Vinegar is an incredibly versatile product and has become a household staple as it is cheap, widely available, and can be used for just about anything. One misconception about vinegar is that it is a good way to clean and descale coffee machines. While it may sound self-serving, here’s why it is a bad idea to use vinegar:

1. The vinegar leaves a strong odor (as everyone knows) that can co-mingle with coffee oil, turning your fresh brew into a “fresh ew.”
2. It does not clean! While vinegar might be able to gently break down some hard water deposits, it does not effectively clean your coffee machine or remove oils.
3. It takes forever to rinse: our tests show that vinegar takes 3.5 times longer to rinse out of a drip brewer or capsule machine than does Dezcal,Full Circle Descaler, or other Urnex Brands, Inc. products.

There you have it: vinegar is great for almost anything. Rather than waste water trying to rinse out your semi-cleaned and now-smelly coffee machine, use a professionally formulated coffee machine cleaner or descaler.

And to prove that we at Urnex do not hate vinegar, here are a few of our favorite places to use vinegar (just some of the 1,001 ways to use vinegar):

1. Wacky cake—quick rise cake made without yeast, eggs, butter, or milk
2. Easter eggs—vinegar is an important component for coloring!
3. Window cleaner—simply combine vinegar, water, and some elbow grease!
4. Salad dressing—it’s as easy as olive oil and vinegar!
5. Pickling—come on, who doesn’t love pickles?

For people relying on caffeinated beverages to make it through the day, the choice between coffee and soda may have just become even more cut and dry. A press release from the American Academy of Neurology outlines the findings of a study authored by Dr. Honglei Chen, MD, PHD that suggests the drinking coffee may lower a person’s risk of developing depression, whereas drinking soda and other sugary drinks had the potential to increase it.

For approximately 10 years some 262,925 people between the ages of 50 and 71 were monitored and their drink choices examined; after the 10 year period, the participants were asked if they had been diagnosed with depression. The study found that 11,311 of the participants had in fact been diagnosed as clinically depressed and a correlation was found between increased risks of depression and the consumption of sugary drinks such as soda and fruit punch.

People who drank more than four cups of soda a day were found to be at a 30 percent greater risk of developing depression, and the risks were even higher for those people who drank diet sodas. Alternatively, the study also found that drinking four cups of coffee a day reduced the risk of developing depression by 10 percent. Dr. Chen suggests that replacing sweetened and sugary drinks with unsweetened coffee may be a natural means of reducing a person’s depression risk.

So, the next time you’re looking for a boost, ditch the diet and stay away from the sugar, a better alternative exists, and its name is coffee.

In a recent and uplifting turn of events, Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey, alias McDreamy,  and his company Global Baristas LLC may have won a bankruptcy auction for the failing Seattle based Tully’s chain of 47 coffee cafes with a winning bid of $9.15 million which awaits the approval of a bankruptcy judge on January 11.

The Tully’s brand is familiar nationally for the separate roasting and wholesale operation owned by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. that sells Tully coffees in both K-cups and bags and is not involved in the bankruptcy.

After falling on increasingly hard times, Tully’s entered into chapter 11 bankruptcy in October of 2012, immediately attracting the attention of a number of potential buyers including Starbucks for the Tully’s Coffee Cafe locations. Dempsey and his company of undisclosed partners sought to preserve the jobs of the nearly 500 Tully’s employees while Starbucks desired to convert 25 of the 47 Tully’s cafes into Starbucks locations and sell off the rest.

TC Global Inc. the owner of the Tully’s chain approved the Global Baristas LLC bid of $9.15 million even though it was slightly less than the Starbuck’s total offer of $10.6 million. Now it’s up to the judge!

In my last blog titled Coffee Without Milk? I discussed the possibility of milk prices reaching outrageous new highs ($8). Fortunately for us latte lovers, the fiscal cliff bill that Congress passed yesterday includes a measure to prevent dairy prices from skyrocketing. Until September, a number of agricultural subsidies from the 2008 Farm Bill will be extended, dairy included. So you can open your eyes now and a take a sip of that cappuccino, it certainly won’t be your last!

Rochester 12-28-2012 Whole Latte Love Coffee Compare-O-Matic - There are many different ways to say coffee around the world and many different coffees that are blended, roasted, ground and prepared to please specific tastes and palate desires. We are providing a cross section of what's available to give you over 300 choices to enable you to brew the best tasting coffee to fit your desires.
To help you make great choices, try new flavors and spend your money wisely we have made over 200,000 entries in 72 categories and sub-categories in our database to help guide you in choosing the coffees that will enable your coffee brewing machine to produce the absolute best drink it can for your taste, budget and social conscience.

Further we have tailored a Coffee Compare-O-Matic to provide you a way to look at coffee characteristics side-by-side. You can compare up to 6 at a time by clicking the "Compare Now" check box under the coffee listing and then clicking the red "compare" button at the top of the page.

That will bring you to a side-by-side display of what we know about the coffees in these categories:

Products
Here you will see the product name and price along with icon buttons to add to your shopping cart or delete from the current compare session. The product name is a hyper-link that when clicked will take you to the full product description page.

Flavor Notes
Information gathered about the aroma of the coffee as it is brewing, It's initial taste, how it feels on the palate and in your mouth, and the finish or after-taste.

Roast Profile
What we know about the type of roast: Light, Medium, Dark and any shades in-between.

Best For Brewing
Some coffees at specific roast levels are better for certain methods of brewing than others. Further many Roast Masters design blends to be better for particular brewing methods and grind settings.

Coffee Condition
Defines whether the coffee is whole bean, pre-ground or packaged as a pre-ground single-serving.

Coffee State
Whether it contains caffeine, or is decaffeinated and whether it is flavored.

Package Profile
This category is specific to sampler packages we have assembled to give you a one-click option to buy several types of coffees at once. We define the Package Type, (like Premium Espresso Coffees), List the Brands, and describe each coffee in the package by weight, container, condition and roast if known.

Special Attribute
There are many special attributes associate with coffee and we have defined several like Single Origin or Swiss Water Processed Decaf, WE will grow this category as we find other special attributes that significantly affect the quality and taste of the coffee.

Awards
If we know it we will post any awards that the coffee may have garnered.

Coffee Botanical
Here we will post what we know about the Species, typically Arabica, Robusta or Liberica or a combination of both, and the Varietal like Arabica Bourbon.

Coffee Packaging
Descriptions of the container, like a bag or tin, and the weight of the coffee it contains or the single-serve portion count. Some listing will include optional packages for buying case lots.

Coffee Type
Descriptions of what the Roaster will let us know about the beans used. Whether the coffee is 100% Arabica or a blend and any significant characteristics like Jamaican Blue Mountain, Kona, Mocha java, or Peaberry.

Coffee Origin
Includes information that the Roaster will release about the source of the beans, the actual farm or grower, where the coffee is roasted and what country we import it from.

Social & Environmental
While there characteristics seldom affect flavor they are important for defining the known social aspects of the coffee. Like a pedigree it may define any certifications it has.

Kosher
What we know about the coffees certification as Kosher.

Review
Here we include any industry recognized coffee review information we find plus ratings from you, our Customers.

Please jump in any try out the coffee Compare-O-Matic and give us any feedback on what you like or don't like about it, how you would improve it and what other information you would like to know about coffee. We have committed to constant improvement of the functionality of the Compare-O-Matic and the data we collect. We will add new information as it becomes available and keep tweaking the Compare-O-Matic features to make it the richest possible experience for you. Please, holler back!!

It's a frightening prospect for some, but also a potential reality as the 2013 US Farm Bill remains as of yet, unpassed. The Farm Bill, which is actually a five year agricultural policy bill to help subsidize the cost of agriculture hasn't been pushed through as Congress remains embroiled in fiscal cliff debates. As a result of the bill's delayed passing, the price of grocery items could potentially spike, milk included. Could you imagine paying $6, or possibly even more money for a gallon of milk?

If the bill is delayed until April of 2013 as some expect it may be, there are really only three options: cough up the extra money, cut the milk, or find another creamer for your favorite drinks. I looked up some alternatives and some of the most commonly recommended ones were different kinds of plant milks, like soy or almond. This is a topic we've taken some interest in recently so if you have any questions for us about making drinks with milk alternatives, don't hesitate to ask!

Green coffee beans are usually shipped in 132lb bags, (60 Kilograms) and world-wide production statistics are compiled on the number of bags.

World production for 2012 includes 88,818 bags of Arabica and 62,440 of Robusta.

To give you perspective on worldwide coffee production and the rarity of some highly prized regional coffees like Hawaiian Kona and Jamaican Blue Mountain that make up a tiny fraction of all coffees, here are statistics for 2012 compiled by the US Department of Agriculture.

Brazil leads the world in total production again in 2012 with 40,200 bags of Arabica and 15,700 of Robusta for a total of 55,900 bags or 7,378,800 lb.

Vietnam is second for total production with 850 bags of Arabica and 24,150 of Robusta for a total of 25,000 bags or 3,300,000 lb.

 

The United States, mostly Hawaii, (100/0) and Mexico (4,500/200) make up North American production of 4,600 bags of Arabica and 200 bags of Robusta.

Central America produces 14,605 bags of Arabica and 10 bags of Robusta from: Costa Rica (1,600/0), El Salvador (1,475/0), Guatemala (3,840/10), Honduras (5,800/0), Nicaragua (1,800/0) and Panama (90/0).

 

South American countries including Bolivia (4/150), Brazil (40,200/15,700), Colombia (7,500/0), Ecuador (415/190), Paraguay (25/0), Peru (4,800/0) and Venezuela (880/0) combined to produce 53,970 bags of Arabica and 15,890 bags of Robusta.

Caribbean countries produce 920 bags of Arabica from: Cuba (125), Dominican Republic (475), Haiti (300) and Jamaica (20).

 

Middle East coffee comes from Yemen at 150 bags of Arabica.

Papua New Guinea, 1,100 bags of Arabica and 50 bags of Robusta, represents Oceania’s total production.

South Asia contributes 1,650 bags of Arabica and 3,685 bags of Robusta from: India (1,640/3,660) and Sri Lanka (10/25).

 

Southeast Asia contributes 2,580 bags of Arabica and 35,025 bags of Robusta from: Indonesia (1,700/8,000), Laos (0/575), Malaysia (0/1,000), Philippines (30/400), Thailand (0/900) and Vietnam (850/24,150).

 

Sub-Saharan Africa contributes 9,243 bags of Arabica and 7,580 bags of Robusta from: Angola (0/30), Burundi (225/0), Cameroon (100/700), Central African Republic (0/15), Kinshasa (200/165), Cote d'Ivoire (0/1,800), Ethiopia (6,500/0), Ghana (0/90), Guinea (0/425), Kenya (850/0), Liberia (0/5), Madagascar (25/500), Malawi (25/0), Nigeria (0/30), Rwanda (250/0), Sierra Leone (0/70), Tanzania (500/300), Togo (0/650), Uganda (650/2,800), Zambia 10/0) and Zimbabwe (8/0).

 

Since my co-workers are so much more adept at testing espresso machines, I took the opportunity to try brewing a cup of Americano coffee using the AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker. I have been intrigued with press-brewing coffee for several years now after first watching my friend Tracy using a French press in the office to make his coffee every day. Until today I have only made coffee drip-brewed in percolators, or drip-coffee filter brewers, or single-serve K-cup machines. A friend sent me some pre-ground coffee for Christmas so I thought this would be the perfect time to try press-made coffee. The Aerobie AeroPress was available for testing so I figured it’s time to give it a work out.

It comes packaged with a body cylinder chamber having level markings on the side, a plunger with an articulated rubber plunger seal, a filter cap that screws onto the bottom of the chamber, a filter holder and 350 micro-filters, a measuring scoop, funnel, and a stirrer. Since this one had been opened by the sales department for previous testing, the instructions were missing. I quickly read the brewing instruction on the internet and set out to make my first cup. I loaded a filter into the filter cap and screwed it onto the chamber and set the assembly on my sturdy metal woodworkers coffee mug. I put 2 full scoops of pre-ground coffee in the chamber and poured in hot water.

While Aerobie recommends water at 176°, I just boiled water and waited, hmmm... about 3 seconds for it to cool, then poured water into the chamber and started stirring using the stirrer that comes with the AeroPress. The Stirrer is well-designed, shaped, and sized so that you can’t drop it into the chamber and you also can’t scrape the filter in the bottom of the cap. I stirred for about 10 seconds, then wet the rim of the plunger-seal and put the plunger into the top of the chamber and started to gently press it into the chamber.

As the pressure started to build I heard it relieve through the filter and liquid started to drop into the mug below. I continued to press gently until the plunger bottomed out. I removed the assembly from the cup and added some more hot water to the mug to make my cup of Americano coffee. Voila! Darn good fresh brewed coffee with no grounds or "dregs-dust" in the cup, the filter works great! And I could make just one cup without brewing a full or partial drip-pot. Now I can have a fresh-brewed cup of coffee and my tea-drinking wife can have a mug of tea from the same pot of hot water.

I didn’t pay enough attention to the instructions on how to eject the spent grounds and used-filter from the unit and made a mess, luckily over the sink, when I just backed the plunger out of the cylinder. I should have unscrewed the filter holder over the waste can and then pushed the plunger on through to eject all of the grounds. Oh well, I’ll do better on the next cup. Now I can’t wait to try some fresh ground coffee like coffee purists do to see if the quality of the coffee can get better.  Oh did I mention that the coffee I used was a Christmas gift, from 2 years ago?  Even so it still made very good coffee!

• 1 Tbs of Chocolate Sauce
• 2 Tbs of Peppermint Syrup
• Freshly Brewed Coffee
• Whipped Cream
• Additional Garnishes*

Okay, get ready for this. Start by adding your chocolate sauce and peppermint syrup to your glass. When your syrups are added, top off the glass with some freshly brewed coffee and stir vigorously until everything is thoroughly mixed. Top off your drink with some whipped cream if you like. Toss in a peppermint stick or garnish with some sprinkles or crushed candy cane. Most importantly, enjoy!

Watch our recipe video.

Shopping stressing you out? With the holidays in full swing, we know that things can get pretty hectic, but don't worry, we're here to help. Last week we passed a little survey around the office asking people to jot down which items on our site they'd like to get as gifts. So, spare yourself the hassle of trying to find the perfect gift and take a look at some of the items we picked as our favorites!

	Lavazza Super Crema Whole Latte Love's Ashley had this to say about Super Crema: I absolutely love Super Crema! I've always liked coffee, but I never had a taste for espresso. That all changed when Mark Jackson brewed me a shot of it on the Expobar Brewtus IV we've got in the kitchen. Caffeinated bliss! I love it!
	The Gaggia Accademia Whole Latte Love's Tracy had this to say about the Gaggia Accademia: As a working mother of 3, I needed a machine that could keep up with me. Whether I'm brewing my first shot of the day, or entertaining 40 people, the Accademia never fails to get the job done.
	The Espro Calibrated Tamper Whole Latte Love's Mark Jackson had this to say about the Espro Calibrated Tamper: Leaping into the world of home espresso can certainly be intimidating. This tamper is a great tool to help make the transition a smooth one. Learning how to brew at home can be challenging, but if you treat brewing espresso like a science, this is something that can help you control one of the variables.
	The Expobar Brewtus IV Whole Latte Love's Shane had this to say about the Expobar Brewtus IV: It's never hard for me to recommend one of these machines. Expobar has really covered all the bases with the Brewtus IV, it's a solid machine with commercial quality components.
	The Teaposy Charme Gift Set Whole Latte Love's Kristen had this to say about the Teaposy Charme Gift Set: It's the perfect size! I love watching the teas bloom and this set came with a variety of teas to try. Perfect for someone just starting out with Teaposy.
	Saeco Vienna Plus Whole Latte Love's Andrew had this to say about the Saeco Vienna Plus: Awesomely simple machine! It's easy to use, reliable, and pulls a great shot with no fuss.
	Waechtersbach Coffee-Script-Collage 12oz Travel Mug Whole Latte Love's Mary Ann had this to say about the Waechtersbach Coffee-Script-Collage 12oz Travel Mug: I love the 4 colors it comes in and it's the perfect size to fit under a Gaggia Accademia (with the spout removed)!
	Gaggia Platinum Swing Up Whole Latte Love's Kathy had this to say about the Gaggia Platinum Swing Up: This is an easy to navigate Super-Automatic machine capable of making any kind of drink you'd want. It's also very easy to maintain.
	Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler Whole Latte Love's Marc Buckman has this to say about the Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler: I've been consistently impressed with Breville's espresso machines, this one in particular. The stainless steel body, and dual boilers are big pluses in my book, but I also appreciate some of the simpler design features like the hidden accessories tray or drip tray float.
	DeLonghi kMix 5 cup Coffee Maker Whole Latte Love's Mylee had this to say about the DeLonghi kMix 5 cup Coffee Maker: I really can't express how happy I was to find a yellow coffee maker! I love its very sleek and modern appearance--and it brews a great cup of coffee!
	Gaggia Classic & MDF Brew-Ready Pack My favorite this season was the Gaggia Classic & MDF Brew-Ready Pack, here's why: To make quality espresso you need equipment. Off the top of my head and I can't think of a more reliable entry level machine or grinder, and even better is that we've paired them together!