coffee

Test Coffee Freshness With A Zipper-Lock Bag

2:00AM Kevin Purdy | Don’t trust the expiration dates on supermarket coffee. If you’re unsure of whether you’re really getting fresh-roasted coffee for the best possible cup, use a zipper-lock bag for an overnight test. More »

Get To Know Your Cup Of Coffee

5:30AM Adam Pash | Ever wonder what you’re ingesting with your cuppa joe apart from the live-giving caffeine? Wired breaks down what’s inside a cup of coffee, one piece at a time. Photo by d u y g u. [Wired]

Beanhunter Tracks Independent Cafes

4:30PM Angus Kidman | Whether it’s for a place to work on the road or just a day-boosting jolt, a good cafe is something to cherish. Beanhunter lets you hunt down cafes across the globe, with an emphasis on independent proprietors rather than Gloria Jeans and the like. More »

The Buzz Vs The Bulge Chart Compares Caffeine To Calories

11:05PM Kevin Purdy | Does a small Frappuccino give you enough caffeine to be worth the calories? How long would you have to run to work off an iced latte? David McCandless’ beautiful chart puts all your caffeine concerns in perspective. More »

DIY Photo Frame Coffee Sleeve

10:30PM Kevin Purdy | Looking to keep your coffee warm and your fingers burn-free? The object project blog posts a tutorial to making a DIY photo coffee sleeve. More »

Herbal Tea Adds A Flavourful Kick To Your Coffee

3:30AM Jason Fitzpatrick | Most coffee flavorings are a mishmash of fake flavouring, preservatives and sugar. Adding a little herbal tea to your French press coffee is cheap way to add natural flavoring. More »

Use Your Old Coffee Grounds To Clean Dishes, Kill Fleas And Much More

11:00AM Adam Pash | Your coffee grounds are good for a lot more than a liquid pick-me up, so before you trash the next batch, read on for ways to reuse them instead. Hint: a flea rinse is involved. More »

Beat Caffeine Addiction, Then Stay Awake With Placebos

10:30PM Kevin Purdy | Good news for those who get jitters, headaches, and really bad social graces when deprived of their caffeine fix—beating the habit and switching to a placebo can leave you feeling just as energised. More »

The Coffee Geek’s Guide To Storing Beans

12:00AM Kevin Purdy | We’ve previously offered some basic advice on storing coffee for a fresher, bolder-tasting cup of Joe. If you’re really into your coffee, though, a Starbucks co-founder has a seriously detailed guide for stashing your beans. More »

Supercharge Your Next Run With A Cup Of Coffee

3:00AM Jason Fitzpatrick | Many people drink coffee to give them a little boost to get through a pile of paperwork or a looming deadline. Turns out a simple cup of coffee boosts sports performance too. While you might be under the impression that for caffeine to have a significant effect on athletic performance you’d have to ingest a ton of it, that isn’t the case. The New York Times reports: For years, researchers believed that you needed about 5 to 6 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. An 80-kilogram, or 176-pound man, for example, would need about 400 milligrams of caffeine, or 20 ounces of coffee. Now, Louise M. Burke, the head of sports nutrition department of the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, reports that athletes get the full caffeine effect with as little as 1 milligram of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. Instead of 20 ounces of coffee, a 176-pound man could drink 4 ounces of coffee, or about two 12-ounce cans of Coke. While we’d never condone people slugging back shots of espresso to shave a few minutes off their time trials, the benefits of a cup of coffee can be seen outside of competition. If you’re already a coffee drinker, timing your morning or afternoon coffee fix around your workout schedule can help you get more out of your routine. What do you think? Is a cup of Joe before hitting the gym or track a harmless boost or a sure step towards selling your blood plasma for ‘roid money? Photo by Steve Key. Caffeine – A Legal Performance Booster [The New York Times] More »