How to Brew Freshly Ground Coffee for the Best Taste - Exploring the Ideal Coffee Brewing Methods

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Single-Origin Coffee Pour-Over Methods

Espresso: The Foundation of Italian Coffee

In recent years, Espresso coffee has become popular in countries around the world, creating a trend in Taiwan as well. What exactly is its amazing charm?

Espresso originally referred to a high-pressure and rapid coffee brewing method, and later the coffee brewed using this method was also called "Espresso." When brewing coffee using this method, finely ground coffee powder with consistent particle size is first compressed with a tamper. The coffee powder in the filter must form a solid and compact coffee puck to resist the 8-9 bar hot water pressure during brewing. Under strong pressure, hot water finds paths to penetrate the coffee puck. When the coffee puck is compacted evenly and consistently, every coffee powder particle can receive average extraction from the hot water and completely infuse into the cup, instantly yielding a small cup of rich and aromatic Italian espresso. Whether a balance can be achieved between this pressure and resistance is a crucial factor for brewing a thick and delicious Espresso coffee.

Because Espresso uses 8-9 bar of pressure to force hot water quickly through the coffee powder, the extraction time for each cup is only about 25-30 seconds, saving a lot of time and cost. Since the time water passes through the coffee powder is extremely short, the grind setting needs to be fine and stable. To obtain good grinding quality, a good grinder is indispensable, because only by using a grinder that cuts beans quickly, has slow temperature rise, and produces uniform grinding fineness, combined with fresh coffee beans, can one possibly get a good cup of coffee.

A good Espresso coffee should be strong in concentration but not overly bitter. When paired with milk and milk foam, you get a fragrant and rich milk coffee (Latte or Cappuccino). The mellow Espresso and fine milk foam quickly attracted the love of numerous consumers, creating a thriving coffee market!

Single-Origin Coffee Brewing Methods

Pour-Over Coffee

Preparation before brewing:

Use special filter paper - Kallita or Mellita style, and fold the filter paper. Take a filter paper and check for any damage or moisture. Fold the side seam of the filter paper forward by about one seam width. Then fold the bottom edge of the filter paper backward, folding in the opposite direction of the side seam by the same seam width. In this way, the fibers of the filter paper will be pulled in two directions, and the filter paper will naturally open up.

Then use your hands to open the filter paper into a funnel shape and place it in the filter, fitting closely to the filter. If the filter paper doesn't fit tightly with the equipment, leaving gaps (air layers) between them, the gaps will hinder the penetration of hot water and the normal passage of coffee liquid. Ensuring there are no gaps between the filter and the equipment allows the flow to be natural and smooth.

Grind to order. The ideal grinding should meet the following criteria:

1. Stable particle size 2. Minimize heat generation and fine powder amount 3. Select particle size suitable for the brewing method 4. Use freshly ground ingredients

Hold the filter and tap it lightly with your palm to make the coffee powder more compact due to the vibration of the light tapping. Then place the filter back on the filter pot. Pour about 10cc of boiling 100-degree water into the glass pot to warm the pot. During the brewing process, it's best not to let the coffee temperature change as much as possible, so it's best to develop the habit of starting with equipment maintenance. Shake the pot body to raise the temperature of the glass pot, then pour it out, and place the filter with coffee powder on it.

First temperature reduction - place the water kettle on a wet towel and add cold water to the boiling water for 25-30 seconds, reducing the water temperature to 93°C. The purpose of cooling is to avoid the coffee powder being scalded by direct contact with boiling water, which would affect the coffee's aroma and taste. Then, use a very fine water stream to start from the center of the filter in a spiral pattern outward, then rotate in the same direction from outside to inside, with a stable and uninterrupted water flow. The amount of water should be just enough to wet the coffee powder, stopping when about 3 drops fall into the glass pot.

The amount of water should be just enough to wet the coffee powder. The coffee powder will expand due to water absorption and emit a fragrant aroma. This step is called "blooming." At this time, turn on the warming stove switch to avoid the coffee cooling and affecting the taste.

Second temperature reduction - after blooming, continue to place the water kettle on a wet towel for 25-30 seconds, reducing the water temperature to about 91°C, which is most suitable for brewing coffee. Follow the blooming water-pouring method, but the water flow can be slightly thicker.

The greatest technique in brewing drip coffee lies in controlling the thickness and stability of the water flow. A stable and moderate water flow spirals outward from the center point of the filter, like a stirring rod evenly mixing the coffee powder and hot water, fully releasing all the rich and sweet flavors.

Rotate in circles to inject the appropriate amount of water until the water level reaches the edge of the filter. Finally, finish the perfect brew by stopping the water flow at the center. The completed coffee will be slightly more than the cup capacity, leaving a little for the brewer to taste. Be careful not to remove the filter after the water flow has finished, as this will make the coffee taste astringent.

After completion, the coffee grounds left in the filter paper should fit evenly, which is proof that the coffee powder was evenly and fully rolled in the filter. In this way, the coffee won't easily produce off-flavors and can completely extract the four tastes and one aroma of coffee. To have well-fitted coffee grounds, stable and uniform water flow control is the key!

Siphon Brewing

Siphon coffee brewing method, also known as syphon pot or vacuum pot, is beautiful in shape, dramatic in brewing process, and emits a rich coffee aroma. The siphon pot is basically composed of two glass balls, one nested on top of the other, separated by a filter with filter cloth in the middle. First, fill the lower glass ball with boiling hot water. The amount of hot water depends on the size of the coffee cup used, with an average of about 140-150cc of water per cup. Then fix the upper pot with the filter cloth attached to the base, pour in the ground coffee powder, and heat the water in the pot with an alcohol lamp or other heat source.

After the water boils, steam pressure forces the water to rise through the tube. At this time, the coffee powder in the upper pot contacts with the hot water. Through stirring, it mixes into a mud-like state, extracting the four tastes and one aroma of coffee. After letting the coffee fully soak with water, turn off the heat source. When the air in the lower ball cools, a vacuum state forms, sucking the coffee liquid back into the base through the filter cloth. At this time, pour the coffee into a preheated cup, and you can indulge in its unique fragrance and savor its sweet and bitter taste.

When using the siphon method to brew coffee, the cleaning and storage of the filter cloth is quite troublesome. After its first use, the cloth texture changes from white to brownish, accumulating fat and protein that cannot be completely removed. When exposed to air, it produces an unpleasant odor that seriously affects the deliciousness of the coffee. Some people store this used filter cloth in a cup of clean water, which is a good method, but attention should be paid to changing the clean water frequently. Here's some exciting news for users: disposable filter paper is now available to replace traditional filter cloth, offering the advantages of hygiene, convenience, and affordability, which is truly a blessing for those who love siphon brewing.

Knowledge Extension

The Kono filter cup is suitable for brewing medium-dark roasted coffee and can produce a rich and mellow taste.

In Conclusion

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research hall, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation, just to let more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, there are 3 low-discount coffee activities because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends drink the best coffee at the lowest price. This has also been the purpose of FrontStreet Coffee for the past 6 years!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473