INeedCoffee INeedCoffee
 
 

Michael Allen Smith

Michael Allen Smith is the founder, publisher and programmer of INeedCoffee. Michael resides in Seattle, WA. Michael's personal blog is at CriticalMAS.com.

I respond to emails from readers. Sadly, my email filtering software has been flagging many emails from Hotmail as SPAM. If you didn't get a response to a message, resend. Make sure you have a unique subject line. I do not respond to emails from companies that appear sleazy.

ArticleSectionTopic
Latte Art Etching Photo Gallery  Brewing Coffee  Etching  
The following photographs of Latte Art Etching were done over the course of three visits to Dubsea Coffee in White Center, Washington, which is just south of Seattle.
The Quantified Coffee Drinker  Coffee and Health  Data  
In the past few years a movement called The Quantified Self has emerged. With spreadsheets and gadgets it is now possible to track data about our lives and then adjust behavior.
Eva Solo Coffee Brewing Tutorial  Brewing Coffee  Eva Solo  
When I tell people that my favorite coffee brewing method - other than espresso - is the Eva Solo, they usually don't know what I am talking about. The Eva Solo is also known as a Cafe Solo. What is the Eva Solo?
Stovetop Espresso Brewing Tutorial  Espresso  Stovetop Espresso  
This is a quick tutorial on the stovetop espresso maker. It is also known as a Moka Pot and is sold under the name Bialetti.
Espresso as a Lottery Ticket  Espresso  Observations  
My coffee drink of choice for the past five years has been the espresso. Straight shots. No milk and no sugar. In my opinion, espresso represents the best potential for coffee.
Coffee Gear That Won't Break the Bank  Brewing Coffee  Coffee Gear  
Making great coffee at home is something that should be easy and inexpensive. With the right equipment it is.
Latte Art Gallery  Brewing Coffee  Latte Art  
Here is a mini-collection of some latte art photos that I have taken in the past 3 years.
Portland Espresso Vacation  Coffee Travel  Portland, OR  
Throughout my Portland espresso vacation, I would hear the term single origin over and over. Basically it means that coffee comes from a single geographic origin. This is a growing trend in coffee, especially in espresso.
Cleaning the I-Roast 2 Coffee Roaster  Roasting Coffee  I Roast  
Before we go through the cleaning methods, let us break down the I-Roast 2 into its components.
Table Top Press Pot Review  Brewing Coffee  Review  
Earlier this year, I posted an article titled Buying a French Press - Picking the Right One. I isolated the only three variables that I felt were necessary to make a purchase decision.
Starbucks Coffee College  Coffee Business  Starbucks  
When I accepted the offer to attend Starbucks Coffee College, I decided I would not let my past Starbucks experiences cloud my judgment. It was time to listen and learn. I was going back to college.
Coffee is Loaded With Antioxidants  Coffee and Health  Antioxidants  
I always knew coffee had some antioxidants, but was unaware than it had more than tea. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals.
Responding to the Enemies of Coffee  Cafe Culture  Wisdom  
I know several people that don't like coffee. I'm OK with that. But every so often I'll meet someone that after learning about my love for coffee wants to rant to me about how awful the beverage is and that they would never drink it.
Sleepy Starbucks and Caffeinated Sins in Phuket, Thailand  Coffee Travel  Phuket, Thailand  
Just because I am on vacation doesn't mean that I don't still wake up early and seek out coffee.
Buying Your First Home Coffee Roaster  Roasting Coffee  Buying A Roaster  
I started home roasting coffee in June 1998. Since then I've used a number of different roasters and methods. I'll be the first to confess that I haven't kept up on all the different machines available to home coffee roasters.
Extending the Life of Your Bodum Cordless Electric Kettle  Brewing Coffee  Bodum Kettle  
Although there were various criticisms, the bulk of the complaints were related to the defective switch. I've owned one for years and I knew exactly what they were talking about.
Fearing Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee and My Solution  Brewing Coffee  Instant Coffee  
I have always suspected it was possible to make a decent instant coffee. However, I feared Starbucks would fumble the project.
Coffee and Tea Tasting Notes For Beginners  Tea  Tasting Notes  
How do you take notes describing flavors that are difficult at first to detect or that you don't even have the vocabulary to describe?
My Worst Cup of Coffee Was My First Cup of Coffee  Cafe Culture  Essay  
I was 17 years old and I never tasted coffee. I had no interest in the beverage. What I was interested in was finding a way to pay for college, so I joined the Army National Guard.
Common Grounds Coffee in Siem Reap, Cambodia  Coffee Travel  Siem Reap, Cambodia  
Outside of the Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leafs and McCafes, most of the places that served espresso during my month trip through Southeast Asia were little more than kiosks. Few stood as fancy.
Buying a French Press - Picking the Right One  Brewing Coffee  French Press  
Every so often someone will ask me to help them pick a French Press. Of all the coffee equipment decisions to make, selecting a french press (aka press pot) is the easiest.
Red Espresso is Espresso Style Rooibos  Tea  Rooibos  
Red Espresso is a finely ground version of pure rooibos, which makes it possible to pull espresso shots. As a fan of rooibos and an espresso fanatic, I was excited to try this product.
Ninety-Four Coffee - Bangkok, Thailand  Coffee Travel  Bangkok, Thailand  
No matter where I travel in this world, I always seem to attract 1970s American pop music. Thailand was no different and 94 Coffee delivered.
The Coffee Song  Coffee People  Frank Sinatra  
I thought I was a Frank Sinatra fan, but somehow this tune escaped me. Back in 1946, Frank Sinatra sang The Coffee Song.
The Longest Coffee Roast Ever?  Roasting Coffee  Stir Crazy  
I've been home roasting since 1998 and I've never heard of anything close to a 60 minute roast. My experience tells me that if you can't get to 2nd crack by 20 minutes (at the very latest), the coffee will be flat and tasteless.
The Quick Economics of Home Roasting Coffee  Roasting Coffee  Economics  
Let me go through the numbers and show you how much money you could save by home roasting your own coffee.
Meeting Up With The Green Coffee Buying Club  Roasting Coffee  Buying Club  
Coffee cooperatives are groups that pool their money together to buy sizes of unroasted coffee that are usually only available to commercial roasters.
The 2 Best Cups of Coffee I've Ever Had  Coffee Business  Pricing  
I don't believe there is always a direct correlation between price and quality. To illustrate this point, I'd like to describe the two best cups of coffee I've ever had.
Preventing the Flu By Gargling Tea  Coffee and Health  Flu  
While I was reading up on the latest H1N1 virus information, I came across an interesting study that measured how tea could prevent influenza.
The Coffee Breakfast Cereal  Coffee Business  Cereal  
Is there a coffee flavored breakfast cereal? Let me share with you what my research turned up.
Avoiding Plastic - 3 Stainless Steel Electric Kettle Options  Brewing Coffee  Electric Kettle  
I think I might have been the last person to get this memo: Hot Water + Plastic = Bad.
The Hamilton Beach Cool Touch Tea Kettle Review  Brewing Coffee  Tea Kettle Review  
I wanted an electric tea kettle that had no exposed plastic parts and ended up purchasing the Hamilton Beach 40898 Cool Touch Tea Kettle. Here is my review.
Kona Coffee Confusion  Coffee Business  Kona  
I forgot the exact dollar amount, but I recall during college a friend telling me they got a full pound of Hawaiian Kona coffee at price that seemed too good to be true.
Picking Your Top 10 Coffee Accessories  Brewing Coffee  Top 10  
When it comes to coffee gear, what makes it into the Top 10 list?
Vancouver Espresso Vacation  Coffee Travel  Vancouver  
Memorial Day Weekend was approaching so I decided it would be an ideal time to take off on a little vacation. Where should I go? Since it was almost summer, I decided a return visit to Vancouver, Canada would be perfect.
The Naturally Caffeine-Free Coffee Plant  Coffee Agriculture  Coffee Plant  
A coffee plant that can produce coffee without caffeine is a major breakthrough. For all of us.
Avoid Hydroxycut, Drink Coffee Instead  Coffee and Health  Caffeine  
Since ephedra was removed as ingredient in fat loss pills, I kind of thought this supplement would disappear.
Black Coffee and Espresso - Not Calorie Free  Coffee and Health  Calories  
For years I've been under the impression that coffee and its younger brother espresso had no calories. Well no calories until you started mucking around with it by adding sugar, dairy and what not.
Anti-Starbucks Crusader To Run For New York City Mayor  Coffee People  Rev Billy  
Bill Talen, who is better known as Reverend Billy, is now running to be the next Mayor of New York City.
Locating a Decent Coffee During Mardi Gras in New Orleans  Coffee Travel  New Orleans  
This year I left the espresso comfort of Seattle and ventured to The Big Easy for my first trip to New Orleans. Bringing my Rancilio Silvia and a pound of espresso was not an option.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Coffee From Hawaii  Coffee Travel  Hawaii  
An overview of The Hawaii Coffee Book - A gourmet's Guide from Kona to Kaua'i by Shawn Steiman.
Coffee Blending For the Home Roaster  Roasting Coffee  Blending  
Blending can be broken down into two different camps: blending for espresso and blending for non-espresso (regular coffee).
Coffee Roundtable - Our Starbucks Idea  Coffee Business  Starbucks  
I just saw a news story on how Starbucks is asking it's customers for ideas on how they can be a better company. Well good ideas are no fun if you can't share them with your friends.
Coffee Mugs of Coffee Fanatics Part 2  Cafe Culture  Mugs  
I really didn't expect to have a Part 2 so soon. Without further introduction, below are more Coffee Mugs of Coffee Fanatics.
Cold Weather Coffee Roasting  Roasting Coffee  Cold Weather  
Roasting coffee can be done indoors or outdoors. With my current pad, roasting on the outdoor patio is the only option. My smoke detector is hyper sensitive and requires an acrobat to disable. As the months went by and the temperature dropped, my roast times were getting longer and longer.
No Coffee or Tea For At Least 2 Weeks  Coffee and Health  Teeth Whitening  
I messed up. I messed up bad. A few weeks ago I got a direct mail advertisement for a dentist offering new patients a free Zoom teeth whitening with the purchase of a cleaning and X-rays.
Coffee Mugs of Coffee Fanatics  Cafe Culture  Mugs  
A photo collection of the favorite coffee mugs of several INeedCoffee contributors.
Caffeine Consumption By Coffee Fanatics  Coffee and Health  Caffeine  
Once people learn about the INeedCoffee web site, they always seem to come to the same conclusion. You must drink a lot of coffee! For the longest time I tried to defend myself by explaining that I prefer quality over quantity.
Troubleshooting French Press Coffee  Brewing Coffee  French Press  
It's been years since I wrote the Press Pot Tutorial. Since then I've developed a checklist of steps to take to improve the taste of French Press coffee.
Coffee Cup 2.0  Coffee Business  Coffee Cups  
Every year coffee hobbyists are exposed to many new brewing or home roasting gadgets. Not only is innovation occuring at the gadget level, but it is also occurring with the disposable coffee cup.
Ristretto Rant  Espresso  Ristretto  
My coffee drink of choice for the past few years has been the straight espresso shot. All my other coffee equipment has either been packed away or is gathering dust. For me it is all about espresso now.
Alternatives To Using a Keurig Coffee Maker  Brewing Coffee  Brewing Options  
You really do not want a Keurig Coffee Maker. Is making coffee really that hard? I don't think so. If you are considering buying a Keurig Coffee Maker, please read this article.
Hosting a Coffee Party  Cafe Culture  Party  
As much as a I love the coffee shops here in Seattle, sometimes I just want to meet up with friends and family at home. I still want the coffee though.
Tips for Quick and Easy Iced Coffee  Brewing Coffee  Drinks  
Summertime is the perfect time for iced coffee. How do you make it at home? There are two schools of thought. One is to make a near double strength cup of hot coffee and then chill it with ice. Pretty easy, but not very quick.
Cold Brew Coffee with the Toddy Coffee Maker  Brewing Coffee  Cold Brew  
About 10 years old when I knew far less about coffee than I do today, I attempted my first cold brew coffee. It was a disaster. The coffee was so vile and disgusting I threw it out after a single sip.
Coffee on the Road - Los Cabos, Mexico  Coffee Travel  Mexico  
On the southern tip of Baja California is the region known as Los Cabos. This beautiful area which includes Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo is just a short flight from Southern California.
Senseo Coffee Brewing Revisited  Brewing Coffee  Senseo  
The article Senseo Coffee Brewing has caused quite a reaction and some confusion. This follow-up hopes to address some the common questions.
Roasting Coffee in a Popcorn Popper  Roasting Coffee  Popper  
Roasting coffee in a popcorn popper is not an indoor endeavor. Without modifications, you would fill your home with smoke. The first step is to find a spot outside near an outlet. It will produce smoke, so keep it away from open windows.
Senseo Coffee Brewing  Brewing Coffee  Senseo  
The two most important words when discussing coffee are quality and convenience. For the most part we want both, but often we must make choices. The Senseo Coffee Machine is all about convenience.
Coffee on the Road - Grand Circle  Coffee Travel  Grand Canyon  
Although I was certain to be impressed by the handy work of Mother Nature, I was skeptical that mankind would impress me with excellent coffee in these remote areas.
Chemex Brewing  Brewing Coffee  Chemex  
The Chemex brews coffee using the infusion method, which makes it most similar to drip coffee in terms of body and taste. It's unbleached filters are a little thicker than those used by auto-drip filters.
Coffee and Dieting  Coffee and Health  Dieting  
The intended audience for this article is the average coffee drinker who happens to be overweight. This is not intended as medical advice.
Stovetop Roasting with the Whirley-Pop  Roasting Coffee  Popper  
This article explores using a stovetop popcorn popper, which enables you to roast coffee right on your gas stove. It's not nearly as easy as roasting with an electrical popcorn popper, but the advantages of this method are that you have 100% control over the roasting profile.
Press Pot Tutorial  Brewing Coffee  Press Pot  
Learn how to brew press pot coffee and discover how to correct the most common brewing mistakes.
Gourmet Coffee Roaster  Roasting Coffee  Hearthware  
Like the Precision, the Gourmet is an indoor coffee roaster that can roast 1/2 cup of green coffee beans at a time.
INeedCoffee Concentration  Cafe Culture  Games  
Play the classic concentration game using coffee images from INeedCoffee.
Popper Roasting Tips  Roasting Coffee  Popper  
A few helpful tips for beginner home roasters using a popcorn popper for roasting. Another name for this article might be Roast Your Own 2.
Melitta Mishap  Roasting Coffee  Melitta  
Home Roasting with the Melitta AromaRoast is a bit more difficult than other methods. In an effort to discover a perfect roasting environment, one of the basic lessons of roasting was forgotten.
Illy  Cafe Culture  Reviews  
Illy is the March 2001 INeedCoffee Site of the Month award winner.
The Year 2000 Coffee News Review  Coffee History  News  
A brief rundown of the top news stories of the year 2000 that relate to coffee.
Java Cabana  Cafe Culture  Reviews  
Cuban espresso retailer Cafe Pilon has created Java Cabana. It is the October 2000 INeedCoffee Site Of the Month.
Designing a Web Site for a Coffee House  Coffee Business  Marketing  
An important element to running a business is a web presence. This is especially true for the cafes. What elements go into creating a good web site for coffee houses?
Home Roasting Coffee with the Fresh Roast  Roasting Coffee  Fresh Roast  
The Fresh Roast can roast 2-2.5 oz of green coffee beans per batch, which yields enough for about 10-12 cups of coffee. If you and your household consume a lot of coffee then a larger capacity roaster may be more appropriate.
The Home Roaster Color Chart  Roasting Coffee  Color Chart  
A simple eight color roast chart for home coffee roasters to reference. Also can be used to articulate coffee color when roasting for others.
Home Roasting Coffee in an Oven  Roasting Coffee  Oven  
There are many ways to roast coffee at home. One of the most basic and least expensive methods is the oven. Yes, you can easily roast your own coffee at home using an oven.
GreatCoffee.com  Cafe Culture  Reviews  
GreatCoffee.com is the April 2000 Site of the Month. GreatCoffee.com is an on line coffee retailer with excellent product descriptions and an intuitive shopping cart.
The Quest for Good Coffee in the Office  Cafe Culture  Journeys  
Remember your first day of school? It may have been quite the emotional event to be separated from your parents and surrounded by strangers for hours. This situation is very similar to the college student spoiled on quality coffee heading into his/her first office job.
CoffeeKid.com  Cafe Culture  Reviews  
CoffeeKid.com is the March 2000 Site of the Month. This site includes tutorials, photos, and coffee equipment reviews.
A Coffee Eulogy  Cafe Culture  Humor  
This is a story about finding the perfect coffee mug, owning that mug, and then watching it die. It is sort of like the timeless story of Romeo and Juliet. Only this time Juliet is a coffee mug.
BonJour Hand Milk Frother Review  Cafe Culture  Reviews  
The original BonJour milk frother review was written in 2000. That product is no longer available. BonJour now offers a completely new approach to frothing milk.
Internet Outpost Cafe  Cafe Culture  Reviews  
Site Of the Month Award for 2/2000 is the Internet Outpost Cafe. They are located on St. Pete Beach, Florida.
How to Stereotype Roasters  Coffee Business  Roasting  
Learn how to effectively stereotype a coffee roaster without sampling their wares.
Home Roasting with the Hearthware Precision  Roasting Coffee  Hearthware Precision  
A demonstration on how easy it is to home roast coffee with the Hearthware Precision Coffee Roaster.
Shopping For the Coffee Fan  Cafe Culture  Shopping  
This article may be like preaching to the choir, since most of the visitors to this site know what they like about coffee. But in the event you are looking to shop for a coffee fan, this is just the primer you need to read for the holiday season.
SweetMarias.com  Cafe Culture  Review  
The first site of the month winner for INeedCoffee.com is Sweet Maria's.
Teach A Fish To Make Espresso  Cafe Culture  Humor  
Why would Starbucks sell me a machine that would give me the power to make my own espresso drinks at home?
Home (Alone) Roasting  Roasting Coffee  Cold Weather  
There is an obstacle to home roasting in the winter. Cold wind rushing into your popper cools the beans while they roast. The beans take forever to roast and the batch usually doesn't roast evenly.
My Cat Kato vs. The Kona Coffee Plant  Cafe Culture  Humor  
The two warriors are my 6 month old kitten and my Hawaiian Kona plant. The plant is doing it's best to stay alive outside of Hawaiian soil and the kitten is doing her best to rip every leaf off.

Home |  Brewing Coffee |  Cafe Culture |  Coffee and Health |  Coffee Business |  Coffee Comics
Coffee Growing |  Coffee History |  Coffee People |  Coffee Travel |  Espresso
Grinding Coffee |  Recipes with Coffee |  Roasting Coffee |  Tea

Copyright © 1999-2012 INeedCoffee is a project of coffee fanatic Michael Allen Smith.