I heard on the news that it's drier than a popcorned fart in Brazil. Prices already up $4. Avoid the jitters. Stock up now on coffee.

-- (Java@junkie.com), November 12, 1999

Answers

Wall St. Jnl. did an article on this day before yesterday. Seems Brazil (world's biggest producer) has been having pretty bad weather that has affected the coffee crop. Makes one wonder if it's going to be a one-two punch; this, then y2k affecting processing and shipping.

Jeannie

-- jhollander (hollander@ij.net), November 12, 1999.

Uh-oh, Diane, -

You hearing this? I can't go past the four bucks a pound to make the homemade latte's to toast you when the mood strikes.

Guess that cup O' heaven is going to get a bit pricey.

But I've always wondered....are many a Java bean all snug and toasty stored away in the Squire pantry?

I imagine a hot cup o' joe is always a first when surveying the latest foundation cracks after a rumbler.

Then again I have no room to talk. Stupid me is sitting smack dab on the NMSZ.

Wonder how much a five-hundred pound bag of roasted Columbian beans goes for? Should last a week or two in my house.

-- INVAR (gundark@sw.net), November 12, 1999.

Brazil isn't the be all and end all on coffee. Folgers pools it from all around the globe as an example. If pricing does bcome wild than one might have to seek out the African continent coffee's and they are out there (Such as at Trader Joes), in addition there are small coffee bean growers in places like CA and some stores do carry it. Red Eye comes to mind.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 12, 1999.

I should hope the coffee addicts here *started* with coffee. I had to laugh at the poster with 100,000 matches, because by now I have 12 large cans of ground coffee, a 50 lb. sack of beans, and *8* manual coffee grinders. I know what's important in life, you bet!

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), November 12, 1999.

Flint,

>by now I have 12 large cans of ground coffee, a 50 lb. sack of beans, and *8* manual coffee grinders. I know what's important in life, you bet!<

Sir, you have me with the beans and the grinder, but I will see your 12 cans and raise you 36 more of the biggies. (G)

I believe that I know Juan Valdez by his nickname.

I *like* Folgers. You are right about the more important things in life.

Oh, and I quit smoking some years back too, so I can kind of relate to what you are going through. Hangeth in there.

S.O.B.

-- sweetolebob (buffgun@hotmail.com), November 12, 1999.

S.O.B....

.....I have you beat by 6 cans of Folger's and add 24 jars of instant, (for when I'm in a hurry), and at least 24 sacks of 8 o'clock beans, (just one grinder, though).

.....And I've been getting a Christmas card from Juan Valdez for the last few years.

-- Patrick (pmchenry@gradall.com), November 12, 1999.

Just a word of advice for those of you stocking up on roasted coffee beans: The oils in roasted coffee beans turn rancid within six months. The unroasted, or "green" coffee beans will last for years, but you will need to roast them before use.

-- PKM (.@...), November 12, 1999.

Our preferred coffee is Millstone bean, various types. I've been buying it in the vacuum packs and storing it in white buckets sealed with duct tape (no oxy absorbers or dessicants). We are now drinking the coffee bought a year ago. There is no noticeable difference in flavor.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), November 12, 1999.

Man... Flint has me beat by yards! (But then, he has most of us beat in the extended preps area).

Actually INVAR, was sort'a contemplating going "cold turkey" and giving up lattes 'n coffee next year. It means one heck of a withdrawl headache for one week (migrane quality) but then it's done.

(((Shudder)))

Need to thunk a spell on that... over the newly raised prices at my local latte spot.

*Sigh*

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 13, 1999.

Oh man, I think I'm developing a case of coffee envy. I only have like five cans.

I brought a friend to Sam's club so she could do some power prepping. I stood in line behind her massive quanity of goods, myself with a can of coffee, power bars, and canned milk and thought 'here are my 72 hour storm preps' lol those few things could keep me happy for quite a while.

more coffee...more coffee...

May you never be without a steaming cup of joe....

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), November 13, 1999.

{ *8* coffee grinders! And I thought *I* was nuts! ( strictly bush-league, as usual}}

Diane,

I hope you've got some feverfew growing in anticipation of any migraines. It has pretty little chrysanthemum flowers { & can take off almost like a weed}.

-- flora (***@__._), November 13, 1999.

Oh no... It really IS TEOTWAWKI...! Somnambulesce for your lives!

-- coprolith (coprolith@rocketship.com), November 13, 1999.

Hey, Flint, it's me, the dude who had 100,000 matches.

Well, I more than doubled that amount months ago because I felt rather incendiary with a positive inflammation...

My canned stash of coffee is greater than your age!

Me mum likes her java, so I've stockpiled a Mountain of Maxwell!

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), November 13, 1999.

PKM:

Rancid or not, me mum likes her coffee. She can drink day old brew and swears she likes it!

Ewwww!

Drip me a fresh pot, captain!

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), November 13, 1999.

Old Git:

Several months ago my local K-Mart had a great sale on coffee, so I went bonkers. The young female cashier looked at my purchase and asked me if I had a company account. Hahaha!

Zoggus and others have said in another forum that coffee should be turned over several months so that the volatile oils will seep downward.

Now for those who smoke, well, their taste buds are dulled. Can they distinguish the subtle taste differences with age? I guess not.

Some have maintained that old coffee newly discovered and brewed is still drinkable with little or no rancid aftertaste.

When TSHTF, I can do without coffee...

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), November 13, 1999.

I don't drink coffee, but what the HELL am I going to do without Dr. Pepper???????????

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), November 13, 1999.

flora (***@__._),

FEVERFEW... right! Thanks for the reminder.

Diane

(Out of Lavender E.O. at the moment... it helps headaches too).

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 14, 1999.

Caffeine pills. One-a-day. Easy to store. Easy to take in emergencies. Even better barter. The wake up is just as good.

-- (normally@ease.notnow), November 14, 1999.

Great... I already pay the equivalent of US$ 12 for a pound here in Japan. I was in Paris last week and coffee (caffe) seemed like a bargain... but it wasdelicious.

You'll be happy to know, Diane, that a massive 'Think different' billboard is sitting on the side of the Louvre. (photographic evidence available..

-- PNG (png@gol.com), November 14, 1999.

One advantage here in Hawaii: I'm planting a hundred coffee plants, which I am getting as a gift from the lady I got my dogs from. She lives on three acres of Kona coffee in Captain Cook, Hawaii!

Can you mainlainders grow it indoors? It's not hard to roast the beans and then grind them.

-- Sara Nealy (keithn@aloha.net), November 14, 1999.

LOL & ROTFLOL PNG!

Ya gotta just luv the french!

C'est la vie, et la guerre!

;-D

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 14, 1999.

Sara,

Do you think coffee bean plants would grow in Silicon Valley?

Could be a "real" innovative start-up venture... fundable by all the valley's java junkies. (Except don't the plants take 4 years or so to mature?)

*Sigh*

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 14, 1999.

Hmmm... problem is, I don't know where you get the plants. Starting from seed would take years.

Indoor food production has tremendous potential, though. If I had stayed in the Northeast, I would have created an indoor square-foot garden; coffee beans would probably have owned one square foot!

"Instant" just ain't gatification when it comes to coffee. And a Sunday brunch latte to you, Diane.

-- Sara Nealy (keithn@aloha.net), November 14, 1999.

Diane,

We've got a native shrub called coffee berry that people used to roast the beans from for a coffee-like beverage.

-- flora (***@__._), November 14, 1999.