When you’re enjoying an espresso, do you ever wonder how much caffeine you’re consuming or what the Fairtrade label on your coffee actually means? We’ve answered 5 of your coffee-related questions so that you never need wonder what makes the perfect espresso!

1. 5 Coffee Questions:
Answered
www.honestcoffees.com
@HonestCoffees

2. When you’re enjoying an espresso,
do you ever wonder how much
caffeine you’re consuming or what the
Fairtrade label on your coffee actually
means?
We’ve answered 5 of your coffee-
related questions so that you never
need wonder what makes the perfect
espresso!
Why?

3. Yes. Coffee can be stored in the freezer.
Buying coffee in large quantities to cut
expenses and freezing it is a great way to
save money if the coffee can be brewed and
enjoyed in less than a month.
Coffee beans can be stored in the freezer
provided that they are not commuting to and
from the freezer too frequently. Too much
back-and-forth from a warm environment to a
frozen tundra shocks coffee cells and breaks
down their delicious flavours.
1. Can coffee be stored in the freezer?

4. 1. Can coffee be stored in the freezer? (cont’d)
Skip the refrigerator, the best flavour will come
from coffee stored in an air-tight container, such
as a well sealed plastic bag in a dark, dry place
like a pantry - or maybe in an unused filing
cabinet!
Weekly portions of coffee beans frozen, then
taken out of the freezer on a weekly basis and
stored properly can money without depreciating
its great taste.

5. Whether you just bought the best espresso
machine on the market or still own the same
kitchen arsenal you used to survive your university
years, there are many ways to enhance and
optimise your at-home espresso.
Like a curious first-time painter lacking the perfect
green hue for a painting, mixing the perfect
harmony of blues and yellows takes practice, a lot
of experimenting and patience. Take a few days
with a stopwatch, thermometer, and notepad to
really find your “espresso of zen.”
2. How do I make a good espresso, great?

6. • Control the temperature of the espresso. Espresso needs
between 92 and 96 degrees to turn over the bean's full flavour.
Maybe it is better at a lower temperature than you expected.
• Control the extraction time. Start with an average time for your
equipment and then add and subtract seconds to find your
favourite flavour.
• Buy quality coffee and consume it between 9 and 15 days after
its roast date. Experts suggest this time period emits the fullest
flavour. The same rule applies to milk. Full milk with a naturally
sweet, non-acidic flavour from organic or high-quality milk
producers greatly promotes a delicious coffee beverage.
• Keep equipment clean. Residue from days, weeks, and months
old coffee can sour the flavour of freshly brewed espresso.
2. How do I make a good espresso, great? (cont’d)

7. 3. What does Fairtrade coffee mean?
The World Fair Trade Organisation was once a
small group of passionate and concerned
coffee producers who in 1988 decided to stick
to a standard set of values that would protect
workers in the coffee industry.
Today the WFTO has expanded outside the
coffee industry, but the set of fair trade
principles remains the same.

8. 3. What does Fairtrade coffee mean? (cont’d)
Coffee produced in accordance with the fair trade
principles will:
• create opportunities for economically disadvantaged
producers
• be paid for (including wages) at an agreed price with
collective bargaining
• not use child labor/comply with the United Nation's
Rights of the Child regulations
• be produced in a safe working environment, use eco-
friendly practices, and other additional regulations.

9. The set of principles or guidelines from the WFTO does more than
just ensures that the coffee is not being produced by children or
enslaved workers.
The WFTO wants people to better themselves and their
community, rise out of poverty and use their experience in the
organisation as a stepping stone to a better life.
Concrete, written goals, and projections are monitored, executed
and evaluated within the specific organisation to make sure the
goals do not remain a dream but become a reality.
3. What does Fairtrade coffee mean? (cont’d)

10. 4. How much more caffeine does an average espresso/espresso
drink have compared to an average cup of drip coffee?
Trick question! The general assumption that the
tiny cup of espresso contains the biggest punch
of caffeine is just an urban legend, a myth, a
hoax. Fortunately, it is not so much a coffee
scandal but rather a simple misconception.
A standard two-ounce espresso contains about
80 milligrams of caffeine while a twelve-ounce
cup of drip coffee contains 120 milligrams. On
average the minimum, smallest serving for drip
coffee is between ten and twelve ounces,
making drip coffee the caffeine winner by
volume for an average serving.

11. The big question at the cafe counter or coffee roasting
cache, “Would you like a light or dark roast?”
Instead of having sweaty palms as you dart your eyes
between the different labels and stutter an inaudible
response, there are a few easy things to remember
before committing to your final answer.
Light roast coffee, like a medium-rare steak, is cooked or
brewed for a shorter amount of time. The flavour is not
necessarily “light” but has more of a sweet, floral or fruity
flavour than a dark roast.
5. What is the difference between light and dark roast?

12. Light roast coffees will have more caffeine.
Shorter roasting time means more of the fruits
natural qualities, such as generating caffeine
is preserved.
Dark roast, on the other hand, is more bitter
and acidic because it is more burnt with hints
of caramel or dark chocolate (I imagine if you
like dark chocolate or milk stout beer a dark
roast is your winner).
5. What is the difference between light and dark roast?
(cont’d)

13. At Honest Coffees, we’re committed to sourcing delicious
Fairtrade coffee for your workplace. We can also match you with
a commercial coffee machine to suit your requirements so why
not get in touch with us or visit our website to find out more
www.honestcoffees.com
@HonestCoffees