Have you ever sipped your favorite tea only to find the taste flat? Your disappointed frown on finding a different taste than when you first bought it and drank it. You might have blamed the manufacturer for the decrease in quality. But did you know that the improper storage of tea can be the actual culprit? While we’re all mindful of how we store our spices, we forget to pay the same attention to our teas. Even though, proper storage of the tea is crucial for maintaining its shelf-life, quality, taste, and aroma. In fact, adequately stored loose tea can last for about 18 to 24 months. That said, let’s dive into the details of tea storage, its fundamentals, and how you can best go about it. The Importance of Tea Storage Despite tea being the second most widely consumed beverage globally, many people toss in their opened tea packages…

When it comes to choosing the best manual coffee grinder, where do you start? Should you get one with a blade or burr? What’s the difference? And what about if you’re looking for an electric grinder? How do you narrow down all of your options? You’re not the only one wondering. In fact, we’ve put together this guide because we know that most people don’t know where to even begin. And not only can we help you navigate the maze of searching for the best coffee grinders, but we think it will also help you know to more about coffee grinding in general. All of this can be overwhelming especially when you’ve never owned a coffee grinder or you’ve never ground coffee before. We get it. Why Get a Coffee Grinder? Here’s the thing: Coffee grinding is not just about pouring coffee beans into a grinder, brewing the coffee and…

When people think about where to buy the best coffee beans, their minds narrow in on a package or a label. But there are different factors to look for when it comes to choosing the best whole bean coffee. A lot it also depends on where coffee beans grow, how they are roasted, for how long they’ve been roasted before being brewed, how they are ground and finally how they are brewed. All of these elements together give coffee beans their unique flavors. A lot of that depends on you too. You have your own unique taste palate and certain coffee flavor preferences. For example, do you prefer light, medium or dark coffee? And what flavors would you most likely go for? Fruity, nutty, or a citrus taste? At the same time, you may not have a favorite yet, or you’re open to trying new flavors. The best way to…

Isn’t pour over coffee so much better than machine brewed coffee? The rich taste that highlights all the flavorful notes. The wonderful aroma that fills the room. There is something special about the pour over method that makes truly makes a difference. Yet, many still opt for brewing coffee using a normal coffee machine. Why bother if you can just push a button? Who needs a pour over coffee when you have the convenience of using your coffee maker? Yes, it may seem like brewing pour over coffee is more labor-intensive. But the process is not that complex at all. Pour over coffee easier to make than you realize. What’s involved? Only a few basic things: Freshly ground coffee, a filter, hot water, and a brewer — a pour over coffee maker. That’s it. What You’ll Need to Make Pour Over Coffee: 1. Pour over coffee maker (We’ll get into…

Learning how to make French press cold brew will not only result in creating a delicious and refreshing cup, but it will also help you cut back on excessive trips to your favorite coffee shop. No matter your reasons, learning to how to make cold brew coffee from the comfort of your home just makes sense. We’ll teach you a simple way to make French press cold brew. You only need a few tools. You do not have to be an experienced coffee barista to make this successfully. So give it a try. It’s easy, we promise! Cold Brew, Iced Coffee, What’s the Difference? First, we want to clear up some of the confusion around how cold brew is different from iced coffee. Are they both cold? Yes. Are they prepared similarly? No. They are two completely different drinks. If you’re not familiar with the difference between cold brew and…

Have you ever been at a coffee shop, went up to the counter, and instead of ordering something different — you opted for the same drink because you didn’t know what to get? Maybe if you knew how all those drinks were made you’d have a better idea about to get the next time. Let’s start with this: While all those drinks are unique, they all start out as one thing: espresso. But don’t confuse espresso with coffee. They are not the same. Espresso isn’t just a simple cup of black coffee. Espresso takes a lot of work to make. Read on to find out more about what espresso is, the difference between espresso and coffee, and what the difference between coffee and espresso is — that way — you’ll be more confident about what to order the next time you visit your local coffee shop. A Brief History of…

Once you’ve tried espresso, it’s hard to go back to regular coffee. But most people think that an espresso drink is only available at a coffee shop, with barista training, or by buying an expensive espresso machine. We are going to let you in on a little secret: You can make espresso without an espresso machine at home. In fact there are several ways to accomplish this, and without the need to use a fancy machine. How To Make Espresso Without an Espresso Machine Let us show you three ways you can make espresso from home with just a few simple supplies. Supplies: AeroPress A Burr grinder Espresso beans Thermometer Tamp Scale Kettle (or regular stove pot) for boiling water Make Espresso with an AeroPress An AeroPress is a plastic, easily portable device used for coffee and espresso making. It’s a manual device that uses air pressure to push the…

Are you always making or ordering the same coffee drink? Perhaps you’d like to try different types of coffee, but you don’t know where to start. That’s why we’ve compiled a coffee guide with all the types of coffee drinks — some a bit more rare than others,  but others that may be available at your local coffee shop. Here is Every Type of Coffee That Exists on the Planet. Ever. (Okay, not EVERY type of coffee that exists, but it’s a lot of them). But, before jumping in, let’s first look at a brief description of the different varieties of coffee beans out there so that the next time you take a sip of java, you’ll have a newfound appreciation. Types of Coffee Beans There are four main coffee beans in the world, but only two of them – Arabica and Robusta are consumed in coffee shops everywhere. The…

At Tradecraft Outfitters, we are all about re-energizing the traditional approach to coffee and tea service within the hospitality industry. And, our Sales Team is a crucial part to expanding our brand and working with a variety of exciting clients on custom programs focusing on coffee, tea, training, education, cafe equipment, and more. In honor of #NationalSalespersonDay, we are excited to introduce each of these rockstars to you! Mark Shankman – Director of Business Development Hometown: Cleveland, OH Current Location: Cleveland, OH Favorite Drink: Iced Americano, 365 days a year Last Book You Read: “Psychology of Sales” by Dennis M. Postema Favorite Quote:  “It’s up to you to make yourself interesting”. A fellow student said this in an improv class I took in Chicago and since then I have tried to keep my life interesting and for it to be a story worth telling. Favorite Place: Chicago. Over the course…

Tradecraft Outfitters proudly hires former Vice President and Co-Owner of Rishi Tea, Benjamin Harrison, to lead our future strategic marketing and sales efforts! Benjamin brings his dynamic experience and a proven record of success from leading multiple brands to incredible growth while keeping with the values and quality that has made those companies great. Ben was a pioneer in the specialty tea space and was responsible for establishing Rishi as the category leader – driving the growth of Rishi Tea globally. He was recognized on the “40 under 40” list and has previously served as a Advisory Board member to the World Tea Expo, thus making Ben’s entrepreneurial spirit and position as a tastemaker the perfect fit for Tradecraft Outfitters. Tradecraft’s CEO Michael Klong said of Benjamin’s hiring, “We are very excited to have Ben on board. With his leadership, expertise and experience, I know he will have an immediate…