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Object Persistence in Java

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:43:46 +0000

Introduction

At the time of development, sometimes it is necessary to store the state of the object in the file system. Some objects may or may not be stored in the file system depending upon the structural intensity of the object graph. In this article, I will focus on two major aspects of the object persistence. Before going to this subject, I would like to tell you about the significance of the object persistence. Object persistence presupposes the state of the object in the file system. In this matter you can make argument regarding object persistence in the database, which hibernate does. But so far this article is concerned I will give glimpse on persistence in the file system for all convenience. The state of object signifies the attributes or properties of the object in the broader sense. The object graph represents the internal morphological structure of the object. So persisting object means, you are going to store all the internal changed structure of the object.

Technicalities

There are several ways you can persist the state of the object. You can take help from Java IO system to store the object in the file system. However there are convenient approaches you can meet your expectations in this regard. One way is the textual representation of the object graph in the file system and another way is the binary representation of the object graph. These ways are very much convenient and easy from the view point of development. You can achieve the textual representation of the object graph using XMLEncoder and you can achieve the binary representation of the object graph using java object serialization process. Let me explain the two approaches below.

Persistence using XMLEncoder

XMLEncoder class is an approach to persist the object graph in an XML document or simply in an XML file. It provides the flexibility of storing the object as a textual approach. In this approach you can see the XML file and you can easily understand the attributes of the object. Similarly to obtain the object graph from the XML file, you can use XMLDecoder. All these classes have been defined in the java.beans package. Let me clarify all the aspects by citing the complete example.

Create a normal java bean or class having the following structure.

Let us see the class called Emp.java which is a normal java bean.

There is another test harness class called TestPersistence.java which exposes the use of XMLEncoder and XMLDecoder.

The following is the Emp.java.

package com.core.persist;

/**

* This is a simple java bean.

* @author Debadatta Mishra(PIKU)

*

*/

public class Emp

{

private String name = null;

private int age = 0;

private String empId = null;

public Emp()

{

super();

}

public String getName() {

return name;

}

public void setName(String name) {

this.name = name;

}

public int getAge() {

return age;

}

public void setAge(int age) {

this.age = age;

}

public String getEmpId() {

return empId;

}

public void setEmpId(String empId) {

this.empId = empId;

}

}

The following is the TestPersistence.java

package com.core.persist;

import java.beans.XMLDecoder;

import java.beans.XMLEncoder;

import java.io.BufferedInputStream;

import java.io.BufferedOutputStream;

import java.io.FileInputStream;

import java.io.FileOutputStream;

/**

* This is a test harness class to display the

* use of XMLEncoder and XMLDecoder.

* @author Debadatta Mishra(PIKU)

*

*/

public class TestPersistence

{

public static void main(String[] args)

{

Emp emp = new Emp();

emp.setName(“John”);

emp.setAge(23);

emp.setEmpId(“A123″);

try

{

/*

* The following codes are used to persist the Emp object graph

*/

XMLEncoder encoder = new XMLEncoder(new BufferedOutputStream(

new FileOutputStream(“C:/emp.xml”)));

encoder.writeObject(emp);

encoder.flush();

encoder.close();

/*

* The following codes are used to obtain the Emp object graph

* from the XML document

*/

XMLDecoder decoder = new XMLDecoder(new BufferedInputStream(

new FileInputStream(“C:/emp.xml”)));

Emp emp1 = ( Emp )decoder.readObject();

decoder.close();

System.out.println(“Emp Name=>”+emp1.getName());

System.out.println(“Emp Age=>”+emp1.getAge());

System.out.println(“Emp Id=>”+emp1.getEmpId());

}

catch( Exception e )

{

e.printStackTrace();

}

}

}

The following is the output of the above example.

If you run the above classes, an XML document called emp.xml will be created in the specified location. The xml document will look like the following.

A123

John

So you have stored the state of the Emp object in the xml document. It is also required to load the Emp object from the xml document. For this purpose you have use XMLDecoder which has been used in the test harness class. If you want to test the above two classes, you can copy the classes and change the package structure and you can run it. In case of loading the object using XMLDecoder, it takes help from java’s reflection system.

Advantages of XMLEncoder and XMLDecoder

• Since it is a textual representation of the object graph, anybody can see the XML file and it helps in the portability to any other system.

• If you want to change the value of a particular property of an object, you can do it directly in the XML document so that while using XMLDecoder, you will get your modified value.

• If the object’s variables are declared transient, still you are able to store the complete object graph along with the transient variable’s value. This case is not possible in case of java object serialization.

• It is also very easy and convenient in case of object inheritance. There is no need to bother about the super class and sub class. Some of the limitations of normal java object serialization can be over come in this approach.

Persistence using Serialization

Serialization is a java’s default mechanism to save the state of the object or simply the object graph in the file system. In this case your object will be persisted in the file system where the file is not human readable. It means that you are going to store the binary representation of the object graph in the file system. This object serialization can be achieved using the writeObject() method of the class ObjectOutputStream. The main thing you have to remember is that the object you are going to persist must implement Serialization interface which is called as marker interface. In next article I will explain you the use and the beauty of the marker interfaces. Similarly deserialization means retrieval of object from the saved state. You can achieve the deserialization using readObject() method of the ObjectInputStream class.

Please refer below the following piece of code to achive serialization.

The following is class called Emp. It implements Serializable interface. There is another class called TestSerialization. This class performs both serilization and deserilization. This is the normal way of serilization concept from java.

package com.core.persist;

import java.io.Serializable;

/**

* This is a simple java bean.

* @author Debadatta Mishra(PIKU)

*

*/

public class Emp implements Serializable

{

private static final long serialVersionUID = -164971138528601769L;

private String name = null;

private int age = 0;

public Emp()

{

super();

}

public String getName() {

return name;

}

public void setName(String name) {

this.name = name;

}

public int getAge() {

return age;

}

public void setAge(int age) {

this.age = age;

}

}

Class TestSerialization.java

package com.core.persist;

import java.io.FileInputStream;

import java.io.FileOutputStream;

import java.io.ObjectInputStream;

import java.io.ObjectOutputStream;

public class TestSerialization

{

public static void main(String[] args)

{

Emp emp = new Emp();

emp.setAge(23);

emp.setName(“John”);

try

{

/*

* Code to serialize or persist the object

*/

ObjectOutputStream ous = new ObjectOutputStream( new FileOutputStream(“D:/test.ser”));

ous.writeObject(emp);

ous.close();

/*

* Code to deserialize the object

*/

ObjectInputStream oin = new ObjectInputStream( new FileInputStream(“D:/test.ser”));

Emp emp1 = ( Emp )oin.readObject();

System.out.println(“Emp age—-”+emp1.getAge());

System.out.println(“Emp Name—-”+emp1.getName());

}

catch( Exception e )

{

e.printStackTrace();

}

}

}

You can run the above code in your editor to test the functionalities relating to serialization.

Now I put forward some cases for seriliazation.

Case-1:

If your object does not implement Serializable interface,

In order to serialize an object, it is a must that the class must implement seriliazable interface. This is the required principle of serilization. Oterwise it will throw NotSerializationException.

There is another way, if your class does not implement Serilizable interface, you have to declare the object as transient. So that that object state will not be persisted.

Case-2:

In case of inheritance, your super class does not implement Serializable interface and sub class also does not.

In this case serilization will not happen . If you are interested to store the all the properties of the object you can go for XMLEncoder and XMLDecoder as I have alredy explained you.

Case-3:

In case of inheritance, your class implements Serializable interface and sub class does not.

In this case, you should not worry about it, seriliazation happens.

Case-4:

In case of inheritance, your super class does not implement Serializable interface but your sub class does.

Seriliazation will happen but with a lemon falvour. Here no exception will be thrown but your super class data members or object properties of your super class will be not be persisted. When you deserialize object, you will get the default values of your super class object.

Case-5:

This is the best case. You super class and sub class implement serializable interface.

Everything is fine here, serilization happens.

Case-6:

If your object uses transient modifiers inside the objects,

You have to remember that transient objects or variables will not be persisted in case of serialization.

Case-7:

If your object uses volatile modifiers inside the object,

There is nothing to worry about, serialization will happen normally and data will be persisted.

Case-8:

If your object uses static modifiers inside the object,

You have to remember that,since static is not a part of object, so static variables or static object reference will not be persisted in case of seriaization.

Case-9:

It is a very special case I am going to focus on. You may encounter the following situations at the time of serialization.

• You are not sure whether your super class does implement serializable interface.

• You do not have access to the source code of your super class.

• Your super class may be a final class.

• Your super class may contain noe-serializable object reference.

In this case, if you feel frustration and disappointment, you can go for XMLEncoder and XMLDecoder as I have already explained.

If you want to persist the object using java’s serialization concept and mechanism, you have to do it little bit intelligently and manually.

Please refer to the following piece of code.

The following class name is Emp.java

package com.core.persist;

import java.io.ObjectInputStream;

import java.io.ObjectOutputStream;

import java.io.Serializable;

/**

* This is a simple java bean.

* @author Debadatta Mishra(PIKU)

*

*/

public class Emp implements Serializable

{

private static final long serialVersionUID = -164971138528601769L;

private String name = null;

private int age = 0;

private String empId = null;

private transient Project proj = null;

public Emp()

{

super();

proj = new Project();

}

public String getName() {

return name;

}

public void setName(String name) {

this.name = name;

}

public int getAge() {

return age;

}

public void setAge(int age) {

this.age = age;

}

public String getEmpId() {

return empId;

}

public void setEmpId(String empId) {

this.empId = empId;

}

public Project getProj() {

return proj;

}

public void setProj(Project proj) {

this.proj = proj;

}

/**You are proividing a default callback method

* for manual seriallization process.

* @param os of type {@link ObjectOutputStream}

* @throws Exception of type {@link Exception}

*/

private void writeObject( ObjectOutputStream os ) throws Exception

{

try

{

os.defaultWriteObject();

os.writeInt( proj.getProjectId());

os.writeObject( proj.getPojectName() );

}

catch( Exception e )

{

e.printStackTrace();

}

}

/**You are providing default desrialization with

* some manual twik.

* @param oin of type {@link ObjectInputStream}

* @throws Exception of type {@link Exception}

*/

private void readObject( ObjectInputStream oin ) throws Exception

{

try

{

oin.defaultReadObject();

proj = new Project();

proj.setProjectId(oin.readInt());

proj.setPojectName( (String) oin.readObject() );

}

catch( Exception e )

{

e.printStackTrace();

}

}

}

The following class name is Project.java

package com.core.persist;

/**

* @author Debadatta Mishra(PIKU)

*

*/

public class Project

{

private int projectId = 0;

private String pojectName = null;

public Project()

{

super();

}

public String getPojectName() {

return pojectName;

}

public void setPojectName(String pojectName) {

this.pojectName = pojectName;

}

public int getProjectId() {

return projectId;

}

public void setProjectId(int projectId) {

this.projectId = projectId;

}

}

The following class name is TestSerialization.java which is test harness class.

package com.core.persist;

import java.io.FileInputStream;

import java.io.FileOutputStream;

import java.io.ObjectInputStream;

import java.io.ObjectOutputStream;

/**

* @author Debadatta Mishra(PIKU)

*

*/

public class TestSerialization

{

public static void main(String[] args)

{

Emp emp = new Emp();

emp.setAge(23);

emp.setEmpId(“A1″);

emp.setName(“John”);

Project proj = new Project();

proj.setProjectId(5555);

proj.setPojectName(“XYZ”);

emp.setProj(proj);

try

{

ObjectOutputStream ous = new ObjectOutputStream(

new FileOutputStream(“D:/test.ser”));

ous.writeObject(emp);

ous.close();

ObjectInputStream oin = new ObjectInputStream(new FileInputStream(

“D:/test.ser”));

Emp emp1 = ( Emp )oin.readObject();

System.out.println(“Emp age—-”+emp1.getAge());

Project proj1 = emp1.getProj();

System.out.println(“Proj Id—–”+proj1.getProjectId());

System.out.println(“Proj Name—-”+proj1.getPojectName());

}

catch( Exception e )

{

e.printStackTrace();

}

}

}

Please see the two methods writeObject() and readObject() inside the class Emp. These two methods are significant in the sense that you are going to achieve serialization with your default object as well as manual serialization with the non serializable object with some data. When you call the methods writeObject() and readObject() for a particular object these methods will be invoked automatically and will persist some default data. In these particular methods you are persisting data manually and thereby making the whole object serializable.

Conclusion

I hope that you will enjoy my article. If you find any problems or errors, please feel free to send me a mail in the address debadattamishra@aol.com . This article is only meant for those who are new to java development. This article does not bear any commercial significance. Please provide me the feedback about this article.

The Scoop on Espresso Beans

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:28:20 +0000

People tend to mistakenly think that espresso refers to the bean that the coffee is brewed from. Espresso can be brewed from any coffee beans. There are roasting companies who claim that their beans are the best for espresso but it still boils down to a marketing tool. You can make espresso from any bean of any roast.

Although there isn’t any one specific bean that is necessary for making espresso, there are espresso enthusiasts who favor one roasting method over another and one that combines the two.

One school of thought concerning the bean roast for espresso prefers the darker roasts. Darker styles tend to be sweeter and tend to leave a less acidic taste in the espresso. Beans that are dark roasted have more body, chocolate, bitters and other caramel like flavors that are a result of the high temperatures. Espressos made from dark roasted beans create the flavors that most people associate with an espresso shot.

On the other side of the coin there are those professional espresso brewers who favor the lighter roasted beans. This train of thought believes that the lighter roasting process maximizes the inherent characteristics of the bean itself.

This roasting process results in espressos that have a vast array of flavor traits, such as citrus, pectin, floral and more. The lighter roasting preserves these characteristics while higher roasting temperatures that create dark roasts burn them off.

Of course, there are those who prefer to combine the two roasts to come up with what they consider to be the best of both schools.

Geographic Regions

The coffee beans used to brew espresso is dependent on the geographic region where you happen to be getting the espresso. In the States, darker or French roast beans tend to be used on the West Coast. On the East Coast you would find espresso made with lighter roasted beans.

If you were to travel to the birthplace of espresso, Italy, you would find a similar situation. The roast of the bean used would be dependent on what region you are in. Southern Italians prefer the darker roasts while traveling north brings you to areas that prefer to use a lighter roast.

Pre-Ground or Whole

Once you have decided on light or dark roast beans you have half the battle won. Next, you have to decide if you are going to use pre-ground or whole beans. And, if you use pre-ground, you also have the option of using pre-filled coffee pods.

If you choose to go with coffee beans you will have to be prepared to grind the beans. It’s a little more work, but many people think the flavor is more intense. You also have more control over the grind.

However, if you are like the majority of people you will be buying pre-ground coffee. You can buy pre-ground loose coffee and use the tamper to make your espresso or you can purchase coffee pods. Pre-packaged pods are coffee that has been finely ground and packaged in little pods for your espresso maker. If you choose to use the pods, make sure they will fit your machine.

Another option is to purchase and grind the coffee beans at your local market. This allows you to know that they were freshly ground and not months old and you can select the grind that you want.

Espresso is a term for a type of coffee drink, not a specific coffee bean. The flavor of the espresso is dependent on the coffee bean chosen and the roast that was used for the coffee bean. Experiment with different ones to see which one you prefer.

Coffee: Quality is Important

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:28:19 +0000

A quality cup of coffee can depend on many factors, such as:

The time since the coffee beans were ground;
The time since the beans were roasted;
How clean the brewing equipment is;
The quality of the coffee bean being used;
The quality of the water being used.

Some Interesting Facts About Coffee

The quality of the coffee bean is the most important of these factors, if you are going to buy “good” coffee. The very best bean will taste bad if any one of the other listed characteristics are out of place. Not all coffee beans are equal, but the other points listed above will even the field.

A lesser coffee that has been freshly roasted and ground is many times better than coffee that has been roasted and ground then left to get stale – no matter how good it was when it was fresh.

A can of coffee found in the supermarket often contains large amounts of robusta, low quality Arabica beans and past crop (old) beans. To make matters worse, there is no way for the major coffee companies that roast and ship all over the country to get you truly fresh coffee.

Once you have coffee that has been freshly roasted and ground, good water and brewing equipment free of oil residues from the last brew and the quality of the coffee beans makes a huge difference.

How To Tell Coffee Quality

Please note that a coffee can bought in the supermarket often contains a blend of Arabica and robusta beans, while most coffee houses sell only Arabica beans. Arabica beans are normally rich in flavor – while robusta beans have more caffeine, less flavor and are cheaper to make.

There is an exception to every rule, and the exception here is that some very good espresso coffees will have small amounts of the highest quality robusta beans available on the market. This should not, however, be taken as a guarantee that a coffee house will have any better coffee than the diner down the street.

If any of the previously discussed items, such as cleanliness or freshness, are not in order then even the very best coffee can be made to taste bad.

When you buy coffee, whether it be in a coffee house or in a supermarket, you want to get 100% Arabica – except for espresso blends, which may be a combination of both. Whether good quality robusta can improve the flavor of espresso is up for debate.

For absolute freshness when buying in a coffee house, it is better to buy popular blends that move fast – while buying in a supermarket, vacuum packaged containers with an expiration date are your best bet although all canned coffee will be stale to some extent.

It should be noted that in order to be able to vacuum pack coffee, industrial coffee producers actually let the coffee sit for a while before it is packed. As soon as coffee is roasted it starts to release CO2, in a process called outgassing. This can actually help to protect the bean from going stale. Unfortunately for the people vacuum packing coffee or putting coffee in tins, this also will inflate the bags. This outgassing is the reason that you may very well see one-way valves on coffee bags. These valves allow the CO2 to escape, while keeping oxygen from entering the bag.

Chances are fairly high that you will not get truly fresh coffee in a supermarket. This is an absolute fact if it is pre-ground. In a coffee house, look for a shop that roasts in-house and ask what was roasted that day. If the person behind the counter does not know, ask to talk to someone who does know. If no one knows, simply go somewhere else.

Additionally, it should be noted that coffee is at its very best after a few hours rest. This is one of those places where an expert in the field of coffee can advise you. As a general rule of thumb, most coffees are improved with a rest time of about 12 to 24 hours. Some coffees, particularly those that are musty or earth coffees, actually mellow for the first two to three days – making a much longer rest better.

A final point to remember is that for best results, grind your own coffee. Buying fresh and then having it ground completely defeats the purpose. Ground coffee only lasts a few hours or one day at the very most.

Five Best Value Semi-Automatic Or Fully Automatic Drip Coffee Brewers

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:28:39 +0000

Together with the assortment of coffeemakers in the market place, finding the perfect style or company for your requirements is usually quite a test. Nonetheless, being familiar with which capabilities you will quickly realize the most useful and what number of mugs you often produce will keep you from misunderstandings. Brew-by way of carafe is the most recent trends in the automatic drip coffee maker machines. If that you’re often busy and desires fresh-tasting coffee wherever, that alternative is an inexpensive alternative. It can maintain quality and heat up for lengthier time. Water filtration method is also an alluring new element. If you are specific with bacteria, impurities, and excessive contents of chlorine that may compromise your coffee consumption, there are makes that carry this new health-conscious feature. The following are the main 5 best automatic drip coffee machines:

1. Keurig Elite B40 Home Coffee machine – If you enjoy “K-cups, the Elite B40 is a fabulous one-cup coffee maker that whips up coffee in 45 seconds. It has 2 cup measurement selection: small mug which usually is 7.25 ounces and large mug that is 9.25 ounces. Coffee buffs prefer “K-cup” brewers due to the fact it is easy to fully clean. Keurig Elite B40 offers a removable forty eight-ounce clear water tank and a drip tray that is quick to take out and drain if not put to use.

2. The Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Deluxe Thermal Coffee Maker 45238 – If you want a extremely versatile electric powered drip coffee maker that brews 3 ways, this particular one is a great partner. This device features a stylish and luxurious profile that will brew direct in to a ten-cup carafe, into 1 thermal mug for a one person, or two thermal cups for two persons. It has a twenty-four-hr programmable timer plus a brilliant electronic display. Standard water filling up is easy making use of the thermal carafe but accurate amounts of mugs are difficult to ascertain via the inside markings. If you have a hectic schedule, each and every mug can carry 3 cups of coffee and can certainly fit in many regular auto beverage cup holder.

3. Black and Decker Programmable Coffee Maker – The magnificently fabricated twelve-cup programmable coffee brewer have all the features ideal for the family. 1 exclusive characteristic of this coffee brewer is the coffee freshness indicator which lets you know when the coffee inside is recently brewed or have been sitting on the burner a while. The making of twelve cups of coffee usually takes 14 minutes. If you need to change the warming plate, this appliance has a heat selector that could be increased or decreased based to your preference.

4. Phillips Senseo Supreme – This particular appliance stretches the features of premium coffee makers with its option to modify the cup volume, extra-large easily-removed h2o reservoir, and flexible-height dispensing spout. Senseo has three interchangeable pod filtration for one cup or 2 cups coffee. Then again, you will need to buy coffee pods with Phillips local store or online.

5. Cuisinart Two to Go Coffeemaker TTG-500 – Fast brew coffee for 2 is the standard purpose of this coffee machine. It has no handle but people who have tried using this device say that the rubberized grip turned out comfortable to carry. Bringing the coffee inside of the car is furthermore handy due to the fact it has a rubberized base to ensure that it stays from shifting in your vehicle’s cup holder. This machine brews two hot coffees in eight minutes although you might get disappointed if you are used to coffee makers with automated clock/timer.

Hot Cup Of Coffee In The Morning

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:28:58 +0000

There is nothing great than sipping a hot cup of coffee in the chilly mornings. It simply feels great having the espresso. Yes, we are talking espresso, which is one of the most famous and preferred coffee types across the globe. Well, since we started talking about espresso, why not take a brief sneak peek into its history and what exactly it is. What do you say?

Basically espresso is a flavorful and strong coffee beverage prepared when hot water is forced under a high pressure and made to pass through finely ground coffee beans. The color of the coffee is typically dark brown with brown/red colored foam on the top. Espresso is commonly served in small portions.

Unlike other drip-brewed coffees, espresso is identified with its robust flavor and thick consistency. Following its potency, straight espresso or espresso served without milk or sweetener is generally considered to be an acquired taste. In the United States, this espresso is served in small amounts known as shots. Many avid coffee fanatics even order single or double espressos along with a glass of water to void the taste.

Espresso was basically originated in Italy in the 20th century. Indeed Espresso is an Italian word that means fast. A gentleman named Luigi Bezzera made a coffee machine that had four divisions and a boiler in 1901. He even got the machine patented. This machine used to force boiling water and steam via coffee into the container or cup. This very machine is regarded as the inception of espresso.

In 1903, Desiderio Pavoni purchased the patent from Luigi Bezzera and the Pavoni Compnay started developing coffee machines in 1905 which were based on Luigi’s patent. The machines produced by the company came to be known as the “La Pavona” and became famous immensely. These machines even reached the America in 1927.

The flaws in these early machines soon came forward. The boiling water and the steam that was forced via machine gave coffee a certain kind of burn flavor. So, Cremonesi in 1938 built a piston pump that forced hot water rather than boiling water through the coffee. Moreover, this design was also incorporated in Achille Gaggia’s coffee bar. During the World War II the Gaggia’s small quantity of machines were destroyed by a bomb and any further developments of espresso machines got hindered.

As the war came to the end, Gaggia began manufacturing a viable piston pump. As the machine used the spring lever, it was considered very innovative. Following the use of the spring lever, the coffee could be pressurized which was entirely independent of the boiler. These earlier machines used to employ the force of the boiler pressure to force water through the coffee. The coffee that was produced from this machine characterized a Creama which became the hallmark of espresso coffee. In true terms, this was a major inception of espresso machines.

Further in 1961, M Faema made an improvement in the Gaggia’s machine. Faema developed machine that consisted of an electric pump. This pump used to force water through the coffee. This machine underlined the inception of pump driven machines which paved way for the modern espresso machines.

Finding the “best of the Best” in Coffee

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:28:20 +0000

Tips for Finding Perfect Premium Coffee…

There is coffee and THERE IS COFFEE! You likely know about the generic quality coffees you find at the supermarket, using the inferior Robusta beans. And, in contrast, there is the alternative: the coffee regularly termed Gourmet Coffee you buy direct from roasters around the country. Popular large volume roasters, like Starbucks as well as most of the the smaller roasters dispersed about town, essentially utilize this far better grade, high altitude, shade grown Arabica bean.

That being said, and broadly known by all nowadays, how can you siphon out the crème de la crème of gourmet coffee beans to purchase?

To begin with, let’s hone in specifically on taste. Nowadays, coffee has become a “drink of experts”…

evolved into an art of reflection! We’ve begun to savor our coffee…flavor identify and define the subtle hints and nuances, as well as the qualities that identify the bean’s continent of origin. You as a coffee drinker, can begin to explore and experience the undertones of your coffee’s region, but better yet, begin to revel in the independently specific flavors of the bean defined by the specific hill and farm where it’s grown.

Coffee Cupping: Defining Coffee by its “Underlying Flavors”

There are, nowadays, a limited number of coffee roasters that independently test their coffee beans for taste observations and aromas. These beans are graded and assessed just like fine wine. This activity is called Coffee Cupping or Coffee Tasting. Professionals known as Master Tasters are the assessors. The procedure involves deeply sniffing a cup of brewed coffee, then loudly slurping the coffee so it draws in air, spreads to the back of the tongue, and maximizes flavor.

These Master Tasters, much akin to wine tasters, then attempt to measure in detail, every aspect of the coffee’s taste. This assessment includes measurement of the body (the texture or mouth-feel, such as oiliness), acidity (a sharp and tangy feeling, like when biting into an orange), and balance (the innuendo and the harmony of flavors working together). Since coffee beans embody telltale flavors from their region or continent of their origin, cuppers may also attempt to predict where the coffee was grown.

There is an infinite range of vocabulary that is used to describe the tastes found in coffee. Descriptors range from the familiar (chocolaty, sweet, fruity, woody) to the conceptual (clean, vibrant, sturdy) to the wildly esoteric (summery, racy, gentlemanly).

Following are a few key characteristics as defined by Coffee Geek. (http://coffeegeek.com/guides/beginnercupping/tastenotes)

Key Characteristics

Acidity:

The brightness or sharpness of coffee: It is through the acidity that many of the most intriguing fruit and floral flavors are delivered, and is usually the most scrutinized characteristic of the coffee. Acidity can be intense or mild, round or edgy, elegant or wild, and everything in between. Usually the acidity is best evaluated once the coffee has cooled slightly to a warm/lukewarm temperature. Tasting a coffee from Sumatra next to one from Kenya is a good way to begin to understand acidity.

Body:

This is sometimes referred to as “mouthfeel”. The body is the sense of weight or heaviness that the coffee exerts in the mouth, and can be very difficult for beginning cuppers to identify. It is useful to think about the viscosity or thickness of the coffee, and concentrate on degree to which the coffee has a physical presence. Cupping a Sulawesi versus a Mexican coffee can illustrate the range of body quite clearly.

Sweetness:

One of the most important elements in coffee, sweetness often separates the great from the good. Even the most intensely acidic coffees are lush and refreshing when there is enough sweetness to provide balance and ease the finish. Think of lemonade…starting with just water and lemon juice, one can add sugar until the level of sweetness achieves harmony with the tart citric flavor. It is the same with coffee, the sweetness is critical to allowing the other tastes to flourish and be appreciated.

Finish:

While first impressions are powerful, it is often the last impression that has the most impact. With coffee the finish (or aftertaste) is of great importance to the overall quality of the tasting experience, as it will linger long after the coffee has been swallowed. Like a great story, a great cup of coffee needs a purposeful resolution. The ideal finish to me is one that is clean (free of distraction), sweet, and refreshing with enough endurance to carry the flavor for 10-15 seconds after swallowing. A champion finish will affirm with great clarity the principal flavor of the coffee, holding it aloft with grace and confidence like a singer carries the final note of a song and then trailing off into a serene silence.

Coffee Buying Caveat

Buying coffee simply by name instead of by taste from your favorite roaster (in other words buying the same Columbian Supreme from the same ”Joe’s Cuppa Joe Roaster”) definitely has its pitfall! According to Coffee Review, “Next year’s Clever-Name-Coffee Company’s house blend may be radically different from this year’s blend, despite bearing the same name and label. The particularly skillful coffee buyer or roaster who helped create the coffee you and I liked so much may have gotten hired elsewhere. Rain may have spoiled the crop of a key coffee in the blend. The exporter or importer of that key coffee may have gone out of business or gotten careless. And even if everyone (plus the weather) did exactly the same thing they (and it) did the year before, the retailer this time around may have spoiled everything by letting the coffee go stale before you got to it. Or you may have messed things up this year by keeping the coffee around too long, brewing it carelessly, or allowing a friend to pour hazelnut syrup into it.”

Your savvy coffee-buying alternative is to look for roasters who buy their beans in Micro-Lots- smaller (sometimes tiny) lots of subtly distinctive specialty coffees. According to Coffee Review, “These coffee buyers buy small quantities of coffee from a single crop and single place, often a single hillside, and are sold not on the basis of consistency or brand, but as an opportunity to experience the flavor associated with a unique moment in time and space and the dedication of a single farmer or group of farmers.”

Coffee Review: Coffee Ratings

And finally, look out for the very small community coffee roasters that will submit their coffees to be 3rd-party evaluated by Coffee Review and other competitions for independent analysis and rating. Coffee Review regularly conducts blind, expert cuppings of coffees and then reports the findings in the form of 100-point reviews to coffee buyers. These valuable Overall Ratings can provide you with a summary assessment of the reviewed coffees. They are based on a scale of 50 to 100.

http://www.coffeereview.com/about_us.cfm

Bottom line for a certain premium purchase: To find the coffee that will ascertain most flavor satisfaction, seek out beans that been independently reviewed and rated. This approach will, without a doubt offer you the advantage of being able to choose the flavor profile suits you best in a bean. What’s more, it gains you certainty in quality due to its superior rating. The higher the rating, the better the flavor. True premium coffees start from the upper 80’s. By finding a roaster that consistently rates within the 90’s will ultimately buy you the best java for your buck!

5 Best Automatic Drip Coffee Makers

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:28:39 +0000

If you’re always on the go and wants fresh-tasting coffee anywhere, this choice is an inexpensive alternative. It can retain flavor and heat for longer hours. Water filtration system is also an attractive new feature. If you are particular with bacteria, contaminants, and high contents of chlorine that may compromise your coffee drinking, there are brands that carry this new health-conscious feature. Here are the top 5 best automatic drip coffee makers:

1. Keurig Elite B40 Home Brewer – If you love “K-cups, the Elite B40 is a gourmet single-cup coffee maker that whips up coffee in 45 seconds. It has two cup size option: small mug which is 7.25 ounces and large mug which is 9.25 ounces. Coffee lovers prefer to “K-cup” brewers because it is easy to clean. Keurig Elite B40 has a removable 48-ounce clear water reservoir and a drip tray that is easy to remove and drain if not used.

2. The Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Deluxe Thermal Coffee Maker 45238 – If you want a versatile electric drip coffee maker that brews three ways, this one is a perfect companion. This machine features a stylish and sleek profile that can brew directly into a 10-cup carafe, into one thermal mug for a single person, or two thermal mugs for two persons. It has a 24-hour programmable timer and a bright digital display. Water filling is easy using the thermal carafe but correct numbers of cups are hard to determine through the internal markings. If you have a hectic schedule, each mug can hold three cups of coffee and can easily fit most standard car coffee cup holder.

3. Black and Decker Programmable Coffee Maker – This beautifully styled 12-cup programmable coffee maker have all the bells and whistles perfect for the family. One unique feature of this coffee maker is the coffee freshness indicator which tells you if the coffee inside is freshly brewed or has been sitting on the burner a while. The brewing of 12 cups of coffee takes 14 minutes. If you want to adjust the warming plate, this machine has a temperature selector that can be increased or decreased according to your preference.

4. Phillips Senseo Supreme – This machine challenges the features of gourmet coffee makers with its ability to adjust the cup size, extra-large removable water reservoir, and adjustable-height dispensing spout. Senseo has three interchangeable pod filters for one cup or two cups coffee. However, you need to purchase coffee pods with Phillips local store or online.

5. Cuisinart Two to Go Coffeemaker TTG-500 – Quick brew coffee for two is the basic function of this coffee maker. It has no handle but people who have tried this machine say that the rubberized grip proved comfortable to hold. Bringing the coffee inside the car is also convenient because it has a rubberized base to keep it from moving in your car’s cup holder. This machine brews two hot coffees in 8 minutes but you might get disappointed if you are used to coffee makers with automatic clock/timer.

Need Coffee To Feel Fresh? Oops! You Are Addicted

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:28:15 +0000

The moment you hear the word “coffee” you can smell the aroma of freshly grounded coffee beans and feel the taste of the first sip in your mouth. If your day starts and ends with a cup of coffee then you need watch your steps .Your health might be giving you warning signals .Coffee is a drug which is easily available everywhere and is low on our pockets. It is legally suitable for all ages so there is no control on quantitative distribution of coffee. Many of us especially workaholics are addicted to 4 to 5 cups of coffee a day.
Coffee gives you boost in energy level thus making you feel fresh and more energetic. It kills the fatigue factor in your body. You may end up working for more hours than you usually would on days without having coffee. A cup of coffee makes you more alert and more awake. This is the reason coffee is a student’s best friend in examination days. All these reasons cause a person to depend on coffee hence making him addicted. This addiction leads to health hazards as coffee is harmful.http://youlookfit.com/

Harmful Effects of Coffee
1.Osteoporosis: Excess of coffee intake causes increase in urination thus eliminating calcium from our body. This weakens our bones leading to osteoporosis.

2.Dehydration

3.Cholesterol: Coffee can raise the level of cholesterol as it contains cholesterol raising compounds- cafestol and kahweol

.4.Acidity: It can cause excessive acidity and heartburn.

5.Heart disease: It increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases as it induces high blood pressure and high cholesterol level.

6.Disturbed Sleep: People who take coffee before going to bed have a bad sleep. They wake up suddenly in middle of night and are unable to sleep with a relaxed mind. This might lead to other diseases as a good night sleep is very essential for a healthy body.

7.It affects fertility in women.

How to get rid of coffee Addiction

1.Drink lots of water

2.Minimize the number of cups of coffee in a day.

3.Switch to herbal tea so that you do not miss on good flavor or aroma.

4.Do not eat heavy lunch as it makes you feel sleepy and force you go for a cup of coffee again. Have a light meal and take lots of water after lunch at regular intervals. This will keep you awake and full.

5.Go for milky and chocolate flavors. This give you a taste of coffee and at the same time cut the caffeine content.http://youlookfit.com/

Keurig B60 Coffee Brewer – Does it Compare to Its Competition?

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:28:59 +0000

Are you thinking about purchasing the Keurig B60 Coffee Brewer? Lots of places are now selling these pod style coffee makers because they have certain advantages over the older drip machines. If you enjoy a big variety of flavors and enjoy taking your coffee with you on the go, they would be ideal for you.

Do you prepare a fresh batch of coffee each day, only to end up pouring a ot of it down the kitchen sink? If so, a coffee maker that brews single cups or perhaps a pod machine would be a good investment.

Its not always so easy with the huge number of brands on the market, which one do you choose? The good news is I have written this article to help you with that question.

Pick A Brand With Credibility

When choosing a coffee brewer you should always ask yourself, has this brand got a proven track record? If you are going to be using it every day, it makes sense to choose one from a reputable company.

This will save you headaches in the long run. Its easy too see why Keurig is so popular, their products are well made, stylish and are easy to use. It is not difficult to maintain a Keurig b60 Coffee Brewer, and it will still be making you delicious coffee years from now.

The Keurig B60 Coffee Brewer

The best coffee brewer that Keurig make is possibly the B60 model. The good thing about it is, it is not the most expensive so you get great value for your money. It has a wide variety of features and you’ll be glad to hear that they are all useful ones.

It is easy to make a k-cup at a time with this model and there is no cleanup required. This makes a nice change from some of the older models where the cleanup can be very tedious and time consuming.

Positive Feedback From Customers

If you do an internet search for the Keurig b60 Coffee Brewer you will see for yourself how highly rated this product is. It seems to be very popular among coffee drinkers around the world.

This shows you that the company stand behind their products and offer great value to their customers. This is a coffee brewer which is used by thousands of people every morning to make delicious coffee. This is down to the ease of use, wide variety of useful features and robust construction of this product.

Green Mountain Coffee K Cups Review and How To Save

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:28:30 +0000

Green Mountain Coffee K Cups

By far, one of the most popular brands of k cups is made by the Green Mountain coffee company. This company offers high quality k cup coffees by overseeing every one of the steps involved in coffee making. They take great pride and care in providing quality and great tasting coffee both by the cup and the bag.

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Green Mountain grows their coffee beans on high mountains where they can experience tropical rains. The two main bean growing regions are Mexico and Tanzania where the taste and flavors of the beans can be attributed to which region and farm they were grown in. Green Mountain maintains a friendly relationship with their farmers so they can work together to provide perfect tasting cups of coffee each and every time.

Green Mountain Coffee K Cups Best Price

The next step in the Green Mountain coffee creation adventure is the roasting process that is overseen by roast masters to ensure each batch of beans is roasted to perfection according to which coffee is intended to be created. Green Mountain implements special tests to ensure that every single bean is roasted to perfect; however, the tests are hardly ever needed because the roast masters are so experienced. They can usually determine whether the beans are perfectly roasted or not simply by sight.

Green Mountain offers a large variety of coffee flavors that can be categorized by roast type. Light roasts, medium roasts as well as dark roasts are all options that are provided to consumers. In addition to K cups, they also offer whole bean and ground coffees as well as teas and hot cocoa. Because of their large assortment of coffee flavors and the great care they place into each batch of coffee beans, there is sure to be a perfect flavor of Green Mountain for every single coffee enthusiast