Caffè Macchiato [topic: review 23]

Hi there! It's time for another review @ amoreperilcaffe. This time I went to Cospicua (Bormla) for a coffee at Nuovo Cafe San Giorgio. With a splendid view in this wonderfully restored area, I ordered a caffè macchiato - not usually my choice yet I was ready for a risk. Reason for this is that rarely do I get a decent macchiato which is not served as a mini-cappuccino here in Malta.

That was my cup

One has to admit that visibly, the macchiato I got was not bad at all. It was by far one of the few visibly splendid macchiato.

It is such a pity this place does not serve a glass of water with coffee. Why? Click HERE for an answer.

When I tasted this coffee, I found a very bad surprise. It was piping hot. I couldn't stand the tip of my tongue with the burning sensation I got. I'm not sure if it was the coffee or the milk temperature that ruined it all. What a pity! A colleague of mine had a boiling hot cappuccino, so I'm assuming the problem is milk and the frothing process.

Dear management please note that either the temperature setting or the milk frothing was overdone. Coffee by defauly is literally ruined in all senses when temperature is exceeded. It makes no sense to serve a boiling soup of coffee and or milk in there, especially considering that a coffee place has a person that is able to pour milk in an espresso in a decent way.

I wouldn't say I won't give it a try again, but please fix this issue and take your coffee a step upwards.

Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!

Cold Brew Coffee [topic: review 22]

Hello and welcome to a new week and a new review. It's time for a different kind of review as this is our first for a cold brew. This time we're reviewing Flora's Tearoom (Cafè) in Naxxar.

the cold brew I got to enjoy

I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of cold brews, but I felt adventurous this time and went for it! If I was adventurous, I was pleased with the result. The temperature was just right, not too cold though chilled. I was very curious about the type of coffee bean used for the infusion but the end result was pleasant. A good way to start the day when the weather is not cool enough for a hot intake. Well done Flora's.

For those who would like to know more about cold brews, just click HERE.

Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!

Cold Brew Refreshing Coffee [topic: brewing]

Several times, people think of iced coffee but are not sure whether to think of it positively or not. Summer may be a time where cold brew seems inviting, yet in reality cold brew is a topic for the whole 12-month-period.

Cold-brewed coffee is not a recent invention. On the contrary, it was already something in mid 1990's when in Malta iced-coffee was also sold canned. But it is good to know that iced-coffee and cold brew coffee is actually not one and the same thing. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

ICED COFFEE

A normal hot brew poured over ice or refrigerated for an amount of hours before serving.

COLD BREW COFFEE

Coarsely ground coffee beans diffuse in room-temperature water for at least 12 hours. This concentrate is then mixed with either cold water or milk.

Due to the lengthy process that a proper cold brew takes to prepare, a good quality cold brew coffee is more expensive than the normal coffee. Also, a cafeteria that gives its coffee what it takes, would have a daily limited stock of cold brew, thus such a coffee would cost more simply because it is limited.

Some think and argue that cold brew has less or more caffeine.
Arguments for more: diffusion time is longer therefore, more caffeine.
Arguments for less: Hot brews release more caffeine.

In reality, both release the same amount of caffeine. The only difference for more caffeine for the cold brew comes in the mixing with water or milk i.e. ratio of water or milk as per cold brew concentrate.

COLD BREW AT HOME? Not an issue. All you need is a proper coffee bean grinder and a dose of patience. Pay attention however. Do not have more cold brew than you would consume in a maximum of 24 hours. After that, the freshness of the cold brew will suffer a steep decline.

Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!