Create a Coffee Bar at Home

by Cris Carl, Networx

David Reffsin, of Pierce Bros Coffee Roasters in Greenfield, MA has some great advice for coffee aficionados. Reffsin explained how you can put together a home coffee bar to enjoy the finer aspects of coffee on any budget. “Like anything else, it always depends on how high end you want to go. You can have a $49 Mr. Coffee or you can go with finer products from a company such as Bodum,” said Reffsin.

Reffsin said there were several aspects of creating a home coffee bar that need to be considered. “For me it starts out with how you are set up for electricity depending on what and how many types of machines you want to have, so you’ll probably create your coffee bar in a portion of your kitchen or dining room,” he said. You will also want to have an area that is easy to keep clean. The following are key points to consider in creating your coffee bar.

Coffee Bean Storage

“You can keep your beans in a refrigerator or any other cool, dry place,” said Reffsin. “Most people will buy relatively small amounts, maybe up to five pounds, so you have the freshest possible coffee,” he added. Reffsin said that you never want to store coffee beans in a freezer unless you only plan to take them out of the freezer once. “If you take coffee beans in and out of the freezer, they will accumulate dampness that will form crystals in the coffee when placed back in the freezer. Over time, the moisture will degrade the coffee,” he said. Reffsin added that it’s good to have three or four different types of coffee beans to appeal to the widest range of tastes, but not having so much variety that the beans go stale from lack of use.

Coffee Brewing Equipment

“You have to decide the types of coffee you want to brew. Do you want to have an espresso machine for example?” said Reffsin. Reffsin said that the better espresso machines can cost in the range of $1,000. You can also have a regular brew pot, a cold-pressed pot, and/or a French Press coffee pot. “There is a large variety of everything you can conceive of at a wide range of cost,” said Reffsin.

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Jennifer C.

4:15PM PST on Dec 13, 2012

Thanks. Love it.

December 13
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Liny T.

7:40PM PDT on Apr 11, 2011

thank you! great suggestions for starting a coffee bar at home :D

April 11
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Gavin B.

4:30AM PDT on Apr 5, 2011

Good suggestions.

April 5
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Sheri P.

10:18PM PDT on Apr 4, 2011

EXCELLENT! Sure means saving money by not shopping at Starshmucks.

April 4
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Janae J.

6:35AM PDT on Mar 23, 2011

A coffee bar is an excellent way to help reduce the cost of spending on specialty coffees daily. Not only is it important to utilize airtight containers for your bean storage (as mentioned in the article), but it is equally important to not grind your beans until you are about to use them. This will ensure that you are getting the fullest flavor from your coffee when you use it. Therefore, only grind what you need at the time, and along with the excellent storage advice offered above, you will find that your coffee not only maintains its fullest flavor, but lasts longer as well. You will also find that if you buy your beans in "bulk" (up to 5 lb, which we offer at our website www.thecoffeegourmets.com), you can separate them into several airtight bags and store them in the freezer for "one time use". Just another thought to extend your dollar and preserve your favorite drink!