October Coffee Ratings Reboot

October Coffee Ratings Reboot

  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 […]

5 Tips to Keep Coffee Hot Without Compromising Taste

5 Tips to Keep Coffee Hot Without Compromising Taste

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.

Gift Guide For Coffee Lovers

Gift Guide For Coffee Lovers

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 […]

The best places to visit in Kona for coffee

The best places to visit in Kona for coffee

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 […]

Coffee on a Budget – $50 – $100

Coffee on a Budget – $50 – $100

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 […]

Scoring Coffee- How does Roast Ratings differ?

Scoring Coffee- How does Roast Ratings differ?

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 […]

How Water Affects Your Coffee

How Water Affects Your Coffee

Coffee and water are the two ingredients (before you might add sugar or cream) that make brewed coffee or espresso. While we often focus on equipment or the beans themselves, it is important to recognize water as a crucial ingredient.

Beyond 100% Arabica

Beyond 100% Arabica

Traditional knowledge when buying coffee has been to make sure you are buying “100% Arabica beans”. We are told that Arabica is the good stuff and Robusta is the bad stuff. As usual things are not quite that simple, but this is a good rule to follow if you could ever find a coffee labeled as containing robusta.

Challenges of Coffee

Challenges of Coffee

Coffee is a beverage that is easily identified, though often misunderstood. You might think of it as “bitter”, “bright”, or “earthy”, but one thing that coffee drinkers can almost always agree upon is that they get pleasure from it in some way whether it be an aroma, flavor, a jolt of caffeine, or even simply nostalgia.

5 Tips for Better Coffee at Home

5 Tips for Better Coffee at Home

Probably the most commonly asked question we encounter is “How can I make better coffee at home?” Our favorite way to approach this topic is by prioritizing the things that will make the biggest impact on overall flavor quality, all while keeping your budget in mind.