Tuesday, July 31, 2012

PEPE LEPEW SELLS COFFEE!


This did not happen in the United States but in Seoul, South Korea, Dunkin’ Donuts installed contraptions in city buses that sent out a coffee aroma whenever Dunkin’ Donuts’ radio ads were played.  No, they really did it!  They were hoping to increase business among commuters.  And it worked!
The campaign, called Flavor Radio, was launched this earlier this year, and representatives of Dunkin Donuts have said that the coffee aroma resulted in a 16 percent spike in visitors to locations near participating bus lines, and a 29 percent spike in coffee sales at those locations.
When the Dunkin’ Donuts jingle was played on the bus radio, it triggered the spray machine, which actually blasted a spray of coffee aroma into the air. The commercials were played just before bus stops at which Dunkin Donuts locations were visible. The campaign targeted some 350,000 bus commuters over a period of several months.
Said Jessica Gioglio, PR and social media manager for the company:
“[The campaign] was designed to raise awareness of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee in a fun and engaging way.  In Seoul and South Korea, there is a lot of passion for Dunkin’ Donuts, so this offered an opportunity to try something unique and different.”
I suppose it is really no different than restaurants and coffee shops venting aromas into the streets to interest you in their products.  I can sure think of some products I’d rather not be forced to smell.
The purpose of this blog is to unite Kona coffee lovers and perhaps learn a little about coffee and all the benefits of coffee at the same time.  Join up, become a member, comment and have fun!  You can find the Kona Coffee Fiends group on Facebook and we’d appreciate it if Facebook users would “LIKE” the Kona Cowboy Coffee Company page at  www.facebook.com/pages/Kona-Cowboy-Coffee-Company/222070817858553.  Just copy and paste to your browser.  You can also find us on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/#!/jackshuster.  And on the web at www.KonaCowboyCoffee.com to order your gourmet coffee and coffee products.

Look for the Kona Cowboy Coffee Company’s Cowboy Coffee Saloon at the Western Legends Roundup in Kanab, Utah, August 17-18, along with Dr. Buck’s Wild Bunch, Cowboy Action Shooting with the North Rim Regulators and lots of movie stars and heroes.

You know you’re a coffee fiend when you name your cats "Cream" and "Sugar.”  So enjoy your coffee, make it Kona, and remember, Kona is the home of the Hawaiian cowboy…and we had cowboys in Kona before there were cowboys in Texas!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

NEVER SAY NO TO COFFEE


A tweet from Roast magazine led me to Hive and an article by Davis Miller with five reasons you should never say no to coffee.  We have been saying over and over that coffee is really a wonderful drink with exciting health benefits.  After many years of study, it is looking like coffee is more beneficial than tea in many instances.  People think that they have to cut out coffee due to caffeine, but few realize that it actually helps your body in many ways.

Most folks who are reading this can relate with a cup of PANIOLA 100% Kona Cowboy Coffee, or CAFÉ PINON de Nuevo Mexico, or COWBOY ACTION COFFEE (shameless plugs) in the morning, but please share this with those do not partake.  Your non-caffeinated friends may want to have a look at the studies below as they could be missing out on the bigger picture of what caffeine and coffee can do for your overall health.

Never Say NO to the Potential Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

§  Never say NO to a lower stroke risk.  Coffee consumption has been associated with a lower stroke risk.  A recent meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that the strongest association was for those who consume between 3-4 cups per day who had a 17% lower risk.

§  Never say NO to an Increased memory function.  Current research studies show that the caffeine in coffee improves cognitive memory and relational thought processes. Focus and mental clarity are also improved for about 2 hours past consumption. 2 cups a day is optimum for this.

§  Never say NO to Increased regularity.  Coffee is a natural body function accelerant for a quite a few reasons, the main one being regular in bowels movements. Warm liquids start the body’s functions when you have that first cup when you start to increase liquid consumption levels in your body. Remaining hydrated is the main way to prevent daily constipation. Coffee has powerful stimulants which encourage muscle movements to contract in the digestive tract forcing waste to move on down the road. It is one thing that people with IBM are told to try first.

§  Never say NO to a chance that you could lessen the risk of overall disease. Strong antioxidants in just one cup coffee have been shown to lessen the inherent risks of heart disease in men and women, Type I and Type II diabetes, certain cell cancers, and Parkinson’s disease. Coffee can help relieve asthma by opening airways and prevent cavities by working with your body to product natural bacteriacidal compounds.

§  Never say NO to Increased overall stamina and endurance.  Marathoners take note. Current Studies show with drinking one cup of coffee before working out or running, can increase endurance and help stamina by about 40%.  Coffee lessens muscle pain. Coffee drinkers that have a cup of coffee an hour before a working out can avoid post-workout tenderness, while shortening the after effects. Taking one stimulant pill equal to 2 cups of coffee in caffeine consumption can have the same effects as drinking your caffeine.

Although coffee consumption is at an all time high and health benefits are there (with tea too!), it isn’t a magical beverage in any way. Caffeine is listed and considered a drug by the government and should be treated as such.  Over consumption can elevate blood pressure, add very irregular sleep issues, migraine and tension headaches, and endocrine and digestive problems. Stick with 300 milligrams of caffeinated drinks in the span of a day (average adult).

The basics for post were contributed by Davis Miller, a nutrition expert who eats vigilantly and advises the same to others.

The purpose of this blog is to unite Kona coffee lovers and perhaps learn a little about coffee and all the benefits of coffee at the same time.  Join up, become a member, comment and have fun!  You can find the Kona Coffee Fiends group on Facebook and we’d appreciate it if Facebook users would “LIKE” the Kona Cowboy Coffee Company page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kona-Cowboy-Coffee-Company/222070817858553.  Just copy and paste to your browser.  You can also find us on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/#!/jackshuster.  And on the web at www.KonaCowboyCoffee.com to order your gourmet coffee and coffee products.


You know you’re a coffee fiend when you're offended when people use the word "brew" to mean beer!  So enjoy your coffee, make it Kona, and remember, Kona is the home of the Hawaiian cowboy…and we had cowboys in Kona before there were cowboys in Texas!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

HAWAII GOVERNMENT ABANDONS KONA COFFEE BRAND AND SMALL SCALE FARMERS.


We have just learned in a recent article written by the Kona Coffee Farmers Association that Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie has decided to allow HB 280 (the repeal of mandatory certification of coffee) to become law without his signature rather than follow through on his announced intent to veto the bill.  This failure of political will represents the abandonment of consumer protection, the “Hawaii” brand and hundreds of small-scale Hawaiian farmers.

The governor, like so many before him, has bowed to Mainland money interests that profit from the ruthless marketing of Hawaii’s agricultural products—sugar, pineapple and now coffee.  Topa Equities is one of the largest conglomerates in the United States and is the sole owner of Paradise Beverages, Hawaii’s largest distributor of beer and spirits.  Paradise Beverages owns the Hawaii Coffee Company, Honolulu’s largest coffee roaster and coffee marketer.

The Hawaii Coffee Company had HB 280 introduced and “ram rodded” it through the legislature.  HCC and its allies will now benefit from HB 280’s elimination of mandatory certification of coffee quality.  No longer subject to required quality inspections they will be free to legally pass off vast amounts of substandard coffee as “Kona” or one of Hawaii’s other specialty coffees.

Last year HCC promoted HB1552, a bill that prohibited the word “Kona” from being used first in a product name unless it was in fact 100% Kona coffee. HB 1552 made it illegal for HCC's primary competitor, Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Company, to use the trade name "Kona Classic" but allowed HCC to continue to use the equally deceptive trade name "Royal Kona.”  At most this was "faux consumer protection" that merely promoted HCC’s deceptive branding at a competitor’s expense.  Bruce Corker, KCFA’s Legislative Committee Chair noted that: “For the second year in a row the governor has bowed to pressure from HCC and let bills HCC wrote and promoted to become law over the objections of small farmers.  Where is the courage and integrity touted in the 2010 campaign?”

The Governor's 2010 campaign promise of a “Renaissance" for Hawaii agriculture has now been shown to be just “rhetoric” for Hawaii agriculture. When the interests of Hawaii farmers come into conflict with Mainland money, the Governor has followed the money.

Cecelia Smith, KCFA President said when told that the governor would let HB 280 become law:  “If Hawaii agriculture is to have a true renaissance, the state needs to actively support specialty crop and small family farms.”

That said, my friends, you can rest assured that our PANIOLA 100% Kona Cowboy Coffee has always been and will continue to be just what it says: 100% Kona coffee.  It used to be that you had to be wary of packed labled Kona Blend.  Now you’ll have to be wary of almost anything marked Kona!  Caveat Emptor.  You know that you can buy with confidence from the Kona Cowboy Coffee Company at Western trade shows and on line at www.KonaCowboyCoffee.com

The purpose of this blog is to unite Kona coffee lovers and perhaps learn a little about coffee and all the benefits of coffee at the same time.  Join up, become a member, comment and have fun!  You can find the Kona Coffee Fiends group on Facebook and we’d appreciate it if Facebook users would “LIKE” the Kona Cowboy Coffee Company page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kona-Cowboy-Coffee-Company/222070817858553.  Just copy and paste to your browser.  You can also find us on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/#!/jackshuster.  And on the web at www.KonaCowboyCoffee.com to order your gourmet coffee and coffee products.

You know you’re a coffee fiend when you go to sleep just so you can wake up and smell the coffee!  So enjoy your coffee, make it Kona, and remember, Kona is the home of the Hawaiian cowboy…and we had cowboys in Kona before there were cowboys in Texas!


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

HOW DO YOUR BREW YOUR COFFEE?


Just read an on-line article about brewing coffee on Coffee Zen.  There are five primary ways of brewing coffee.  Each method has brewing variables – introduction of water, brewing temperature, and separating the brewed liquor from the coffee grounds. These five methods are called Turkish brewing, concentrate brewing, percolating, drip brewing, and French Press brewing.

“Turkish” or “Greek” Coffee
Turkish coffee (or kahve, the traditional name) is made in small containers set directly on the flame until the water and finely ground coffee comes to a boil.  Often times it is brewed up with sugar already introduced.  In some traditions they will pour off a little into each cup and then bring it to a second boil, pouring the rest off into each cup insuring an even distribution of grounds. In some regions they serve the Turkish coffee with added spice, usually cardamom. The coffee is not filtered from the liquor which leaves a thick pungent and muddy brew. The mud settles to the bottom of the tiny demitasse cups the coffee is served in. In many countries they read the coffee mud after you have drank your coffee and tell you your future.

Concentrate Brewing
Concentrate brewing is very popular in Latin America and other parts of the world. It is beginning to make a comeback in the U.S.  Concentrate brewing takes large amounts of coffee that is already brewed with small amounts of water to brew a concentrate. To make a cup of coffee you mix some of the concentrate with hot water. The concentrate is brewed either hot or cold. When it is brewed cold you must let the coffee sit for at least a day. This method creates a mild light-bodied coffee with little aroma and a little acidity with a muted flavor.

Percolating
This procedure involves a continuous brewing of the coffee grounds using boiling water which then turns to boiling coffee liquor brewing over the grounds. This method is practical but is an insult to the coffee bean. Brewing with boiling water is bad enough, then boiling the liquor is asking for a thin, bitter and tarry coffee.  Though this produces an awful cup of coffee many people still prefer percolation. If that’s what you like then more power to you!

Auto drip
This is the most popular way to brew coffee in the U.S.A.  Pouring hot water over grounds in a filter and letting the brew drip out the bottom is rather simple. Drip brewing can produce an excellent cup of coffee if the proper equipment is used. One of the biggest issues with auto drip machines is they don’t brew at the right temperature. You can buy coffee makers from a few companies that calibrate their machines to the proper temperature. If you have a good auto drip brewing machine then the next hurdle to tackle is the filter. Paper filters can deposit a flavor in the coffee and also do not allow a lot of the coffee oils and organic compounds through. A gold-plated reusable filter is the perfect option for drip brewing. It will not deposit a taste in the coffee and doesn’t trap as much of the coffee’s essence as paper filters do.  It just has to be rinsed out each time.

French Press or Press Pot
French Pres brewing gives you complete control. It is more labor intensive than auto drip but the brewing variables can be better controlled. Coarsely ground coffee is placed in a glass carafe. The hot water is then poured over the grounds. When the brewing is complete the top is placed on and a plunger that consists of a metal mesh plate is pressed down pushing the grounds to the bottom. The coffee liquor is on top ready to be poured off. The mesh filter allows the oils and fine coffee particles through without a problem. Also because a coarser grind is required a longer brewing time is required. A general rule of thumb is four minutes for a French press. This direct contact of the grounds to water allows a more complete, controllable, and even extraction. Even though. a coarse grind will still produce some fine particles. A cup of French-pressed coffee will be fuller, have more body, and certainly more flavor. It will also have sediment on the bottom of the cup.

How did you make your coffee this morning?

The purpose of this blog is to unite Kona coffee lovers and perhaps learn a little about coffee and all the benefits of coffee at the same time.  Join up, become a member, comment and have fun!  You can find the Kona Coffee Fiends group on Facebook and we’d appreciate it if Facebook users would “LIKE” the Kona Cowboy Coffee Company page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kona-Cowboy-Coffee-Company/222070817858553.  Just copy and paste to your browser.  You can also find us on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/#!/jackshuster.  And on the web at www.KonaCowboyCoffee.com to order your gourmet coffee and coffee products.

You know you’re a coffee fiend when you'd be willing to spend time in a Turkish prison.  So enjoy your coffee, make it Kona, and remember, Kona is the home of the Hawaiian cowboy…and we had cowboys in Kona before there were cowboys in Texas!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON COFFEE


Scientists are still trying to determine exactly what it is that gives coffee its disease fighting properties.  According to an interesting article in Environmental News Network written by Remy Melina for Live Science, recent research is getting closer to unlocking the secrets behind our favorite brew.

A study earlier this year by neuroscientists at the University of Lisbon showed that drinking coffee can help to prevent the neural degeneration associated with brain disorders and aging. The scientists found that drinking up to four cups of coffee a day over a long period of time actually prevented the deterioration of memory.

This is surely a topic you won’t forget!

Remember that our Paniola 100% Kona Coffee is all Kona…not a Kona Blend that you might find in the grocery store.  And remember that our Café Pinon de Nuevo Mexico is made with a blend of Central American coffees…fused with pinon nuts.  And Remember that our Cowboy Action Coffee…the Official Coffee of the Single Action Shooting Society…is a blend of full bodied Indonesian and Ethiopian coffees. 

See?  That was easy!

The purpose of this blog is to unite Kona coffee lovers and perhaps learn a little about coffee and all the benefits of coffee at the same time.  Join up, become a member, comment and have fun!  You can find the Kona Coffee Fiends group on Facebook and we’d appreciate it if Facebook users would “LIKE” the Kona Cowboy Coffee Company page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kona-Cowboy-Coffee-Company/222070817858553.  Just copy and paste to your browser.  You can also find us on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/#!/jackshuster.  And on the web at www.KonaCowboyCoffee.com to order your gourmet coffee and coffee products.

You know you’re a coffee fiend when your birthday is celebrated as a national holiday in Brazil.  So enjoy your coffee, make it Kona, and remember, Kona is the home of the Hawaiian cowboy…and we had cowboys in Kona before there were cowboys in Texas!