Frequent Asked Questions About coffee
About coffee
1. GRINDER HACKS: EK43
Over the last few years the EK has rocked the specialty coffee boat, getting people to rethink approaches to chasing deliciousness. This is due to the way the EK grinds – a more even particle size different distribution – changing the way our shots look allowing us to push higher extractions. The EK necessitates a shift in thinking when it comes to workflow and even grind adjustment. One grinder can replace three – your singles, decaf and filter no longer need individual pieces of kit. Here’s a few hot tips for getting the most out of your EK:
Find some small airtight containers and pre-weigh (and label!) your doses the day before (Kmart, ebay alibaba are winners for containers).
Pre-weigh with an extra 0.5g (eg for 20.0g aim for 20.5g in the container). This will account for any ground retention and assist in your workflow.
Purging: The EK generally retains very little coffee in comparison to regular grinders. You’ll find at espresso settings the first shot will hold 1g of coffee in the chamber. Purge 1 or 2g when switching between coffees or drastic grind changes.
Alignment: if you think your grinder is misaligned or notice your shot times speeding up at the minimum setting, please let us know! We’ll sort it for you :)
Turn the grinder on before you throw coffee into it, and keep the gate on the hopper closed before after you use it. This will prevent accidentally having coffee around the burrs when the grinder is started, which can result in a broken shear plate.
Don’t be afraid to leave the grinder on if you’ve got multiple black coffees in a row. Starting and stopping the grinder will cause damage to the shear plate if the motor hasn’t fully stopped.
Be aware that the EK recipes will be different from conventional burr grinders. Generally expect a few grams more yield, and a few seconds less time. These shots will initially appear quite tight, and will then rapidly speed up. This is completely normal!
Stir your EK ‘spros before you drink them – trust us. It’ll mix it all together, cool it down and generally taste heaps better.
Every grinder ( coffee!) is different, but as a general starting point these settings should get you in the ball park of where you wanna be:
1-2 – Espresso
2-3 – Domestic Espresso
4-5 – Stovetop 7-8 – Paper filter
9+ – Metal filter, plunger, batch brew
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2. The Ideal Temperature to Drink Coffee
Most of us have a go-to temperature that we prefer to enjoy coffee at. We may not know the number, but we know how it feels to have extra hot, hot or cool coffee. Here at Driftaway, our personal preference is between 48.9 °C - 60 °C. We recognize that others have different tastes, though. Here’s a brief look at the temperature ranges people tend to enjoy coffee at, and why they might prefer those temperatures. Before we get around to drinking coffee, however, we must first understand the proper temperature that coffee should be brewed at.
Always Brew Coffee Between 91 °C - 96 °C
While coffee may be consumed at a broad range of temperatures, the range for brewing it is relatively narrow. The coffee grounds should be at room temperature, and the water should be between 91°C and 96°C. When the water is above 96°C, it can scald the grounds and create a burnt taste. When it’s below
91°C, the brewed coffee will be under-extracted. (To learn more about how water temperature can affect extraction, read our blog post here).
We like to aim for the middle of this range, 93°C . There’s not a lot of difference between 91°C and 93°C, or between 93°C and 96°C. To get water to 91°C, you can: set a temperature-display kettle to 93 °C or boil water and transfer it to a different vessel or boil water and let it stand for 30 seconds in the same vessel
Drinking Above 65.5°C: Feel the Heat
Here at Driftaway Coffee, we tend to enjoy coffee best when it is between 50 °C and 60°C. Some people though (including us sometimes!), drink coffee at higher temperatures.
Many people ask for their beverages “extra hot” at cafes. Typically, extra hot denotes 82°C or higher. There are a few good reasons why you might ask for extra hot coffee. For example, you might want it to still be hot once you arrive at the office, or you may want to slowly sip it for a while. When coffee is actually drunk at this temperature, or any temperature above 65.5°C, it is difficult to taste the coffee itself. The heat overpowers the coffee’s flavors. Some people enjoy how the sensation of scaldingly hot coffee warms them up, however our taste buds aren’t able to identify fine nuances at these temperatures.
Drinking Between 50°C and 60°C: Taste the Flavors
Coffee’s notes shine between 50°C and 60°C, which is why we prefer this temperature. The subtle flavors noted by the roaster will come out within this range, creating a delightful cup.
Coffee’s notes shine between 50°C and 60°C
If you must, you can use a thermometer to see when your cup of coffee is within this range. There is an equally effective tool, however – your tongue. You will also be able to tell when coffee’s within this range, as you will be able to taste the flavors that come out at these temperatures.
Drinking Coffee Below 50°C: Enjoy the Sweetness and Acidity
When coffee falls below 50°C, many people try to reheat it. We don’t recommend reheating coffee, because it changes the profile of the coffee.
Instead, if your coffee falls below 50°C, enjoy a cool cup. A few of our team members here at Driftaway
Coffee like cool coffee, which exhibits enhanced sweetness and acidity.
As you enjoy a cup of coffee, think about what your favorite drinking temperature is. Are you drinking for the heat, subtle flavors, or sweeter and more acidic cup? We all have our preferences. How hot you like your coffee may reveal yours.
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Coffee grows in tropical climates in what is known as the "coffee belt" or the "bean belt" which is a region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The belt represents a tropical band extending approximately 30º north and south of the equator and encompasses countries in the Pacific Islands, South
America and mid to southern Africa which represent the world’s best coffee growing regions.
The influence of environment on the flavour of how coffee tastes cannot be underestimated. Coffees grown at high altitudes greater than 1400m (3000ft) have a more pronounced flavour profile and with most coffees in Ethiopia grown at an altitude ranging between 1500 - 2700m (4900 - 8858ft), Ethiopia has gained a reputation for producing some of the highest quality coffees around. Coffee beans which are grown at high altitude are hard, dense, and possess a superior coffee flavour. It is generally regarded that as altitude increases, a coffee’s flavour profile becomes more distinctive.
So how does high altitude provide ideal growing conditions for the coffee tree? Well, elevated growing conditions mean that the coffee bean can grow:
In a frost-free environment with an average temperature range of 15-21º C (or approx. 60-70º F) throughout the year combined with moderate rainfall and abundant sunshine;
In cooler mountain temperatures which slows the coffee tree growth cycle and prolongs bean development.
This produces a coffee bean with more complex sugars and deeper, more interesting flavours;
Have better drainage; and With less water in the fruit resulting in a denser more compact bean which is full of flavour. 4. What is so special about Ethiopian coffee?
Ethiopian coffee is considered to be some of the best coffee in the world thanks to its high altitude growing conditions. The general rule of thumb: High Altitude = High Quality. Coffea arabica is a species of coffea indigenous to the highlands of Ethiopia.
Genetically, Ethiopia has the most diversified of coffee types (there are thousands), mostly wild and/or undocumented so the range of flavours has the potential to be much greater.
Ethiopian coffee flavour profiles are made all the more interesting thanks to the processing methods that are used in ways that don't really occur elsewhere (except perhaps Brazil). See "Effect of Processing on Coffee
Flavour" below for more detail.
The Ethiopian coffee bean is steeped in a rich history of tradition and culture. Ethiopians have been coming together over coffee for centuries. Coffee is an experience in Ethiopia that is shared with family and friends through daily coffee ceremonies. Coffee drinking is cherished as a special and important time to gather and can last up to several hours.
Coffee is important to Ethiopia's economy; around 60% of foreign income is generated from coffee, and an estimated 15 million of the population rely on some aspect of coffee production for their livelihood.
Ethiopia is the world's seventh largest producer of coffee, and Africa's top producer.
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5. Brew Ratios in Espresso
Simply put, the brew ratio is the relationship between the amount of dry coffee used (the dose) and the amount of coffee extracted (the yield).
This relationship is usually expressed in a dose: yield fashion, so a ratio of 1:2 means that for every gram of dry coffee, we will extract two grams of espresso. Another, less common, way to express a brew ratio is the dose as a percentage of the yield. So, a 1:2 ratio can also be called a 50% ratio. If it’s not obvious already, you’ll need a scale to follow along with this article! The good news is a 0.1g scale can be fairly cheap and will lead to a big improvement in your espresso and brewed coffee. It’s one of those low investment – big reward type situations, so just get one!
Ok, so why is the brew ratio so important? You can probably guess that the amount of water used to brew the coffee is going to have a big impact on the strength of the coffee. A shorter shot, or lower ratio, is going to have a more intense taste. But the brew ratio is also going to have an impact on the amount of extraction, as well as the nature of the flavours extracted. To see for yourself, just brew up three different coffees: a 1:1 shot, a 1:2 shot and a 1:3 shot. To keep this a bit more ‘scientific’, you’ll want to keep the brew times the same by adjusting the grind setting. So, what do you think? How does the brew ratio affect the balance of flavours? What about the body? Do you have a favourite? Do you want to try a ratio in between two of them?
There are many ways to brew a good cup of coffee, not just one, and the parameters should be changed to suit the needs of the coffee, equipment, water and the tastes of the consumer. That said, here are some general guidelines. If in doubt, start with a 1:2 ratio. I won’t use the words ‘industry standard’ as I don’t want an inbox full of angry emails, but it is a good, simple, starting point. From feeding hundreds of espressos to students at the academy, I’ve found the majority of them prefer coffee in the 1:1.5 – 1:2.5 range, although this is far from scientific. A really short shot is going to give you a lot of body and intensity. However, with more water you’ll tend to get more clarity of flavour, as well as finding it easier to
‘fully’ extract the coffee. For most people, it’s about finding a balance between these two. You can also ask the barista at your favourite café how they brew their coffee. Most of them will chat forever once you get them started!
** For Newbies
If all of this is totally new to you, here’s what you should do. (1) buy an Acaia scale. (2) go to your machine and brew a coffee the exact way you have always done, except this time weigh your dose and yield, and time the shot from the moment you switch it on. (3) write these numbers down. This is your first brew recipe! If you pull a shot of the same coffee, to these parameters, it should taste roughly the same. Now you can start playing around with different ratios and shot times, safe in the knowledge that you can always come back to your original recipe if you need to. The best way to go about it is to change one thing at a time, and then compare the results. I’ve found that by simply paying attention to these numbers and their effects, people?s coffee will start getting better.
Source: 6. Espresso Recipes
Single Origins (some examples)
Alice Estate, Brazil
Temp In Out Time
94.5°C 21.5g 43g 28s
Ardi, Ethiopia
Temp In Out Time
95°C 22g 39g 29s
Heza, Burundi
Temp In Out Time
95°C 21.5g 44g 29s
Popayan, Colombia
Temp In Out Time
94.5°C 21.5g 46g 27s
San Francisco, Guatemala
Temp In Out Time
94.5°C 21.5g 44g 27s
Santo Antonio, Brazil
Temp In Out Time
94°C 21g 43g 28s
Tiga Raja, Sumatra
Temp In Out Time
95°C 21.5g 46g 28s Veer Attikan, India
YirgZero, Ethiopia
Temp In Out Time
94.5°C 22g 44g 28s
Temp In Out Time
95°C 21.5g 46g 28-30s
Blends (some examples)
Hi Fidelity (Heza, Burundi): cherry, blood orange acidity, rich caramel floral highlights with velvety
body
Temp In Out Time
94.5°C 21.5g 42g 27s
Crompton Road (Brazil, India):rich flavours of bakers chocolate and marzipan, a velvety body and lingering
creamy finish
Temp In Out Time
94.5°C 21.5g 44g 28s
Dark Horse (Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador): dark chocolate flavours, juicy blackcurrant notes and an extended syrupy body
Temp In Out Time
94.5°C 21.5g 44g 28s
Tight Rope (Ethiopia, El Salvador, Guatemala): sweet fragrance, juicy fruit forward, stewed fruit,
jasmine aromas ,vanilla, blueberry and biscuits flavours,
Temp In Out Time
94.5°C 22g 44g 29s
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