data wirelessly.

A participant involved in testing The Ludus, Kayleigh McCahill, seemed particularly impressed by the mug memory technology concluding that “every time” they tried it, it got their drink choice “spot on” – which, in itself, is a feat worthy of a sci-fi movie!

Coming Soon…

The Ludus is currently undergoing a further rigorous series of tests before production can begin and it is expected to be sold by Express Vending by the end of the 2013. Marketing Manager, Andrew Jones, is incredibly excited about the launch saying he believes it will “revolutionise the provision of workplace refreshments and offer something the industry has never seen before”.

All in all, The Ludus appears to be something which has leapt from the future and, although it’s not available quite yet, the ‘future’ doesn’t seem too far away – and we are certainly going to be at the front of the queue for our very own Ludus once it arrives!

How About That?

There are no mention of prices yet, but assuming you could afford it, is this the kind of technology you look forward to? Can’t wait to read your thoughts on this futuristic coffee machine in the comments section!

UPDATE: Alright!  Mind reading coffee machines are not about to become a reality. Happy April Fools Day!

Introducing The World’s First Mind Reading Coffee Machine! is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog

Perhaps that’s a fact best reserved for the instant fans and capsule fiends amongst us, because if you brew the wrong coffee in the wrong machine, you’d know about it. Lumpy, disgusting goo would be how I describe a few of my earliest attempts at doing something nice for my housemates – hashtag epic fail!

Now of course, I can’t help but laugh at my failures although I’m still embarrassed to talk about the time I tried to brew coffee beans. (Yes! Actual beans that hadn’t been grinned… I was young OK?)

A Beginner’s Guide to Brewing Coffee

Anyway, my near misses and catastrophic caffeine moments have made me who I am today and I’m here to hopefully share my wisdom from the mistakes I’ve made.

Let’s begin. Here are 5 tips to help you brew coffee like a pro.

1. Beans as they are

When you buy a bag of coffee beans, they’re in their original form, as they come after being roasted, before they turn into delicious brown dust.

This is the most exciting part of the journey because you choose your preferred consistency and, ultimately, your favourite brewing method.

2. Size matters

As a general rule, I follow this guideline: the finer the grind the shorter the brew cycle.

This is because a larger consistency of coffee can handle a longer level of water exposure without resulting in an over-extracted burnt taste that I’ve unfortunately experienced a few too many times on my quest for a perfect cuppa.

So, let’s talk you through the most popular choices of brewing up and what consistency best matches what.

3. Convenience in a cafetiere

If you’re all about quick and easy coffee, then you may use a cafetiere, also known as a french press.

It gives you great results and brews enough for a good few cups of Joe. For those who can’t get enough of this pain-free method, you’re best off grinding your beans to a slightly coarse size so that the granules can cope with the water contact without giving away too much of their flavour all at once.

If you aren’t sure what size exactly suits this option, you can always go for the ‘here’s one I made earlier’ approach and just buy pre-prepared cafetiere coffee. This means it’s already in the right size and will deliver fantastic coffee without having to worry about over-extracting.

Beware though how you store ground coffee, otherwise it can become stale in minutes.

4. Filter fun

An office favourite, a filter coffee machine is kind of similar to a cafetiere in that you get a good few rounds of coffee in one go, but the process the grounds go through is slightly different so we have to compensate that by using the right size.

As a general rule of thumb, most medium grinds tend to work quite well with a filter machine. However all systems are different so if you’re struggling to achieve decent results, it may be that you’ve got the wrong grind.

Experiment with a finer size until your coffee is good enough for Goldie Locks – just right!

5. Espresso yourself

For me, it’s all about my espresso machine at the weekend. Nothing beats waking up on a Sunday morning, brewing fresh coffee and reading the paper (how old do I sound!).

For this, I use an extra fine grind because the water exposure level of this method is super-fast and only lasts about 25 seconds at the most. This means you can get away with a smaller grind and still get a powerhouse of espresso which I then transform into a milky coffee. Perfection!

What’s exciting to see more and more of these days are brands catering not only to our flavour and variety needs, but also considering our busy routines and actually giving us coffee in a bag that suits our lifestyle. Espresso fine coffee ready to brew? Yes please. Fuss free filter fine coffee? Sign me up!

As we fuel the need for supply and demand and our caffeine cravings get more and more extravagant, I’m actually quite glad to see brands take note and offer us something more exciting than a medium grind.

When it comes to coffee, I do appreciate convenience especially as it means more of us can enjoy our favourite beverage.

In summary, if it’s easy to make and tastes great then I’m on board!

—-

This was a guest post by Laura. Learn more about how you can guest post for Daily Shot Of Coffee.

Whilst studying Public Relations at university, Laura became a passionate writer and social media enthusiast. A huge fan of crime novels, she loves specialist coffee and trying new blends. At CuppaCo, Laura deals with new and returning customers, making great recommendations and offering helpful product advice.

What’s your favorite brewing method?

That’s what I’d like to know from you. Plus, if you grind your own coffee, can you share any tips on how to do it really well? Just post your comment below and share your wisdom with other readers.

And if you liked this article, make sure to sign up to our FREE newsletter for all updates and more.

—

More articles on brewing coffee:

• 22 Methods To Make Coffee: How Many Different Ways Have You Brewed Coffee?
• Essential Equipment (And More) For Brewing Awesome Coffee
• 10 Ways to Make Coffee

Brewing Coffee for Dummies is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee Blog