Cricketscoffee Blog

Headaches and caffeine.    A clinical trial in Illinois found that caffeine, which reduces the swelling of blood vessels, can reduce both the intensity and frequency of headaches. People in one group were given caffeine alone, and 58 percent reported complete relief. People in the other group were given caffeine  in and ibuprofen, and 70 percent saw symptoms reduced.

  E-cigarettes, vaping and coffee? A growing number of coffee shops are catering to e-cigarette users today. The majority of these coffee shops are in Urban locations with a young adult costumer base. Vaping is growing by leaps and bounds in the US as the taboo of tobacco use in public is well entrenched and not likely to subside anytime soon. Vaping is likely to be a short lived practice as e-cigarette use is under they eye of both local and federal governments. The end result of this is unclear but electronically lighting up in a coffee shop is likely to go the way of the pipe.

  Bottom's Up, just opened in Bakersfield Calf. at the corner of Stockdale and Allen, it's brewed problems up in some of its other locations. The Owner Alexandra Ireland has recently said they recently changed the menu at their Clovis location, removing some of the more risky-titled selections after community feedback. The Bakersfield location opened this last Thursday. Ireland was on hand Friday and described Bottom's Up as a combination of great customer service, great drinks and sexy women. "I think any time you go outside of the box, there will be people that judge you. I think what we're doing is a lot of fun," Ireland said. "We're trying to be one of those businesses that aren't failing, and we're trying to have a lot of fun."

First it was indy rock star Murphy with a special coffee blend: Now it's Intelligentsia, who has collaborated with St. Vincent for her signature coffee. It's called "Bring Me Your Mugs" (after her sound track "Bring Me Your Loves"). It's available now in Intelligentsia stores. Clark's coffee is from Intelligentsia's "Flecha Roja" project in Costa Rica. The regular "Flecha Roja" blend features notes of "poached pear, rosewater, and yellow plum".

  A morning coffee is getting a little more like getting high. Marijuana coffee is coming to the state of Washington. The cold-brewed THC-loaded coffee, called Legal, is expected to be out in early July.    Each bottle contains about 20 milligrams of THC. Sales are to be up and running by early July. The 11.5-ounce bottles would probably retail between $9 and $11. Ouch sounds a little pricy.

Tired of adding your favorite flavor to your morning brew? Help is on the way. Coffee filters that are pre-flavored are entering the market soon, if not already. I have been unable to find any in the market as of this date, but I have found a US Patten application for flavored coffee and tea filters. There is one problem I hope they find an answer for. For those of us with poor eyesight and less than nimble fingers, separating those filters can be a real task. So the standing operating practice of just using how ever many your pre-coffee nerves can separate could be a problem. Four or five pre-flavored filters could make that pot of coffee, well.......taste like......    

Coffee capsules are all the buzz on the coffee net lately. Their fast, easy and have been reported to have a above average taste. That's all well and good for the person looking to make one (small) cup at a time.   If you are having guest over and looking to impress them, capsules are a no go. That is unless your guest's don't mind standing in line for their turn for a cup of coffee. Not to mention the loss of the aroma of a fresh brewed pot of coffee.  You in a hurry? Go capsules. If you want to not, just drink a cup of coffee, but enjoy it (all of it) aroma and all. Pass on capsules.