Want to brew up the perfect cup of coffee this holiday season? Perk up and listen to these tips from the experts at Storyville
SEATTLE, Dec. 11, 2008 — Fact: Americans brew about 400 million cups of coffee … every day. That's 146 billion cups per year. For many, this daily ritual borders on a religious experience. Problem is, most of us aren't doing it in a way that results in heavenly coffee that's rich, smooth and delicious.
So says Chad Turnbull, co-president of Seattle's own Storyville Coffee Company, which was recently heralded by the The New York Times.
"Coffee is an essential ingredient in people's lives," Turnbull explains. "You drink it first thing in the morning. You drink it when you're meeting with friends or on the perfect date. You serve it to your guests when you gather together for the holidays. There's just something about being rewarded with an amazing cup of coffee."
Conversely, a bad cup of coffee can be a punishing experience. According to Turnbull, the most commonly committed sins of coffee preparation are: 1) "old" coffee and 2) coffee that is pre-ground.
When coffee's roasted, there are oils that are retained in the beans. Those oils provide maximum flavor, but you have to use the beans within two to 12 days. Big coffee companies get around this by roasting the oil out of the beans. That's why most brands of coffee are long on shelf life (i.e. old), but short on flavor.
"We have a culture around coffee that is based on dairy, sweeteners, flavoring … all designed to cover up a flaw in the roasting process," says Turnbull.
If your coffee is pre-ground, you're on shaky ground, Turnbull adds. "At Storyville, we tell people to grind the beans seconds before brewing. Each bean is like a little package of its own – a freshness package. When you grind the beans, you've unpacked it."
If you want to brew perfect coffee this holiday season, Turnbull serves up this advice:
- You've got to the buy the right beans. If you don't start with phenomenal beans, you won't have a phenomenal cup of coffee. Storyville is unique in that it only offers one blend, Prologue, and its decaffeinated twin, Epilogue. "We're committed to one blend, so for us, it has to be flawless."
- Use a French press. It allows for better extraction of the coffee's flavor. The extra work is worth it, Turnbull says. "My grandma's homemade biscuits taste better than store-bought because she took the time to make them from scratch."
- Use bottled or filtered water. "Upgrade your water. If you put nasty water in, it's going to affect the taste."
About Storyville Coffee Company
Visit http://www.storyville.com to watch "The Truth." It was featured in The New York Times and will make you laugh, cry and exhibit signs of coffee snobbery. To learn more or to interview one of the "coffee pros" at Storyville, including co-president Chad Turnbull, call 206-554-1601.
Press contact:
Ryan Gamble
206-554-1601
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