Thank you for changing lives in Nicaragua!
As spring time is just around the corner there are many new things in store for Brown Water Coffee and our advocates (you). Before we get to that though, I’d like to use this blog post to catch everyone up on how much money we raised in the last quarter of 2011 and what we were able to do with it.
When first approaching Living Water International (LWI) last spring before BWC ever launched, we told LWI that we anticipated we could sell enough coffee to fund an entire clean water project in Nicaragua by January 1, 2012, as well as supply volunteers to help dig the well. As hard as we worked, we were not able to meet that goal, mostly due to a later launch date than anticipated.
Though we did not raise enough money to fund a well, we were still able to raise and give LWI $1,200 to help fund work on the ground throughout Nicaragua thanks to your support and passion for the cause. Thanks to all of you for your help changing lives in Nicaragua!
We have learned a lot in these beginning months of the company and we are excited to be raising more funds through coffee sales to fund an entire clean water project in a thirsty community. This time around, we will raise the money before we make any promises and we will also send a film crew to capture our first well on camera to share with you and the world what we are all about.
Thank you for your patience and support as we get back to the drawing board and re-plan our first of many fully supported clean water projects. We look forward to what 2012 has in store and we thank you for being a part of it!
How to make the best cup of coffee?
As a person who works in the coffee industry, people often ask me how they can get the best taste possible from their coffee beans. There are a variety of opinions and methods out there, but I do have a few things I do personally to ensure a great cup of coffee.
1. It all begins with the beans. I never use coffee beans that are more than 3 weeks old, that is, coffees that were roasted more than 3 weeks ago.
2. And then the grind. The moment you grind coffee beans they begin to lose their flavor, so you want to grind your coffee (to a medium to fine grind) as close to the moment you brew as possible. When people buy their coffee ground in the bag instead of whole bean, they give up an immense amount of quality. Another thing: Use a burr grinder if you can. They are more costly than blade grinders, but grind the coffee beans more consistently and without burning the beans like blades do.
3. Proportions are important. Many people, including me, are prone to simply eyeballing or guessing how much coffee grinds we should use proportional to our water use. After measuring correctly, I stopped guessing because the flavor was so much better when proportions were correct. No matter what your brewing method, use 2 tbsps of ground coffee per 3/4 cup of water.
4. Finally, the brewing method. The most common brewing method is the automatic drip coffee maker. While this provides a decent tasting coffee, there are many other methods out there that put the auto drip to shame. Other methods include (but definitely not limited to): the pour over, the french press, the siphon pot, and the chemex. My personal favorite method is a mix between the pour over and the french press called the full immersion Clever Dripper. It allows full control of the coffee brewing process and provides a clean, hot, fully extracted taste. Find out more by viewing the YouTube video above or clicking here. For a limited time we are selling Clever Drippers in a couple of our Holiday Bundles.
Now go and make a perfect cup of coffee!
Here we are.
I’m Stevi. I am the Marketing/PR/ I love art… coffee and adventures.
I ‘m very excited about being apart the this wonderful team.
Last week we went and tasted our new espresso blend… it is lovely, buttery and smooth. Love it. I also loved that for the first time we all got together and talked about coffee and how we can make a difference with what we are offering. I am happy to be apart of something with people that are passionate about coffee and making a difference in the world, using their creative skills and drive to make something happen, not just for them selfs, but for others, also.
We have a lot of happenings over the next few weeks… cant tell you just yet, it is going to be rather spectacular!
What's New?
- Espresso Blend: This weekend, Chad developed a new espresso blend that will be available to purchase online soon. You're going to love it! Stay tuned...
- Team Members: Over the last few weeks four talented and passionate people have become part of the Brown Water Team! Jeff Downer (Product Manager), Stevi McNeill (Marketing/PR Director), Katy Englert (Graphic Designer), and Brent Echols (Web Developer) are doing incredible work around some new initiatives around here. We are SO lucky to have each one of them on our team!
- Initiatives: In the coming weeks as the holidays approach, you will be noticing a lot of new stuff around the website and beyond. We can't tell you what they are yet, but we promise they'll be worth the wait!
Ricky, Jeff, and Katy talking over the new espresso.
Brent slurping in a cupping session.
Chad and Stevi discussing espresso drinks.
Our very first espresso blend.
When You Were A Kid
I was inspired by this short video this morning and thought I'd share it. May we have the tenacity to believe we can do anything.
Business and Poverty
Take a few moments to watch this video. It really resonates with BWC and what we are all about in a nutshell: fulfilling people's basic needs so they can lift themselves out of poverty.
The Art of Coffee
Hey there! Just thought I'd share this video of our awesome coffee master, Chad Kimm, cupping (a sort of taste testing) our newest coffee, the Ethiopia Sidamo. He really knows his stuff! This is the first of many videos to come on "The Art of Coffee." Stay tuned!
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- Thank you for changing lives in Nicaragua!
- How to make the best cup of coffee?
- Here we are.
- What's New?
- When You Were A Kid
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