Bilge Deck

Rants, Ravings, & Fun Stuff

Christmas Gift Ideas

christmas-coffee It’s nearly Christmas time. Everywhere I look I see reminders that the time is quickly approaching and even though I am checking things off my list, I need to find a few last minute things for. It comes along every year, yet some of us are still caught by surprise and some of us have a hard time thinking of a great gift. I thought I would put together a few ideas to help out as much as I can.

Roasting Demo of the Fresh Roast SR-500

Roasting coffee with the Fresh Roast SR-500 isn't difficult. The machine has all the controls you need without the ones you don't. But, if you haven't roasted your own coffee at home before, it can be helpful to watch someone else do it for the first time. That's why I have created this video.

It should give you an idea of what the process is like.

ENJOY!

Fighting in Yemen Threatens Coffee Supply

If you have been following the news, you probably know all about the attack on the US Embassy by hundreds of angry protesters in response to a video denigrating Muhammed. Here is a link to some current news reports from Yemen. Regardless of your political feelings on these events, I wanted to remind our customers that one of your favorite coffees comes from Yemen.

Tips on Roasting Coffee in Cool Weather

coffee cold Most people choose to do their coffee roasting outdoors. Typically, they do it on a porch or in the garage. Aside from it being a nice excuse to be outside, it also makes dealing with the smoke from the roast a non-issue. And the great smell makes the neighbors jealous.

But what to do when the weather gets cold? Here in Kernersville, it rarely gets too cold for garage roasting but most of our customers don't live in the piedmont region of North Carolina. Here are some tips that we have gleaned from experience as well as customers of the years.

Debit Cards Can Bite!

A lot of us are down right un-American because we refuse to carry credit card debt! For us, the invention of the debit card which takes funds directly and immediately out of our checking account seemed like a good idea and a prudent way to make purchases that required a credit card. While debit cards may be great at places that can “swipe” the card, they may not be such a good thing for internet purchases. Here's why:

Up, Up, and Away!

When you have your own web site, you sometimes have to resist an overwhelming urge to rant. Especially if you are selling products to people. You have to push your own politics aside, smile and nod a lot (in a cyber sort of way), and generally try to be pleasant and non-committal.

Rising Coffee Prices - Cause & Effect

This may surprise you—coffee prices have been this high before. The last time was 1997. The reason then was the Certified Stocks of coffee in US warehouses had fallen to only 321 bags. Think of Certified Stocks like gold in Ft. Knox. It is what underlies the commodity trading market. There was a definite shortage of coffee and the price shot up. Only two years ago, US certified stocks were approximately 4.7 million bags.

High Priced Coffee Woes

The following is a reprint from an article I wrote for the most recent edition of The Captain's Coffee News. For about the last year and a half coffee prices have risen almost daily. Obviously for consumers the main impact of high coffee prices is, well, high coffee prices. But it goes beyond price.

Coffee Art

Recently the work of two very talented people came to our attention. How? Well, to tell you the truth, Priscilla saw their work, loved it, bought it and then told me we needed to offer their works to you on our web site. Pretty prosaic beginning for our first foray into the world of coffee related art! But these works are really wonderful.

littlejoe

When we first saw Julie Cefaratti's poseable sculpture figures, we knew you'd love them as much as we do, so we begged Ms. Cefaratti to allow us to offer them on our web site. Each one of a kind figure is made using baked clay and a sturdy metal wire "skeleton" to hold everything together. Plus, you can move their limbs, and they each have a unique personality. These are not mass produced. Each figure is personally sculpted by Ms. Cefaratti. There are no duplicates. The Coffee House Masquerade Figures are posable sculptures clothed with unique handmade outfits individual to each piece and finished with a few strokes of paint, and, of course, a head full of The Captain's Coffee beans. Since each figure is hand sculpted, there is some variation, but they are approximately 16-18 inches high.

erikgrinder1

Erik Mowery's coffee grinders are a wonderful combination of old fashioned hand powered mechanisms mounted in a single solid wooden base. The base hides a glass catch-jar, so the grinder is as funcitonal as it is beautiful. These are limited edition grinders. Each is made by hand using a variety of tools and techniques. The finish is hand rubbed mineral oil and beeswax--a combination that not only lets the natural beauty of the wood emerge, but protects it while being food safe as well. The craftsmanship is exquisite.

SEE PHOTOS & ORDER YOURS HERE!

Featured Stuff

Baratza Encore Grinder

An excellent conical burr grinder that can grind with consistent precision for all brew methods from espresso to drip to pour over and even french press.

Honduras Cafe Organico Marcala (COMSA)

Rustic sweetness, milky smooth body, caramel finish with plenty of nutty herbaciousness to keep it good to the last drop.

Aeropress Combo Pack

We think the Aeropress may be the best way to make a single cup of coffee that there is. Combined with 1 pound of coffee and you have a killer combination.