Live the Life of a Civil War Soldier when You Drink your Mornin' CoffeeWritten by Paula and Coach McCoach
Live Life of a Civil War Soldier When you Drink your Mornin’ Coffeeby Paula McCoach The Coffee Customer Spoiler Civil War soldiers, Confederate and Union, used to make their coffee in pots. But on march, they just used their boilers. Remember: don’t boil coffee. Confederates and Union soldiers had a little bit of coffee, chewin tabaccie, and that was it. Moreover, Confederates usually had tobacco, and Union troops had coffee. When troops would cross paths during war, they would trade coffee for tobacco and vice versa. Soldiers would take their hardtack biscuits and soak it in coffee and get some fat and put it in a frying pan and fry a crust on hardtack like chicken…real nutritious diet. Civil War soldiers drank from large tin cups. Hot liquid filled all way up in a tin cup will burn yer lips. Soldiers needed at least an inch or two at top. So they would only fill it two-thirds full and let it cool a little so they could tolerate it. Don’t drink from old tin cups that you might find in an antique store. They have lead solder. Buy a reproduction of one at a Civil War reenactment or from a Sutler who advertises in some of military history magazines. Coffee boilers are large tin cups with a handle on them. Some of them even have lids on them. They hold 22-24 ozs. of liquid. They look like a cup that is a coffee pot. Drinkin’ from an antique cup definitely enhances coffee drinkin’ experience. The vibes of all people who have gone before have left their energy and spirit in fiber of cup. Antique tin and enamel cups can be found in antique stores Enamel cups are not as hot as a tin cup, but it has that “nostaaaalgic” cup quality. I like drinkin’ from antique cups because I like that “antiqueness” of it.
| | Coffee Brewin' Civil War StyleWritten by Paula and Coach McCoach
Coffee Brewin' - Civil War Style by: Paula McCoach The Coffee Customer Spoiler!!Even though there was a war between states, both Confederate and Union soldiers still drank their morning coffee. But how did they make it? Obviously, being in 1860's and in open fields and battlegrounds, there were no electric coffee makers, cappuccino machines, and not even latte! Jim McCoach, a Civil War reenactor for 25 years, has recreated method they used and named it Open-Pot Brewin'. Open-Pot Brewin' is a unique technique developed by Coach's Coffee to serve Civil War reenactors coffee in field. First, Coach's Coffee starts with their own blend, Coach's Blend. This blend is made of 5 types of Arabica beans. Arabica beans are grown at a higher altitude than Robusta beans and have a smoother taste. If you want to create your own blend for Open-Pot Brewin,' mix and match several types of beans until you get taste you prefer. For more information on Creatin' Your Own Blend, email coach@coachscoffee.net. Open-Pot Brewin consists of several steps. Start with best blend of Arabica beans. Grind your coffee to a very fine grind - it would be what is called "Drip" grind in grocery stores. Heat water to just below boiling. This is a very important step, as boiling water will make coffee bitter. Pour water over grinds. Stir grinds down twice letting them rise to top each time. Strain grinds and serve.
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