Beans
Grinding coffee beans just before making a coffee is a usual thing for every barista. Volatile compounds of coffee beans include short-chain aromatic molecules. The main difference between pre-ground and whole-bean coffee is freshness, flavor, and scent. Therefore, it is logical that during grinding a certain part of the molecules will be released and coffee will oxidize very quickly and lose its taste.
In case you do not have a coffee grinder yet, you definitely should buy it. Because even a cheap coffee grinder is better than packed pre-ground coffee. The initial investment is usually around CZK 500. If you enjoy the coffee, you may start saving some money for a better one such as a Comandante coffee grinder.
Filtering water is very important
Your fountain of life is mostly water (93-98%). If we prepare coffee from unfiltered water, which can have an unwanted aftertaste and high hardness, this will harm the resulting taste of the coffee.
However, it is important to leave a certain amount of minerals in the water. Bottled water is a non-ecological and overpriced solution. We recommend you buy a water filter. In long term, the filter costs you 6-10 times cheaper than bottled water. A more detailed explanation of this subject you can find in the book “Need for Espresso: Underground – Water Technology”.
We do not make too fresh coffee
Does that surprise you? You are not alone. If the coffee has not yet released the required amount of gas after roasting, its taste profile and overall potential will remain hidden. Remember this rule:
- Filtered coffee must “rest” at least 3-7 days after roasting
- Coffee for espresso must “rest” up to 10-14 days after roasting
Use the right temperatures
Forget about making coffee at 80 ° C. The higher temperature, the stronger will be extraction. In terms of efficiency, we recommend 97 ° C for filtered coffee and around 93 ° C for espresso.
If you want to evaluate and repeat the result, you must use a scale.
We will leave the choice of which scale you choose absolutely to you.A simple kitchen scale will suffice. It is important to follow the correct recipe and coffee weight ratio to water.
What is a taste profile?
The taste profile of selected coffee is not just about bitterness and chocolate tones. Its variety of flavors and aromas is much richer. During light roasting, we evaluate and perceive its natural acidity, sweetness, bitterness. We also follow as coffee change quality as it cools. When evaluating coffee taste, we can compare them to various fruits, or materials (e.g., the woody taste is often a sign of old green coffee). The “Flavor wheel”, on which you will find used and often appearing names of flavors and aromas, can help you know this.
Experiment, but think about your steps logically
It does not matter if you drink coffee to wake you up or if you enjoy preparing it. Each of us perceives coffee differently. If you are a coffee enthusiast, we recommend you spend some of your free time reading the literature that will help you better understand all the processes that take place during the preparation of coffee. You will learn how to recognize where you are making a mistake or to make sure you have done things right. More information will save you more money, coffee and prevent disappointment from a poor result. It’s never too late to learn something new.