COSMOPOLITAN COFFEE understands how important a good cup of your favorite coffee or tea is to you.  We compiled some general tips about coffee and tea.  We hope you find this page useful.  Here's to a great cup of coffee or tea! 

COFFEE

Storing

To Freeze or Not to Freeze

• Coffee is porous.  Coffee can absorb the flavor of seafood.  It can absorb the moisture that your freezer produces.  The moiture deteriorates the coffee and your coffee can end up tasting like . . . freezer.
  
  
• Roasted coffee releases oils and essences to give the coffee a distinct flavor.  When you break down the oils by freezing, you remove the flavor of the coffee.

When to Freeze

• Coffee stays fresh around two weeks.  If you have bulk coffee and you can't use it within the two-week period, the freezer is a one-time-only acceptable storage place.  Once you take it out of the freezer, it can never go back.  Divide the bulk coffee into weekly portions and wrap them using sealable freezer bags and plastic wrap.  Remove the weekly portion when you need it and store it in an air-tight container in a dry place.
  
  
• When should you put coffee in the refrigerator?  NEVER!  It is the worst place to store coffee.
  
  
• Vacuum-sealed coffee is not equivalent to fresh coffee.  When coffee is roasted, it releases carbon dioxide and continues for a few days afterward.  Fresh-roasted coffee packed in a valve-sealed bag allows the gasses to escape and tastes best after about two days after roasting.  Vacuum-sealed coffee has to sit out for a while until the carbon dixoide is released before it can be vacuum-sealed.  Vacuum sealing is good for pre-ground coffee that has to ship and then sit on shelves.

Buying and Grinding

• For the best tasting coffee, buy whole beans, store in a sealed container in a dark place, and grind right before serving.
  
  
• Grinding coffee breaks up the beans and the oils.  Grinding exposes the beans to air and causes the coffee to get stale quicker, no matter how you store it.  This is especially true for flavored coffees.
  
  
• Grinding prior to brewing produces a much stronger and fresher flavor.  The type of grind should match the way you brew your coffee.  Use the finest grind you can for the way you brew without getting too fine.
  
  
• Blade grinders are popular because they are inexpensive, easy to purchase, and easy to use.  But you have little control with a blade grinder.  You may end up with chunks of beans mixed with bean powder.  Blade grinders also produce friction, which produces heat, and heat begins to reduce your coffee's aroma and essences before you begin to brew it.  If you grind it too long, it can even pick up a "burnt" taste.
  
  
• Burr grinders crush the beans between a moving and a non-moving surface.  The best and most common burr grinder is a conical burr grinder.  There is not a noticeable rise in heat because the beans are being crushed rather than sliced.  Coffee roasters and commercial coffee companies use burr grinders.  However, they come in several sizes from the large commercial grinders to tabletop models. 

Brewing

• Clean your equipment thoroughly after each use.  Make sure that grounds haven't been left behind and that no coffee oils have built up.
  
  
• Purchase your coffee as soon as it's been roasted as possible.  Purchase in small amounts; usually enough for a  1 to 2-week period.  If you buy whole beans, grind your beans very close to the brew time.
  
  
• The size of the grind is important.  If your coffee tastes bitter, it may be ground too fine.  If it tastes flat, the grind may be too coarse.  Never reuse coffee grounds.
  
  
• Water is VERY important.  If your tap water is less than desirable, use filtered or bottled water.  If you use tap water, let it run a few seconds before filling up your pot.  Do not use distilled or softened water.
  
  
• A good guide is 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 ounces of water.  Of course, adjust it to your particular taste.
  
  
• Water temperature should be around 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit for the best extraction. 
  
  
• In a drip system, the water should be in contact with the coffee for about 5 minutes.  If you use a plunger pot, the contact time should be around 2 - 4 minutes.  For espresso, the contact time is about 20-30 seconds.
  
  
• Enjoy your brewed coffee immediately!  If you pour it into a warmed mug, it maintains the temperature a little longer.

TEAS

Types of Teas

Assam - The Brahmaputra Valley in the Assam region of India is the largest producer of black teas.  Teas from this area are known for their rich, malty taste.  Good ones are strong, yet smooth, and brew to a rich copper color.  Often used for Irish Breakfast blends, they hold up well to the addition of milk and sugar, but the higher quality ones should always be taken plain to appreciate their rich flavor.

Black Tea - Black teas are produced by a process that includes oxidation, also called fermentation.  Black teas are first withered by allowing the moisture in the leaves to evaporate a little so that the leaves become pliable.  This takes about 12-18 hours.  Then the leaves are rolled to bruise and damage them to allow the enzymes to come to the surface.  The leaves are spread out and exposed to air in humid rooms.  Oxygen reacts with the enzymes on the surface of the leaves and causes them to turn black, thus changing the color and taste of the brewed tea.  To stop the oxidation process at the right time, the leaves are fired in ovens to destroy the enzymes responsible for oxidation.

Camellia sinensis - The tea plant.  Tea is the beverage brewed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.  The wide variety of teas such as green, black, oolong, and white teas are created by different processing methods, but all derive from the same plant.  The flavor depends on how the tea was processed,  what part of the world the plant grew, the time of year the leaves were harvested, what the weather was like that season, the soil conditions, altitude, etc.

Chai tea - This Indian word for "tea" has come to refer to black tea brewed with traditional Indian spices and lots of milk and sugar.  The flavor of chai varys from brand to brand.  Some are hot due to a lot of pepper; others tend to be sweeter with more cinnamon and cloves.  You can get pre-blended liquid chai, chai mix, or loose tea with chai seasonings to which you add your own milk and sugar.  This is one of those words no one knows how to pronounce:  the "ch" is pronounced just like in "chair"; and it rhymes with "I".

Darjeeling - Due to their unique characteristics and delicate aroma, Darjeeling teas, from the mountainous Darjeeling region of India, are often called the "Champagne of Tea."  Unlike teas grown at lower altitudes, they have only four harvest periods:  first flush (Spring); "in between" (late Spring); second flush (Summer); and Autumnal.  Each drop produces a different tasting tea, with the earlier crops tending light and flowery and later crops becomming progressively fuller bodied and fruity.  Be careful not to over-steep Darjeelings . . . they are quite sensitive.

English, Irish - Traditional strong blends of different teas, made to go with fairly rich breakfasts.  Each blender will make these tea blends a bit differently, so you should taste several before you decide whether or not you like them.  Usually blended to drink with milk and sugar, Irish and Scottish Breakfast blends tend to be a bit stronger and maltier, due to a higher quantity of Assam teas.  English Breakfast tea is often a blend of Keenum.

Green tea - Green teas are produced by a process that does not include oxidation also called fermentation.  Some green teas are steamed initially to kill the leaf (sencha, gyokuro).  Most are withered by simply letting some of the leaves' moisture evaporate, making the leaf pliable.  The leaves are fired in a hot wok to destroy enzymes in the leaf, which prevents the oxidation process from beginning.  During firing, the leaves can be shaped in the wok into the desired form, such as the flattened leaves of Dragon Well or the small pellets of gunpowder tea.  Some teas are then roasted (hojicha) to produce a toasty flavor. 

Herbal tea - Technically, this is not tea.  This term refers to beverages made from plants other than Camellia sinensis (the tea plant).  Usually, they are caffeine free.  Examples include chamomile, rooibos, peppermint, and hibiscus.  Often herbals are blends of many different plants, fruits and flavorings.  These are also referred to as "tisanes."  They are particularly nice choices for children, for evening consumption, and for anyone who wants to completely avoid caffeine.

Keemun - From the Anhui Province in China, Keemuns are often called the Burgundy of teas for their full body, natural sweetness, and superb aromatics.  Keemuns are often considered the quintessential English Breakfast tea, and most English Breakfast blends are exclusively Keemun.  Holds up well to milk and sugar, although the finest ones are often taken plain.

Oolong - In contract to black teas, which are fully oxidized, and green teas, which are not oxidized, oolongs are semi-exidized.  Like black teas, oolongs are first withered for several hours to soften the leaves.  Then they are alternately oxidized and fired several times by various methods, which may include shaking in baskets or walking on leaves that have been placed in cloth bags.  When the desired amount of oxidation is reached, which can vary significantly, the leaves are fired at high temperatures to destroy the enzymes that contribute to oxidation.  Because some oolongs are more oxidized than others, the flavor of oolongs can vary from near-blck to quite green.  The best oolongs are still all handmade and have a lovely fruity/flowery aroma and a delicate sweetness.

Rooibos - Rooibus (pronounced "roy bus") is made from the needle-like leaves of a caffeine-free bush native to South Africa.  It is oxidized like black tea, and many people use it instead of decaffeinated black teas.  Good both hot and cold, it has a mild flavor and won't turn bitter with extended brewing.  Known for its soothing properties, it is reputed to be even higher in antioxidants than green tea.  Steep 1 teaspoon of rooibos per cup in freshly boiled water for 5-10 minutes.

White tea - White teas are appreciated by connoisseurs for their unmatched subtlety, complexity, and natural sweetness.  The most delicate of teas, white teas are minimally processed.  They are simply steamed, then dried, without significantly altering the leaf.  Consequently, these teas appear light and fluffy and require more room to infuse than other teas.  The color will be very pale, straw colored liquor, hence the name, "white".  Use either a large infuser or put the leaves loose in your pot or cup.

Yunnan - The Yunnan Province of China has been producing tea for 1700 years.  Teas from this area are full-bodied and brisk with a hint of smokiness.  Great for breakfast.  Best consumed plain or with a little milk.

Storing

• All tea has a shelf life.  However, air, light, odors from other foods, and moisture are the enemies of tea.  Tea should be stored in a cool, dry place, in an air-tight container.  The best is an air-tight tin.  Refrigerating or freezing tea is not recommended.

Brewing

• There is no right or wrong way to brew tea from loose tea leaves.  Experiment and let your tastes be your guide.
  
  
• Use filtered or bottled spring water with natural minerals that is not too hard or too soft.  Do not use distilled water.  Never use hot tap water or water that has boiled for a long time.  The result is a flat and dull-tasting tea.
  
  
• Preheat the pot or cup where the tea will be steeped.  If you pour hot water into a cold cup or mug, the temperature drops too fast, which means the full flavor of the tea will not be extracted.  To preheat the pot:  pour a bit of the boiling water from the kettle and then pour that water into the drinking up to heat them up too.
  
  
• Use about 3 grams of dry leaves for every 6 ounces of water.  If you can't measure in grams, use one rounded teaspoon of dry leaves for each 6-ounce cup.  Adjust the amount of dry leaves to your personal tastes. 
  
  
• For Black, dark Oolong, and herbal teas use water that is near boiling.  Water boiled too long has reduced oxygen content and the tea will taste flat.
  
  
• For Green, white, and green Oolong teas should not be prepared with boiling water.  It cooks the leaves and destroys the taste.  Have the water temperature around 170-180 degrees Fahrenheit.  The finer the green tea, the lower the water temperature should be.  If you don't have a thermometer, pour the water the minute the bubbles begin to come up from the bottom of the kettle, or you can bring the water to a boil and then let it cool for two to three minutes before pouring.
  
  
• The smaller the tea leaf, the faster it infuses.  Until you are familiar with a particular tea, allow the tea to steep for a minute or two and then taste it.  Notice the taste rather than the color.  When it tastes right to you, serve it.
  
  
• A quick guide to steeping is: Japanese Green Teas: 1-2 minutes; Chinese Green Teas: 2-3 minutes; White Teas: 2-5 minutes; Green Oolong Teas: 2-3 minutes; Dark Oolong Teas: 3-5 minutes; Black Teas: 3-5 minutes; and Herbal Infusions: 5-10 minutes.