Disclaimer: This post will not tell you how to make the perfect coffee – I was trying to think of a catchy title and “How to make your coffee taste better by making small adjustments to the brew variables from the standard method – a lesson learned from the WBC” was a little long winded. As in most cases perfection is something to aspire to, but in reality will never be achieved. If anyone can think of a better title please leave a comment.
Now I know that the WBC was quite a few weeks ago, but I thought I would write about it today as I think there is an important lesson to be learned that we can all employ when brewing at home. This lesson doesn’t just apply to brewing espresso, but to any coffee maker.
Stray from the standard brewing method
While the standard brewing method is a great starting point when learning to use a new coffee maker, it’s not a strict recipe that must be followed to the letter. To get the best out of your coffee (or to pursue perfection) you should experiment with the way you make it.
To illustrate this, I’ve picked on three of the performances from this years WBC (you can still catch the performances here). Each barista altered their technique slightly to highlight different flavours in their coffee.
- Michael Phillips, who won the competition, used two coffees from the same co-operative, but which had undergone different processing after harvest. When making the espressos he used a different dosage and brew time (and I imagine grind too – although he didn’t mention this in his performance) for each coffee to extract the best possible flavour from them.
- For Colin Harmon’s signature drink, he did something really simple but also very clever. For each judge he served two espressos, each topped up with a different type of water (two americanos if you like). The first used a soft water; the second used a more alkaline hard water. The soft water highlighted the floral and fruity flavours in the espresso, whereas the hard water accentuated the chocolate, nutty and earthy notes.
- Raul Rodas used two different techniques to extract two different flavour profiles from his chosen coffee. One espresso highlighted citrus notes and a silky body, whereas the other which used more coffee and had a longer flush (to lower the water temperature) was full of cherry and juicy fruits.
It’s not surprising that small changes in a brewing method can make significant changes in flavour of the end cup. Over 850 flavour compounds have so far been identified in roasted coffee and many of these compounds are volatile (i.e. can easily be lost). By making adjustments, the method can be made more favourable to extracting some compounds while leaving others behind.
Experiment with your coffee
So when you use the standard brewing method for your coffee maker, ask yourself: “Does the coffee I’ve tasted in the cup have all the flavours I smelt in the fresh grounds before brewing? Does the coffee have depth in flavour? Is the coffee balanced?”
If your answer is ‘no’ to any of these questions, then it’s time to experiment and make some adjustments to the way you brew. To help you experiment I’ve come up with the following lists: which are by no means definitive, just a bump start in the right direction.
Delicate flavours (i.e. floral & fruits)
If your cup is lacking in floral or fruity flavours (or tastes bitter) you can try the following to increase their presence:
- lower water temperature
- increase brew ratio (i.e. use more coffee or less water)
- increase grind size
- reduce brew time
You’ll know if you’ve taken things too far if your coffee starts to taste sour or astringent (like unripe fruit).
Mid-tone and Sweet flavours (i.e. nuts, chocolate & caramel)
If you cup is lacking sweetness or balance (or tastes sour) do the opposite of above:
- raise water temperature
- decrease brew ratio (i.e use less coffee or more water)
- decrease grind size
- lengthen brew time
You’ll know if you’ve taken things too far if your coffee starts to taste bitter or burnt.
Tip: Only alter one variable at a time otherwise you won’t know which one has had a positive affect (if any).
I hope this post has got your palate excited in anticipation. Now go do some experimenting and feel free to share your results.
Tags: coffee maker, espresso
