Happy New Year, almost!

A few lucky Bay Beans coffee customers received their variety packs on New Years Eve. Its all part of the service. 

Bay Beans is back early from the Christmas break, roasting and delivering fresh roasted coffee all over Australia. If you have been hanging out waiting for your coffee, you can place your order now for immediate delivery. 

In case you missed it, the winner of the one-line joke competition, for 500g of Ethopian Single Origin coffee has been announced here.

I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas break and look forward to a safe and enjoyable new year!

Thank you for your support in 2012 - I look forward to serving you in 2013!

James
Chief Espresso Officer.

Bay Beans is back Baby! Need coffee beans right now?

What a great year 2012 has been - I have really enjoyed serving you bringing great fresh roasted coffee to you. 

See below on how to score a free bag of Single Origin coffee from Ethiopia.

you still have time to order your coffee - I will be roasting today, tomorrow and Saturday. Enjoy a week of holidays with me during the Christmas and New Year from December 24th until January 2nd. Your orders placed during the Christmas New Year period will be roasted and dispatched on Tuesday January 2nd. 

In summary;

• On Wednesday 2nd Jan, I will be sending a 500g bag of Single Origin Ethiopia coffee to whoever can make me laugh the hardest via email with a one-line joke.
• On Wednesday 2nd Jan, I will send another 500g bag of Single Origin Ethiopia coffee to whoever tops the list of the worst Christmas gift they have ever received via email.  
• Orders being processed today, tomorrow and Saturday.
• Deliveries suspended between Christmas and New Year
• You can continue to place orders during the break period
• Deliveries resume Tuesday January 2nd
• Thank you for your support this year
• Have a great Christmas / New Year holiday!

With so many different ways of preparing coffee, it makes sense to order your coffee Preground to your specification. That's why I have added many more options to your Preground selections as;

Whole Bean
Espresso Commercial
Espresso domestic
Espresso stovetop
Aero press
Drip filter
Pour over
Siphon
Plunger
Percolator

It's true, wholebean will give you the freshest and best experience, but if you want a no mess solution for home, some convenience at the office or you just don't want to invest in a grinder or have the space, then buy your Preground coffee direct from the roaster for the best experience that suits your needs.

Having a bit of fun with the festive season - a new Bay Beans logo for a few weeks.

Bay Beans coffee capsules for Nespresso contain fresh roasted coffee and save you money with Free Delivery, anywhere in Australia. Would you like to support a local Australian coffee roaster, providing a fresher and tastier coffee for your Nespresso? Would you like the opportunity to purchase delicious and full flavour coffee capsules for your Nespresso like Fair Trade and Organic coffee?

Bay Beans coffee capsules for Nespresso are compatible with all Nespresso machines including the Pixi, Latissima, Maestria, Essenza, Le Cube, Maistria, U and Citz. Take a look at Bay Beans Nespresso compatible coffee machines for much less than you would expect. 

Take a look at the full range of Bay Beans coffee capsules for Nespresso here.

Yum! Espresso shot using Mocha Prince. I used to recommend this coffee for plunger, aero press and filter, but I am really enjoying it as an espresso.

What better way to end a Monday afternoon?

These variety packs of coffee have been very popular this year as Christmas gifts. Available in 4x250g, 4x500g and 4x1kg bags - choose between whole beans or Preground. Get one today, delivered free!

Here is one I roasted today, almost ready for the courier.

By KATIE MOISSE (@katiemoisse) July 2, 2012

Coffee fanatics are less likely to develop the most common type of skin cancer, a new study found.

The study of almost 115,000 men and women found those who drank three or more cups of coffee a day had a 20 percent lower risk of basal cell carcinoma than those who said no to coffee.

"I think we're seeing more and more evidence for the beneficial effects of coffee consumption," said study author Jiali Han, associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard School of Public Health, explaining that java has also been linked to a reduced risk of diabetes and Parkinson's disease. "I wouldn't recommend drinking coffee solely based on this work, but it does add one more thing to the list."

The study, published today in the journal Cancer Research, sheds new light on a skin cancer that affects 2.8 million Americans each year, and with Australia having a higher incidence of skin cancer, its a great discovery.

"It's not a lethal disease, but the associated health care cost is substantial," said Han, describing how the slow-growing skin cancer can be cured if caught early. "Even a small decrease in the incidence will have a huge benefit for individuals and society."

Drinking decaffeinated coffee did not have the same benefit, pointing to caffeine as the protective agent. Indeed, caffeine from sources other than coffee like cola and chocolate was also linked to a decreased risk of basal cell carcinoma, according to the study.

"Caffeine may help the body kill off damaged skin cells," said Dr. Josh Zeichner, assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, explaining how exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun can damage skin cells' DNA. "If you get rid of these cells that are damaged, then they don't have the opportunity to grow and form cancers."

Zeichner described basal cell carcinoma as "pearly papules" on the skin, often resembling a wound that won't heal properly. Topical creams, surgery, and electrodesiccation curettage -- a procedure that scrapes off the top of the tumor and burns the base -- can cure the cancer. But Zeichner stressed, "the best treatment is prevention."

"Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen, keep reapplying it, wear sun-protective clothing and avoid the sun during peak hours," Zeichner said. "Protection is the number one defense against skin cancer, followed by really early detection."

As for coffee's role in skin cancer prevention, Zeichner said the findings are intriguing.

"We're learning more and more about environmental exposures that can contribute to the development of skin cancers, or protection from them, and these include things in our diets. But this doesn't mean you should go out and start drinking three coffees or a two-liter bottle of cola a day," he said, adding that too much caffeine -- not to mention sugar -- can have harmful health effects. "We need to learn more."

Good morning Australia. My weekend hasn't started until this has happened!