Frequently Asked Questions
Chronos' Process
Where do you get your beans from?
We get our beans from various sources. We buy from resellers, but we also buy coffee beans from plantations directly. Bottom line is that we check out our supplier first, and analyse a sample before we order a batch.
How do you roast your coffee?
We roast our coffee beans in our specially equipped roasting facility. Depending on the type of bean we adjust the temperature and duration of the roasting process.
I trust Chronos. Can you send me different but recommended coffee(s) each month?
No, not yet. But we are almost there. When we have our subscription setup working, we will inform you through our newsletter.
Chronos' Products
Do you sell Fair Trade coffee?
Yes we do. Please look for the labels on the product pages, or shop by category 'Fair Trade'.
Do you have decaffeinated coffee?
Not yet. But we are looking for good decaf coffee. So stay tuned.
Coffee Terms
What is "crema"?
That is the italian word for the oily cream that is extracted when preparing a good cup of espresso.
What is a "barista"?
That is the italian word for the person behind the bar, responsible for making coffee. The term has grown to live a life of its own nowadays, and many baristas around the world are responsible for making coffee popular.
Coffee preparation and Storage
How long will my coffee stay fresh?
If you want to get the most flavour out of your coffee, we recommend to grind it just before brewing. Most of the flavour diminishes after 30 seconds within grinding if not (near) vacuum sealed immediately.
How do I store my coffee?
First of all, if you are keeping whole beans, it's best to keep them in special coffee bags that have a breating valve. This enables the coffee to release its toxic gasses that are a byproduct of the roast process, while blocking oxygen inflow. Freshly roasted coffee needs to breathe at least for 2 weeks before consumption.
If you ordered ground coffee, we will ship you an air-tight bag that won't let air in or out, unless you open it. We therefore advise you to quickly get out what you need, and then seal again.
Where do I store my coffee?
If you have your coffee packed the way it should (see previous question), then its best to store that pack in an air-tight box in the freezer.
What grind do I need?
That depends on your type of coffee preference. If you order coffee from our site, we ask you what grind you want. We have the following grinds (in order of granularity):
- whole bean: for true coffee lovers that prefer to grind themselves.
- french press: needs to be pretty course not to let too much grind through its filter.
- percolater: also a metal filter, but with slightly smaller punctures.
- gold filter: finest of the metal filters.
- paper/cloth filter: very fine filter that makes the coffee very sweat. If filtered through a cotton cloth it holds a little bit more of its bitterness.
- espresso: because espresso coffee needs to get "tamped" before the water runs through, it won't release much of its grind. It needs to be very fine to slow down the high pressure water flow, to be able to optimally extract the sweet and creamy "crema".
What is the best coffee maker?
That again depends on your grind preference. But the general rule is to have a grinder and a maker that you can fully control yourself. If you can find such qualities in one machine, great! But if you have to buy two seperate machines, so be it. In our experience we have yet to come across such an all-in-one machine. We will publish an extensive list with machines that we have experience with soon.
How do I create my best cup of coffee ever?
Please read our article "The Art of Coffee Making".
How do I get "crema" on my espresso?
Please read our article "The Art of Coffee Making".
How much water pressure does my machine need to give for the perfect espresso?
That depends on a lot of factors such as the grind, the machine, the temperature of the coffee and the holder. But mostly you will like it to be around 91 degrees Celsius
How is coffee defaffeinated?
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