Coffee News

Introducing Colombia Supremo the exclusive coffee for February 2020 to Coffee of the Month Club members.

Everyone knows that Colombians produce some of the best coffee in the world. And this coffee is no exception. From the scenic mountains of Pereira, farmers grow the most robust and aromatic beans for a supreme cup of coffee. With notes of caramel, milk chocolate and cherry, Colombia Supremo is a delicious medium roast that you are sure to enjoy.

We are introducing Honduran SHG Cerro Azul Coffee, the exclusive for Coffee of the Month Club members.

We thought we’d start things off right for the new year with this high-quality coffee from the beautiful country of Honduras or officially known as the Republic of Honduras, located in Central America. Due to its temperate and tropical climates, Honduras produces coffees that are typically described as mild, robust, and sweet. This coffee, in particular, has notes of almond, dark chocolate, and lemon. It’s a medium roast with balanced acidity, a medium body, and appealing sweetness.

Introducing Komodo Dragon, the exclusive coffee for November to Coffee of the Month Club members.

Harvested between May and September each year at approximately 1,752 feet above sea level, the Flores Coffee (Komodo Dragon) is roasted to order at Fire Dept. Coffee’s Headquarters and Distribution Center. But before the roasting can happen, this Catimor and Timor Hybrid varietal is first “wet-hulled” and then dried in the sun, in order to give you that pure earthy and spicy flavor only the wet-hull process can give you. Paired with rich hints of dark chocolate and vanilla, this is the perfect coffee to enjoy during the first few snowfalls of the season.

Not all coffee is created equal.

If you’re reading this, you know that already. But you may not know exactly why.

You can get a cup of coffee at the gas station, and that’s fine. It’ll do.

You can get a cup of coffee from your favorite local diner, and it’s probably a little better.

Progress.

But when you sip from a cup of expertly roasted, patiently blended small-batch, roasted to order coffee made by a roaster who sees his job as a calling and not just a paycheck? Well, we’re willing to bet you can taste the difference.

All decaf is not created equal.

You don’t have to be a professional coffee roaster to figure that out. Try enough decaf coffee and you’ll know that the taste can range from delicious to “what the heck did I just drink?”

We put two of our favorite tastes together — bourbon and coffee — and the result was amazing. Why stop there?

Introducing Fire Dept. Coffee’s exclusive recipe for no-churn Bourbon-Infused Coffee Ice Cream. It’s the summertime treat you didn’t know you were missing — until right now.

There's nothing quite like that first cup of coffee. The sun is rising, the day is ahead, and that warm cup of joe is something to look forward to each morning. But if we’re being honest, we will have to admit that coffee is not only a great way to start the day, but it is also essential to jump-start our mornings.

Rather than stand in line at the local coffee shop for an iced coffee this summer, shake up your morning with a cold brew recipe by Fire Department Coffee. The best part about FDC cold brew is that you don't have to buy any fancy new equipment. FDC cold brew recipes and methods can be made with items you already have at home.

How does one make cold brew? I'm glad you asked. Here are three simple methods for how to make amazing cold brew at home.

Method 1: The Mason Jar Brew

If you're looking for the easiest Cold Brew method, this is the one for you.

Ingredients:

• 1 quart Mason Jar
• 1/3 cup of coarsely ground coffee
• 2 1/2 cups of filtered, room temperature water
• 1 fine strainer
• Coffee filter (pre-rinse with hot water before using)
• Wooden spoon
• Cheesecloth (Optional)

Directions:

1. Place your coarsely ground coffee in the bottom of the mason jar.
2. Pour 2 1/2 cups of water over your grounds in a circular motion, making sure to saturate the whole bed of coffee evenly.
3. Use the wooden spoon to press the grounds lightly (do not stir) to ensure even saturation and eliminate pockets of trapped air.
4. Secure the lid or tie your cheesecloth around the top of the jar.
5. Let sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, depending on how strong you want your concentrate.
6. After 12 to 24 hours, place your pre-wet coffee filter in your strainer and carefully decant the concentrate into a separate vessel. Alternatively, you can secure your cheesecloth onto the top of the jar and filter the concentrate through that.

Method 2: The French Press Brew

If you have a French press at home and are looking to get some more use out of it, this method is ideal. This recipe produces a stronger brew, and is a bit easier since you don't have to strain the coffee — the French press does it for you. Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Place your coarsely ground coffee in the bottom of your French press.
2. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water over your grounds in a circular motion, making sure to saturate the whole bed of coffee evenly.
3. Use your spoon to very lightly press (do not stir) the grounds to ensure even saturation and eliminate pockets of trapped air.
4. Secure the French press lid and lower the plunger to where it lightly touches the top of the mixture. Don't push all the way down quite yet; we'll do that later.
5. Let sit at room temperature between 12 and 24 hours, depending on how strong you want your concentrate.
6. After 12 to 24 hours, slowly plunge the French press and decant into another vessel, or straight into your cup.

Method 3: The Flash Brew

Cold brew die-hards may point out that this isn’t “technically” cold brew. This method is for those who want to try the wonders of chilled or concentrated coffee without having to wait 12 to 24 hours. Here’s what you’ll need to make your concentrate:

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Add half the amount of water you would normally use when brewing a full pot of coffee.
2. Place your pre-wet coffee filter in the coffee grind basket and insert the same amount of coffee that you would normally use for a full pot.
3. Fill your coffee pot 3/4 full with ice and place under the brew head.
4. Brew your coffee like you normally would. After the coffee has finished brewing, decant into a vessel that you can store in the fridge.

How To Serve:

Now at this point, you should have some delicious cold brew concentrate that's bursting with flavor just waiting to drink! There are numerous ways to serve your brew, and we encourage you to experiment and find a way that works for you. However, for simplicity’s sake, here are two methods that make a killer cup.

1. Fill a cup with ice, fill your glass halfway with concentrate, top with more filtered water, add milk, and enjoy.
2. Fill your coffee mug halfway with concentrate (depending on how strong you like your coffee), top it off with water, and enjoy.

Whether you're looking to shake up your morning routine or try something entirely new, cold brew is a spectacular way to do it. Rich in flavor and aroma, cold brew can give you that extra kick right when you need it, and it will stay fresh in the fridge for up to two weeks. With a little experimentation and some time, we're sure cold brew will become a staple in your coffee diet!

Does dark roast coffee have less caffeine?

Many people have heard dark roast coffee has less caffeine. The truth is the roasting process has minimal effect on the caffeine levels. Coffee, however, does expand and gets lighter in weight the longer it's roasted. If you measure your coffee with a scoop, you will have slightly less dark roast coffee beans or grinds in your scoop, meaning slightly less caffeine. If you measure by weight, you will have somewhat more dark roasted coffee beans or grinds than you would have from a lighter roast, which means slightly more caffeine per weight.

If you are concerned about not getting the same amount of caffeine in your dark roast, then worry no more. The roasting process has minimal impact on the caffeine in the coffee. How you measure it is more important. If you're ever in doubt, remember, just drink more coffee.