Dear Diva...

Dear Diva:
I absolutely love coffee, but my delicate digestive system does not. I wonder if there are some easy-on-the-stomach varieties? from Chris, South Shores, CA

Dear Chris,

While there are methods of brewing that may remove some tummy-offending acids found in coffee (i.e., the cold water “Toddy” brewer - which also removes essential oils and flavor), I can’t guarantee that this will take care of your “delicate digestive system.” Before you give up, why not try a decaffeinated Brazilian or Sumatran coffee? They might be worth a try, as they are less acidic coffees in general. (Another girlfriend with a “tender tummy” adjusts the amount of coffee brewed to dilute the end result and adds milk and sugar to ease the bite.) Let me know how you tender tummy reacts to these suggestions…

Dear Diva:
Does a water decaf process dilute the taste of the coffee? from Jane, New York

Dear Jane,

The idea that the “water” process washes out the flavor of the decaf coffee is a myth…
Our sponsor's method of decaffeination, called the SWISS WATER® Process, uses water that is pre-saturated with caffeine-free soluble coffee flavor compounds. In the decaffeination process, green beans (before coffee beans are roasted they are called “green”) are soaked in this pre-saturated water, and because caffeine is a soluble solid it migrates from the beans into the water, where it is captured by filters. The flavor and body of the coffee is maintained by closely monitoring the solids and caffeine levels. The resulting green coffee beans are 99.9% caffeine-free, ready to be dried, bagged and shipped to discriminating roasters everywhere. The SWISS WATER® Process uses only water, and is 100% chemical-free, whereas many decaffeination processes use harsh chemicals like methylene chloride or synthetically manufactured ethyl acetate, (even when they say they are water processed). For a further explanation with helpful visuals, check out SwissWater.com…

Dear Diva:
My coffee machine stays on for several hours, and the coffee’s not so good after a while. How long should coffee stay on a hot plate? from Denise, Calabasas, California

Dear Denise…

Several hours? YUK! That means you are drinking “cooked” coffee, girlfriend! Probably black bitter sludge! Now try brewing as little as possible, one cup at a time, if you can… If you want to brew a pot of coffee, please know that it won’t stay really fresh tasting when heated for more than 20 minutes. MAX. You could pour that freshly brewed pot of coffee into a thermos, or better yet, get a coffee machine that brews directly into a thermos…

Dear Diva:
Should I store coffee beans in the freezer, the refrigerator or are they okay on my kitchen counter? How long should I keep my coffee? from Natalie, Los Angeles, California

Dear Natalie,
Whoa girl! Maybe you are buying too much coffee to begin with! Seriously, buy what you can consume within a week to ten days and you can keep those coffee beans on your kitchen counter. (Ideally, that coffee is in an airtight container in a cool dry place, so the volatile oils of the coffee don’t escape and it goes stale.) If you need to store coffee for longer than that, freeze the portion you can’t consume. Then take out what you need on a daily basis. Or if you’ve got time, pre-pack individual amounts of coffee you can use each day and freeze those separate packets, taking one out for each pot. But remember—FRESH IS BEST!