Marijuana infused coffee pods ready for brewing

Canadian company CannTrust has developed a pot pod for single-serve coffee makers.

There may soon be a new use for your Keurig coffee maker — brewing pot.

Canadian medical cannabis producer CannTrust has created a single-serve marijuana pod called the CANNCUP.

Like other pods on the market, the CANNCUP will contain your choice of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. But these capsules will have a little extra something — dried cannabis.

Pop one in your single serve coffee machine and it will brew up a hot drink spiked with "a standardized dose of medical marijuana," explains CannTrust CEO Eric Paul.

CannTrust wants to join U.S. companies that are already serving up pot pods.

Paul claims the marijuana won't affect the taste, and at an estimated $3 to $4 a pod, the price will be comparable to a high-end cup of coffee. And yes, the CANNCUP is apparently Keurig compatible.

Waiting for brewing approval

CannTrust, which is based in Vaughan, Ont., has applied for a licence to produce and sell the pod product to Canadian medical marijuana users.

"We're ready to go, other than the fact we need approval from Health Canada," says Paul, who is a trained pharmacist.

But it may not be a seamless process. Until recently, the federal government had banned all edible forms of medical marijuana. Then the Supreme Court ruled in June that patients were not limited to smoking the dried product and could consume the drug.

Medical marijuana legal in all forms, Supreme Court rules

Medical marijuana producers OK'd to produce, sell oil and fresh buds

In response, Health Canada allowed licensed medical marijuana companies to produce and sell cannabis oil and fresh buds and leaves. But it hasn't given the green light for pot-infused edibles like desserts and coffee.

Paul is optimistic the new Liberal government, which has pledged to legalize marijuana, will expand the rules.

"We've got a change in government and I believe we will see changes in regulations," he says.

Health Canada told CBC News it's aware of CannTrust's request to bring cannabis pods to market. The agency is currently "working to determine if these pods would be permissible," spokesman Sean Upton told CBC News in an email.

Selling points of pot pods

Paul contends the product should be allowed on the market because it offers many advantages over smoking pot. For starters, he says, patients won't suffer the potentially ill effects of inhaling a burning substance. "As a pharmacist, how could I condone smoking? I'm a health-care person," he says.

Eric Paul CannTrust

CannTrust CEO Eric Paul holds a concept pod in his company's cultivation room in Vaughan, Ont. (CannTrust)

He also claims medicinal users will be able to control their dosage because the pods will contain a standardized dose of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis.

Paul adds that the product will provide a more socially acceptable way to consume marijuana compared to smoking. "You could use it at work, at home, or in public areas," he says.

Liquid medicine

That's a selling point for Toronto medical marijuana customer and advocate Amy Brown. She uses cannabis to manage chronic pain following a car accident.

She loves the idea of sipping pot in a cup of coffee. "[It is] a very discreet and convenient way to medicate without potentially offending others around you, like smoking a joint might," she says.

Brown already eats marijuana-infused goodies that she bakes herself. She claims ingesting the drug is better than inhaling it because the effects last longer. But she adds that it can take much longer — up to two hours, for the medicinal effects to kick in when consuming pot.

And that has been a concern for Health Canada. On its website, it states that orally ingesting cannabis "is known to be slow and erratic," thereby producing a delayed effect. It adds that oral doses have not been well established.

The agency claims these issues "have contributed to overdoses" in some patients.

But Paul argues the medicinal dose in his pods will be safe because they're the same amount as in Health Canada approved cannabis oils. He also believes the agency's stance reflects the position of the previous Conservative government that was staunchly opposed to legalizing marijuana.

Now that a new government is in power, Paul predicts the market for indigestible marijuana looks much brighter. "I'm hoping we get a favorable response, soon," he says.

canntrust.ca

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New Coffee study 2015

A coffee farmer picks fresh coffee berries in Colombia’s coffee producing zone, which is suffering the effects of climate change. 

Whether you like it frothy, skinny, straight or short, coffee lovers around the world face a wake-up call as the perfect storm brews for their favorite drink. For the first time, researchers have mapped suitability for Arabica coffee – the most popular, high-quality gourmet variety with a 70 percent global market share – to see how it will cope in 2050. 

The results shows that coffee, which ranks just after oil in its value among traded commodities and is grown in more than 60 tropical countries – with around 400 million cups sipped at each year – will be significantly hit by temperatures above two degrees Celsius and rainfall changes. Production must shift to cooler areas to survive, warn authors – which could spark higher prices and reduced supply for the prized drink. “For the first time, we’ve collected enough regional data to show that coffee farmers must compensate for higher temperatures to survive,” said Dr. Peter Laderach, co-author of the report and senior climate change specialist for the global CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), led by the Colombia-based International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). 

Major producers – Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia and Colombia – together producing 65% of the global market share, are set to experience severe losses if adaptation measures are not taken, authors warn. Taking a hike… uphill inter-cropping with trees to provide shade, or moving to higher elevations where it is cooler, can compensate for higher temperatures by two to three degrees, say authors. Generally, coffee will need to move between 300 to 500 meters further above sea level depending on location to survive. That’s feasible in Ethiopia or Kenya along the Great Rift Valley, where Coffee Arabica originated and elevations reach 2,400 meters above sea level. 

But in Brazil for example – the world’s largest coffee producer and exporter, accounting for around a third of global trade – is already cultivated at low elevations and can’t shift further upwards. “What’s more, Brazil’s highly mechanized, commercial coffee production is not suitable for inter-cropping with trees, which could provide shade and bring temperatures down,” said Laderach. “That could mean shifting production east – from Central America to eastern Africa and the Asia-Pacific, if strategies are not put in place to adapt,” he added. Brazil can expect whopping 25 percent losses to current production if adaptation strategies and measures are not taken, authors warn. Nicaragua, El Salvador and Mexico all face slashes in their production and severe economic impacts are expected in Mesoamerica, where Arabica is an important export. Dr. Tim Schilling, executive director of the World Coffee Research program, funded and driven by the global coffee industry and a partner of CIAT, responding to results said: “A 25 percent reduction in output from Brazil will have tremendous, transformation impact across the entire coffee sector. Net results will be less global supply and increased coffee prices for roasters and consumers.” 

Climate change threatens global coffee supply. 

Generally, the global study shows that areas between 600 and 1,900 meters above sea level will be best suited to Arabica coffee production, though this depends on many other factors. But just moving coffee upwards may not always be feasible. Indonesia, one of the top-four producing countries, is expected to see the area suitable for producing Arabica slashed by up to 37 percent. Production could shift to higher elevations, but these typically forested, natural reserve areas are home to indigenous communities and bio-diverse environments. 

A shift east for Arabica coffee production would be a game-changer for the entire sector, noted Schilling.  But whether it will happen is not obvious, he added. “There is competition for land among other cash crops in Indonesia and the Pacific, and it is unknown whether Africa can build the necessary capacity in terms of politics, business climate, supporting institutions and infrastructure,” he said. “For me, it all says brace yourselves for higher prices,” said Schilling. “The only glimmer on the horizon is the ability to change the coffee plant so that it produces decent coffee and yields under a climate-constrained environment,” he added. 

A coffee farm in Colombia’s coffee producing zone in Risaralda. The region is suffering the effects of climate change on the crop. 

Coffee takes around five years to become established and bear fruit. That’s a long-term investment for the 25 million farmers, most of them smallholders, who depend on coffee for their livelihoods. This research enables scientists to evaluate new coffee hybrids to perform under a wide range of production environments – including those projected in future. “We expect to know more about how the genetics of coffee can be used to buy more time,” said Schilling. Information gained by breeders will be invaluable for the development of new, climate-resilient varieties tailored to individual climatic zones. But research is only one piece of the puzzle. “We need to design adaptation strategies to protect the coffee industry and smallholder farmers that supply it now,” stressed Laderach. “For that to happen, global supply chain actors along the coffee value chain need to collaborate and fund adaptation efforts.” That’s already happening in Nicaragua.

In 2013, adaptation strategies developed by CIAT and partners were included in the country’s national plan, triggering US$10 million in support for the Nicaraguan government to implement them. “Coffee farmers can already feel the heat. It’s time to wake up,” said Laderach. “Or coffee farmers will be forced to find alternatives,” he said.

See the full report here>> journals.plos.org

coffeegot.com

The 15 Most Caffeinated Cities in the USA

SCAA Issues Cost Breakdown for Regionals, Including $100,000+ from General Fund

The Specialty Coffee Association of America has just released an infographic breaking down the costs associated with producing U.S. regional barista competitions. The group announced it was discontinuing the competitions beginning in 2016, citing cost as a prohibitive factor, and the move was sharply criticized by many in the professional barista community.

One of the most illuminating figures in the infographic is the per-competitor expense coming from the SCAA general fund, which is composed of membership dues. The figure worked out to approximately $104,000, about 45 percent of the total production cost for the three events in the 2015 regional cycle.

The SCAA says the infographic was the idea of Barista Guild of America executive council chair Lorenzo Perkins, who has been actively working on behalf of the BGA in an ad hoc committee to examine SCAA member feedback and explore alternatives to regional competitions since soon after the June announcement. Today’s SCAA announcement, attributed to executive director Ric Rhinehart, explained the creation of the infographic:

• In the discussion around the sustainability and feasibility of the SCAA Regional Coffee Competitions, a major conversation point has been the financial realities of putting on these events. In an attempt to inform discussion, Barista Guild Executive Council chair Lorenzo Perkins had an idea — what if we broke down the costs of putting on these events on a per-competitor basis, and then created an infographic to communicate the info.

The SCAA crunched the numbers for the 2015 competition cycle, which involved 216 registered competitors for the three regional events — the Big Eastern, Big Central and Big Western. With a total cost for all three events at $231,210.72, the per-competitor breakdown was $1,070.72. Nearly half of the per-competitor expenses was attributed to staffing ($495.39), which includes staff exclusively focused on the events and those hired on a temporary basis. Says the SCAA:

• The SCAA employs a small staff exclusively to manage the barista competitions, and of course this is the largest cost of doing these events. Venue rental is a big cost too. It can be challenging to find a place that can handle the electrical needs of a barista competition and accommodate an audience at the same time. Speaking of electrical, that’s another big cost.

Covering these expenses were are three primary sources, with competitor registrations by far representing the smallest contribution. The per-competitor revenue breakdown consists of contributions from sponsors (41 percent), the SCAA general fund (45 percent), and competitor registrations (15 percent).

Of course, these are just numbers from one cycle, and don’t shed any light on operational principles such as efficiency, but the SCAA presented the analysis as an effort toward increased transparency:

It’s our hope that this information leads to a clearer understanding of the finances of the regional barista competitions, and is offered in the spirit of transparency, discussion and collaboration.

source: dailycoffeenews.com

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Unique Coffee Experiences From Around the World: Part Two

Coffee experience from Istanbul

It’s probably mundane to say my best coffee memory is from Istanbul, but it’s true. The fact that my father was Turkish and I’m partial has nothing to do with it at all. On the other hand, what does have a bearing on the matter is what comes WITH the coffee… in this case halvah, that sesame sweet with pistachios, and to crown the lot, a tiny, perfect square of loukoum, or Turkish delight. Turkish coffee isn’t for the tame: if you work at it you could probably stand a spoon in its creamy thickness. It’s dark and rich and exotic and smells of burnt beans, the aroma reaching you long before the taste. Properly made, its water is boiled three times and sugar incorporated directly during boiling. More than coffee it is a heavenly syrup, a coulis of coffee, a creamy, grainy mixture which, for me, is the king of coffees.


Coffee from Thailand

The best coffee I’ve tried in my life so far was from Chiang Mai’s coffee shop, prepared by World No.6 Latte Art Barista  It was so delicious, the taste was reach, full…oh I can’t describe this taste, it was gorgeous! I never drink coffee without sugar, but I couldn’t even think of putting sugar in my coffee from Ristr8to, I was afraid to spoil the taste…it was amazing!

Coffee from Spain

The Spanish work day is long, and the people stay up late. To me, having a coffee in the mid-morning or late afternoon is not only necessary, but part of the culture here. It is rare to find coffee to-go even in the capital, and most people will savor a cup while chatting with friends or outside in one of the many plazas. While you can get a cheap cup at any local Spanish bar, there are also many new trendy cafes all scattered through the Malasaña neighborhood offering high quality roasted beans with a hip atmosphere. Spanish coffee is strong, and I usually order the most popular cup, a “cafe con leche” (half coffee and half hot milk). Sometimes it will come in a small mug, or other times in a clear glass. This has never made much sense to me, since it’s almost impossible to hold and drink if it is scolding hot! It doesn’t matter though, it’s Spain- there’s no rush!

coffeegot.com

From: etramping com

Unique Coffee Experiences From Around the World: Part One

“Coffee – the favorite drink of the civilized world.”  ~Thomas Jefferson

Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love. We all love coffee. When you travel, you have this amazing opportunity to experience different texture and flavors of coffee. We asked 25 different travel bloggers to share their coffee experiences with us. From Israel, Morocco, through South India to Laos and Paris – we are taking you for a coffee journey around the World!

Coffee from Laos

I usually consume at least one cup every day. I do have a number of vices, and this is one of them! This particular cup of coffee was one of the most unique I’ve ever experienced, coming from the southern region of Laos. It was served simply, black with cream on the side and packet of sugar. No flash, but none needed. The texture was heavy and silky, almost reminding me of molasses. Surprisingly, it was quite sweet and far less bitter than most coffee I’ve encountered, though it still remained earthy in flavor, by nature. I didn’t know what to expect of the coffee in Laos, as most people seem to mix up the instant stuff (read: gross), but I was very pleasantly surprised to stumble upon this gem. I’ll be drinking plenty of Laos coffee for the next week while I’m still here!

Coffee from Australia

Australia loves coffee, and no city loves coffee more than Melbourne. Australia’s southern metropolis is addicted to the stuff, and with just a couple of satisfying sips on a cold winters morning it’s easy to see why. Espresso machines were brought to Australia in the 1950s by waves of Italian immigrants, and the booming cities of Sydney and Melbourne gradually adopted and appropriated coffee culture. The boom arguably came in the 1990s, with greater exposure to global ideas and concepts surrounding the culture of coffee.

In Melbourne, this was coupled with the controversial state premier Jeff Kennett, who himself once consumed 30 cups of coffee a day according to a report on one website. Kennett’s government promoted Melbourne as Australia’s ‘European city’, and Melbourne’s crown as the coffee capital of the country was cemented.

Nowadays coffee is served in a variety of shops, from street side cafes to shopping centre food courts, from established Italian-origin cafes such as Brunettis to holes-in-in-the-walls of graffiti covered lane ways. Melbourne, as well as other Australian cities, are also home to a growing number of local producers such as St Ali, Seven Seeds, and Sydney’s Campo’s Coffee, who have perfected the art of roasting.

Starbucks struggled to gain a serious foothold in Australia in the early 2000s, although local chain Gloria Jeans is to be found almost everywhere, drawing groans from many connoisseurs at the company’s mass-market appeal. Such is Australia’s love of the caffeinated liquid that McDonalds inaugurated its McCafe brand here – a slightly premium version of the American fast-food brand which sells coffee and cakes instead of burgers and fries.

Coffee is almost always served as espresso; a certain amount of drip-coffee-snobbery exists in Australia. Peculiarities in Australian coffee culture include the ubiquitous chocolate dusting on a cappuccino. The name ‘flat white’ is also believed to have emerged in Australia, to describe a caffe latte without any foam. Until the popularity of frappes about decade ago, an ‘iced coffee’ in Australia always referred to strong milk coffee in a tall glass, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream – deliciously unhealthy!

Coffee from Ethiopia

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and it’s one of the best places in the world to experience the incredible beverage. Walking down the streets of Addis Ababa your nose will get blasted by a sensational aroma of roasting beans, and that’s when you know it’s time have another cup. Traditional Ethiopian coffee is served black, with an optional amount of sugar (many locals like it very sweet). It’s strong and sharp, but smooth with little trace of acidity. Coffee in Ethiopia is often paired with crispy popcorn, which I think, makes the perfect coffee snack. I couldn’t resist having a cup of coffee every few hours while traveling in Ethiopia!

coffeegot.com

From: etramping com

Mudslide Cookie Frappuccino- Starbucks Secret Menu

Like mudslide cookies, this Frappuccino is chocolaty, rich and oh so delicious. The chestnut praline gives the icy beverage extra oomph, adding to the already decadent flavors. Indulge yourself with this sweet and creamy treat.

Have it for dessert, after a long day, or feel free to enjoy it any time of day: #gotcoffeeus

How to mix it:

• Mocha Frappuccino
• Add chestnut praline syrup (1 pump tall, 2 grande, 3 venti)
• Optional: Add java chips
• Top with mocha syrup