A DIY pour-over coffee stand. Pt.1

Yesterday I tried my hand at making a pour-over brewing stand for my Hario V60-01 and came up with this.

 
Not an original design but fun and easy to make. 2 meters of copper tubing, a few T-joiners, a 4 elbows and an afternoon of your time.

 Why Part 1 in the title? Because I'm going to make another one from the inspiration gained from this one.

Why Coffee & Tea Are Amazing for You

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Questions & answers

On a visit to the doctor this week, the discussion of what I do for a living once again came up. From there the questions start: what machines, which grinders, beans, blends and single origins and ultimately the issue of how much coffee to use when making your favorite brew.

He showed me his coffee maker, his grinder, the cups he serves in and explained to me how he goes about making a pot of coffee.Through trial and error, he has been able to reach some standard on how full to fill his blade grinder so that when it has all been chopped up he can tip it into his machine, fill it with water and let it brew. His process is anything but ideal but due to circumstances he has had to make do with what he has.

Once all had been explained to me, it was time to correct a few brewing basics and my first question was what the volume of the carafe (or pot) for his coffee machine was. "12 cups", was the answer. But that didn't really answer the question. So I left with the promise to find out what the specifications for the machine are and get back to him with and answer and some advice on how to get the best coffee from his machine. My research seemed fruitless but did bring up the question of cups and CUPS.

The issue often raised on internet chat forums is about what the cup markings mean on filter machines and what the manufacturer tells you about the machine you have bought. It became evident that most consumers were confused by the cup markings on their machines. The 6, 10 or 12 cup brewers, made in Europe, the US or in the East don't always indicate the volume of maximum coffee brewed or what cup volume are they referring to. There are far too many cup volumes used in the world for any real clarity on the subject.

Except this: I have mentioned in a previous blog posting that the recognized water to coffee ratio is 55 - 60 grams per liter of water. Regardless of what your strength preference is, this is the ratio to use when brewing any filter/drip coffee to get the coffee experience the roastmaster worked hard to achieve. If you find it too strong make sure you've got the right coffee to water ratio. If you have and still find it strong, add some hot water to your cup after brewing. If it is too weak, you haven't used the correct amount of water to coffee and there is nothing you can do to save it bar making a fresh pot of coffee.

Added to this is the grind size of your coffee. Ideally you want to grind according to the type of coffee brewing method. In this case, for filter coffee, you set your grinder to a medium coarseness, playing a little with the settings to grind slightly finer or slightly coarser. If you insist on purchasing pre-ground coffee, make sure you buy filter ground (most on South African shelves are). Just bear this in mind: too fine and the coffee will be in contact with the water too long, causing over-extraction resulting in a strong, bitter cup. Too coarse and the water will pass through the grounds too quickly causing under-extraction. Invest in a burr grinder to give you the best control and better grind consistency. More on that here.

Back to the situation at hand. All this talk of cups, grind and water can seem rather daunting and far too much hassle. You might rather throw in the towel and opt for instant. Hopefully not. Once you've got you're recipe and routine in place armed with this knowledge, you'll find that it becomes second nature. You know it's worth it because now you make the best coffee at home or at work.

Remember this:

• Grind according to the brewing method you're using. Invest in a burr grinder. Blade grinders don't grind, they chop and the longer you let them run the finer the grind becomes;
• Add the right amount of coffee to match the amount of water (remember 55-60g/L);
• If you don't have scale use proper 1tbs measure (+- 7g) per 125ml (2tbs/250ml; 4tbs/500ml);
• Forget about the cup markings. Rather focus on volume of water used. Use the cup markings only as reference points to guide volume of water;

Be prepared to experiment within these guidelines as everyone has their own twist on the them but use this is your starting point.

Practice and patience are well rewarded.

KEEP IT CLEAN!

I haven't posted a blog post in a while but this morning I was once again inspired to share some valuable information again. Nothing complicated or long-winded. Just some advice.

When enjoying your morning pick-me-up you expect nothing but the best, right? You should. But regardless of what coffee you are using, if the equipment you brew with is not clean, you could be getting an off-tasting coffee and your pick-me-up could be rather a let-down.

I hate to admit it but I am guilty. When I looked inside my filter brewer this morning (we have excellent down-lighting in our new kitchen) I noticed that it was not clean. Residue in places I overlooked in previous cleaning regimes stared at me, taunted me but I got stuck in and cleaned.

15 minutes later and she was as good as new. Had I spent a little time just rinsing, wiping and doing the occasional run of vinegar mixed with water to clean out the piping, I would have been enjoying my morning cup of medium roast earlier.

So, to keep it simple, keep your coffee equipment clean!

What's in the tin?

 In 2011, an acquaintance of mine found out about my new coffee business and we decided to revive a product which he had launched 10 years previously called "Geblikte Moer". The word "geblikte" is Afrikaans for "tinned" and "moer" in this sense is a play on words - in earlier days, moer was a reference to coffee brewed in a pot and was called "moer koffie".

We've kept the basic concept but have redesigned the tin, the three bags of coffee which it contains and the coffee is naturally Connoisseur Coffee.



http://www.gebliktemoer.co.za/

Frank Sinatra's "The Coffee Song" (1960)

Keep it fresh

So, you’ve bought your favourite blend or single origin coffee, opened the bag, released pleasant aromas into your kitchen and brewed a tasty cup. Now what? Well, to ensure that your coffee beans or grounds stay as fresh as possible, you need to ensure that you store them correctly.

No fancy equipment. No expensive storage containers. Just remember the four enemies of coffee you intend storing are:

• Moisture
• Heat
• Light
• Oxygen

Essentially you need to protect your coffee from these elements to ensure that it lasts longer. Keep your coffee in an airtight glass, ceramic or plastic container – this will keep the moisture and oxygen at bay. Storing in a cupboard away from all heat sources (ovens, direct sunlight) will also help keep its flavour and aroma.

Once you’ve opened the bag of coffee, it’s best to finish it within 14 days. Coffee has a limited shelf-life and is best consumed as fresh as possible. Coffee beans tend to lose their flavour slower than pre-ground coffee and you might consider investing in a coffee grinder which will allow you to grind as much coffee as you need when you need it.

Some brands and websites recommend storing coffee in the fridge or freezer to keep it fresh. There are a number of opinions on the matter but I believe it is not advisable. Removing coffee stored in the fridge or freezer causes condensation on the beans or grounds and as moisture is something you are trying to protect coffee from while storing it, this is exactly what you don’t need.

 To summarise, here is my advice:

 Keep your coffee fresher for longer - store in an airtight container and in a cool, dry place. Do not refrigerate. Use within 14 days after opening.

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Making decisions

As you like it

Everyone has their preferences and this is not limited to how they may enjoy their coffee. Not only the taste but their ritual of how they prepare their morning pick-me-up but also how they like it served and ultimately how they like to enhance its flavour to suit their taste.

Some of these preferences may make a coffee connoisseur squirm and want to retaliate with a barrage of educational facts and expert advice on how it SHOULD be done. And with good reason. There is a science to coffee (believe it or not). Research papers have been written on the subject and published in scientific journals with careful analysis to grind size, water quality, brew temperature, degree of roast and a plethora of other parameters that influence the taste of coffee. There are research papers on the science of milk and how it affects the taste of filter coffee and espresso based drinks. Important stuff - to the coffee industry. There is a place for this advice and it does make a difference – to the budding and expert connoisseur and those who wish to listen.

But it is important to remember (at least I have to remind myself) that everyone likes their coffee the way THEY like it.

My wife likes her coffee piping hot, so much so that I have to heat it further in the microwave oven after it has brewed. This is a big no-no in the coffee world - brewing temperature between 92 and 96°C and should not be reheated as this spoils the flavour. My Mother-in-law likes to make a pot of coffee which will sit on the hot-plate for hours before the final cup is consumed. Another no-no – coffee should be served fresh and consumed within 20 minutes after brewing after which it starts to get bitter (if left to warm on a hotplate). My father adds many spoons of sugar to his coffee (far more than he should for a number of reasons), adds a block of ice to it and will let it stand and come back to finish it off later. People may dose less or more coffee than is recommended, prefer chicory based “coffee” or couldn’t care less if their cappuccino is one third espresso, one third steamed milk and one third micro-foam - as long as it tastes good. I should be the last one to criticize because I was one of them. But now I know better...

There I go, wanting to educate and change the way people enjoy their coffee. And so I should because I believe that changing certain habits is good and should leave the person to whom I have dispensed this wisdom with a better cup of coffee. But I must concede that sometimes I need to let it be. I can make the coffee my way when I make it but when you make it you should make it to your taste. After all, it’s your cup of coffee.

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A voyage of discovery

I’ve always enjoyed coffee. I cannot remember the first time I tasted the drink but it has always been my preference. “Coffee or Tea?” would be the question at social gatherings or family occasions and my answer would most often be “Coffee, thanks. Milk and two sugars”.

My fondest memory of drinking coffee while growing up was when my mother used to bring me a cup of coffee in bed – usually accompanied by two rusks and good conversation. Or as children we used to serve my parents coffee in bed on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It was our way of spoiling them (and an excuse to get another rusk or two out of the deal). It was a time spent discussing life, ideas and bonding as a family.

It was only later, probably at one of the social gatherings or family occasions that I was served filter coffee. I still had no appreciation for the drink as such but my preference remained. My introduction to the espresso based cappuccino came when I started dating girls and going off to one of the local coffee shops. It was not so much the coffee that drew me to the coffee shop but rather the chance to spend some “alone time” with the girl I was dating (or hoping to date) at the time. Cappuccino was the regular order and soon became my drink of choice. This is the first time that I actively decided on what type of coffee drink I would like to consume. A decision and preference that remains when I visit a coffee shop today.

It was, however, only after I finished studying and lived in London for two years that my interest in coffee grew. It’s probably was not the coffee as much as the coffee shop that attracted me. It was my initiation into café culture – granted it was a Starbucks but it served as a good introduction to better things. I spent much time in the Starbucks close to the Tottenham Court Road Underground station (there were fewer Starbucks in London then) writing letters and post cards or reading a Terry Pratchett novel, occasionally looking up and watching the world go by.

In this time I travelled to Europe occasionally and here I was introduced to some of the European café culture. I loved the idea of sitting down, having a cup of coffee, reading a news paper, writing a letter or just watching the people go about their daily business.

On my return to South Africa, this culture of relaxing with a good cup of coffee and watching people continued and Johannesburg offered a number of places to do this in the company of good friends.

More recently, through a series of events, my interest has mushroomed. I had a desire to know more about the drink that so many people around the world consume daily. I have started on a coffee adventure – a voyage of discovery into the fascinating world of growing, roasting, grinding, brewing and enjoying a very complex drink. I now have a greater appreciation for the cup of coffee I was introduced to years ago.

Coffee has played a big part in my life. Not because of the number of cups I have consumed over the years but because of the memories that are attached to each one of them. I realise that the enjoyment is not only about the varied origins, tastes and aromas that each cup offers but more importantly the memories formed while enjoying another cup.

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The joy in making a morning brew

As my passion and interest in coffee grow, I have become more geeky in how I store, measure, grind, brew and drink my morning coffee. Or any of my daily brews – morning, noon or night.

Whenever I have the chance to talk about brewing coffee with my friends and customers, I share the importance of all the factors that will make their daily fix taste as wonderful as the roastmaster intended.

So how do you keep your coffee fresh? How do you keep the aromas as rich and exciting as the first day you opened the bag and made your first cup? And, most importantly, how do you get each brew of your favourite single origin or blend to taste the same every time you make a pot?

This is where the geeky part begins. But trust me, it’s not as hard as you may think and shouldn’t take you longer than being less geeky. And even if it does, the result is worth it. Every time.

Like most coffee consumers making coffee at home, I started with the instructions on the bag : 7g per cup* – or, as it is often translated, one tablespoon per cup. Herein lies the problem. Cups vary in sizes and most South Africans prefer a mug, which is larger than a cup. What about the tablespoon? Well there is the next problem. Tablespoons vary in size too. When referring to cups and tablespoons, we’re not referring to baking measures. Also, ignore those cup markings on your filter machine. There is no consistency and can change from one manufacturer to another.

So, using the terms “cup” and “tablespoon” can be very misleading and in my opinion would not result in the cup quality that the roastmaster was intending for you to taste, appreciate and love. What is the correct brew ration of coffee to water? I explain this in my blog post “How Much Coffee Makes Coffee” which you can read here. For now, forget about cups and tablespoons and those cup markings on your filter machine. Focus on quantity of water and weight of coffee.

It’s all about measurements. My morning brew of two mugs – which I have determined equals 500ml – requires 27-28g of ground coffee. I weigh the amount of beans on my digital kitchen scale, add them to my burr grinder (which is set to a setting that I know gives me the best extraction/brewing time of five minutes). While the grinder is busy, I measure half a litre of water and add it to my filter machine. I place the paper filter in my brew basket, add the freshly ground coffee and switch my machine on. At the same time I monitor the brewing time by using a digital kitchen timer to ensure that it stays as close to five minutes as possible.

Once the brew is done, I serve it. For my wife, I put it in a thermos which she can take to work. I, however, enjoy mine fresh from the pot. It may seem like too much effort. It may sound unnecessary. But try it and you will realise the difference. That coffee which you have been spooning into your coffee machine might just taste better than you can remember. I can assure you that that is the taste the roastmaster wanted you to appreciate.

In the next post, I’ll deal with storing your coffee – another important factor to ensure your coffee tastes fantastic, every time.

* The 7g refers to a cup measuring of only 127ml – using the standard 55g/L ratio

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Choosing a coffee grinder




picture source: weheartit.com



Most consumers buy their coffee pre-ground to suit their needs. This is based purely on a convenience as many coffee drinkers don't have the luxury of owning a grinder and in many cases it's just too much effort to grind coffee before you make it. However, there is something to be said for grinding your beans on demand. Benefits include increased freshness, delicious taste and aroma and the knowledge that you are in control of your daily fix. But which grinders are best and why should you think of investing in one? 

The answer is very simple and it really depends on your needs and your budget. There are many makes and models on the market and depending on how much you are willing to spend, your options are varied.

Let me start with blade grinders - although grinder is not a very apt name for what this device does to your coffee beans. A blade grinder operates with a spinning blade which slices and chops the beans. How fine you want your beans depends on how long you let the blade spin. Although these devices are relatively inexpensive they don't give the best results leaving the user with an inconsistent, unevenly ground coffee. This unevenness results in an inconsistent quality when brewed. For a finer grind coffee, the heat generated by the blade could leave your coffee tasting burned. Blade grinders can be used if you are planning to add things to your coffee brewing process like vanilla pods or cinnamon sticks. You could chop everything up together before you brew and the device can be easily cleaned. This is impossible with the more expensive burr grinders.

Burr grinders come in two forms, the wheel burr and conical burr types. The less expensive wheel (or disk) burr grinder operates by crushing the coffee between two burrs. One of these spins while the other remains stationary. The grind size can be adjusted by changing the setting of how far apart the burrs are and grind size can range from very fine Turkish to coarse French press/plunger. A burr grinder gives you a more consistent grind size and better extraction when brewed. The wheel burr type grinder is relatively noisy and the faster spinning burrs may have the tendency to "burn" the coffee. Wheel burr grinders tend to clog easily and require regular cleaning. This is, however, a far better option that using a blade grinder - especially if you are buying beans regularly. They are ideal for grinding smaller quantities of coffee and therefore the best to have at home.

Conical burr grinders (using conical or cone-shaped burrs) function in the same way as a wheel burr grinders by crushing/grinding the coffee to a consistent size. These burr grinders are the most ideal for grinding coffee as the burrs spin at a slower rate and as a result doesn't "burn" the coffee. It is also less likely to clog. As with wheel burr grinders, the grind size can be changed and as most conical burr grinders are meant for high volume coffee production they have a finer setting adjustments. Although this is the ideal grinding method for coffee, few consumers can afford them.

If you are feeling adventurous, you could always refer to the oldest of grinding methods by using a mortar and pestle. Although this not use this to make filter, plunger or espresso, you could try using an Ibrik or Cezve to make Turkish coffee, which needs a very fine powder.

Which grinder you buy depends on your needs and budget. However, if you really want to experience a truly fresh coffee experience, then I would recommend investing in a burr grinder and grinding your beans on demand.

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How much coffee makes coffee?

Since developing a passion for coffee and discovering the joys of experimenting with single origins and blends, the one element that has confounded me is the amount of coffee to use when making my morning pick-me-up. I thought I knew the answer - the packet says use 7 grams per cup right? Well, right... and wrong.

Most coffee brand packaging and coffee related websites recommend using 7 grams per cup. But how big is this cup? Is it an European sized cup? American? Many coffee sites talk about cups in liquid ounces (6 or 8 being the most popular). But is that imperial or US ounces? You can understand the confusion that all this talk causes and still I don't think that everyone quite knows how it all works. Many people think of a cup as the standard measuring cup used in baking (250ml). Don't be fooled. A cup is not the cup you think it is. To add to this, South Africans like their coffee is mugs. This started another question, if 7 grams makes one cup, how much would I need for a mug of coffee?

The universal consensus among coffee snobs is that the ratio of coffee to water is 55 - 60 grams of coffee per litre of water. This is the rule of thumb and the starting point of experimentation. I have determined that it is not the size of your cup or mug that is important but what ratio of water to coffee that you use that is. So forget the cups and mugs, look at the amount of coffee you want to brew and start from there.

If your drip coffee maker (filter for South Africans) has a one litre capacity, then it's simple: add 55 grams of filter-ground coffee to your brew basket and off you go. If the capacity is 1,5L then it's 55 x 1.5 = 82.5 grams. If you're making half a litre it's 55 / 2 = 27.5 grams. You can use the same calculation for standard 1.8L and 2.2L coffee brewers.

I have found it useful to weigh my coffee on a digital kitchen scale. This is an inexpensive tool and soon you'll be used to weighing your coffee and not just spooning in an estimated amount wondering if you've added 4... or wait was that 5 measures of coffee?

All this weighing and measuring might appear a little pedantic but using these rules ensures that my cup of coffee tastes wonderful every time. In order to judge coffee taste and compare one with another, you need to keep your brewing ratios consistent. In this way your favourite blended coffee with taste the same every morning and will allow you to compare apples with apples (or beans with beans...).

I could get stuck into grind size and how that influences brewing, extraction time and a host of other technicalities but I will save that for another post.

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