Coffee Basics

On my last trip to Disney World I purchased a Mickey Mouse French Press. I know with competition prep I incorporate more coffee into my regimen. I thought it would make coffee drinking more fun/decadent, and something special. Every time I poured a cup (or two) I could think back on my fun memories of being in Disney. I also purchased Disney coffee assortment to go with it. Btw, it is making coffee drinking more enjoyable. But it got me to wondering about some basic questions regarding coffee. Which is stronger :dark or light roast? Does a french press change the brew? How do you properly brew coffee? 

Let's start with the caffeine content. Caffeine is often incorporated into a fitness regimen for a pick-me-up but also for a slight boost in fat metabolism (you can think of it like a cheap fat burner without being overly potent like some over the counter products). 

Average cup of American coffee (a medium roast) = 100-150 mg caffeine

Espresso = 80-120 mg

Tea = 40 mg

Chocolate Bar = 20-60 mg

Cola (12 oz) = 40-60 mg

Granted I sort of already knew that scale since if I'm in a hurry I have simply a caffeine pill equivalent. But what about the roast?

The roast is one of the most influential steps in the process that affects the flavor, especially the degree or darkness of the roast. The longer the time being roasted and/or the higher the temperature, the darker the roast. Since this burns off more and more of the inherent sugars in the bean it produces a more tangy and bittersweet flavor - often thought of as stronger (stronger can also be created from the water:coffee ratio). The flavor of the coffee comes from the coffee oils. A bit of a misnomer, as the coffee oil is water soluble (defeating the definition of oil). Coffee oil is very fragile,however, as it readily absorbs surrounding flavors and evaporates easily. The flavor component is strong yet only 1/200th of the actual weight of the bean. The oil continues to develop as the bean is roasted. Eventually all the sugars are burned off completely, which leaves a woody flavor. In the end though, it is about the flavor of coffee you prefer as the roast only slightly affects the caffeine content of the bean. A darker roast has slightly less caffeine than light. 

As for brewing - being a coffee novice - I wanted to make sure I was brewing for the strongest/best cup of coffee. For grinding beans, they should be ground only to fine at most, never a powder. If you are using a french press or non-filter drip machine, a medium-coarse ground is best. 

At the very least, it should be 2 level tablespoons for every 5-6 oz of water (more for stronger). Coffee makers should be kept clean and rinsed with hot water prior to use. If possible, use fresh water that is free of impurities and also alkalines. The water temperature should be 200 degrees F. Don't boil coffee or reheat.

For a French Press, let the coffee steep for 4 min. A french press produces a more heavy and dense flavor as some sediment gets into the actual cup of coffee (but its not that bad I swear - it makes a really good cup of coffee).

FYI - as for the Disney coffees - the Chocolate Fudge and the Danish Pastry have been the best so far, but I have 2 still to try (French Vanilla and Hazelnut).

Roast color	Bean surface	Agtron Numbers	Common names	Notes
Light brown	Dry	80 - 70	Light Cinnamon New England	Can taste sour and grainy. Typically used only for inexpensive commercial blends.
Medium brown	Dry	70 - 50	Medium AmericanRegular City Brown	The traditional American norm. Flavor is fully developed; acidity is bright; characteristics of green coffee are clear.
Medium-dark brown	Dry to tiny droplets or patches of oil	50 - 40	Viennese Full-cityLight FrenchEspresso Light espresso Continental After-dinner European	The normal or regular roast for the West and for many newer specialty roasters. Acidity and the characteristics of the green coffee begin to mute. Bittersweetness emerges. The norm for northern-Italian style espresso.
Dark brown	Shiny surface	40-35	French EspressoItalian Turkish Dark	The normal or regular roast for many roasters in the West and Southwest. Acidity is nearly gone; the characteristics of the green coffee muted. Bittersweet tones dominate. The norm for most American-style espresso.
Very dark brown	Very shiny surface	35-30	Italian Dark FrenchNeapolitan Spanish Heavy	The normal or regular roast for Peet's Coffee and its imitators. Acidity is gone. In tactful versions of this roast some characteristics of the green coffee survive; in aggressive versions all coffees taste the same: bittersweet with hints of burned or charred tones.
Black-brown	Shiny surface	30-25	Dark FrenchNeapolitan Spanish	All differentiating characteristics of the green coffee are gone; burned or charred notes dominate. Body is thin. Flavor is reduced to faint sweet tones.

http://www.coffeereview.com/reference.cfm?ID=88