by Bryan Miller | Nov 8, 2017
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 […]
by Kate Gilmore | Feb 12, 2016
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.
by Holly Bastin | Dec 15, 2015
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 […]
by Pete Licata | Dec 2, 2015
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 […]
by Pete Licata | Aug 27, 2015
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 […]
by Holly Bastin | Jun 2, 2015
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 […]
by Pete Licata | May 13, 2015
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.
by Pete Licata | May 1, 2015
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.
by Pete Licata | Apr 24, 2015
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.
by Pete Licata | Mar 16, 2015
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.