| Membership in a gourmet coffee club offers many | | | | clubs that feature the process of using only hot air to |
| benefits so discerning coffee drinkers can always | | | | roast the dried, raw (or "green") coffee beans deliver |
| have their favorite coffees on hand to brew and | | | | great coffee each time. The reason is this roasting |
| enjoy such as: | | | | method, known as convection roasting™, yields |
| - Large selection of specialty coffees from around the | | | | uniformly roasted beans for each batch. Master |
| world to make coffee drinking a daily sensory | | | | roasters are part scientist and part artist who know |
| experience | | | | the appropriate amount of time to attain the desired |
| - Freshly roasted to order with a choice of whole | | | | roast level to bring out the best characteristics for that |
| bean or ground coffee | | | | varietal or blend. The result, the club member can get |
| - Reduced costs from on line ordering without having | | | | the perfect cup of coffee every time. |
| to commute to buy ageing coffee on the shelves | | | | Gourmet coffee club membership also offers such |
| - Flexibility to make changes, special requests, hold | | | | benefits as: |
| shipments, send gifts, etc. | | | | - Having the coffee sent automatically each month at |
| Gourmet coffee club membership appeals to coffee | | | | the time of month the member chooses |
| lovers who want more than the "premium" coffee | | | | - Ease of use - no need to enter the order information |
| choices available in the supermarket aisle or at the | | | | each time unless making a change |
| coffee house or specialty store. Specialty gourmet | | | | - Convenience of having your own gourmet coffee |
| coffee clubs are very accepted and represent a | | | | when you want it, no more trips to the coffee house |
| growing segment of the trade. Let's review some | | | | or waiting in line for the morning "premium" coffee |
| basics about these clubs and why you should consider | | | | - Cost savings of brewing your own gourmet coffee |
| joining one. | | | | for about twenty-five cents per cup |
| Specialty coffee is the term given to the top fifteen to | | | | - Information on the best way to grind the coffee for |
| twenty per cent in quality of Arabica coffee grown | | | | the method used to prepare it |
| and harvested from select regions worldwide. The | | | | - The recommended way to store the opened bag of |
| term is sometimes used interchangeably with | | | | roasted coffee to keep it fresh to completion. |
| "gourmet" or "premium" coffee. However, according to | | | | For instance, whole bean Espresso blends should be |
| the Specialty Coffee Association of America, | | | | ground to the powder-like fineness of espresso grind |
| "...specialty coffee refers to coffees made from | | | | for preparing with an espresso machine. Conventional |
| exceptional beans grown only in ideal coffee-producing | | | | brewing methods yield great tasting coffee with the |
| climates. They tend to feature distinctive flavors, which | | | | medium-fine grind known as automatic drip grind, while |
| are shaped by the unique characteristics of the soil | | | | coffee prepared with a coffee press (French press) |
| that produces them." | | | | should use the coarsest grind for best results. To keep |
| Many specialty coffee growing countries have | | | | the coffee beans fresh once the bag is opened, simply |
| associations of growers, companies, and agencies | | | | press out the air while folding the bag over as many |
| who deal with enhancements for cultivating, exporting, | | | | times as needed and secure with a strip of tape |
| and marketing coffee. Such associations also lead | | | | (packing or freezer tape). Then, place the bag in an |
| efforts for rural community development | | | | airtight container (a freezer bag will do, if no container |
| (infrastructure, medical, and education), and for working | | | | is available) and store at normal room temperature until |
| in harmony with the environment. The 560,000 | | | | the next time to brew your gourmet coffee. |
| independent coffee grower members of the National | | | | Each gourmet coffee club member can tell you about |
| Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC) is | | | | other benefits to be enjoyed from the club |
| an excellent example. | | | | membership. Those mentioned here should give you |
| Nearly all, if not all, specialty gourmet coffee is made | | | | the motivation to find a gourmet coffee club and start |
| from Arabica coffee beans grown at higher altitudes. | | | | enjoying your favorite gourmet coffees, freshly |
| Select specialty coffee beans are roasted to | | | | roasted and immediately shipped, at your convenience. |
| perfection. The specialty coffee roast master knows | | | | It is best to brew coffee using freshly roasted beans. |
| the correct degree to roast the different types of | | | | Ideally speaking, use up your beans within a few |
| beans to bring out their unique characteristics. These | | | | weeks from receipt and get ready for your next |
| freshly roasted coffee beans are immediately packed | | | | coffee club membership shipment. You could literally |
| and shipped to the customer to brew and enjoy. | | | | look at a wall calendar and plan to drink coffee from |
| Gourmet coffee is always prepared with select | | | | Brazil, Jamaica, Colombia, Peru, El Salvador, Panama, |
| specialty coffee beans roasted fresh when ordered. | | | | Costa Rica, Guatemala, Hawaii, Mexico, Java, Sumatra, |
| The whole beans then are ground to the correct | | | | Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, Kenya, and Celebes, for |
| fineness or coarseness for the brewing method used, | | | | example, throughout the year. As a family, you could |
| and brewed with fresh cold water heated to the | | | | plan group activities to review basic geography, cultural |
| correct temperature. Gourmet flavored coffees | | | | traditions, music and travel information about each of |
| require one additional process before packing can take | | | | the coffee producing countries. Who knows, you may |
| place. | | | | really like one and decide to plan a fun vacation to that |
| One of the benefits of a coffee club membership is | | | | destination? |
| that top quality specialty coffee beans are roasted | | | | So, ready to enjoy a cup of Altura Superior specialty |
| fresh after you order them on line. They are packed | | | | coffee from Mexico? |
| and shipped the same day they are roasted. Coffee | | | | |