Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company President rides razor scooter!

This article explains it all! Read up and learn about Nancy Haynes, President of the Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company!


http://www.sthelenastar.com/articles/2009/07/09/columnists/features/doc4a557ce141e91222055940.txt

Coffee Tip #3: Coffee Storage

Coffee has a short counter life. This is why we roast four to five times a week depending on our inventory. We want to guarantee the beans we use for our coffee and the beans you buy are at the peak of freshness.

As soon as beans begin their roasting journey, the green coffee beans begin to release the gases trapped within them. This includes the rich and aromatic flavors of the coffee. When coffee is exposed to oxygen it can quickly become stale. Using vacuum packaging, oxygen-barrier films and storing beans at low temperatures will help maintain the coffee's freshness. To help maintain your coffee's freshness, store in airtight containers away from the heat.

All About Coffee Knowledge; Evelyn Sinclair

Passing on Value with the Heirloom Blend

Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company is offering Heirloom Blend—a fruity sweet medley of freshly roasted coffee with hints of blueberries and chocolate. The local company will donate 20% of the $13.95/pound purchase price directly to Rianda House Senior Activity Center. This special coffee will be available from April 10th to May 31st in NVCRC’s Napa and St. Helena stores.
Heirloom Blend was created to celebrate the first anniversary of the Rianda House on May 17th. “The Rianda House is a way our community comes together to promote the physical, emotional and social well-being of our elders.” commented Doug Dunlap, NVCRC’s General Manager.
Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company’s roastmaster, Charlie Sange, and Dunlap personally created Heirloom Blend, finding the perfect balance of the company’s beans. The Heirloom Blend should be shared with generations!

Organic Mexican is Back!

Yep, after a short break, our Organic Mexican variety is back in stock. While its replacement, Organic Peruvian was yummy, nothing can ever truly replace it. So, we are happy to announce that it is back and even happier to announce that it is better than ever!

Coffee Tip #4: Coffee vs. Tea

Both use water for extraction, have antioxidant properties, have been used for medicinal purposes and neither is considered addictive (although I don't know what half the baristas here would do without there cup of coffee). Coffee and tea are the two most widely consumed beverages in the world.
The processing for each is very different and while both contain caffeine, coffee has more than twice as much than tea. So if you would like more bang for your buck. Coffee is the way to go.

All About Coffee Knowledge; Evelyn Sinclair

Coffee Tip #2: Brewing the Perfect Cuppa Joe

The first step starts out with picking the right type of bean. What coffee fits you? Are you a French roast type of guy or gal? Or more of an organic Mexican chica or chico? Or do you seek a complex blend of varietal coffee beans, combining the best of all flavor profiles?

Next, grinding. If you purchase whole bean coffee, always grind your beans as close to the brew time as possible as it will help the aroma and flavors be at their best. A burr grinder is preferable because all of the coffee is ground to a consistent size. A blade grinder is less preferable because some coffee will be ground more finely than the rest. If you normally grind your coffee at home with a blade grinder, try having it ground at the store with a burr grinder. You may be surprised at the difference! If you cannot grind immediately before you brew, make sure your grind fits your machine. If you have a french press, make sure your beans are ground for a french press -- not a paper filter. This will allow you to get as much flavor out of your coffee as possible. Just tell our barista what type of machine you have and we will be happy to grind it for your machine.

Third, be sure the coffee container you are using is clean! Just because you are putting the same thing in it that you did the day before does not mean you don't need to clean it. You should remove any coffee oils before brewing.

Another key is using fresh water that is not too hard and has enough minerals in it to add to the flavor. Proportion of coffee to water is subjective. It varies, but the National Coffee Association of America suggests a general guideline is 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water.

The last tip to the perfect cuppa joe is coffee should not be kept heated or reheated. Coffee always taste better fresh; after all, it is a food product!

Coffee Tip #1: Arabica vs. Robusta

Which coffee is better and why? We only roast Arabica beans at Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company. These beans are indigenous to the highlands of Ethiopia and have traveled around the world, able to thrive at high altitudes. Arabica starts to produce fruit after five years and remains productive from 15 to 30 years.
Robusta thrives at lower altitudes and in warmer tempertures than Arabica. It begins to produce fruit after only two years and are more disease resistant than Arabica. Robusta also produces more but less flavorful coffee beans. It is often used to create commercial blends that make both instant and decaf coffee. Robusta beans are less expensive and are used when flavor distinctions are not important-instant coffee and commercially sold blends. These were first introduced by the Japanese chemist-Sartori Kato-who developed soluble coffee at the Pan-American Exposition of 1901. Instant coffee later became successful G. Washington Refined Coffee and later by companies such as Maxwell House who began to freeze dry coffee in 1964.

All About Coffee Knowledge; Evelyn Sinclair

Recycle at the Roasting Company!

If you are like our business, you probably have some used ink cartridges lying around, and if you are like almost every other person, you probably have a few old cellphones hanging about the house.
Get a jump start on spring cleaning and clear out your used ink cartridges and cellphones. Next time you are grabbing a cuppa joe or a pound of coffee at our shop, pick up a Recycling Factory envelope. They are free and the proceeds benefit our local Boys & Girls Club.
We also have a container where you can drop off your used batteries.
Recycling and coffee. It has a certain ring to it, doesn't it?

For more information, visit: therecyclingfactory.com

Jamaican Blue

Back by popular demand, we have Jamaican Blue Mountain! We will only be offering it for a limited time, so get it while it is fresh! We will be offering it for $50.50/lb. If you have yet to try the delicious coffee, stop by our JavaMan and purchase it by the cup.
Jamaican Blue Mountain is considered to be one of the most desired coffees in the world and we love to offer it while we can. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Check out their website: bluemountaincoffee.com

We're Keeping It!

Our Cupid's Blend was a hit! Thank you all and 20% of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Helena Resource Center.
We loved the Cupid's Blend so much, we decided to keep it and add it to are list of blends and varieties. So, just because Valentine's Day is over, it does not mean your coffee can't be chocolaty and fruity. It just means you will call it by a different name--Grapevine Blend.
Enjoy!

We Love Our Locals!

Just when you thought living in the Napa Valley couldn't get any better...Ever run out of coffee and need it quick? Did you know we offer a "locals" discount to our friends and neighbors for shipping? Yep! Simply type "local" into the promotional code box while ordering, and you will receive free shipping for all your online purchases.

Awaken the Coffee Lover in You!

In time for Valentine’s Day, we are offering Cupid’s Blend—a sweet chocolaty medley of freshly roasted coffee. Not only is the blend wonderful, but we are donating 20% of the $13.95/pound purchase price to the St. Helena Family Resource Center.
Cupid’s Blend is one of several holiday blends that we will be offering to encourage everyone to shop and give locally. “Our amazing customers, for years, have generously supported both our business and our efforts to benefit local charities,” commented Nancy Haynes, NVCRC’s President.
Our roastmaster, Charlie Sange, and General Manager, Doug Dunlap, personally created Cupid’s Blend, finding the perfect mix of the shop's beans. One sip of Cupid’s Blend’s organic Moka Harar, Sumatra and Mexican coffee beans is sure to awaken the coffee lover in you and your Valentine!

Miner Family Vineyards

This past fall, Miner Family Vineyards created their own unique blend of coffee. If you have not tried it yet, you are in for a real treat!
Miner Family Vineyard's, Dave and Emily Miner, Gary Brookman and Steve Gage along with Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company's Roastmaster, Charlie Sange and General Manager, Doug Dunlap designed the perfect blend of our freshly roasted coffees creating a medium-bodied, earthy blend with citrus and chocolate undertones. How could one resist?
Our company offers coffee cuppings by appointment and if your organization is interested in creating a signature blend, please feel free to contact our Roastmaster, Charlie Sange.

Hello 2009!

Happy New Year! We hope Santa treated you well and your 2009 is off to a good start.
This past holiday season, we were happy to donate to St. Helena's Root's of Peace Penny Campaign as well as to the Napa Valley Opera House. And, with your help, we were able to sell a significant amount of our 2008 Holiday Blend in which 20% of the proceeds were donated to the Salvation Army. Thank you!
Even though the Christmas decorations are down, it doesn't mean you can't come in and enjoy your favorite drink with family and friends. But perhaps this time over ice? Can you believe this warm weather we are having?
Also, come in and read our suggestions about what to do with recycled grinds. Help us in our effort to go green!

A Quick Roast.....

Here's the what happens to the beans during a roast:

Our Production Roasts are usually between 15-17 minutes. Here’s some video of roasting cut down enough to watch but it’s still a few minutes.