CoffeeGuy Blog

Coffee bean storage, whether to freeze or refrigerate

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 01:11:00 GMT

Q: I have been given different answers from people within the Coffee about whether to freeze or refrigerate. What is the right answer?

A: OK, there are many different theories, but I haven't come across any real (scientific) evidence as yet but it must be out there, to how to best keep your ground coffee so here is my recommendation. Refrigerating the beans will slow the ageing process down, but often the other aromas in the fridge space like casseroles and marinades and other flavoursome foods often give of a lot of aromatics. If you store your coffee in the fridge its desperately trying to absorb any moisture it can, and more than likely will absorb the aromatics floating around inside the fridge.

The freezer on the other hand essentially stops the ageing proccess and keeps all its contents in suspended animation. Removing the portion required and replacing the ground coffee immediately back in its place in the freezer will maintain it far better with less possibility of cross contamination of other products. Because the coffee is ground it almost and has very little mass, it will defrost almost immediately and will certainly be ready for its extraction. That being said, I would alway recommend buying your coffee in smaller amounts more regularly.

Please note: > Keeping your beans cool dry place with your red wines maybe.

Intoducing the Grindripper

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:12:00 GMT

The Blackwine Grindripper is a uniquely designed coffee hand grinder and drip brewer. The grinder and brewer lock together to form a self-contained brewing system ready for the office worker or traveller alike.

Blackwine Grindripper is Portable
Grindripper can easily be carried around because of its compact size. Our Grindrippers come with a handy carry pouch so that you can have coffee where ever, when ever! So whether you're in a hotel or camping in the middle of the bush in a tent, you can have coffee anywhere you want.

Style of Brew
The Grindripper grinds directly into an individual cup drip filter. The simplicity of this drip filter accentuates good quality coffees. Fresh coffee is always better ground directly before use to maintain the integrity of the beans.

Comfortable to Use
The Grindripper is extremely comfortable to use thanks to it's tapered neck. Simply grab hold of it, attach the crank arm and grind away. The design of the grinder makes light work of manually grinding coffee - it's almost effortless!

Environmentally Friendly Product
The Grindripper is the first coffee brewer to utilise the Tritan technology. Tritan makes Grindripper 100% safe from strong heat during the brewing process (BPA free), environmental hormones and any harmful substances that could cause illness.

The Grindripper is an environmentally friendly product - unnecessary processes have been removed or streamlined so that only a minimal amount of Carbon Dioxide is produced in the production of the Grindripper at Blackwine. Less Carbon Dioxide in the world means a healthier world for everyone.

At $79.90 this is a great gift for the great out doors person.

To buy the Grindripper online click here

Photos by Anni

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:24:00 GMT

I was contacted a few weeks ago by a young Lady called Ann, asking if she could take some photos of Coffeeguy.

I was tickled that someone expressed interest in the details that I enjoy paying attention to in the hope that it adds another layer to a warm & inviting experience here at the Coffeeguy Lounge.

I closed the shop one afternoon an Ann spent an hour or so just tacking shots.

A couple of days later, i was sent a copy of the picks taken by Ann and was impressed.

The next time Ann was in, I was then presented with the most professional looking cd case, printed with sepia images the images in a collage of Coffeeguy.

Anni has provided a brief bio below and I would encourage you to go to her website to view some of the beautiful images she has produced.

Anni is in her early 20s, and has been a Brisbane resident for the last 5 years. Always known as the one with a camera in her hand, she has a strong passion for photography and documenting events and details. Her background is in print and design, which has propelled her on her mission to improve her photographic skills and creative eye. Currently enrolled in a Diploma of Photoimaging, Anni is excited about what the future will bring!

For more information (and a sample of her work), visit www.photosbyanni.com.

Talk about daily grind!

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:21:00 GMT

Sandra and Peter Goleby have been collecting our spent coffee grounds daily since 2006, they sprinkle it directly onto their garden. They say it pretty much disappears into the soil after a bit of rain or watering.

It has a neutral PH level, it assists water storing capacity for the soil and has a residual natural insecticide called "caffeine".

Although it may not seem like a big thing, if they have picked up an average of 6 kgs per day, we figured they have saved around 8.5 tonnes of coffee becoming landfill!

Well done Peter and Sandra, "much respect" Mother Earth loves you for it.

P.S. Their house is the one built on the little hill! ;-)

The first delivery of Breville BES900s have left the building

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:23:00 GMT

The first delivery of Breville BES900s have left the building. Next delivery is due late next week.

We have all been testing (playing) intensively with our demo unit, and are very impressed by it. I was handed a shot made by Nathan (one of my baristas). I would have to say this was truly a "god shot" depth in character was brilliant and flavor profile was as perfect as I could ever hope for. Not only are we impressed buy the business end of brewing and steaming but the ease of use is also a major factor. Using the BCG800 (grinder) together makes it easy for all as well as "no mess".

As of today, I have 10 units left of the Coffeeguy BES900 Promo Packages, I urge you to come and play with our demo if your thinking about buying a new machine or upgrading.

Click here for further details and to order =>

Loaded question!

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:06:00 GMT

Is it better to grind my own coffee and keep beans whole, or is it should I have it ground?
Burr or blade

Of course we all know that it is better to buy freshly roasted coffee and keep them as beans until we need them and then grind as required.

Well, not necessarily!

There are other factors that come into play. If you do have a grinder, is it a blade or a burr?

The difference is significant. With a blade grinder the blades whizz around chopping the beans at an uneven particle size which for coffee extraction is not ideal. It will work but not as effectively as using a consistent particle size that is achieved through the use of a burr. Whether it is drip filter or Turkish coffee the end result is paramount and will be effected by your grind size consistency. If you don't have a burr, have us grind it for you to the correct size for your method and see the difference it makes.

So, in this case I believe you are far better off to use fresh pre-ground coffee that is used within a fortnight of being roasted than buying beans and grinding them improperly.

My first grinder was an old hand burr, purchased for 50 cents from an OpShop. It was very good but incredibly labour intensive to produce small amounts of espresso ground coffee. It wasn't long before I removed the handle and attached my drill to it's shaft, this considerably reduced the time it took to grind and made it far more enjoyable. Probably for this reason I've never been keen on selling hand mills.

If your not prepared to pay around $200 for a grinder, keep your eyes peeled for a new hand mill we will be getting in from Hario, as it has ceramic blades that cuts extremely well and quickly for a hand mill and should be under $90.00.

Sale of the BES900 promotional packages end this week!

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:22:00 GMT

Orders for the last of the Coffeeguy BES900 promotional packages are closing at the end of this week. Our final day to purchase online is Sunday 21st August at 5:00pm. We only have 10 remaining!
Be quick, cause they are hot property and the second shipment is due to land on Monday 22nd August. Get in quick, or miss out!

Click here for further details and to order =>

BES 900 Demo machine now in store !

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:03:00 GMT

We now have our demo model in store for you to fondle and play with.

Australia's first batch of 100 are filtering into homes around Australia.

Our second and final batch of Promo packages are fast selling out.

Dont miss out on this as there are only a few left.

Interstate? Call to discuss shipping.

"Honduran" Single Origin

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Well today marks the end of "Nepelese" single origin coffee and we introduce our new "Honduran" single origin.
Here is a little detail on it.

PRODUCER PROFILE

	Name:	SHG – Microlot Buena Vista Catuai Selection
	Country:	Honduras
	Region / Area:	Azul Meambar
	Number of Producers:	One
	Actual Farm Size:	15.3 hectares
	Miller / Exporter Name:	Cafes Finos de Exportacion S. de R.L.
	Exporter:	Cafes Finos de Exportacion S. de R.L.
	Certification Body:	n/a

COFFEE PROFILE

	Cup Profile:	Medium to high, with sweet & mild floral notes.
	Mouth Feel:	Clean, sweet mouthfeel, complex flavours.
	Screen Size:	Screen 17
	Process:	Depulped with water, naturally demucilaged
	Varieties:	Catuai Red and Yellow.
	Flowering:	March -> April.
	Harvest & Shipment:	Handpicked from December -> April.
	Altitude:	Between 1,300 and 1,350 metres above sea level.
	Climate:	Temperate
	Soils:	Rich, deep (1.5 metres) organic soil.

BRAND BACKGROUND

The Hawit Brand – Four Generations of Artisanal Growers.

The Finca Santa Marta property encompasses 146 acres (59 hectares) of land located on the outskirts of the famous Honduran national forest preserve Pico Pijol, near the village of Tegucigalpita, Provence of Yoro. Pico Pijol is situated on the flanks of Montana de la Flor (Mountain of the Flower), one of the major peaks of La Cordillera Central, with an altitude of 7,550 feet (2,300 metres).

Finca Santa Marta in its efforts to be in tune with the national conservation efforts, changed its washing methods and management of waste accordingly in its wet mill. Additionally, professional forest management and conservation methods are in place to protect more than 200 hardwood trees amongst the actual coffee plantations as well as where future plantations are planned.

Robert Hawit purchased the property in 1963 and has dedicated the next 40 years to grow, expand and perfect the coffee business, culminating in the highest recognition for his coffees in the Cup of Excellence® programs. The Finca operates year round with 31 employees but during harvest season, from December to March the work force increases to 150 workers.

Following Roberto Hawit’s legacy, Finca Santa Marta is committed to social responsibility & supports the local community, the village of Tegucigalpita. 60 families actually live on lands donated by the Hawit Family, the community school was also donated.

Visit their website here

BAACHI - Not just a pretty face

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:26:00 GMT

I was sent a bacchi stovetop espresso machine several weeks ago by one of my suppliers.

Initially it was its beautiful appearance, and the beautifully designed piece of art that made me need this coffee machine.

The moment it arrived, I was itching to use it.

I cut open the cardboard box and found a embossed shiny silver metal canister that housed the Baachi. I almost was content with the canister and nothing else. Opening the top of the canister, the Baachi was hugged by a soft foam cushion keeping it safe.

I gently removed it from the cushion and canister and sat it on the table. It was the topic of every conversation as people walked in the door and saw it there. With a few moments free I began to dis-assemble all the components and get an idea on how it works.(what instructions)

The Baachi stovetop coffee maker is the first coffee machine to work in essentially the same manner as a commercial espresso machine. The secret of the design is a secondary water chamber in the base of the unit. When the base is heated steam trapped in this chamber is utilised to force hot water through the coffee grounds at up to 9 Bar of pressure. The result is espresso with a thick layer of perfect crema. True espresso of the highest standard, it can easily equal espresso machines that cost thousands of dollars.

The machine is quite simple to use and to clean and is built to last. It can be used on gas and electric stovetops (it can only be used on induction stovetops with an adaptor plate).

You can make one or two serves of espresso using the included metal stopper. The basket holds 14 grams of coffee. As with all coffee makers- the best results are obtained when using the freshest quality coffee.

The Baachi is named after its Italian designer Andrea Baachi, and is manufactured in Italy by Caffemotive. The machine body is made of high quality anodised aluminum and other parts are stainless steel. All seals are of the highest quality.

Each Baachi comes securely packaged in a large Tin. Personally I believe that this machine is worth every penny, even though its more expensive than some electric espresso machines it performance and appearance is special.

Probably an ideal gift for those that have everything.

New Breville BES 900

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:49:00 GMT

This is the World’s first Domestic twin Boiler espresso machine

STOP PRESS!

Expected to go on sale from mid-August 2011

COFFEEGUY / BREVILLE PRE-ORDER PROMO

With the release of the Breville BES 900 growing imminent, Coffeeguy is offering a package deal, strictly limited to Pre-purchase BES900 units and very limited in numbers. so don't hesitate! If your looking for a new espresso machine or to upgrade your existing machine nows the time!

OFFER INCLUDES:
BES900 Twin Boiler Espresso machine $1500.00
Barista Domestica (tailored for BES900) $160.00
1 x 500g Coffeeguy Coffee $18.90
BCS800 Intelligent Grinder $ 300.00
Total $ Value $1978.00

OUR PRICE $1,650.00

Click here to preorder before it is too late!

Some Key points / Features:

Twin Boiler (Not thermoblock)
Volumetric controls (waterwheel)
Digital temp control Boiler
Adjustable extraction temp control
9 bar pump…. Yes 9 bar vibratory pump (will explain in blog)
Pre-infusion adjustable (time and pressure)
Heat exchange unit
Brew timer
Pressure Gauge (not resistance gauge)
Automatic on and off

Many many more details but this is the juicy stuff!!!

So these are just a few of the features seen at the exclusive launch of this machine in Sydney last night.

RRP - $1499

Release date - July

I’ve been privy to a lot of this info for several months now after having been invited by the guys at Breville to come down to see what they were working on and allowed me to look at there series 1 prototype. I’ve been busting to be able to tell all about it.

There are all the feature and benefit that make this a great home machine for the entry level “Barista Domestica”, Simplicity of use, aesthetics and delivery of consistency. But there are other features that make me believe that the BES 900 is a revolutionary domestic machine as was the EM6900 was 7 years ago.

Here are some snaps I took with my Iphone.

The first is a cross section of the machine that allows clear vision of what lays inside this beast. Note Steam leaver with ball valve (not solanoid)

The second Is a cross section of the Extraction dedicated boiler.

The third is a cross section of the steam and water boiler.
(note the heat exchange unit running through)

I have uploaded some Video footage to YouTube and you can watch this at the bottom of this blog post, so check it out!

So why is it a revolutionary machine?

I see 3 main reasons:

It has 2 BOILERS. These are NOT thermo-blocks! The EM6910 has twin thermo-blocks. The BES900 firstly has a boiler dedicated to steam and water (pic 4). This will give you instant steam pressure delivered through a ball valve not a solenoid (pic 2), as well as hot water. There is no delay as compared to the thermo-blocks that require time to get to optimum temp. Second is the extraction-dedicated boiler (as opposed to a thermo-block) (pic 3). This should be more stable as water is extracted for a shot and is refilled with cooler water as its larger capacity acts as a buffer. The Boffins at Breville have also run the water replenishing tube through the steam and hot water boiler (a heat exchange unit) to increase the temp of the replenishing water so it doesn’t shock the extraction dedicated boiler as it refills during an extraction this preventing temperature fluctuations.
The pre-infusion technology that has come about over the last few years has allowed baristas to massage the normal standards of espresso. So…what does that mean? Since espresso coffee was developed, the pressure generated on the leaver of the original espresso machines (by forcing a leaver to generate water pressure through fine ground coffee) was found to be on average 9 bar. Most commercial machine became mechanized and have had rotary pumps. These pumps generally set at around 9 bar. This removed the variation of the operator abilities in order to deliver a more consistent extraction. By allowing a small amount of water to “ready” the coffee, a change in flavour profile is delivered to the extraction of exactly the same coffees. Machines that are able to do this are prized and command in excess of $25,000. The BES 900 has this facility.
Price….. So for $1500 a dedicated barista can pick up an espresso machine that not only has a stability in the boiler of less than 1 degree which can be adjusted, he can also play around with flavour profiles delivered by adjusting pump pressure during pre infusion as well as duration of pre-infusion. Steam pressure is instant and overall feel is beyond its Price tag.

This machine is a turning point for the budding barista to gain an understanding of setting changes to machines that till now, have only been able to gain by working on these other extraordinary commercial machines that have been developed.

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"DECAF" why bother!!!

Mon, 09 May 2011 13:09:00 GMT

Drink for flavour not effect

Every day someone apologizes to me prior to softly ordering decaf, they approach cautiously, waiting for a moment when the coast is relatively clear, bracing themselves for the obligatory bagging or under breath mutter from their barista, about why they shouldn't bother ordering a coffee.

They are probably surprised by the acceptance of the order in a coffee specialist house.

I believe if your product is fresh, and well made it will rival a vast number of coffees being served out there in cafe land.

So I'm likely cop flack from the supposed purist coffee aficionados, for supporting "sex on the beach" style coffees, there...... "something".........near water...but I feel that if the decaf is chosen well, roasted with care and prepared as a beverage when it is fresh, it will scratch an itch that cannot be satisfied by any other beverage.

In pregnancy our decaf has been godsend to many of our regulars, even my wife, enjoyed decaf for several months. Admittedly I had stamped as a regular roast.

I've many customers with heart conditions that have been serious coffee drinkers, when told to cut down their caffeine content, I've snuck them a decaf micky, when they were adamant that they would never drink decaf. After letting them know what I had done, they've happily made the switch.

Don't be silly enough to expect to get any great coffee from anyone who dismisses the way you like it it.

Now Chai........ Thats another matter! ;)

Do you like fresh Bread?

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:04:00 GMT

Daniel Salter, the ‘CoffeeGuy’ has over 20 years hard-earned experience in all facets of coffee. From a starting point in bars and cafes he became fascinated with coffee, did some basic coffee operations courses and then found a passion for the beans! He’s since been involved with purchasing green bean, roasting, blending, an equipment technician, wholesale, retail and produced well over half a million cups of coffee for discerning consumers.

Introduction

I had been waiting for three months for my favourite bread to arrive from France because I couldn’t find what I wanted here. I was in anticipation of that crisp, toasty aroma, thin crisp crust covering a soft light fluffy centre. Much to my dismay, when my package arrived, I opened it and found a dry shell of what I remembered I used to buy at the local patisserie in Canne. My bread was nothing like I expected, how could I possibly eat something so stale!

Of course it’s not a true story but it illustrates a thought process in purchasing roasted coffee from another country. Roasters may try to justify their packing processes but it comes down to one thing.

Bread tastes best fresh – and so does coffee.

As someone who knows about coffee I am asked a recurring question,”What is the best way to store my coffee?” They are usually surprised when the answer is quite a long one. You see, it all depends on many factors. Despite my willingness to answer correctly people often just want to hear a two to three word answer. This may explain the confusion that most people have on this topic and the contradictory advice that is given to consumers.

Unlike humans, oxygen is the worst thing for coffee to come into contact with. Oxygen causes roasted coffee to oxidise and stale. My analogy has always been, like bottle of wine, by pulling on the cork and removing it, the wine will deteriorate faster than if you had left the seal or cork intact. A fairly obvious fact!

Now that we understand that O2 is the bitter enemy of roasted coffee all other aspects are logical.

Well, not really!

There are many things to consider about trying to maintain the “freshness” of your coffee and so over the next week we will be providing 6 tips to help you maintain the freshness of your coffee.

Follow us each day via Twitter, Facebook or this Blog on the website and will be providing a new "tip for the day" as part of our "6 tips to maintain the freshness of your coffee".

COMPETITION
Once all 6 tips have been published we will be running a competition to test your memory and knowledge. Simply answer our question correctly and you will be in the running to win our "CoffeeGuy Mystery Prize".

Tip 1. Do you know when the coffee was roasted?

If you know skip this and wait for tip number 2 on Monday. If you don’t, ask! If the proprietor / salesperson can’t tell you its not a good start. Coffee should be consumed within two weeks of being roasted. Buy smaller quantities more often, make the effort you will be rewarded.

Tip 2. How was the coffee cooled?

Your coffee supplier should be able to tell you how their coffees are cooled. Most use air cooling but some use a water quench method which sprays the coffee with a fine mist of water to assist the cooling process when the coffee has been dumped into the cooling tray. The result is that freshly roasted coffee comes in contact with water which is a catalyst of the staling process, water contains oxygen, and also leaves a residual moisture in the roasted beans.

Tip 3. How long after roasting was the coffee packed

Many coffee companies use a process called “De-gassing” to enable them to pack coffee in bags that have no one way valve, this reduces their cost. The reason they use the “De-Gassing” process, is to ensure that the chemical reaction that occurs in freshly roasted coffee has stopped occurring! 1/2 a kilo of coffee will produce around 7 litres of Co2 within a 7 day period, at least 50% of this will be discharged from the beans within the first 2-3 days after the roast. I once had a client ask me to pack his coffee in tins, against my advice and using standard tins we ran a line of 200, 200 gram tins. The coffee was de-gassed for 3 day and the result, every tin buckled from the pressure generated from the C02 trying to escape. Needles to say they were unsaleable, and we continued to use small one way valve bags.

The closer to the roast time coffee is packed greatly reduces the effects of O2 on the coffee one way or another. I will explain this!

Tip 4. What type of packaging has been used

If you can see the beans through the packaging it’s not a good start. Only foil packs prevent O2 passing through the bag over time, this is why potato chips and biscuits are now widely packed in foil bags - they stay far crisper for longer. Look for the valve. If there is no valve the coffee must have been stale before going into the bag or there may have been a hole punctured in the bag after packaging to ensure the bag doesn’t explode. By puncturing a hole in the bag, Co2 & O2 molecules are able to pass in and out as they please. The most cost effective method of packing coffee properly at present is the foil, one way valve bag. But there are also two styles of these. I have hade best success with the disc style as opposed to the flap. Coffee has also been packed by companies in high pressure, specially designed tins that are the pinnacle of packaging technology but these are very, very cost prohibitive.

Tip 5. Has the coffee been Vacuum seal, nitrogen flushed?

Wow, doesn’t this one get heated reaction when brought up around a table of passionate coffee connoisseurs! Why? I guess motive and opinion! I look at this again from a logical point of view. The objective is to keep the evil oxygen menace away from our beloved coffee. By vacuum sealing or nitrogen flushing you are insuring that there is no or very miniscule residual O2 in the bags, Here comes the interesting bit. Companies that use “de-gassing” ironically use one or the other of these methods (brick packs) to pack their coffee to prolong what is left of the flavour of the coffee after the“de-gassing” silly hey! However, by packaging coffee that has just cooled from the roaster in either a nitrogen or vacuum environment you are removing the troublesome O2, and allowing only the inert CO2 and the aromatic molecules to fill the bag. Now if we do the same but don’t draw a vacuum or nitrogen flush, there is still a residue of O2 in the bag. Roasters that pack this way are hoping that the de-gassing will displace the O2 from the bag, and there is a good percentage that may be displaced, but we can’t be sure can we? Some roasters may argue that vacuum sealing may draw out some of the vital aromatic molecules and this may well be, but the nitrogen must be the best possible way to pack coffee!

Tip 6. What environment has the coffee been stored prior to your purchase?

Here is a good indicator of the care that has gone into the “maintenance” of the freshness of you coffee. If you are buying from a silo or hopper, there has been little or no effort gone into ensuring you can maintain a level of freshness. Despite being a romantic notion of purchasing fresh coffee from the coffee hoppers at the local deli or your local roaster you are buying coffee in a way that resembles going to the bottle shop and purchasing a case of wine that didn’t have their corks put in! O2 is attacking your coffee in every way! Some suppliers place their coffee into cooling to ensure that the coffee is maintained at a low temp, humidity free in their store, but when the beans are bought they are then put in a bag and thrown in the hot car, (not taking in to consideration that the coffee was still being attacked by O2 in the fridge) the beans sweat, and moisture is gobbled up by the dry beans. This doesn’t make sense to me!

So I still haven’t answered the question that is “where should I store my coffee” have I?

But what I have done is made you think about how fresh your coffee is at the time that you purchased it.

Here is my short answer and why!

Ground coffee – If you have to buy ground coffee, the optimum method is place the coffee bag in an air tight container in the freezer. When making a coffee, take out what is needed and replace in the freezer immediately, so the coffee doesn’t have time to sweat. Ideally only have a week or two’s worth in storage. If you leave it longer it will be ok but will slowly deteriorate.

Coffee Beans – Try to only purchase 2 weeks worth at a time and ensure that its close to the roast date. Keep it in either a vacuum canister or rolled down valve bag, remove as much air as possible and store in cool dark place, like wine.

Pass the sugar….. Sugar

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:05:00 GMT

No different to a neurotic chef being fanatical about the quality of their produce used in their dishes, I’m extremely particular about all the ingredients that go into producing and in the drinking of our coffees to heighten the experience.

I was introduced to La Parruche sugar, by Philip Johnson’s ecco, where my wife worked for several years. At first I just loved the raw, rustic look that it has. But then found it to be very distinctive in flavour and quality that harmonized and contrasted beautifully with coffee.

Taken from the La Perruche web site:

“Sugar cane is a wild reed thought to have originated in Bengal. Today La Perruche cane sugar is cultivated in Reunion Island, a tropical paradise of flavours and fragrances. The sugar canes soak up all the aromas and goodness of the rich soil in the North and East of the island which enjoy generous rainfall and are aired by the trade winds.

Harvested and pressed from July to December, the sugar cane produces a sweet liquid that thickens into syrup before the formation of the first crystals. It is this sweet gold that secured the reputation of the island, then known as Ile Bourbon, back in the 19^th century.

Ten centuries ago, the French discovered the sweet taste of cane sugar during the Crusades. But the earliest reference dates back to when the Persian Emperor Darius set out to conquer the Indian subcontinent and discovered a plant, which he allegedly said “”gives honey without bees””. This luxurious and rare gift of nature, which was initially called a “spice”, is still considered as an exceptional product”

La Perruche sugar, both brown and white is served with our coffee.

Next time your in, take a second, and think how you want your sugar to perform in your coffee.

Add a white lump and a clean sweet light toffee will caress you coffee. A brown will give an added dimension of rich molasses, to me, matches perfectly in a risretto after dinner.

Maleny Dairy

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:28:00 GMT

Over the last 15 years I have always been very particular about the milk I use to compliment my coffees. It's such an important component, seeking out the very best, it just happens to be local and family run. Here is a little about the company.

Maleny Dairies is a family owned business situated in the picturesque hills of Maleny. We have been farming on this property for 3 generations, (since 1948). With the advent of milk industry deregulation, and the resultant drastic drop in income, (cut by half), we considered giving up farming. However, we decided to fight back by building a milk processing plant - not only to help ourselves, but the other farmers and their families in the local area. With the combined efforts of parents Harold & Dorothy, brothers Ross and Keith, and sisters Kay and Beth, we embarked on the massive task of bringing our plans to fruition. Thus Maleny Dairies began operations in December 2002, and the immediate positive response by customers to our products was amazing.

THE COWS
The Guernsey, (originally from the Guernsey Isles), is genetically a very old breed which has been tested and shown to have around 95% Beta Casein proteins. Guernsey's produce milk that is high in Protein and Butterfat and has a creamy appearance and taste. We constantly hear this comment... "This is how milk used to taste when I was a Kid!" We have had the Guernsey's on this farm since first starting in 1948. Why stick with the Guernsey's? Simply because their milk is the best. Not only does it taste good, but it is good for you too.

God blessed us with a cow called 'Belladonna' which became a Guernsey world champion, breaking the records in milk, butterfat & protein. Belladonna peaked at an amazing 70.5 litres of milk in one day. Considering that an average cow gives approx. 15 litres in a day, she truly was an amazing cow.

MALANEY DAIRY TOURS
Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's by appointment, and every Saturday at 10.30am and 2.30pm. During the week, please phone to find out what times the tours are on that day, as it varies depending on bus groups etc. (Generally around 10.30am and 2.30pm)

Saturday's are on at the set times, though please phone to confirm they are still on if the weather is very wet. School Holidays - Qld - Tours operate Monday - Saturday at 10.30am and 2.30pm - Though to avoid disappointment; please phone to confirm times.
CLOSED: CHRISTMAS DAY
For more info call the office on 5494 2392 or visit www.malenydairies.com