If you've met me at one of the local markets we sell at, you'll immediately know how passionate I am about coffee, and I'm even more passionate about Texas-roasted coffee because it really embodies the independent spirt of Texas. That's why I want to give you a little bit more info about Runyon Coffee, how we got started and what we're planning for the future.
We're a small business located in Coppell, TX, and we sell some of the freshest roasted coffee in the state. We roast all our coffee by hand using a custom coffee roaster we built ourselves, and we take great pride in providing delicious, locally roasted coffee to our friends and neighbors here in North Texas. If you're looking for a great cup of Texas roasted coffee, be sure to check out our collection of coffee beans. We offer a variety of blends and single origin coffees, all of which are roasted to perfection and sure to please even the most discerning coffee drinker.
Here are five reasons why you're sure to enjoy Runyon Coffee:
We specifically chose Coppell because it's one of the top communities in Texas, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Coppell has great schools, friendly local businesses and so many like-minded people that just want their community to be a safe and healthy place. If you live in Coppell, you live here for a reason: it's just great.
When we discovered the Coppell Farmers Market, our love of Coppell grew even more. The fact that the city does such a great job hiring the right people and working with volunteers to provide such an accessible market for our town is a testament to just how much "community" is a true thing here. It's so good that many of the farmers market patrons come from towns as far away as Fort Worth, McKinney and south Dallas just to get the best quality products in DFW.
Our goal is to stay in Coppell and eventually open a larger roasting facility in the area code 75019. Currently, we're roasting on a small-batch machine we built ourselves. Which leads us to our next point...
When researching how to get into coffee roasting at a larger scale, we found a method that ended up becoming even more amazing than we ever dreamed.
It started by buying a 12-lb. capacity custom-built steel drum and mounting it to an electric motor to turn the coffee over a propane heat source. The result is a very high-temperature roasting solution that makes just enough coffee so that we can scale our roasting without losing the individual quality inspection that you get when you roast small-batch like we do.
If you've had our coffee, you'll notice that the finished product is always smooth, pleasant and without the bitterness that 99% of roasted coffees have. The result is an approachable cup every time that makes even those who swear they don't even like coffee give coffee a second chance.
Every roast we do is a chance to learn more and more about coffee roasting. Each day, we strive to get better and better, and our goal of doing that helps us make coffee that's worth the price every time you purchase it. Though our coffee is affordably priced compared to a lot of the competition (who even charge $20 or so for a 12 oz. bag!), it can be more expensive than what many coffee drinkers are used to. But, if you consider the attention to detail, the effort put in and the commitment to reducing costs where possible, you'll see that the price is completely worth it.
Eventually we want to purchase a larger roaster and grow our sales channels, but for now, we're letting the extra elbow grease we give the machine do the hard work for us. And we hope it shows in every bag of coffee you buy!
We're also passionate about sharing our knowledge about what we learn on our blog and in person. For instance, we recently did a seminar at the Cozby Library in Coppell about how to make great coffee every time. Our blog posts aim to cover some of the most important topics people are curious about, such as "How many scoops of coffee go in each cup?" and "How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?"
Living in Coppell and selling at the Coppell Farmers Market are two things that we're especially proud of. Every time you purchase a bag of Runyon Coffee, you're supporting your neighbors who live and spend their money in the same town you live in. In a time where every dollar counts and the money you spend supports what you believe in, it means the world that Coppell coffee lovers choose us. And we hope that sentiment is shared every time we interact with our neighbors here in Coppell!
The best way to get to know us and our coffee is by coming out to the Coppell Farmers Market! We'll be there every Saturday, so mark your calendar and come out to see us. One of our favorite things is to meet coffee lovers in Coppell, Irving, Carrollton, Lewisville and beyond, and that connection that we have with the people who buy our coffee is one of the most important things to us.
Why spend your money elsewhere when you know the money spent with us stays in the community and is working to help grow the community through the Coppell Farmers Market? We think it's a worthwhile effort to come to the market, see what all the producers have and spend money with hardworking people who appreciate the good things in life just like you do!
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One of the most common problems people face when making coffee while camping is finding a way to heat up water. This can be tricky if you're not prepared, but before you left for your next trip you read this blog post, so you ARE prepared. Go you!
The other problem with making coffee while camping is figuring out how to bring and grind your coffee beans. We'll discuss our recommendations for what to do about grinding your beans depending on whether you're going backpacking or going car camping.
The final problem is bringing the right equipment. This is more of a problem when you're backpacking, in which just remember: less is more. Don't bring anything you don't need on a backpacking trip because you'll regret it 2-3 miles in. Focus on the essentials and pack appropriately around that.
So to recap:
We'll use the following paragraphs to review our recommended solutions for these.
We love backpacking and never forget to bring coffee on our trips. After all, there's really nothing better than starting the morning with a cup of coffee to really get you going. This is especially necessary after a night where you might not have slept as well as you normally do (we know from experience).
There are two main ways you can do your coffee when backpacking:
No matter which method you choose, you're going to have to get hot water to make the coffee. But, this isn't a concern if you already know anything about backpacking since you're most likely going to be bringing a camp stove and a pot to boil water in.
For backpacking, we do recommend sacrificing a little bit of weight and bringing along the AeroPress Go. It makes the best cup of coffee AND it packs up nicely into its own little cup and lid. You could even reduce weight by not bringing along the cup, lid, stirrer and scoop, so then you're really in great shape. Just don't forget the filters! And, don't forget a hard cup (not one of those collapsible ones) that you can push the coffee into to make it.
One other thing you'll need to prepare for is to either have a hand grinder or grind your coffee medium-fine before you go. We recommend the sacrilegious practice of grinding the coffee before you go. That way, you can compress the coffee so it takes up less space, and you don't have to worry about using energy to grind. This is especially helpful when you're exhausting from all the hiking you're doing and just want to get the coffee going.
Here's how we make coffee while camping using the AeroPress Go:
There you go! Another bonus tip if you like to add cream to your coffee: you can buy the dried creamer powder, add some sugar to it, and bring it in a plastic bag to stir into your coffee. It's not as good as half and half or a creamer, but it sure travels much better.
Car camping at least cuts out (for the most part) the problems you'll have with having to lug a bunch of equipment with you. When car camping, you can bring more of the essentials, so our methods will assume you don't mind bringing some extra equipment along.
The first thing we'll focus on is: how are you going to get hot water?
One solution is to boil water on a camp stove. This requires you to bring a pot or a kettle (using the same pot that you'll do other cooking in is a good idea so that you don't have to bring even more stuff).
The other solution is to just bring along a plug-in kettle with a heating element, assuming you're going to have power. Obviously if you're camping in a more primitive site this isn't a solution, but some sites do have power and water hookups at them (like at many state parks).
You could also use your vehicle or one of those big Jackery battery packs for this. Lots of vehicles these days have a plug in them that you can just plug your kettle into and heat water that way.
We'll recommend two methods for making coffee while car camping:
To make coffee while camping using the pour over method, start by grinding your beans to a medium-coarse consistency. Then, place your ground coffee into the filter of your pour over device and wet it with a little bit of hot water. Next, slowly add more hot water to the grounds in a circular motion until you have poured all of the water over them. Let the coffee extract for about 3-4 minutes, then remove the filter and enjoy your fresh cup of coffee!
If you can, bring your scale and do it the conventional way to make sure you've got the proper bean-to-water ratio that you're looking for. If you're going to drink good coffee while camping, you might as well do it right!
To make coffee while camping using the French press method, it's important to use the correct amount of coffee and water. For 2 cups of coffee, you'll need 1-2 tablespoons of ground coffee per cup, depending on your preferred level of strength. If you want to make more, just remember to use 1-2 tablespoons of coffee per cup.
Next, you will need to grind your coffee beans properly. We recommend grinding the coffee at home before the trip to a medium-coarse grind and placing either back in the Runyon Coffee bag or in a plastic bag or container to make it easy to pack up and travel with.
Once you have your ground beans and hot water ready, add the grounds to your French press and slowly pour in the water. Place the lid firmly on top of the carafe and allow the mixture to steep for at least 3 minutes. After this time has passed, slowly push down on the plunger until all of the grounds are pressed down into the bottom chamber. Pour out your perfectly brewed cup of hot coffee and enjoy!
If you're a cold brew fanatic like we are, this one's a must. Though you can make cold brew with your AeroPress, batching the cold brew before you go is actually the easiest way to have coffee while camping because:
To learn how to make the best cold brew coffee for camping, we'll refer you to our ultimate guide to the best cold brew coffee. If you follow this method, you'll have a gallon of cold brew, which is perfect for a weekend car camping getaway. Don't forget to get some extra ice in a cooler to pour your cold brew over!
So there you have it! These are just a few of the common problems people face when making coffee while camping, as well as some solutions. Be sure to check out our website for more tips on making coffee while camping. And don't forget to pick up some Runyon Coffee beans before your next camping trip! They'll make all the difference in your cup of coffee. Thanks for reading!
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If you're familiar with Runyon Coffee, you know we talk endlessly about cold brew, and we're going to talk about it twice as much now that we're hitting 100-degree days for the next week. Why are we so obsessed with cold brew? For four reasons:
Starting your day with cold brew in Texas is almost a necessity at this point. We still enjoy hot coffee in the mornings, but if you're commuting to work (or even worse, working outside once you get to work), the last thing you need is to be sweating the entire time because you're drinking hot coffee (case in point: you'll probably see us with cold brew at the Coppell Farmers Market each morning because without it, we'd be drenched in sweat).
We've been making it with Payday Roast lately because it comes out incredibly smooth thanks to the high quality of the Nicaraguan beans we get from Finca Agua Fresca. We also put together an easy-to-follow step-by-step video on how to make cold brew on our Instagram page. And, even better, we've got a blog post on the ultimate guide for making cold brew. So if you're looking to have the best summer of coffee ever, we've got you covered!
This method is just a great way to add purposeful intention to your coffeemaking routine. Think of pour over coffee making like a meditation in the morning: you grind the beans, you heat the water, you intentionally pour the water over the grinds and you wait for the result. It's maybe not an every day thing, but it helps break up the routine and put the focus on something worth doing.
We highlighted the Hario V60 dripper because it's a popular pour over coffee maker that many coffee enthusiasts swear by. The V60 is known for its unique cone shape and spiraled ridges, which help to evenly distribute the water and coffee grounds. The result is a great way to start the morning or to break up the afternoon a bit.
When brewing coffee with the V60, it's important to start by rinsing the paper filter with hot water. This will help to remove any paper taste from the filter and also preheat the brewer. Next, add your coffee grounds to the V60 and give them a gentle shake to level them out. Slowly pour hot water over the grounds, starting in the center and spiraling outwards. Be sure to pour slowly and evenly, taking care not to over-extract the coffee. Using a scale makes all of this easier, but a lot of the time it's not totally necessary. If you're using a high-quality coffee and you're learning a bit from trial and error, you'll get a great cup every time.
AeroPress is a coffee maker that uses a unique brewing method to produce a cup of coffee with exceptional flavor. We find that when you're using a really good coffee, the AeroPress can often bring out the best qualities of the coffee. Most people (like us) are just totally amazed that such a simple device can make such great coffee.
To use the AeroPress, simply place the coffee grounds in the chamber, add hot water, and then plunge the AeroPress to extract the coffee. The AeroPress is ideal for making iced coffee, too, as it produces a concentrate that can be diluted with cold water or milk. Additionally, the AeroPress is portable and easy to use, making it a great choice for coffee lovers on the go (especially if you're doing some camping or backpacking this summer).
How are you enjoying your Runyon Coffee this summer? Are there any favorite methods we missed? Be sure to contact us or say hey at the various markets we'll be at this summer!
]]>Do you ever feel like death the morning after a night of drinking? You're not alone. A hangover is one of the most uncomfortable feelings imaginable. One of the first things you might think of to do when you wake up with a hangover is to grab a cup of coffee, especially if you slept really poorly. But, before you do, it might be helpful to understand a bit about what's going on behind the scenes with your body.
So can coffee help with a hangover? Let's take a look at the research.
Hangovers are caused by dehydration, changes in blood sugar levels and the toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism. Generally, the more alcohol you drink, the more likely you're going to have a hangover the next day, and the more likely it's going to be painful.
If you've ever had a hangover, you can skip this section, but we figured it might be helpful if you somehow landed on this blog post after your first or second night of heavy drinking:
In addition, one of the worst parts of a hangover is the fact that you probably didn't sleep very well at all, which might contribute more to the symptoms above.
The good news is that coffee can help with a hangover, but it's definitely not a cure-all. According to research by Thomas Jefferson University, the caffeine in coffee can block some effects of acetate, which is what your liver breaks alcohol down into. But, the study (done with rats as test subjects) suggests that you should start drinking coffee 4-6 hours after you start drinking because that's when the acetate really starts showing up. That doesn't really sound that feasible, but hey, if you're like me, you get up at 7am whether you want to or not, so maybe it's not a bad idea to drink coffee as soon as you wake up.
One very subtle reason that coffee might help with a hangover is that your body is already familiar with the caffeine you get each day from drinking coffee, so it's going to want a cup of coffee regardless. In that respect, drinking coffee will help so much, and you'll get all the benefits of drinking coffee in the first place, such as mood improvement.
Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it makes you have to pee more. When you're already dehydrated from a night of drinking, any coffee you drink is going to need to be supplemented with lots of water and electrolytes. So remember that when consuming coffee while you have a hangover.
A cup of coffee might help you feel more alert, but it's not going to do much for your dehydration levels. In fact, coffee can actually make a hangover worse if you don't drink water alongside it.
When it comes to hangovers, there is no magic cure. But coffee might help a little bit, especially if you're struggling with a headache. Just remember to stay hydrated and listen to your body. If you're still feeling really awful, it's probably best to just stay in bed.
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Drip coffee is the most common type of coffee and is what you'll find in most households in the United States. To brew drip coffee, you'll need a drip coffeemaker (obviously), a filter, ground coffee and water.
The ratio of coffee to water is typically between 1:15 and 1:18. This means that for every 15 grams of ground coffee, you'll need 225 grams of water. So if you're using two tablespoons of ground coffee (one "scoop"), you'll need eight ounces of water.
Let's check in with an official source on making drip coffee at home: Mr. Coffee: Mr. Coffee says that the perfect amount of coffee is two tablespoons of coffee for every six ounces of water.
That's a bit stronger that our recommendation above, but at the end of the day, it all really comes down to personal preferences. So, aim for 2 tablespoons of coffee per 6-8 oz. of water and you'll be in good shape. Also remember that 1 tablespoon (1 tbsp) is equal to 3 teaspoons (3 tsp), so if you only have a teaspoon measurement cup around, you'll need to multiply the number of tablespoons by 3 to get the amount of teaspoons of coffee grounds you'll need to use.
Mr. Coffee also recommends using freshly ground beans for the best flavor, and you know exactly where to get those.
(Special thanks to Lon, a reader who emailed us to let us know our ratios were a bit off!)
How many scoops of coffee for 1 cup | 1 scoop |
How many scoops of coffee for 2 cups | 2 scoops |
How many scoops of coffee for 4 cups | 4 scoops |
How many scoops of coffee for 6 cups | 6 scoops |
How many scoops of coffee for 8 cups | 8 scoops |
How many scoops of coffee for 10 cups | 10 scoops |
How many scoops of coffee for 12 cups | 12 scoops |
I bet you thought we were going to keep it easy in this article, didn't you? Well, we're not, because if you bought a pour over setup, you're obviously dedicated to putting in the time and effort it takes to make great coffee.
The main difference is that with pour over coffee compared to drip coffee is that you have more control over the water-to-coffee ratio. Pour over coffee is also typically a bit stronger and more flavorful than drip coffee. The recommended coffee-to-water ratio for pour over coffee is 1 to 15 or 1 to 16. This means that for every 15 grams (or two tablespoons) of ground coffee, you'll need around 225 grams of water.
My favorite ratio lately has been 30 grams of coffee and 480 grams of water. I guess if you wanted less, you could do like... 20 grams of coffee to 320 grams.
If you haven't figured it out yet, this also means that a scale is going to be necessary to make all this possible. So, answering the question of "how many scoops" isn't exactly the best way to get the best out of your coffee when it comes to pour over, but then again, if you've invested in a pour over setup, you're probably looking to get the best possible coffee anyway, so you're more likely to welcome the use of a scale.
If you want to read a bit more in depth about brewing using the pour over, we wrote a coffee guide on how to brew coffee for one person. Just multiple that recipe depending on how many other people are going to be enjoying your Runyon Coffee.
I know what you're thinking: What the heck? You were just doing all the math in grams, and now you're switching over to the imperial system again? Well, most cold brew makers you get in the US have measurements in ounces and quarts and gallons and all that, so we have to switch back.
Cold brew coffee is becoming more popular in recent years. It's made by steeping ground coffee in cold or room-temperature water for 12-24 hours. We even go as far as 48 hours before enjoying as depicted in our guide to make the absolute best cold brew ever. But, that's if you're making a gallon of cold brew, so if you're making less cold brew you can probably get away with 12 hours minimum.
Luckily, the AeroPress comes with a handy scoop included, so all you have to do is use one scoop for every cup that you're going to make. So, for instance, if you're going to make one cup, you get one scoop, put it in the AeroPress, then fill the water up to the circled "1" on the AeroPress chamber. After you've pressed the coffee through the filter (the literal AeroPress), you add more water to your desired strength. I tend to go super strong with the AeroPress since the AeroPress does such a good job of removing any bitterness.
If you're feeling like a refreshing cold cup of coffee, you can make cold brew with the AeroPress as well.
We hope this post helps you figure out how many scoops of coffee to use per cup using the different methods of brewing coffee. Enjoy!
]]>This started with meeting our friends at Runyon House Roasts when we realized we, obviously, had similar businesses!
But, then we found other interesting brands named Runyon that we've made friends with over the past couple years. We hope you'll check out their websites and see what they're up to!
Having the right board is essential to really enjoying surfing, especially when it comes to the waves in coastal North Carolina. Runyon Surfboards has a board for anybody's style, and if you're looking for something custom, Clint Runyon will make sure you're taken care of. One of our favorite things about Runyon Surfboards is, like us, Clint is self-taught in designing and building his surfboards. That means he's put in countless hours thinking about how to make better boards, and he pours everything into his work to make sure every wave you catch is an enjoyable one.
Clint is a former Marine and discovered a love for surfing after being stationed in sunny southern California. His career as a Marine took him all over the place, and one of the places he credits with helping him improve his passion for making great boards was Okinawa, Japan. After retiring in 2020, Clint is now working on spending time with family, friends and, of course, making the some of the best surfboards out there. Be sure to check them out!
Located at over 8,500 ft. in Cañon City, CO, Runyon Training Concepts is the absolute best place to train at high altitudes. Whether you're looking to train in natural low-oxygen environment, improve your recovery using high altitudes, get in shape, work toward an endurance sport goal or prepare for an adventurous vacation, Runyon Training Concepts will set you up for success. They have everything you need on 46-acres of beautiful Colorado mountains and forests, and some things you might not have ever even thought of:
All of the training is supervised by Dan Runyon, a former Army Green Beret and 9-time Ironman who is not only welcoming and friendly, but who will push you to exactly where you need to be to achieve your goals. Make a weekend at Runyon Training Concepts part of your training regimen, then go and explore the rest of what Cañon City and the surrounding area has to offer!
Our second favorite coffee in the world comes from Runyon House Roasts. Sorry, Ed, we're just SLIGHTLY biased. But it is important for us to note that Runyon House Roasts has a completely different (and unique) style from how we roast. They use an air roaster which pushes a fluid bed of hot air past the beans to roast them. The beans actually spin in a vortex, which is super cool to see (and unlike most drum roasts, you can see the whole thing in action!).
Ed Runyon began roasting after a lifelong love of coffee, especially the smell, which he considers just as "calming and wonderful as those Pure Michigan Commercials on the radio." In addition to making great coffee, Ed also takes great pictures as a full-time professional photographer.
The further you go west, the more likely people will say, "Oh, like the canyon," when you tell them your last name is Runyon. Well, imagine how cool it was when we discovered an athletic apparel brand named Runyon Canyon Apparel thanks to our friends at Runyon Training Concepts.
The coolest thing about Runyon Canyon Apparel, other than being named "Runyon", is that they purposely sell clothing that's authentically made in the United States. The second coolest thing is that it's fantastic athletic apparel designed for runners, hikers and anybody who sweats when they get outside. They also do a great job of throwing in free stuff when you spend $50, $100, $150, etc. We now have like 4 Runyon Canyon bandanas which I wear on runs around Coppell, TX!
Every where we go, we love meeting new Runyons, so if you know of any other businesses named Runyon we need to meet or visit, definitely let us know!
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How much caffeine is in a typical cup of coffee? According to the Mayo Clinic, a cup of brewed coffee has 95-200 mg of caffeine. (Their site says specifically 96 mg, but we prefer a range)
But how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee from different types of brewing methods?
A single shot of espresso has 64 mg of caffeine, while iced coffee has 70-140 mg and cold brew has 70-120 mg.
And, if you're curious, decaf coffee has about 12 mg of caffeine per cup. So it's not technically totally caffeine-free, so beware when drinking coffee later at night.
What about tea? A cup of black tea has 47 mg of caffeine, while green tea has 29 mg. Herbal teas have 0 mg of caffeine.
As for soda, a can of Coca-Cola has 34 mg of caffeine and a can of Pepsi has 38 mg.
When hot water is added to coffee grounds, the caffeine is extracted from the beans and dissolves into the water. This process happens more quickly at higher temperatures, which is why hot coffee has more caffeine than cold brew coffee. Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for a long period of time, typically 12 hours or more. Since the extraction process happens more slowly at lower temperatures, cold brew coffee has less caffeine than hot coffee.
However, it is important to note that the levels of caffeine can be influenced by how concentrated your cold brew coffee is. If you've got a "thicker" concentrate and you drink that without adding water or ice, you're going to have more caffeine per ounce than you would if you watered it down a bit.
Were you surprised by these results? We definitely were, especially as it relates to cold brew coffee. But, we tend to do pretty concentrated Runyon Coffee cold brew over ice, so if we don't add enough ice, we can definitely feel the caffeine!
]]>Some people liked to use the inverted AeroPress style to make their cold brew so the water doesn't go through the filter during the minute of stirring you have to do. Here's a quick overview of how to do it that way using the 2-scoop recipe mentioned above:
If you follow this recipe, you can have cold brew nearly anywhere and at a moments notice. This is especially great for traveling. Enjoy!
]]>Whether you live alone, have a guest coming over who drinks coffee (but you don't) or just like to enjoy a single cup of coffee every morning, there are many different methods for making coffee that are perfect for one person. From the classic pour over method or French press to the more modern AeroPress method, there are plenty of options for creating your perfect cup of coffee.
Here's the three main methods we'll go over in this post:
Scroll to the bottom if you just want a quick reference chart based on each method.
As a bonus, we'll also share how to keep your beans fresher longer.
One popular method is the pour over method, which involves pouring hot water slowly over ground coffee beans to produce a rich and flavorful cup of coffee. This method originated in Japan, where it is still widely used today. It has become increasingly popular in the West in recent years due to its simplicity and ease of use.
There are two standard ways we'll cover when it comes to pour overs: the single coffee dripper method or the larger pour over coffee maker method.
The Hario V60 is one of the most popular pour over coffee makers on the market today. Made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass or plastic, it allows you to control every aspect of the brewing process, allowing you to achieve a perfectly balanced cup with just a few simple steps. To put it simply, it's the perfect way to brew a really solid single cup of coffee.
To use the V60, simply place your coffee grounds in the cone-shaped filter and slowly pour hot water over them in a circular motion. The water should drip down through the grounds and into your coffee mug or carafe below. You can adjust the flow rate by using a finer or coarser grind, depending on what kind of flavor profile you want to achieve. Start with a medium grind, then go a little finer or coarser on the grind and see how you like the coffee, then adjust accordingly. Try starting using around 3 tablespoons of coffee to make a 10 oz cup of coffee, as a baseline.
We're featuring the V60 because it's the most well-known of this style, but there are many other similar types of single-cup pour over brewers. Another popular one is the Kalita Wave Series, which is made by another Japanese company called Kalita. No matter which brand of coffee maker you choose, they're all designed to make an excellent cup of coffee.
Small side note: Starbucks's CEO, Howard Schultz, discovered drip coffee making in this way when he worked for Hammarplast. The founders of Starbucks used to buy Hammarplast drip coffee makers in large numbers, which intrigued Schultz, so he went out to Seattle to meet them. The rest is history!
The Chemex-style coffee maker is a versatile way to either make a single cup of coffee or a larger pot of coffee depending on how many people are drinking. This is great for when you're normally the only one drinking coffee, but then you have a guest over who also drinks coffee. In contrast to the single-cup pour over method mentioned above, you can save time by brewing more coffee when needed instead of having to brew one cup, then brew the next one for your guest.
Our recommendation to do this method really well for one person requires a scale and using grams to get really precise. You've probably seen us recommend the 1:15 ratio for coffee to water, and that's easier done with grams than it is with ounces and all that.
Here's the way we do the pour-over method for a single cup of coffee:
Another great option for making coffee for one person is the AeroPress. This method was invented in 2005 by Alan Adler and boasts that it makes a smoother, richer flavor of coffee without bitterness. In fact, the box claims that it has 1/9th the acidity of French press coffee, too.
Regardless, the AeroPress is perfect for those who want a quick and easy way to make coffee, as it only takes a few minutes to brew a cup. It's also awesome for traveling; we recently took the AeroPress Go on an Amtrak trip through California and were able to enjoy a really good cup of coffee on the train multiple times.
Here's the easy way we make coffee using the AeroPress:
Our last piece of advice on this would be to do two or three scoops and fill up the water to the circled 2 or 3 on the AeroPress chamber. That'll make you a good, solid cup and you can add more water to it as you desire.
If you prefer a more traditional method of making coffee, the French press may be the perfect choice. This time-tested method is simple and straightforward, requiring you to steep coffee grounds in hot water for several minutes before pressing them down with a plunger. While this process may take a bit longer than other methods, it results in a rich and robust cup of coffee that's great for single coffee drinkers.
The other good thing about the French press is you can get a smaller one especially for yourself for pretty cheap. For example, I got mine from IKEA is a 13.5 oz size, so it's exactly perfect for one cup of coffee.
Here's the easy method to brew coffee for one using the French press:
(Note that these are just starting guides - you'll need to adjust a bit to figure out what you like best)
Brewing method | Grind size | Amount of coffee (tbsp) | Amount of water (fl oz) | Amount of coffee (g) | Amount of water (g/ml) |
Pour over, Hario V60 | Medium-coarse | 3 tbsp | 10 oz | 15g | 240g |
Pour over, Chemex (or similar) | Medium-coarse | 3 tbsp | 10 oz | 15g | 240g |
AeroPress (Tim Wendelboe recipe) | Medium-fine | 3 tbsp (1 heaping AeroPress scoop) | 8 oz | 14g | 200g |
French Press | Coarse | 3 tbsp | 12 oz | 18g | 270g |
Since most coffee is sold in 12 oz. or 16 oz. bags, it's obviously going to take longer for a solo person to go through a bag of coffee than it is if you're making coffee for two or more people. Here are the best ways to keep that coffee fresh:
One of the things we're really proud of is the extra step we take to help keep your coffee fresher for longer. That includes two things: only buying bags with a one-way valve built in, and specifically buying bags that have the resealable zipper closure on each bag.
If you reseal the bag properly after grinding your beans each time, you should be able to keep that coffee fresh for at least a month or so. The valve will let any additional de-gassing occur by letting that carbon dioxide out, and your beans will stay fresh because outside air won't be able to get in.
Need some fresh coffee to try out these recipes? We recommend our Payday Roast made with beans from Finca Agua Fresca in Nicaragua.
Airscape containers are another great way to keep your coffee fresh for longer. These containers use a patented all-metal lid that forces the air out of the container and prevents oxygen from entering, helping to maintain the flavor and quality of your coffee. Airscape containers also have an inner lid, which further reduces exposure to outside air and helps to prevent moisture from damaging your beans.
Unlike zip-top or other types of plastic bags, Airspace containers are durable and easy to store, so you can always have fresh coffee at hand. We use them to keep our own coffee fresh after roasting so that we don't have to waste Runyon Coffee bags on ourselves. We're also exploring a system of reducing packaging where you can buy beans at the farmers market to put directly in your own container, saving packaging and saving you money. More on that later!
We hope you found this blog post informative and helpful - thanks for being a Runyon Coffee fan!
]]>Fast forward to the present and I am a total cold brew fiend. I bought a gallon cold brew maker last year and never looked back. Now, I keep a steady supply for my wife and I in our garage fridge so that we can enjoy cold brew coffee all summer long, which is essential in Texas. After all, roasting in the Texas heat is the kind of roasting we DON'T want to do.
OK, enough personal blah blah blah. Here is the definitive guide you need to have to make the best cold brew ever. And, of course, it features Runyon Coffee beans.
There are a lot of cold brew coffee makers on the market these days. Some are big, some are small, and some come with all sorts of bells and whistles. The one thing you want to make sure of is that your cold brew maker has a tight seal. This is key because you don't want any coffee grinds or cold brew concentrate leaking out and making a mess.
The other thing you need to look out for is that it's got a mesh filter that will hold all the grounds in properly. The worst thing in the world is when you're pouring your cold brew and grounds are all up in the coffee. Save those for the compost, not for your glass.
Final word on what to look for: an easy pour spout/spigot. This isn't essential, but I love how easy it is to pour cold brew straight from the spout in the fridge. All you have to do is add some ice to a glass, pour the cold brew in and you're good to go.
My personal favorite cold brew maker one of these types that you can get off Amazon. They make a full gallon, which is perfect if you're like us and you go through at least a gallon a week.
Another very popular cold brew maker is the Ovalware Cold Brew Maker. It's got a nice big 64 ounce capacity, it's made of durable glass and it has a stainless steel filter basket that screws on tight. Plus, it's dishwasher safe, which is a huge plus. This one's probably great if you live alone or are the only coffee drinker in your house.
Now that you've got your cold brew maker, it's time to choose your beans.
For cold brew, I like to use Runyon Coffee Weekday Roast or Payday Roast. These are both medium roasted coffees, which I find give the best flavor for cold brew. That may be a controversial statement because you'll hear many people rave on how much better a darker-roast coffee is for cold brew, but for overall taste factors, I think the medium roasts do a much better job of having a smooth, balanced flavor profile.
Of course, you can use whatever beans you want and cold brew is a great way to experiment with different roasts and flavor profiles. Just know that the darker the roast, the more bold and intense the cold brew will be. One of my favorite customers, who actually got me into cold brew, swears by Hump Day Blend as their go-to for cold brew. It's really up to you and what you like!
Once you've chosen your beans, it's time to grind them.
You'll want to use a more coarse grind for cold brew coffee. This is because the coffee will be steeped in cold water for an extended period of time and if the grind is too fine, it will result in over-extracted coffee that tastes bitter. I actually go with what I'd call a medium-coarse grind, but whatever you do, try to lean a little more on the coarse side, especially when compared to what you'd normally do for, say, drip coffee.
A good rule of thumb is to start with a grind that's about as coarse as kosher salt. At the very least, just make sure that you're grinding them more coarse than the holes in the mesh filter. If you don't, you're guaranteed to have very fine little coffee grounds swimming in your cold brew.
Once you've got your cold brew maker and your beans all ready to go, it's time to actually make the cold brew!
For this step, you'll want to add about a cup of cold filtered water for every two ounces of coffee grounds. So, if you're using a half-pound of coffee (which is eight ounces), you'll want to add four cups of cold water. Make sure the water is filtered for the best tasting output.
If you want a stronger cold brew concentrate, you can use less water or more coffee. It really just depends on how strong you like your coffee and how much you want to make.
Here's the easiest way to do it, which requires that gallon cold brew coffee maker I mentioned above:
This will give you a really nice semi-concentrated cold brew that you can easily pour over ice and that won't be super diluted.
Once you've got your cold brew coffee maker all set up, stick that thing in the fridge and let it sit for 48 hours.
Resist the urge to drink your cold brew before it hits 24 hours in the fridge. You can generally sample it after 24 hours, especially if you're totally desperate for some delicious cold brew, but I've found that the cold brew hits its peak at about 48 hours in the fridge.
It's time! If you waited 48 hours, you're ready to enjoy the smoothest cold brew you've ever had in your life. Lucky you!
Keep the coffee grounds in the mesh filter while it stays in the fridge. The coffee will still continue to brew a little after 48 hours, keeping your cold brew even more tasty. Plus, if you leave the grounds in the filter until you're finished, you won't have a mess to clean up when you pull it out of the cold brew maker. Just keep it in there until you're done and dispose of the grounds like you normally do (we recommend composting!).
Have you used Runyon Coffee in your cold brew at home? Let us know how it went and if we're missing anything in this blog post!
Before we go any further, Runyon Coffee Company is the best coffee roaster in Dallas-Fort Worth and the surrounding areas. But, I wanted to make sure we highlighted a few of our favorites because there are so many other great roasters doing really good things in the DFW area. I'm also going to write this post in first person because it's just easier and more interesting that way.
Nearly every shop you go to has spent years figuring out exactly the type of coffee they want to feature, and here are the best coffee roasters they're buying from in Dallas, Fort Worth and the DFW metroplex.
A short note about how I'm picking these favorites:
OK, I'm going to start this off by being very, very vulnerable. And what I mean is this: I really hadn't appreciated craft coffee like I should have until I had Cultivar Coffee back when they were stationed up in Good 2 Go Taco in east Dallas (the best damn breakfast tacos in Dallas, hands down, and I can't believe they had to close).
Before then, I'd been part of what you could call "second wave" coffee when I worked in a local cafe in Shreveport, LA. I knew how to pull shots, make all the drinks, etc... but I'll admit I didn't know a damn thing about coffee roasting, sourcing, etc. It was actually really pathetic, but hey, it was just the way it was decades ago.
Anyway, I've never had anything from Cultivar I didn't like. They apparently won best beans in Dallas at D Magazine's Best of Big D awards in 2013 (which is when I was drinking much more of their coffee), so they're doing something right. I haven't had their coffee in a while, so I'll have to make a purchase and relive the glory days with some homemade Honey Bear tacos.
Novel Coffee Roasters is one of the best coffee roasters in Dallas for several reasons. We first had their coffee at Roots in Fort Worth, which is cool because apparently Novel's head roaster started as a barista at Roots back in 2011. Also very cool: pretty sure we had an Ethiopian or Kenyan single-origin that they had on the espresso machine, which produced a fantastic bright shot.
They've got a roastery in Northeast Dallas, but they've also got their own brick-and-mortar over in Flower Mound, so we'll have to check that out here soon. They've also got a decidedly non-pompous attitude about their coffee, which is very cool to us. If you've met us at the Coppell Farmers Market, we may have talked about our mission to bring good coffee to people who might not otherwise be introduced, and do it in an especially unpretentious way. Any roaster who has the same philosophy is definitely cool in our book!
Eiland makes the list because they have a Papua New Guinea washed process coffee that was the first time we'd ever had coffee from Papua New Guinea. They've been roasting out of Richardson since 1998, which was years before our coffee journey even began, so they have great historical cred. They also use a 1969 Probat roaster, which they consider "the best coffee roaster ever made."
The Papua New Guinea was really good. We don't mind mentioning it because it's highly unlikely that we'll ever do a single-origin from Papua New Guinea. When you find something good, real recognize real.
In addition to being a great roaster, they have a really good brew guide on their site that'll be super helpful until we put up a brew guide of our own.
We were first introduced to Noble Coyote Coffee Roasters back in 2016 or so when we bought some of their coffee from a farmers market in east Dallas. Hey, how fitting!
It's been a while since we've bought their coffee, but that first bag was memorable. So memorable that I was really happy to see they'd partnered with our friends at Cafe Momentum in downtown Dallas, which is a specialty restaurant that trains at-risk youth for careers in the restaurant industry. How awesome is that?
Another awesome thing about Noble Coyote is that they do cuppings so you can learn with the pros how to cup coffee and learn about different origins. According to the website, you can also book a private coffee class for a small group, so if you're wanting to learn a lot straight from the source, they'd be a great place to check out!
I'm guessing you didn't think we'd go there, but we did.
It's time to put Coppell on the map as a coffee powerhouse. This "bedroom community" nestled between a few highways could be easily missed if you get confused by how Belt Line turns into Denton Tap or whatever (or is it the other way around?).
Runyon Coffee Company calls Coppell home and sells mostly exclusively at the Coppell Farmers Market, which is in itself a powerhouse of fresh vegetables, foods and other great goods from all around the area. Dare we say it's the best farmers market in the DFW area? Well, yes, because the people who run that market are awesome and they're extremely picky about who they let in, so you know you're only going to find pretty great stuff there.
Make it a priority on a Saturday to visit Runyon Coffee at the market, say hey, and try some of the best coffee you've never had. We have a custom built roaster and we're boostrapping our way to bigger things. And we're lucky to have all the support we've gotten from the Coppell community!
Got a coffee roaster in Dallas-Ft. Worth that we're missing? Email us and let us know who we forgot!
]]>The perfect cup of coffee is a tricky thing to brew. Some people like it weak, others want it strong and some just want to be able to drink the whole pot. It can be hard enough finding the right water temperature (should you use boiling or lower temperatures?), let alone figuring out how much coffee you need to use. A lot of people in Coppell, Dallas and Fort Worth tend to ask us how much coffee they should use for each cup of coffee, so we put together this handy guide to help.
When it comes to making coffee, most people usually follow the general rule of 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per cup of coffee. But if you want a stronger flavor, you can always increase the amount up to 3-4 tablespoons per cup. This will give you a more intense flavor that is perfect for those who really love their coffee (like us!).
Of course, the more coffee you use, the more time it will take to brew. So if you are in a hurry, you might want to use less coffee. But remember, the quality of your coffee will suffer. And quality is the #1 thing we're going for at Runyon Coffee.
Looking for a coffee chart to help you make the perfect cup of coffee? You can find a variety of charts online that will give you different measurements and brewing times. For instance, this chart from Lifehacker goes into great detail about how much coffee you'll need, starting from how much you'll need for one cup all the way up to the recommendation for making 12 cups.
If you're really feeling scientific, we've talked with fans of our coffee and have heard over and over again that a 1:16 or 1:17 ratio of coffee:water works really, really well, especially in a pour over. When we reference this, we mean 1 gram of coffee for every 16 or 17 grams of water (or, simply 1 part coffee, 16 parts water). Bon Appetit recommends 1:16, and they seem like a pretty good source. Either way, this will at least get you started, and you can experiment from there.
One of the things that's very interesting about coffee is when you're roasting, you're evaporating the moisture that's held inside the bean. Even though coffee is dried before being sent to our roastery, it still contains a good bit of moisture in it, especially compared to after it comes out of the roaster. But, depending on how long you roast coffee for, you're going to have more or less moisture in the bean, which also effects how much coffee you might need to use to get the "strength" you want.
For instance, our Weekend Roast is roasted just about through first crack. That means that it still retains more moisture than our Hump Day Blend, which goes all the way through second crack. (We'll write more about what the "cracks" mean in another blog post). Put more simply, Hump Day Blend is in the roaster longer than Weekend Roast, so the heat has more time to evaporate the moisture held in the beans.
So, what this means is that you may need to use just a bit more coffee when brewing Weekend Roast than you might when brewing Hump Day Blend. Because the Hump Day Blend beans have dried out a bit more, the water can pass through the pores in the coffee grinds and extract more coffee flavor.
The ratios mentioned above are with drip coffee or pour over coffee in mind. But, how much coffee should you use if you're brewing in a French press? The answer is actually pretty similar to previous ratios mentioned above. If you want a weaker cup of coffee, go with the 2 tablespoon per cup rule. But, if you want a stronger brew, you can increase the amount of coffee you use. Again, French press is a great brewing method for experimentation, so don't be afraid to do a little trial and error.
The same goes for espresso. The rule of thumb is 1 ounce (by weight) of ground coffee per shot. We recommend doing a little bit more research on espresso preparation, so you will have to do a bit more reading and YouTube-ing to figure out how to get the perfect shot of espresso. But, we figure that if you're invested in drinking espresso at home, that will just be part of the fun of making espresso!
What about the AeroPress? We've found that the AeroPress is a great way to make a really strong cup of coffee, without all the bitterness that can sometimes come along with using a French press. The AeroPress obviously comes with a great guide to get you started (after all, they've done a TON of product research and testing), but if you've lost it, here's a link to those instructions for your reference. But, to make things super simple, the AeroPress comes with a little scoop, so you just add 1 scoop for every "cup" you're going to make, then fill up the water level to the same number of scoops that you've added.
For instance, we have the AeroPress Go because we like to bring Payday Roast with us when we travel, so we always add three scoops and then fill the chamber up to the number "3" with water, then stir. Then, of course, you add more hot water until you get your desired strength of coffee. We tend to go pretty strong when using the AeroPress, but the thing we love about it is you never seem to get any bitter notes (especially with Runyon Coffee, of course!).
We always recommend starting with the two-tablespoons-per-cup method and adjusting from there. At the end of the day, the key to making great coffee is finding what works best for you. Some people like their coffee weak, while others want it strong. The important thing is to experiment and figure out what you like. Once you find your preferred water-to-coffee ratio, make sure you write it down so you can remember. We sometimes put sticky notes on our coffee maker to remember the exact ratio we've loved when brewing certain coffees.
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Because this is the #1 way that most people make their coffee, we'll start with the best way to grind coffee for a drip coffee machine. When brewing coffee in a drip machine, you'll coffee beans to a medium-fine consistency. If you grind them too coarse, your coffee will be weak and watery. If you grind them too fine, on the other hand, your coffee may be bitter and over-extracted.
All of our coffees are perfect for a drip coffee machine, so as long as you get the right grind setting down, you'll be making great coffee in no time.
Brewing espresso is a more involved process than brewing drip coffee, and it requires a finer grind. If your grind is too coarse, your espresso will be weak and have no crema. If your grind is too fine, on the other hand, your espresso will be bitter and over-extracted. In general, aim for a grind that leans toward more fine. Generally, you can check the manual provided with your espresso machine to help figure out exactly what grind setting you need, and with a little bit of practice, you'll nail down exactly how your espresso needs to be ground. This is especially important when using different coffees.
If you're curious about what Runyon Coffee beans works well for an espresso, you can start with Payday Roast or Weekday Roast. The best way to get a great espresso roast with our coffee would be to combine a few different coffees to get a unique espresso roast for you. For example, you could do 50% Weekday Roast, 25% Payday Roast and 25% Weekend Roast to get a delicious blend that has excellent crema and a very full taste without any bitterness and minimal acidity.
Brewing coffee with a pour over setup is one of the most popular ways to make coffee, and it's also one of the easiest. The great thing about pour over coffee is that you can use any type of grind, from coarse to fine. In general, we recommend using a medium-coarse grind for pour overs. This allows for the water that you'll pour in from your kettle to soak and extract the grounds, getting as much of the coffee into your container as possible. That will give you a balanced cup of coffee with good flavor and without any bitterness.
If you're looking for a great pour over setup, we recommend the Chemex. It's one of our favorite pour over setups, and it makes delicious coffee every time. If you keep an eye out, you can also get the Bodum pour over coffee maker on sale throughout the year, which is another great pour over coffee maker.
The AeroPress is another popular way to make coffee, and it's a little different than the other brewing methods mentioned. With an AeroPress, you'll want to use a fine grind setting, as this will help create a smooth cup of coffee without any grit or bitterness.
Since the AeroPress is such a versatile brewer, you can use any type of bean with it - from light to dark roasts. If you're looking for a great AeroPress coffee, we recommend starting with our Weekday Roast. It's a medium roast with a medium body that is incredibly versatile, and you'll find that the AeroPress lets you enjoy any of our coffee roasts at their best.
Cold brew is another great way to make coffee, and it's perfect for those hot summer days. To make cold brew coffee, you'll need a coarse grind, as this will help the coffee extract slowly and create a smooth cup.
Since cold brew takes a little longer to make, you can let the coffee grounds soak in filtered water overnight for a 12-hour extraction. Simply put the ground coffee in a jar, add the water and put it in the refrigerator. In the morning, just strain out the grounds (you can use a normal coffee filter and another container to pass the coffee-water through and enjoy your delicious cold brew coffee.
If you're looking for a great cold brew setup, we recommend checking Amazon for a one-gallon cold brew container. This will let you put the grinds in a center mesh filter, add water, then enjoy the coffee through a spout at the bottom when you're ready for it. You can even just leave the grinds in the filter so the water continues to extract. Just don't forget to finish the coffee after about a week or two in the fridge or you'll check some very unpleasant mold growing in your container!
No matter what brewing method you're using, it's important to get the grind right in order to extract the best flavor possible from your coffee. If you're using a burr grinder, start by finding the grind size that corresponds to the brewing method you're using. Then, experiment with different bean blends and roasts to find the perfect one for you.
If you're using a blade grinder, start by grinding the beans for the coarsest grind size possible. Then, work your way up to the finer grind sizes until you find the perfect one for your brewing method.
No matter what type of grinder you're using, always make sure to grind fresh coffee, which won't be a problem if you're buying coffee from us! We roast our coffee beans fresh every week, and we guarantee that you won't find a better cup of coffee anywhere else. Thanks for reading, and we hope this guide helps you make the perfect cup of coffee each and every time.
]]>As the proprietor of a coffee roastery, I also consider my customers, neighbors, etc. in my daily habits and hope that what I'm doing is beneficial for them as well.
As an amateur scientist, I realize how lucky we are to be at the greatest technological point in human history for the sheer fact that if you wonder something, you have the Internet just seconds away from you at nearly all times, and through the power of the Internet you can learn anything.
So, with all that said, I did a bunch of research recently with one question in mind:
As any good blogger or sex therapist will tell you, you have to wait until the end to see if the time put in was worth it, so I'm going to go through the evidence first and then present the verdict. But, if it's any consolation, my coffee business is still up and running, so if coffee were really that bad I wouldn't be writing this article. You can also take this quote from Frank Hu, chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health:
"The overall evidence has been pretty convincing that coffee has been more healthful than harmful in terms of health outcomes."
Well, that does it for me, but if you're curious about the science behind why, read on!
This list includes, but isn't limited to:
That's quite the list right there.
The #1 source I'll cite on this one is my lovely wife, Kay. Though I am pretty inclined to be a morning person most of the time, there's definitely a time of day that I'm more happy and motivated than any other time, and that's after I've had my first cup of Payday Roast.
The National Coffee Association (totally unbiased, by the way) released a study noting that the research tends to show that individuals that drink coffee often have a 32% lower risk of developing symptoms of depression. It looks like about two cups of coffee is the magic number for helping improve your mood.
Mood improvements are attributed to the way coffee's caffeine blocks receptors in the brain from binding with adenosine, which causes fatigue and a lowered mood.
I experienced this first-hand about three years ago when I ran a half marathon for the first time. I could barely run a mile at many times in my life, and living in Texas during the summertime severely limits your ability to train. So, many mornings started with a fresh cup of coffee, a pause for the cause then a training run fueled by at least one cup of coffee.
It turns out that the science backs this up, too: caffeine has been shown to be an effective performance enhancer and can not only motivate you, but help you achieve peak performance when consumed 45-60 minutes before exercising. Here are some of the improvements you might see:
I just made that term up, but you know what I mean: coffee brings people together. Whether it's starting the morning with your spouse or meeting friends at a coffee shop, coffee is a great way to get together with others and bond over a shared love of something great. In fact, one of my favorite things is connecting with those who like our coffee as well — sometimes to the point where I'm getting so involved in talking coffee that I'm forgetting I'm supposed to be selling coffee!
Some of my fondest memories are from my first job working in a cafe in my hometown and meeting so many people through coffee. It was the first step in getting into the roasting business, and I'm incredibly thankful for the path it put me on!
Whether it's health-related or social, coffee has many benefits, and I'm thankful that I get to share in those with you!
]]>Why? Because Texans go big on everything, right? That includes coffee, and our Hump Day Blend has been a best seller at farmers markets around the DFW area because of this.
We recognized the need for a darker roast when we started getting feedback on our coffee roasting early on in the process. Our first roast, "Weekend Roast", was aiming to capture the bright, unique flavors passed on to us by a close friend who introduced us to roasting. Then, we realized we needed a familiar, high quality "everyday" roast that everyone could enjoy, so we introduced the "Weekday Roast".
But, something was obviously missing. We didn't have anything bold and deep for fans of darker, longer-roasted coffees.
We aren't ashamed to admit that Starbucks' Christmas Blend/Holiday Blend was the inspiration for the Hump Day Blend. My parents were actually the real inspiration: for years before we got into coffee roasting, we would look forward to buying each other coffee as gifts, and my stepmom enjoyed getting the limited-edition blend to serve and enjoy throughout the holidays. When I started roasting, I took my first year as a challenge to mimic something that would have the same flavor profile but would stand out even better.
So, Hump Day Blend was born!
Ironically, I didn't even research what beans actually went into the Starbucks' Holiday Blend before I started creating this one. I had a decent knowledge of what flavors I wanted and what beans could get there, especially with a darker roast that would retain those flavors without tasting too burnt. I also wanted something that would do well in drip coffee makers so it could appeal to the most people possible (and especially for my parents, who drink coffee as much as we do in Coppell!). I settled on testing with Colombian and Guatemalan beans, and later noticed that these same beans are what Starbucks uses. Interesting!
The hard part was getting the actual roast level down right. If you've talked to me at the farmers market, you may have heard some stories about how many beans have become charcoal during the experimentation period, or how difficult it is to get this roast just right. That's because if you go just lighter, you don't get the right bold flavors, and if you go too long... well, then the beans get sent to the compost bin.
Luckily, Hump Day Blend strikes right in the middle if I replicate the same system every time, which is generally about 8 lbs. 6 oz. in the roaster through a specified time after second crack. The result is a smooth, bold cup that packs a punch yet is enjoyable to drink.
The only thing I might do differently in the future is introduce a Hump Day Blend 2.0, which would incorporate some Sumatran beans that are known for being able to produce balanced flavors at darker roast levels. If you're ever interested, this dark roasting method was pioneered in the United States by Alfred Peet, who is credited for starting the specialty coffee interest in our country. Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks, describes Peet teaching him to use Sumatran beans in his book, "Pour Your Heart into It".
We like to say that it's also nice to break up the Weekday with a little Hump Day. My wife was actually the one to suggest this name, keeping with the "calendar" theme we've got going on. For the most part, we do stick to our method of drinking the coffee as intended:
But, when you own a coffee roastery, you tend to drink whatever is left over that doesn't go into the bags for our customers. Or, you drink whatever bean you're obsessed with at the moment, which is, of course, our "Payday Roast".
What's your favorite Runyon Coffee roast? We'd love to hear from you on Instagram or our new Twitter account.
]]>We can barely contain the excitement we have about our newest coffee, the "Payday Roast".
This bean, sourced directly from the Agua Fresca Estate in Jinotega, Nicaragua, came to us through a friend who happened to have a friend whose family owned the farm. Our good friend got us in touch, and the rest is history... that we get to roast and share with you!
These Nicaraguan beans are grown with care at high altitudes in the Devil's Peak Nature Reserve (Reserva Natural Cerro Dantali El Diablo). If you've ever seen pictures of the Nicaraguan north central highlands, you've probably seen beautifully green forests covering sloping mountains that receive the perfect amount of rainfall to grow delicious coffee beans. Abundant natural water sources (hence the name, "Agua Fresca") help keep the water quality high for the traditional wet milling and fermentation processes at the farm, and also provide the necessary clean water for the washing process.
You'll immediately notice the difference that the six water sources on the property have on the beans; the roast is so clean, and you get a very clear, distinct fresh coffee flavor with every sip.
This is one of those coffees that you can introduce to people who aren't used to drinking coffee black, too. It has incredibly approachable smoothness that lingers just enough to appreciate, then begs you take another sip to get that delicious taste again.
Simple: when you taste this coffee, you'll feel like you hit the jackpot. It brings an elevated flavor and smoothness that goes just a bit above our Weekday Roast, so if you like the Weekday you'll definitely like the Payday.
We wanted to keep this one in our original naming scheme (along with Weekend Roast and Hump Day Blend), too, and when you think about the feeling you get when you see that money in your account on payday, you'll understand why we chose the name. This is one coffee that you can definitely take to the bank, but it's much better at home in your cup!
For now, we're going to keep this one at 16 oz only. After seeing how quickly our taste testers were going through our sample batches, we realized that 12 oz would go too quickly, so it's best to make sure you're prepared with a whole pound.
]]>In a blend of rush to get coffee in my system and the excitement over another pour-over of my favorite new bean, which should be available in the coming weeks, I added the water to my pour-over at a temperature of around... oh, say... pretty much boiling.
I'll admit, I did it as part of a small experiment in my head. How would this delicious bean be affected if I poured at boiling? Would it really make a difference?
Curiosity thus killed the cat (dad). My new favorite roast landed in my cup and then to my mouth with an overpowering taste of... cardboard. Yuck.
Life is never as sweet without the sour, so in the interest of hoping you avoid the sour, I wanted to make sure I wrote a bit about water quality. I'll try to order these in the order of importance:
I can't stress this one enough. If you start out with water that's tainted with too much chlorine or an odd mineral or grassy taste, you're going to have coffee that probably tastes even worse. That's because water accounts for 90% of your espresso and 98% of your drip coffee (or other higher water extraction method).
That means that using filtered water is super key. I'm a huge snob about water quality in coffee, so I installed an under-sink filter to my cold water tap in the kitchen.
But, a good ol' Brita pitcher will do you a world of good if you want to improve the quality of coffee. Or, just buy filtered water from the store (I used to pour purified bottle water in my coffee maker when I lived in an apartment) to make sure that your water is free from any unwanted influences.
Here's why I really messed up today, and how you can prevent this from happening to you.
According to the National Coffee Association, who has undoubtedly done some research, the water you're brewing with should be 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit (the boiling point of water is 212 degrees Fahrenheit). Even the slightest difference from 212 to 205 makes a huge difference because the beans can get sort of burnt in the process.
Another issue, which will be saved for another blog post and I'm embarrassed to admit, is that I probably over-extracted the coffee during my pour in a rush to just get some coffee in the morning.
The last thing I'll say, which I'll also cover in another post, is that this makes a great case for drip coffee machines (hint: there's no need for any hate for people who prefer drip coffee. I happen to love it.)
This is the section where I shamelessly plug my coffee because it's delicious. Everyone loves their own brand, but drinking better quality coffee just makes the experience all the more worthwhile. Yes, there are times where McDonald's in the morning is needed to keep things going. But, when you can, it's best to enjoy coffee roasted locally and with care.
Oftentimes, that means a coffee that is medium (or "city") roasted so that you get the full expression of what the beans taste like and can appreciate the work that went in to cultivating them. If you're going to drink a darker roast coffee, like our Hump Day Blend, make sure you trust that the roaster has thought carefully about what beans and what blend will make for the most flavorful cup at that roast level.
A medium to medium-dark roasted coffee is going to give you the benefits of delicious flavor, smooth mouthfeel and overall pleasant taste in each cup. That's also why most of our roasts are at that medium level. We want to make sure we give you the full flavor of the bean without burning off the notes that give that bean its distinction.
Why try new methods of making coffee? Well, #1, because it's fun! Each method gives the coffee a different expression and can be used to get different flavors and mouthfeels to come to the surface. Some of these also have a functional benefit, such as using the AeroPressⓇ when you're traveling.
Remember: there's no right or wrong way to drink Runyon Coffee as long as you're getting a taste and flavor profile you enjoy.
Here are some new ways you might try making coffee in 2022:
(*QUICK DISCLAIMER: We aren't being paid for any of these methods we recommend, and we'll just link to Amazon for the sake of convenience.)
THE METHODS:
AeroPressⓇ
The AeroPressⓇ shines REALLY well in one area: travel.
If you're a frequent traveler like we are and get a little sick of hotel coffee, get an AeroPressⓇ, or even an AeroPressⓇ Go, their new model that's slightly smaller and comes with a travel cup to make things even easier.
Coffee snobs will consider this sacrilege, but here's the foolproof method to enjoy great coffee while traveling:
Of course, this same method works well at home, but you're probably already enjoying coffee without having to go through all this trouble.
Cold Brew
I was a bit of a snob about cold brew until Summer 2021 when I let go and embraced how delicious a really good cold brew can be when it's 100°+ in Texas. This is especially helpful when you see me at the Coppell Farmers Market; you'll probably notice my 32oz Yeti filled full of delicious Runyon Coffee cold brew. The good news is, you can cool off in the summers, too, using this easy method that batches cold brew that you can enjoy all week (or at least, as in our household, a few days)!
There's nothing like sitting out on the porch in Texas with a nice glass of cold brew during the summer. Get a mason jar to drink it in (save the ones you buy from T-Rex Pickles!) and you're well on your way to becoming a successful blogger!
Espresso Machine
Got $1,000 laying around? Of course you do! If not, do like I did and get married and put it on your registry. That's how we acquired our De'Longhi Magnifica, which I've been pulling a shot from almost every afternoon since October.
I've had a love-hate relationship with this machine, which turned into total love once I actually dialed in the grinder appropriately. I was scared of clogging up the machine with a true espresso grind, but after watching a few YouTube videos and not telling my wife, I set the grinder to nearly the finest grind size and turned the water amount WAY down so that I was getting pretty good espresso for a home machine.
Remember that last point: these home espresso machines are really only for the home, so you're not going to get that delicious pull you'll get from your local coffee shop. But, you can get a solid shot after some trial and error, and you can make decent cortados and lattes to impress your friends and family.
Pour Over
Many of you are already doing this, so this recommendation is for those who are looking to try something new other than drip coffee. I find this method especially nice when I'm trying a new coffee for the first time (or something wild I've just roasted). You tend to get the full experience of the coffee because the water is able to interact with all the ground coffee instead of maybe just touching some parts due to the limitations of a drip coffee maker.
There's a couple cons to this method I'll just address right away. First, your wife may not want you bringing another coffee gadget home again, so you'll need to figure out how you're going to hide it from her. Second, it can be a little expensive, so you're going to want to wait until something like this goes on sale (I got it on sale for like $20).
Once you get those things out of the way, here's the steps to doing a solid pour over:
What new ways are you enjoying Runyon Coffee in 2022?
]]>My first job (that the IRS knew about) began at Juri's Cafe in Shreveport, Louisiana. My friends and I loved hanging out in the only real local coffee shop in town, so after an awkward pitch to the owner one morning I was able to secure a job working Friday and Saturday nights when the other employees didn't want to work.
It turned out to be one of the greatest strokes of luck I ever had, which set in motion many events that have brought me to where I am today. By working at Juri's, I learned customer service, how to run a cafe, how to think like a businessperson and, most importantly, how to make fantastic coffee.
The most important, especially to whoever is reading this, is that it inspired me to start Runyon Coffee nearly 20 years later.
I really have someone else to thank for getting me interested in actually roasting coffee, though. One of my best friends, who I introduced to coffee at Juri's Cafe while working there, began roasting his own coffee in his garage and sharing it with my wife, Kay, and I. This is really where it all began; after tasting his light-roasted Kenyan beans, I knew I had to start roasting my own. This was coffee.
Then, at the encouragement of my brother, I splurged and bought our roasting machine, which is a 12-lb. drum mounted on an electric motor and uses propane to create heat for the actual roasting process. This allows us to roast enough coffee for farmers markets with a quality control that also makes every batch incredibly hands-on. I literally see every bean as it passes from the drum to the cooling station, then from the cooling station to storage and eventually into the bags we designed ourselves. It's true craft coffee!
But, at the end of the day, my favorite thing about coffee roasting is always still talking about coffee with people who love coffee. I love making a product that makes people smile when they talk about it, and I love the shared connection that great coffee brings. That's why I'm so happy to have returned to the coffee world with our stall at the Coppell Farmers Market, and I can't wait to continue roasting great coffee for the DFW area!
-Justin
]]>Why should I buy Runyon Coffee?
And the answer is: you should buy Runyon Coffee because it's the best damn coffee you'll drink this year.
Here are some other supporting reasons:
Why name it "Runyon Coffee"?
I chose to name it "Runyon Coffee" because I firmly believe putting your name on something means two things:
"Okay, that's great. But who are you and why should I really care?"
I'm Justin Runyon and I started roasting coffee after one of my best friends began sending me his home roasts through the mail. I introduced him to coffee back in 2002 when I worked in a small coffee shop in Shreveport, Louisiana. When I first tasted his roasts, I knew I had to get into it myself. I'm also not one to keep a good thing secret for too long, so I knew I also had to share these roasts with others.
After building my own roaster using a drum kit with a motor and firing up my first roasts, I was amazed at how well they were turning out. After sharing with family and friends, I knew I had to start a website and begin sharing my roasts with the world. I personally love nutty, bright Kenyan roasts, so my first roast was the "Weekend Roast" (because I'd save my friend's best Kenyan roasts for the weekend). Then, I began experimenting with a roast you can drink every day, and the "Weekday Roast" was born. My plan is to release a darker roast next to round out the Runyon Coffee flavor profile and have something for everything.
Then, we'll begin blending to make our roasts even more perfect. Until then, enjoy the beginning of the journey with us, and we can't wait to hear how it goes for you. Feel free to email me at justin@runyoncoffee.com any time!
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