Sunday, June 5, 2011

Organic Coffee

Coffee Organic
Organically grown coffee is said to taste better, that is grown organically has not been subjected to chemicals of any kind. No artificial fertilizers have been used, and no toxic bug sprays have been applied. For those who are concerned about our environment, OGC is the only reasonable choice.

When coffee is grown organically, it is just so much better for the coffee farm land as well as for all of the land that surrounds the farm. Water quality is improved for the entire area where coffee farms operate.

Most coffee farms grow their coffee beans with the help of fertilizers and pesticides. Coffee farms are small and usually family operated or are cooperatively owned farms where income as well as tools, mills, mulches, and organic methods of raising beans are shared. The idea of OGC beans is to produce higher quality.

The Coffee organic  process means that the beans will simply produce a better tasting cup of coffee, and a better tasting cup of coffee is a universal pursuit of happiness.

Why people prefer to drink the organic variety?

Most of us have at least one cup of coffee every day. Consumption of Organic Coffee minimizes the risk of ingesting chemicals that are usually applied in the production of normal coffee beans. Thus, the organic variety is better for our bodies.

Does the taste differ from the regular one?

Farmers while cultivating Organic Coffee, follow the natural growth cycle and discard the use of any chemicals and pesticides, which results in rich and perfect coffee beans. The shade grown Organic Coffee, which is cultivated under a canopy of shaded trees are slowly ripened receiving the filtered sunlight, which in due course enhances the taste. There is a huge range of Organic Coffees including light roast, moderate roast, dark roast, green and various flavored coffees.

Is there any price difference?

The natural growing process of Organic Coffee requires manual effort as the utilization of mechanical farm equipment is restrained. This involvement of manpower, raise the price and hence, it is expensive in comparison to the regular one. However, some excellent Organic Coffee beans are also available online for cheaper rates. You can also avail some less common Organic Coffee online, which are not found locally.

Organic Green Coffee Beans

The red and round coffee cherries, containing the coffee beans are picked from the branch, when they are completely ripe. Then they are dried and the outer part of the dried cherry is removed. In this way the coffee beans are obtained, which are sorted by hand based on their size and density. These un-roasted green variety are exported worldwide, which are roasted afterward into light, moderate or dark roast coffee.

Fair Trade Coffee

Fair Trade Coffee
Coffee used to be well, just plain coffee. You could order it with cream or sugar and that was pretty much the extent of the considerations. Now, the variation of terms bandied about is endless: organic coffee, gourmet coffee roasters who use only gourmet coffee beans, dark roast coffee, French roast and Arabica beans. There is also the place of origin: Ethiopia, Kona, Mocha, Sumatra and Uganda. Given the current rate of global warming, Tundra can't be far behind.

Then, there is Fair Trade coffee. Fair Trade certification originated in the Netherlands in 1988 after a significant drop in wholesale coffee prices around the world. During that period, there was an excess supply of coffee beans over demand. The price on world markets had plummeted so low that coffee farmers around the world were unable to earn anything close to a livable wage. By 1997, several other labeling certifications had evolved: Fair Trade Foundation, TransFair USA and Rattvisemarkt. They merged to become The Fair Trade Labeling Organization or FLO, which has been extended to include many types of agricultural products.

In order to attain Fair Trade Certification for coffee, wholesale importers must adhere to certain standards. They must provide credit to farmers as well as offer transitional assistance to those who choose to produce an organic coffee bean crop. They must provide safe working conditions for all workers, pay a fair wage, allow no child labor and invest the Fair-Trade premiums they receive into development projects such as medical care, environmental projects, training and scholarships. In return, they are guaranteed approximately $1.30 per pound for raw coffee beans as opposed to selling on the world market. When the world market price is higher (as it is now), they receive a premium above the market rate. Those growers who convert to organic farming methods receive an additional $.20 per pound. Since Fair Trade eliminates intermediary steps between the producer and consumer, often the retail price is quite similar.

Fair Trade has its critics. The elimination of the middleman has removed many jobs from the market. Many believe that the Fair-Trade label allows the retailer to mark up prices significantly, without a corresponding additional benefit to the growers. Also, the $1.30 per pound price was established in 1990 without regard for inflation. Now that global corporations such as McDonald's, Starbuck's and Proctor and Gamble have begun to promote the Fair-Trade brand, smaller businesses oriented around labels such as "Fair Trade", "Organic" and "Locally-Grown" are losing marketing ground. Clearly, there is little opportunity for price competition between a local coffee shop and Wal-Mart selling organic, Fair Trade coffee beans. However, taking these elements into consideration, few can effectively argue that Fair-Trade has not been beneficial to small farms in remote parts of the world.

Ultimately, Fair Trade coffee has leveled the field at least to some degree. In the regions where coffee is grown, there is more access to education and health care. Many of these services were previously non-existent. Children of farmers are now in school instead of working on the farms. As the demand for organic Fair trade coffee has increased, the economic motivation has also raised the number of growers of organic coffee beans, helping to preserve fragile ecosystems. Fair-Trade is not perfect, but is certainly a small price to pay for such overwhelming benefit to some of the world's poorest nations. The next time you are drawn by that smell of roasting coffee beans, consider choosing Fair Trade coffee.

Bunn Coffee Makers

BUNN Commercial Coffee Makers


Bunn Coffee Makers
BUNN's emphasis has always been on commercial models. As a result, the brand has virtually perfected commercial coffee equipment needed for offices and/or businesses. One of the main features that BUNN emphasizes is its exclusive pour-over design. This feature means that BUNN coffee makers require no plumbing whatsoever - even those with large 3.8 gallon per hour capacities. BUNN coffee makers are extremely portable and can be used virtually anywhere.

Hot Water Dispensers
Commercial BUNN machines are also great for tea drinkers and staff in need of hot water for snacks like hot soups and instant oatmeal. By simply removing the filter and starting the brewing process, one can produce hot water perfect for a variety of beverages. The coffee makers usually offer a brewing temperature of about 200° Fahrenheit.

Ideal for Large Numbers
Of course, BUNN takes into consideration the fact that companies often have more than just a few employees, and coffee needs to be made quickly. That's why the brand designed a number of commercial BUNN coffee machines with multiple separately-controlled plate warmers. The VPS line of BUNN coffee makers includes three coffee warmers. Additionally, units like the VP17-2 can produce as much as 3.8 gallons of coffee every hour, providing a virtually unlimited supply of coffee throughout the day.

BUNN Materials
All of these BUNN coffee makers are also extremely durable, as they are made from stainless steel and other high-quality materials. Almost all commercial BUNN coffee makers also come with an exclusive SplashGuard funnel that deflects hot liquids away from the user, preventing accidental burns.

Energy Saving Coffee Machines
One of the most valuable features included with all BUNN coffee makers is that every unit is extremely energy efficient. The A10 commercial unit only requires a mere 1140 watts to run, a number much smaller than many of its competitors. Some commercial coffee makers, such as the VPR and the VPR-APS, begin brewing the second you pour in cold water. This not only saves energy and costs less to operate, but also saves you time and effort by providing you with a cup of coffee in just minutes.

Automatic Coffee maker
Although the portable pour-over commercial BUNN coffee makers are the company's specialty, the company also offers an automatic model that connects directly to a water line. Though the VLPF isn't fully portable, it resembles the other commercial models in that it can make up to 3.8 gallons of coffee per hour and comes with two individually controlled warmers. It also allows you to dispense hot water only for making other hot beverages.