Coffeeopolis » Coffee

Finally…a coffee powered car!

Matt — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:51:38 +0000

Proving that coffee truly is the solution to all of the world’s problems (ok, so not really), a team of crazy Brits has modified a VW Scirocco to be powered by coffee! Well, not entirely. You see, it uses a charcoal fire to heat the coffee grounds, splitting them into carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas is then burned in the engine to propel the car. Hardly efficient nor eco-friendly but hey, it’s still a coffee-powered car! (link)

Coffee consumption reduces prostate cancer risk

Matt — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:38:10 +0000

Chalk up another health win for coffee. This time, data suggests that drinking coffee (not just caffeinated beverages) reduces mens’ risk of advanced prostate cancer. 60% lower risk, in fact, when comparing heavy coffee drinkers with those who drank none. Read more here. (via BoingBoing)

Starbucks Via

Matt — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:26:12 +0000

After a slow rollout earlier this year of their new instant coffee, Starbucks has made a big push lately to really get this product out. Most stores are offering a free taste test, Via versus brewed, for which you’ll receive a free cup of brewed coffee for participating. I’ve tried the Via myself, and while it’s not as good as a good cup of brewed coffee, I found it better than most restaurant coffee. Despite being an obsessed coffee lover who grows and roasts his own coffee, I still see a place for Via in my life…I found that it’s perfect for camping or backpacking, if you’re trying to pack light you just can’t beat it. The packets are incredibly small, and there’s no need to bring your brewing equipment along, or to deal with coffee that had been ground days before (let’s face it, bringing coffee grinder camping is really, really wrong!). Speaking of camping though, if you’re not convinced that Via is the way to go, then I recommend either a plastic french press, or an AeroPress. The AeroPress is great if there’s only one coffee drinker in the group, otherwise a large french press would be better. Time has a nice write up on Via if you’d like to learn more.

Coffee reduces the pain of exercise

Matt — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:07:28 +0000

Here’s a new, interesting health benefit to drinking coffee – it helps reduce the pain of exercise! You can read more over at Yahoo.

The Impact of Climate Change on Coffee

Matt — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:05:04 +0000

There’s an interesting article about the impact of climate change on coffee over at Ineedcoffee.com, check it out.

Cars that run on coffee

Matt — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:53:21 +0000

In the search for eco-friendly alternative fuels, scientists at the University of Nevada, Reno, discovered that you could extract the oils from spent coffee grounds and use those to power a car, in much the same manner as other forms of plant-based fuels (like using cooking oil). Yet another nice use for old coffee grounds (composting is my favorite use). Plus, you get the added bonus of coffee-scented exhaust fumes! Read more in the New York Times.

How to make Turkish Coffee

Matt — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:37:22 +0000

via Reuters:

(Reuters) – Turkish coffee is a strong, rather bitter beverage traditionally served black and sweetened according to taste. It is prepared in a small pot that is sufficient to produce several servings.

HOW TO MAKE IT

Pour cold water into a small coffee pot known as a cezve in Turkish. Slightly more than one cup of cold water is recommended for each serving. Add a teaspoonful of Turkish coffee per cup into the water, turn on the heat and start to stir gently.

The amount of coffee can be increased according to taste, but if properly prepared there should always be a thick residue at the bottom of your cup when you have finished drinking.

Heat the pot as slowly as possible. The slower the heat the better it is. Do not walk away, make sure you watch it to prevent any overflowing when the coffee starts to foam. When the foam rises turn off the heat. Scoop away the foam with a spoon and place an even amount of foam in each cup. Don’t pour out the dregs into the cups.

Coffee in the Civil War

Matt — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:57:08 +0000

CNN has a fascinating article on the use of coffee by troops on both sides in the Civil War. The North apparently had a grip on the supply chain and had plenty of coffee, leading to informal cease-fires along the front lines where Confederate troops would trade tobacco for coffee from the Union troops! It’s a neat read and can be found here.

Report finds source of bitterness in coffee

Matt — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:35:16 +0000

Chemists have discovered that most of the bitterness found in coffee is due to antioxidants formed in the roasting process (only about fifteen percent is due to caffeine), though the brewing process also affects the amount of bitterness in the final cup. You can read more at livescience.com.

Ethiopia to Grow Naturally Decaffeinated Coffee

Matt — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:52:58 +0000

Ethiopia is working to commercialize a variety of coffee plant found in the wild that produces beans with naturally low levels of caffeine. They’re currently at the ’seedling’ stage so it’ll be a few years before this makes it to the shelves, but it’ll provide an interesting alternative to traditional decaf coffee. No word at this point exactly how the caffeine level in these beans compares to that of regular or decaf coffee. (via Stuff)