Coffee's pretty simple, yet complicated. What a blessing from God hey? In our search of the Perfect God-shot and brew, pursue the good do's and shun the bad do's and you'll be having great coffee everyday. Let's get started shall we? What do we need to brew GREAT coffee?
Le Beans
Coffee Beans of course! Start with a parcel of freshly roasted coffee beans from your roaster and you'll never have to worry about rancid, sour, stale coffee ever again. Read on how to store your coffee PERFECTLY here.
There's a diversity of coffee out there in the world. Be it: Variety, Origin, Processing, Roast profile and Freshness. Find out what your palate likes and the rest will fall into place in your search. Can't decide what? Drop us a message and we'll be more happy to help out a fellow coffee aficionado; we'll recommend you several origins, roast profiles, processing types and who knows? We might even send you a FREE parcel of beans after a good chat. We're always open to a coffee chat and fellow coffee buff.
There's a diversity of coffee out there in the world. Be it: Variety, Origin, Processing, Roast profile and Freshness. Find out what your palate likes and the rest will fall into place in your search. Can't decide what? Drop us a message and we'll be more happy to help out a fellow coffee aficionado; we'll recommend you several origins, roast profiles, processing types and who knows? We might even send you a FREE parcel of beans after a good chat. We're always open to a coffee chat and fellow coffee buff.
Le Water
Coffee's basically a bountiful extraction of wonderful soluble and insoluble thrilling compounds. Water and coffee grounds basically solves this intricate equation of extraction. The temperature of water you brew with depends on your brewing desires. To lay the protocol down, the hotter the water, the faster the extraction and the more acidic compounds extracted. Deciding what temperature to simmer your water at? Start with room temperature water and you'll end up with a smoother and sweeter extraction. Start with hot water and you'll end up with a brighter and acidic extraction. Do note too that a too cold water temperature will end up with an under-extracted bitter coffee. Looking then for a recommended brewing water temperature range? Stick to (85C-96C/195F-205F).
With regards to quality of water, if you're staying in a country where tap water has an excessive mineral taste of calcium or chlorine, or perhaps even own an off-flavour, head for filtered and bottled water. Shun distilled and softened water too please, water needs a certain amount of minerals to taste balanced and full.
With regards to quality of water, if you're staying in a country where tap water has an excessive mineral taste of calcium or chlorine, or perhaps even own an off-flavour, head for filtered and bottled water. Shun distilled and softened water too please, water needs a certain amount of minerals to taste balanced and full.
Le Equipment
Well equipment in this fancy coffee world can range from the several cents humble paper filter to the several thousand dollars espresso machine. Regardless, make sure you know how to use your gizmo. For the filter, nevertheless paper or cloth, ensure you flush it with hot water to get both the filter and brewing device perhaps; the v60, up to temperature and to rinse away any undesired flavour compounds left or found in the filter. For the immersion equipment, the French press and Aeropress, rinse your equipment with clean water after use always and ensure that no coffee grounds or oils remain on the equipment. Yes caffeols, aka coffee oils do adhere pretty well to your equipment, be it cloth,plastic,glass or metal. And perhaps why? You might ask. WELL.. Try leaving your equipment polished with used coffee grounds and brew a joe with it next time! You'll be in for a real surprise my friend. A real...real.. sour treat some might say, perhaps a new market revealed for sour coffee? HEH... NO. Give your equipment a thorough rinse after every brew; caffeols turn rancid and sour off. For the espresso machine, ensure the machine is brought up to the right temperature, ensure water flushes and wipes are made before and after brewing shots to maintain cleanliness and temperature of your beloved workhorse. Yes espresso's a real treat, but maintenance is a price you'd have to pay for it.
Yes, we can riddle on and on about the brewing equipment friends but really.. how good can your brew be when the backbone relies on the grinder itself. Don't even come close to having the thought of a good espresso on a $20,000 La Marzocco when you are utilising a blade grinder. Seriously? If you're a purist, well even if you're not a coffee purist! Get a decent burr grinder that provides you with an even, consistent grind. Yes I mean it, get it now. The quality of your coffee will be a world of difference. Trust me. To achieve an ideal cup consistently, always grind your beans right when you need them.
Fun fact, coffee grinds turn Al Dente stale after 20 minutes. Choose burr grinders over blade grinders always, this is because burr grinders; which is made of 2 mills pushed together to buzz the beans down, allows an even breakage of coffee beans into coffee shards or powder much more consistently than a blade grinder, where consistency of the grind size relies mainly on luck. The blade grinder cuts whatever flies in its way, meaning you'll always end up with a different grind size in every buzz, no doubt looking as fine as an assortment of coffee dust and shards, resulting in an uneven extracted cup. Manual burr grinders are the best if you're on a tight budget but a good $100-500 investment will set you up for good brews for years. Be it a cold brewing kit, espresso machine or grinder;portable manual grinder, entry level burr grinder or prosumer level burr grinder: mazzers and baratzas, CHECK OUT some Italian workhorses HERE and set yourself up for some real good coffee in the days to come.
Grab your coffee TODAY
Enough talk already? Why not grab your freshly roasted coffee from Cowpresso, brew a cup of joe, jot down some adjustment notes, have a good coffee chat with your friends, family or even your personal Cowpresso roaster? Apply these simple good guidelines and you'll be well on your way to brewing the God-shot. Till then.. It's where your roaster becomes family. Cheers!