Coffeeopolis

Finally…a coffee powered car!

Matt — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:51:38 +0000

Proving that coffee truly is the solution to all of the world’s problems (ok, so not really), a team of crazy Brits has modified a VW Scirocco to be powered by coffee! Well, not entirely. You see, it uses a charcoal fire to heat the coffee grounds, splitting them into carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas is then burned in the engine to propel the car. Hardly efficient nor eco-friendly but hey, it’s still a coffee-powered car! (link)

Coffee consumption reduces prostate cancer risk

Matt — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:38:10 +0000

Chalk up another health win for coffee. This time, data suggests that drinking coffee (not just caffeinated beverages) reduces mens’ risk of advanced prostate cancer. 60% lower risk, in fact, when comparing heavy coffee drinkers with those who drank none. Read more here. (via BoingBoing)

Starbucks Via

Matt — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:26:12 +0000

After a slow rollout earlier this year of their new instant coffee, Starbucks has made a big push lately to really get this product out. Most stores are offering a free taste test, Via versus brewed, for which you’ll receive a free cup of brewed coffee for participating. I’ve tried the Via myself, and while it’s not as good as a good cup of brewed coffee, I found it better than most restaurant coffee. Despite being an obsessed coffee lover who grows and roasts his own coffee, I still see a place for Via in my life…I found that it’s perfect for camping or backpacking, if you’re trying to pack light you just can’t beat it. The packets are incredibly small, and there’s no need to bring your brewing equipment along, or to deal with coffee that had been ground days before (let’s face it, bringing coffee grinder camping is really, really wrong!). Speaking of camping though, if you’re not convinced that Via is the way to go, then I recommend either a plastic french press, or an AeroPress. The AeroPress is great if there’s only one coffee drinker in the group, otherwise a large french press would be better. Time has a nice write up on Via if you’d like to learn more.

Coffee reduces the pain of exercise

Matt — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:07:28 +0000

Here’s a new, interesting health benefit to drinking coffee – it helps reduce the pain of exercise! You can read more over at Yahoo.

The Impact of Climate Change on Coffee

Matt — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:05:04 +0000

There’s an interesting article about the impact of climate change on coffee over at Ineedcoffee.com, check it out.

Study shows that drinking coffee may reduce the risk of stroke

Matt — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:06:42 +0000

A new study has shown that drinking four or more cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of stroke by around 20%. The study only included women, so it’s unknown if men would experience the same benefit. It’s worth noting that among those who don’t smoke, the risk of stroke was reduced by over 40%! (via HuffingtonPost)

Free sample of Starbucks’ instant coffee

Matt — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:57:34 +0000

While I truly expect Starbucks’ instant coffee to be worse than fresh brewed, I admit I’m willing to give it a try, especially when they’re giving away free samples! You can get your own sample here.

Would you buy instant coffee from Starbucks?

Matt — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:39:23 +0000

I don’t care that Starbucks spent twenty years developing their new instant coffee. I just don’t see the appeal. People don’t go to Starbucks to buy packs of coffee they can drink later. They want fresh brewed, aromatic, tasty coffee. This is going to be the biggest flop since New Coke. (via Bloomberg)

Enjoying coffee…on a budget

Matt — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:08:08 +0000

In today’s rough economic times, every dollar saved can mean a lot. Spending $3-4 at Starbucks can be tough on a daily basis. With this in mind, many are looking at ways to enjoy coffee at home more. Lifehacker has a nice high-level guide at how to do so, you can read it at this link.

Twitter used to double business

Matt — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:59:57 +0000

A coffee shop in Houston, The Coffee Groundz, is using Twitter to allow customers to preorder their drinks…they show up, the drink is ready, no waiting. Read more here. (via ShinyShiny)