Earlier this year we published a post originally titled “Ageism in Coffee”, using the term metaphorically to discuss bias with regard to roasted coffee aging. While it was intended to be playful, in hindsight and with some friendly feedback we can now easily see that it makes light of a real issue that many […]
With the Tasting Boxes being a new phenomenon for us, we find ourselves constantly looking for best areas of improvement. Overall, the feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive and we are so happy to hear that. Thank you to all of our patrons for your feedback and support! From the outside looking in, we […]
Recently, we came across an article where a coffee professional made some enthusiastic claims about the negative impact of age on coffee. Normally, this is something we would just pass over without thinking twice (of course we all know that coffee is an agricultural product that will degrade over time!). But, as we read this […]
The holidays are upon us, and if you are on the hunt for a gift for the coffee-lovers in your life, we’ve put together a few recommendations that are on our own personal wish-lists here at Roast Ratings
October has come and gone, and we have a number of stellar coffees to recommend for your brewing pleasure. For this month’s rating, we tasted some outstanding coffees, including ones that challenged the way we think about reviews and recommendations. At Roast Ratings, we have not been shy about reviewing big brand coffees or […]
This month we had our first ‘Themed Rating’ here at Roast Ratings. For this inaugural session we wanted to taste coffees from Africa, as they are fresh in season and a great representation of high quality coffees.
Beijing: Capital city, home to such wonders as the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven. The city that would serve as our entry point over the course of a 5 city tour of the ancient country of China.
Whether wandering into the coffee aisle at the grocery store or popping into your local cafe, it seems that buying coffee can be an overwhelming task, especially when trying to find the perfect beans that suit your specific tastes. Companies have not been much help to the normal coffee drinker, especially when it comes to the […]
It is no secret that we recommend grinding your coffee fresh to get the best flavor experience. The investment in a quality burr grinder comes with a little learning and a few surprises along the way. One of the surprises that we are asked about often is “What are these light brown flakes when I […]
Whether wandering into the coffee aisle at the grocery store or popping into your local cafe, it seems that buying coffee can be an overwhelming task, especially when trying to find the perfect beans that suit your specific tastes. Companies have not been much help to the normal coffee drinker, especially when it comes to the […]
A quick break down of the basic science of temperature and taste can help you avoid some of the pitfalls in the quest for hot coffee. We explain why you should make your coffee at the ideal temperature for tastiness and the cheapie gadgets that will preserve heat all day.
Kansas City is our hometown, and it is sometimes overlooked as both a destination as well as a place to get a great cup of coffee. Unbeknownst to many, the cafe scene is growing quickly with new cafes and roasters popping up all over. The SCAA USCC Qualifier competition is coming to KC in just […]
As Barack Obama and family recently spent a little vacation time around the island of Oahu last week, we figure it would be useful for you (or any presidents who might read this) to know the best places to get a cup of coffee around Honolulu. It can be tough to go on vacation and […]
OXO is a brand you may have seen in your local kitchen supply store over the past decade or two. Known for durable plastic and metal kitchen utensils, they have recently delved into the realm of electronic gadgetry with their new line called “OXO On“. In this line there are initially three products for coffee, […]
While stars help give a quick snap shot of overall quality, what does it really mean in the grand scheme of tastes? In this summary piece, we’ve boiled each rating level down to its essence for you.
These days there are seemingly endless devices for brewing coffee at home, which can make coffee gift giving a bit daunting. But no worries- we at Roast Ratings have taken some time to think about that, organizing some great gift options for the coffee lover in your life, no matter how nerdy (or not). BASICS […]
Recently I visited Hawaii for the 45th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, an event where farmers come together to share their coffees and, of course, spend time talking shop and making friends. For me it was an opportunity to taste some of the best coffees that Hawaii has to offer, as well as to catch […]
Cold brewed and iced coffee have been making some waves lately, reflected in our own articles here on Roast Ratings. With the beginning of fall, it may seem like we should be focusing on pumpkin lattes and graham cracker coffee milkshakes, but we still have a lot to discuss about cold coffee options. You may […]
The other morning I was catching up on my Facebook news feed, and saw someone talking about adding salt to their coffee. So of course I had to give it a shot and see what all the fuss was about… I was more than just a little surprised by what I found!
Welcome to part two of our guide to buying coffee equipment on a budget. If you missed part one, make sure to check it out here, as these lower priced items will not be covered in this article. Making great coffee at home has become more and more of an undertaking in recent years. Coffee […]
A closer look at the cost of pod brewing.
Today we are taking a look at buying coffee brewing equipment with a specific budget of $50 in mind. This list covers many manual brewing methods, their price, and why you might want them.
In the process of getting Roast Ratings organized and ready to go, one the most essential things we had to address was what system we wanted to use for actually rating the coffees. Since our goal is to be able to rate any coffee that’s out there being consumed by the general public, there was a lot that we […]
As you may have seen, we recommend a specific coffee brewer, the BonaVita 1900TS, if you are looking for an auto brewer at home. This is also the standard that we use here at Roast Ratings for all of our brew evaluations (to learn more about our full rating process look here). We are often asked […]
What are these light brown flakes when I grind my coffee?
Coffee Bag Labels Part 1- Know the basics
OXO On 9-Cup Coffee Brewer: An in depth review
5 Tips to Keep Coffee Hot Without Compromising Taste
Scoring Coffee- How does Roast Ratings differ?
Coffee Bag Labels Part 2 – Understanding the details
A Summary of Star Ratings
How Water Affects Your Coffee
12 cafes worth visiting in Kansas City
China’s Growing Coffee Scene- Beijing Edition
