Tips & Tricks
Tips for more flovor
Coffee quality over equipment
The most important thing for a really good coffee, - is really good coffee! Even a ridiculously expensive espresso machine can not turn bad coffee into a tasty drink. Therefore, it is better to invest in good, high-quality coffee than in expensive equipment. If you need a recommendation which equipment suits you, feel free to write me an email.
Grind fresh
Grind the coffee just the moment when you want to use it and preferably only in the amount you need. Pre-ground coffee quickly loses its flavors, which you then miss later in the cup.
Proper storage
Coffee is best protected from light and oxygen in its original packaging. This was designed specifically to ideally protect the flavors. Storage in the refrigerator, although often encountered, is one of the worst ways to store coffee, because the coffee quickly absorbs foreign flavors and moisture. The use of coffee cans, unless they have been specially designed for this purpose, is also not recommended, as the beans quickly come into contact with oxygen, oxidize and stale.
Allow the coffee to rest
Coffee should be allowed to "rest" for a few days/weeks after roasting in order to develop its full aroma. This is referred to as the " flavor peak". When this peak is reached is individual for each coffee, but is usually between 10 - 20 days after roasting.
Tips for the use of a bean-to-cup coffee maschine
Better Americano than diluted and bitter
For a great and still delicious cup of coffee from a bean-to-cup coffee machine, it is better to have one or two short drinks (e.g. Espressi) and then infuse them with hot water. If you only increase the amount of water on the machine, this will result in a diluted, bitter (over-extracted) beverage.
Adjust grind settings
If the coffee tastes...
- weak and sourish (under-extracted),- choose a finer grind size
- too strong and bitter (over-extracted),- choose a coarser grind size
Temperature, dose and intensity
- If you have the possibility to adjust the temperature of your bean-to-cup machine, 95 °C is recommended. You can experiment with different temperatures!
- Experimentation is also the key with dose and intensity. Intensity at bean-to-cup machines is usually symbolized by a cup with horizontal lines. Depending on your personal taste and your favorite drink (Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, etc.), one setting or another will lead to happiness.
Tips for affordable coffee equipment
Aeropress
The Aeropress is a simple, fast and almost indestructible way to prepare coffee in a conscious way. You have full control over all brewing parameters and thus the possibility to brew light, fruity or roasty coffees exactly as it tastes best to you. Retail price approx. 30€.
V60 & co.
As with the Aeropress, a filter holder like the Hario V60 gives you all the options for conscious brewing. However, the V60 clearly shows its strength with light, fruity coffees. Helpful, but not mandatory, accessories would be a gooseneck kettle and a scale (with timer function). The price for the V60 starts at 10€.
Coffe grinds and grinder
Finally, the most important thing: a high-quality coffee grinder. These are available, such as the Baratza Encore, from about 130€. Note: Most grinders are optimized for either filter coffee (coarser grind) or espresso (finer grind). For the above-mentioned preparation methods, a grinder for filter coffee is ideal.
- For bean-to-cup machines I recommend the A-i-ú
- For the V60 our filter coffees
- For the Aeropress I can recommend any of our coffees
If you have any questions about brewing, the products or which equipment suits you best, please feel free to cantact to me.