Shapiro's Barista Beer- WOW!

Way back when... could it only have been just over a year ago... in the days when summer nights were made for enjoyable beer festivals, I attended a beer festival in Jerusalem and complained about the latest Israeli craft beers. The big thing was "flavored beers," and the artificial flavoring plus beer just didn't work. I wrote Where's The Beer?" Jerusalem Beer Festival 2019. One of the worst was a "cherry beer" that tasted worse than a children's antibiotic.

That experience put me off of flavored beers, however...

When the beer maven, Doug Greener blogged about coffee-flavored beer... I began to crave it, coffee beer that is. One of the companies making coffee beer is my favorite, Shapiro, and  I just had to buy some. But how was I going to buy it? The country was in corona COVID lockdown! There was no way I could justify traveling by bus to Jerusalem for Barista Beer. And since it's a "limited edition," no guarantee I'd even find any.

What could I do? I bided my time.

Finally it became legal to travel to further than your closest stores to shop for food. I had also used up almost all of my jersey yarn for crocheting projects. 

Siyate d'Shmaya, Hand of Gd, beer and yarn stores are in the same neighborhood, so off I went to Jerusalem today.

At the very first liquor store I passed, there it was... calling me. How'd it know? I bought a six pack, three barista, two IPA and one stout. That's because I hadn't found an open yarn store, so I wasn't schlepping. An added bonus was that since I bought six they could safely pack them in a special carton. And Baruch Hashem, thank Gd the carton fit into my backpack. And then while rushing to catch the lightrail to my bus I found a store with the yarn that was selling by "orders" outside their door with immediate "delivery." So I had lots to schlepp, but I bought what I needed.

Now, no doubt you want to know how the Barista coffee beer tastes. 

Simply put, coffee and hops make a great shidduch, match. There's no artificial taste in Shapiro's Barista coffee beer. Shapiro uses a pale ale, not my favorite beer, but when it's paired with cold brew coffee, it's a hit. The coffee gives the pale ale more flavor and body. Drinking it I didn't feel like I was drinking a flavored beer. There's something more natural; the flavors blend nicely. 

I was so excited about the beer I drank it as soon as it cooled. Barista is great after a busy day, and I'll try some on Shabbat morning, too. Yes, it's definitely recommended.

Season Change: Hot Coffee

I'm back to drinking my morning coffee hot. No more cold brew for the next few months or so from my French Press. I also deleted the nightly reminder on my cell phone/smartphone to remind me "Make Coffee."

back to hot coffee
no longer drink ice water
winter approaching
#morningcoffeehaiku

At the same time, I found myself drinking my water with lemon sans ice.

Nights are getting colder and longer. The water is coming out of the faucets much colder than just a couple of weeks ago.

I also set up the house's hot water boiler to go on for about an hour before we wake up. The very dusty solar panels aren't heating the water sufficiently anymore. Since it doesn't rain here in the summer, and I don't have anyone to climb on the roof to hose down the panels, it's just easier to use a bit of electricity. I just have to remember to turn off the automatic timer before Shabbat each week.

It's funny that the hot coffee, which didn't taste right a month ago, now tastes just perfect. I guess we, too, change with the seasons.

#morningcoffeehaiku in New Kitchen

hard to choose a mug
at least the coffee's ready
cold press in the fridge
#morningcoffeehaiku

such perfect coffee
grateful for my new kitchen
Rosh Hashanah soon
#morningcoffeehaiku

strong sun defeats clouds
cold strong coffee wakes me up
Gd willing great day
#morningcoffeehaiku

love my new kitchen
enjoying the great upgrade
planning was fun, too
#morningcoffeehaiku

coffee wakes me up
sun still hidden by grey clouds
perked last night and chilled
#morningcoffeehaiku

early coffee, sigh
didn't sleep enough again
too much on my mind
#morningcoffeehaiku

another grey morn'
looks brighter with new cellphone
coffee cheers up day
#morningcoffeehaiku

morning sans smartphone
it died suddenly last night
still coffee sunshine
#morningcoffeehaiku

awfully early
didn't sleep enough last night
coffee to rescue
#morningcoffeehaiku

Super Simple Cold Brew Coffee

For this method of preparing Cold Brew Coffee, you need neither a French Press, nor any sort of filter or strainer.

Like any method of making Cold Brew Coffee, you need to prepare in advance. Put a few spoons of ground coffee, or even Turkish coffee, into a jar or pitcher, stir and refrigerate for at least a few hours. Then before serving stir again. Now for Super Simple Cold Brew Coffee, there is a small but crucial difference.

The second stirring is five 5 or so minutes before serving. During that time the coffee grounds will settle on the bottom. So all you have to do is pour your nice tasty coffee into your cup, glass, mug or whatever.

Yup! You can't get anything easier than that! Enjoy!

Power Coffeeworks Passionate About Coffee

 A few days ago I finally made it to Power Coffeeworks to see what they could offer me for French Press and Cold Brew coffee. The visit started off on the right foot, since they were roasting coffee beans just as I walked in. It smelled soooo good.

That was the first time I ever found coffee beans being roasted in a coffee place. I don't know where the other coffee places do their roasting, but I was reassured to see that in Power Coffeeworks it's done on site. For that alone, I will return to Power Coffeeworks when I need ground coffee.

The shorter the time the roasted beans are stored, the fresher and better the coffee.

When I told the person in charge what I needed the coffee for, French Press and Cold Brew, I could see that he was passionate about coffee. To be honest, we argued about the best way to cold brew the coffee. I've been doing it in my French Press most of the time, and he insisted that a simpler way makes better coffee. Just put the water and coffee into a jar and use a simple paper filter or tea filter/strainer.

There is a nice selection of coffees to choose from. I chose Ethiopian and their dark house blend and decided to start with the Ethiopian. So, that evening I did my usual cold brew prep in the French Press. The following morning I had a wonderful cup, ok cups, of nice strong coffee. It kept me going for very long day of studies and lots of walking. By the time I got home that night, the last thing I wanted to do was to wash out the French Press, so I made the simplified version for the following day.

I just put the ground coffee and water into an ordinary glass jar, gave it all a stir, covered and put it into the fridge. The following morning I took out an old tea strainer, placed it over a glass and poured coffee in. Then I added my usual sugar and milk.

Since cleaning the simple strainer is a lot easier than cleaning out a French Press and its strainer/plunger, I'll stick with this method. The ground coffee was coarse enough, so that it didn't go through the strainer. The cold brew coffee was perfect.

It's clear that Power Coffeeworks has an excellent coffee-grinder. And as long as you have a simple tea strainer you can easily prepare cold brew coffee.

Enjoy!

Perfect for Drinking My Cold Brew Coffee

I thought I'd have to shop for a new glass for drinking my summer morning cold brew coffee. I even started looking in stores for the perfect glass cup. I didn't find something new, but I realized that I had the perfect glass cup at home.

I will just have to get a supply of straws, since they can't be cleaned.  What do you think?

Eeks! I Keep Forgetting to Prepare Cold Brew/Press Coffee

Not today, sigh...

After a great start of season, I now find myself consistently forgetting to prepare my summer cold brew/press coffee in advance. It must be made the evening before and then refrigerated.

It's just awful to wake up on a hot summer morning and realize that there's no cool/cold coffee waiting for me in the fridge.

So, I decided to take an idea that has worked for me for other things. I set up a daily "event" on my phone. It will ring with a message about 9pm every night until late September, and there will be a reminder to prepare the coffee. Gd willing that will work.

Summer's Back, So Is Cold Brew Coffee

You can see the "frost" on my stainsless
steel French Press

Yesterday morning I had my first cold brew coffee of the season:

hot summer weather
finally cold brew coffee
a pleasure to drink
#morningcoffeehaiku

I discovered it a couple of years ago, and now I make it in the summer. It's easiest done in a French Press.

The only difficult part is remembering to prepare it the night before.

A good stir after adding cold water to the ground coffee and another stir after taking it from the fridge a few hours later are the most "complicated" parts of the process.

Then you use your French plunger, just like hot coffee, but the flavor is better, at least IMHO. Even in the winter I don't like my coffee very hot. I really do enjoy this great way of drinking cold coffee, and there aren't any ice cubes to dilute/weaken the flavor.

American Ground Coffee in Israel, Where?

After years of filling my suitcases with American ground coffee before returning home from the states and having friends and family bring me more, I just heard that there is at least one store here in Israel that sells it.

Photo by Ruti Eastman

My friend Ruti not only insisted that her local grocer in Neve Daniel, Gush Etzion, sells American ground coffee, she later sent me a photo of the shelf. Of course, it's almost double the price it would cost in the states, but carfare is cheaper than the flights...

Does anyone know where else they sell Folgers here in Israel? Since it's available here, I'd try the Kroger, too.

Even though it cost lots more per 100 grams than in an American supermarket, it's very similar to what the custom-ground coffee cost me here in Israel. And as you know, I'm not very satisfied, to say the least, with the various coffees I've bought. And if anyone can get the importer's info, I'd like to try to get my local stores interested, too.

You Need Coffee #3, Ethiopian Gima

This post is the third and for the meantime final in the series of coffee reviews about You Need Coffee. From the size of the bulk of the impressive bag of Ethiopian Gima coffee, I was sure that I had bought quite a bit of it. A discernible aroma wafted out the minute I opened it, but so did the air. Yes, there was lots of air, too much packed together with the coffee.

Ethiopian Gima coffee served with milk and a bit of sugar

Finally, I realized why their, and other Israeli freshly ground coffee then stored for a few weeks or even days, tastes so disappointing. They make no real attempt to vacuum pack it. Other shops haven't a chance, since their bags are of cheaper materials. But You Need Coffee uses quality bags, and even if the sealing included very low-tech pressing to attempt "vacuum-pack" pushing out all the air possible, the coffee would keep fresh much longer. When I return to the shop, and I probably will some time after the Passover holiday, I will request better bag sealing.

In the meantime, I'll finish what I have and then perk simple Israeli Turkish coffee until after Passover. Gd willing I'll be getting some good American ground coffee from a friend. Then I'll even be able to "cold brew" coffee, though I do need a new French Press... but that's another story.

Tips for Better Cold Brewed Coffee

Especially when your cold brew time is limited, giving it a good stir before refrigerating goes a long way to "get your money out of that ground coffee."

Not all of the coffee is wet, so no longer how long it's in the fridge you won't get full flavor.

See how pale and weak the coffee looks. So I took out a fork and gave it a real energized "beating."

Look how much darker it looks now.

on my instagram shilohbatya

Then in the morning straight from the fridge with the sun shining through.

And here after more stirring.

Finally after lowering the plunger/filter of the French Press, coffee ready to drink.

I don't know if you can tell, but I'm using a small spoon for sugar...

Have a great day everyone.

What a Difference 7 Hours Make, Cold Brew Coffee

I didn't get a very early start with today's cold brewed coffee, since I was out all day yesterday and only washed out the French Press late at night. This is what it looked like when I poured simple tap water on the regular American ground coffee. Yes, it looks pretty pale and pathetic. Then I covered it with some plastic wrap and placed it in the fridge. 

About seven hours later I removed it, and look at how dark it got.

After admiring and photographing it, I gave it a stir, pushed down the plunger and am enjoying the coffee as I type this post! That's how easy it is to make cold brewed coffee with a French Press. The hardest part is remembering to prepare it in advance. And for me the logistics of making sure I'm supplied with good coffee is sometimes complicated.  But once it becomes routine, you're set.

PS I noticed that some of the FOX Homes in Jerusalem still have the giant French Press, which they incorrectly call "percolators" for sale half price.

Summer Treat, Cold Brew Coffee

Last summer I discovered a new coffee-making technique, Cold Brew Coffee.  Apparently, there are a number of ways to do it, anything from tying the coffee grounds in a clean cloth (like for cheesemaking) or piece of stocking, just make sure there's no detergent, thing for holding tea leaves in water or French Press. Since I have a nice big French Press, that's what I use.

Today I finally drank some.

At first it looks like the coffee will be too light.

But in the morning after a nice stir, you can see that it brewed perfectly while sitting in the refrigerator.

And it tastes absolutely delicious. 

For Shabbat's cold coffee, when it is forbidden to use a filter, I simply perc a nice large quantity, and when it has cooled enough. Then I pour the coffee into glass jars to put in the fridge. That way it's ready and waiting for me in the morning.

And I'll let you in on one more little coffee secret. You don't need hot water to make instant coffee. Stir it in cold water; add your usual sugar/milk plus a few ice cubes, and you'll be surprised at how good it can be... That is of course if you have an instant you like.