Quick Sips - FAQS
Here are some commonly asked questions about specialty coffee
Why is French Roast Oily?
What Coffee has the Most Caffeine?
What is the Difference between Acidity and Acid?
What is the Difference between Air Roasting and Cylinder Roasting?
What are the Different Decaffeination Processes?
Why is the German Water Process Decaf Coffee less Expensive than the Swiss Process?
What is the difference between Longbottom Specialty Coffee and Grocery Store Whole Bean Coffee?
How does Longbottom Flavor their Coffee?
How Long can Coffee Stay on My Shelf?
How Many Cups does a Pound of Specialty Gourmet Coffee Make?
How do I Brew a Great Cup of Specialty Gourmet Coffee?
Are there any Calories in Flavored Coffees?
What are Arabica Coffee Beans?
What are Robusta Coffee Beans?
What is Espresso?
What is the Difference Between a Cappuccino and a Latte?
What is an Espresso Macchiato?
What is the Difference between Colombian Supremos and Colombian Excelso?
Does Mocha Mean Chocolate?
The longer a green coffee bean is roasted, the more oils and caramels appear on the surface of the bean.
Back to top
What coffee has the most caffeine?
It is difficult to measure the caffeine levels from one Arabica coffee to another. However, the longer a coffee bean is roasted the less caffeine it contains. For example, medium roasted Colombian Supremos has more caffeine than French Roasted Colombian Supremos. Back to top
What is the Difference between Acidity and Acid?
Acidity refers to the sharp, bright flavor characteristic of specific coffees. Acid refers to any coffee that may cause physical discomfort. Various regions produce beans with more acidity than others. Coffees grown in higher altitudes and hard bean coffees generally have better acidity and less acid than those grown in the lower altitudes. Back to top
What is the Difference between Air Roasting and Cylinder Roasting?
Hot-air roasted coffee is roasted in a large vertical standing machine. The coffee is consistently moved with hot-air heated by natural gas. This system is also known as a fluid bed roaster. While the beans are moving evenly in the roasting chamber, light impurities (sticks, chaff, and smoke) are blown away into a compartment above called a chaff cyclone. This roasting method is unrivaled in its consistency and cleanliness. Cylinder roasted coffee is roasted in a large horizontal machine that rotates over a hot flame. When the roast is done, beans are released into a large cooling trough. Back to top
What are the Different Decaffeination Processes?
The German Water Process soaks the green beans in a tank of hot water solution. Coffee oils, caramels, and caffeine float to the top of the tank. Ethyl Acetate or Methylene Chloride is introduced and it chemically bonds with the caffeine. The chemical and caffeine are skimmed off the top and the natural coffee oils and caramels soak back into the bean.
The Swiss Water Process soaks the green beans in water for a long period of time, causing caffeine and natural oils and caramels to float to the top of the container. The water and extracted components pass through a pretreated charcoal bed to remove the caffeine. The remaining water and natural coffee oils are reduced but are added back to the partially dried green beans.
The Natural Process soaks the green beans in water. As the beans become moist, the caffeine rises to the surface of the bean. The beans are then washed with natural coffee oils which remove only the caffeine. Back to top
Why is the German Water Process Decaf Coffee less Expensive than the Swiss Process?
The German Water Process removes only the caffeine from the green coffee bean. The caffeine is then sold to cola companies for their soft drinks. The Swiss Water Process tends to be a more detailed and expensive process. Back to top
What is the difference between Longbottom Specialty Coffee and Grocery Store Whole Bean Coffee?
Longbottom coffees are fresh roasted to your order and are the best quality Arabica beans money can buy. Many grocery stores buy warehoused coffee. Coffee is perishable and most grocery stores do not have the personnel to care for it properly, so the coffee gets old and stale. Back to top
How does Longbottom Flavor their Coffee?
Longbottom flavored coffees are hand blended in 3 or 5 pound batches with natural and/or artificial extracts, creating a perfect balance of flavor. Back to top
How Long can Coffee Stay on My Shelf?
Longbottom ships coffee within 24 hours after roasting. However, from the time coffee is roasted it begins to lose its freshness and can be kept on shelves for up to 2 weeks, and up to 3 weeks in a freezer sealed in an airtight glass or ceramic container. Once coffee is ground it loses its freshness within hours because the bean has been broken and the gases within the bean escape rapidly, causing the flavor to diminish. Customers are encouraged to buy their coffee in whole bean form in a quantity to last 4-5 days. Back to top
How Many Cups does a Pound of Specialty Gourmet Coffee Make?
One pound of coffee makes between sixty and seventy cups of coffee. Back to top
How do I Brew a Great Cup of Specialty Gourmet Coffee?
The best way to brew a pot of coffee is to use a cone filter brewer. This brewing system allows the grounds proper steeping time. The grind is also an important factor in making a great pot of coffee. If the coffee is ground too fine, the water will have difficulty passing through the filter, resulting in a bitter taste. Another good way to create a wonderful cup is with a French press, in which coarsely ground coffee is hand pressed through hot water with a metal filter. See our Brewing Tips page for a more detailed discussion. Back to top.
Are there any Calories in Flavored Coffees?
Calories are difficult to measure in flavored coffees due to the assortment of extracts used and the varying strengths of brewed coffee. We believe the average cup contains less than one calorie. Back to top
What are Arabica coffee beans?
Arabica coffee beans are high-altitude grown which develops a mild, rich flavor of high quality. Longbottom Specialty Coffee uses only the finest Arabica Coffee beans available. We do not use Robusta Coffee beans in any of our regional blends or flavored coffee blends. Back to top
What are robusta coffee beans?
Robusta coffee is a species of coffee plant. Robusta coffee beans are much smaller and are grown at lower altitudes and in harsher conditions than Arabica coffee beans. Robusta plants produce four times the quantity of green beans. In addition, Robusta coffee contains a much higher percentage of acid and caffeine. Back to top.
Espresso is a coffee drink originated by the Italians as a quick pick-me-up for the working class people. It is finely ground coffee (either dark or light roast) that is placed under a machine which rapidly forces hot water through it at a high pressure. If done properly, this process creates an extremely strong brew that is not bitter. Back to top
What is the Difference Between a Cappuccino and a Latte?
A cappuccino is made with espresso topped with frothed milk. A latte is made with espresso topped with steamed milk and a dab of frothed milk. A condiment of your choice can be sprinkled on top such as: chocolate powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, or vanilla. Back to top.
What is an Espresso Macchiato?
"Macchiato" means "marked" or "spotted" in Italian. It is a single serving of espresso topped with a dollop of frothed milk. Back to top
What is the Difference between Colombian Supremos and Colombian Excelso?
The main difference is in the size of the bean. Supremo means large. There is little, if any, difference in taste. Back to top.
Mocha is a geographical region which was formerly a port in South Yemen. The name was originally added to Arabian coffee names because it was the port from which they were shipped. Mocha is no longer a port due to a sand bar closing the inlet. However, coffee beans that have similar flavor and physical characteristics are known to have a mocha style (Ethiopian Mocha Harrar.) So does mocha mean chocolate? Probably not in South Yemen. Back to top