Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

What is an air pot, you ask? It may seem obvious to some, but there' a lot more to an air pot than meets the eye. The air pot is really a bit of a marvel when it comes to science and engineering.  These pots are used for a lot of purposes and they are perfect for high volume situations where you have to transport coffee safely in something other than a sloshing open topped pot.While air pot features may differ, the basic principle is the same. Every air pot has two important parts – the outside shell, which can be of any material such as plastic, aluminum or stainless steel and the inside thermal chamber that keeps the coffee hot. Between these two sections is an air chamber that helps keep the coffee warm by creating a layer of insulation between the thermal chamber and the outside.The thermal chamber helps the heat of the coffee re-circulate as steam, in and around the air pot. As the thermal chamber becomes warm from the coffee, it also heats up the trapped air between the chamber and the exterior, adding additional insulation.At the top of the pot is another important secret. Obviously heat rises so you want to keep as much heat in the air pot as possible. A sealed lid is needed to keep the heat in.On smaller air pots, this may simply be a screw top lid that can be loosened enough to let the coffee flow through the spout. On larger models of air pots, the lid is latched down. At the top of it is a plunger that creates enough of a pressure difference that the coffee is pumped up the pot and into your cup.

Water filters can be an important part of your coffee brewing, because water that doesn't taste good will leave you with coffee that doesn't taste good. And nobody wants that.By filtering out the chlorine, fluoride, and impurities, you are going to get a cleaner-tasting cup of coffee. You could always brew your coffee with bottled water, but most people just get a water filter instead.The simplest option is to use a coffee maker that has a water filter already built-in as part of the machine. You don't have to think about it though it does have a limited use and you can only filter water right inside the coffee maker. Many good quality coffee makers have these now, such as Cuisinart, Braun, Krups and Capresso. Single-serve or pod machines like the Tassimo and the Keurig also have models with integrated water filters.They usually have an internal sensor that keeps track of how many brew cycles have passed and will let you know when you have to change the filters.If you don't want to go out and get a new coffee maker, the next best thing is to have a way to filter water before you fill up your machine. The simplest approach is to get a jug filter, like a Brita. These filters are quite inexpensive, easy to use, and give you a ready source of filtered water when you need it (for coffee making, or anything else).  Jug filters have a dual cannister structure, and the water from the top half drips down through the filter to collect in the bottom half. It can take a few minutes for the filtering to finish but it's generally a pretty quick process. Just remember to fill it back up when the filtered water runs low. Then you will have clean water for brewing coffee. Brita is one of the most common brands of jug filter, but not the only one. Pur makes several good ones as well. They come in various sizes and shapes for easy fridge storage, and many have indicators to tell you when to change the filters.For people who really prefer to drink filtered water, you can get larger systems to accommodate higher filtering volumes. Small filter units can be attached to your faucet so that it filters all the water that flows out, and under-sink models are another option if you want filtered water on tap.  Not all water filters will clean up your water to the same degree. Most have a charcoal base to them, to neutralize the chlorine and the bad flavors, but these filters won't remove any dissolved minerals. So if you have a problem with hard water, a standard water filter won't help very much. You'll need a water softener for that. When you have clean and good-tasting water, you may not feel the need to have a water filter when it comes to brewing coffee, but the option is always there. You might be surprised at the difference the water makes from one cup to the next once you try it.

The lure of the coffee shop is many things to many people and at the same time is an undeniable call that many people answer every day. This lure is what has made the coffee shop surge in popularity in the past ten to fifteen years and continues to grow today. There are many different factors that lead people to the coffee shop, some work together while others work in combination to attract people to the coffee shop every day.Coffee and coffee drinks are of course one of the main lures of the coffee shop. The coffee served in these shops is typically higher in quality than what is served at home. This is usually because the coffee shop has access to a wider range of coffee beans and the equipment needed to make many of the coffee drinks found in a coffee shop. This is where the convenience factor of the coffee shop becomes a selling point. Many people would prefer to save money by making their favorite coffee drink at home but don’t have the time or equipment necessary to make cappuccinos, lattes and even iced coffee drinks. The typical kitchen isn’t large enough to keep a grinder, espresso maker, milk frother and wide variety of syrups and creams needed to make the many different coffee specialty drinks that are found in the coffee shop.The lure of the coffee shop is also in its social aspect. This is the neighborhood gathering place where neighbors catch up on the local gossip and business deals are inked before heading to the office for a busy day. The daily news is discussed and caught up on through the newspapers that are available for the public to read while enjoying their morning java.