Coffee Brewing Methods – Learn To Make Coffee At Home

Learn to make coffee at home and what is the best coffee

brewing method for you. Read tutorials, coffee making
equipment reviews, coffee beans reviews. Become an expert
home barista.

Coffee Brewing Methods - An Introduction

This is a review of the most popular coffee brewing methods.
Espresso, Drip, French press, Aeropress, Cold brew, Turkish
coffee, Pour over and Moka pot.

Coffee Grinders

A good coffee grinder is essential for a great

cup of coffee. We said it so many times,
almost obsesively.
Freshly Grind Coffee Every-time
Grinding coffee is one of the critical
operations for making a good cup of coffee. Grinding coffee,
besides brewing, is the only operation you can’t skip if you want
your coffee to be perfect. It might be a boring thing to do every
morning, and it might sound tempting to buy pre-ground, but
freshly milled coffee is so much better than coffee ground a
couple of weeks ago.

Why Grinding Coffee at Home?

Why Grinding coffee and How to Store Coffee Beans?
The essences that give coffee its unique aroma and taste are very
volatile. They evaporate and oxidize just at contact with the air.
The green coffee bean is more stable than the roast one and it is
the preferred method of storing coffee. There are people who
roast their coffee beans at home, and they only roast enough for
a week or so. I will probably do that too when I retire.
The moment the beans are roasted the coffee starts to lose
freshness, (aromatic oils). Furthermore, when the coffee is
ground, the process accelerates dramatically, because there is
more contact with the air. The ideal process would be to roast
beans enough for about two weeks and grind only what you
brew. If you are like me, you will probably leave the roasting to
the coffee producers and only take care of the grinding.
Storing ground coffee doesn’t work. I grind what I use every
day. In very rare cases I grind for two or three days and store the
ground coffee in an airtight jar. I hate when I have to do this but
sometimes is just unavoidable. The coffee beans, on the other
hand, can be stored in airtight bags. I keep my bag in the freezer.
I take what I grind, reseal the bag and put it back in the freezer.
Some people say it is not a good idea. I tried a few variants of
storing coffee, and I found this the most convenient, and the
coffee maintains its aroma and oils.

Breville Burr Coffee Grinder

This is one of the machines that once you find your perfect
settings you will never touch it to make adjustments unless you
change the beans. Reliable, it can last years if you don’t grind
large quantities. If you intend to buy your grinder for a
restaurant, you should probably look for a more powerful
machine. This machine has received on Amazon better reviews
than the Baratza grinders, which are among my personal
favorites. It is a great purchase for any coffee enthusiast.

How to Grind Coffee Beans – Coarse or Fine?

Coffee Grinding Tips
Here are some guidelines on the
grind size for the most popular
brewing methods: Espresso, French
press, Turkish coffee, drip coffee,
and percolator.
 For espresso, a very fine grind
is a must, but don’t turn it into powder. Espresso specialists
will tell you that there is a single good grind for espresso,
and you have to fine-tune the settings on your grinding
machine until you find it.
 For a percolating coffee pot, coarse grinds will be perfect.
 For a drip coffee machine, the grind should be between
espresso and percolator. If it’s too fine ground there will be
more suspensions in the coffee, the paper filter can retain
only a certain size of the coffee particles.
 A Turkish coffee uses the finest grind possible. One reason
is that the finer the coffee grain the easier it sinks.
Traditionally we don’t filter Turkish coffee, all the grinds
settle at the bottom of the cup and if you don’t stir it they
 will stay there. Another reason is that the finer ground
coffee allows a better extraction of the aromatic oils, so less
boiling time and lower temperatures are necessary.
 French Press grinding is the most tricky one. On one hand,
for a great infused coffee, you need to grind your beans as
fine as possible, on the other hand, if the coffee is too fine
it will seep through the filter. Personally, I don’t mind a bit
of sludge and grit in my coffee if that’s going to make it
tasty, but it’s not the case for everybody.

Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder

This is a great grinder, reliable it can even be used for small
restaurants with success. Its special design helps reduce the
friction, hence the coffee stays cool. The greatest feature with
this is that it can grind Turkish coffee grind, a feature very hard
to find. Well, it doesn’t really grind real Turkish size, (a fine
powder), but it’s pretty close.

Why Is A Burr Coffee Grinder The Best?

How to Choose a Coffee Grinder
What makes a grinder stand out from the crowd, what qualities
are we looking for, when buying one?
 No matter what grind you need, coarse or fine, make sure it
is uniform. An uneven grind will have a negative effect on
your brew.
 Keep in mind: Cheap grinders cannot give you uniform
grinding, they will give you a mixture of big and small
chunks. Dust and boulders.
 Uneven grind will affect the proper extraction, it will make
the coffee sludgy.
 We want our grinder to give consistent results. We need all
of the coffee particles to have the same size and shape. This
is extremely important for a good brew. You need the same
grind every day. Set it and forget it type of approach. If we
 grind our coffee for an espresso and the grind is too coarse,
our espresso will be a total failure. We expect our settings
to work with the same results every day.
 We need it to be adjustable, to give us a wide range of
grind sizes. One day we need to grind coffee for a drip
coffee machine, another day we need a very fine grind for a
Turkish coffee and then we get back to our regular
espresso. We also need to adjust when we change the
coffee type.
 The grinder should work at low speeds so it doesn’t
overheat the coffee, changing its flavors.
With these in mind, should be relatively easy to choose a coffee
grinder type – the burr grinders are really the best. The problem
is that a good quality burr grinder can be a lot more expensive
than your regular blade grinder.
The other problem is that you can even buy a burr-mill and get
very poor results, even worse than with a blade grinder. I tried
once a cheap burr mill and the grind was so uneven that I had to
use a sieve to separate the fine grounds from the coarse ones.
Even then it was still bad. The problem is that once the coffee
ground through a burr machine, you can’t re-grind it like you
can with a blade grinder.
Conclusion: you really have to make sure you buy a quality
grinder. The burr grinder will ensure to:
 not over-heat your coffee,
 give you consistent predictable grind every time,
 give you a large range of grinding degrees.
On the other hand, a blade grinder is a small convenient and
inexpensive appliance that will do its job. While coffee
enthusiasts will never be satisfied with a blade grinder, for
unpretentious consumers it will be a wise choice.

Rancilio Rocky Coffee Grinder

Rancilio Rocky is slightly more expensive than the other middle
range burr grinders, but it’s worth every penny. Rancilio
markets it as a perfect companion for their Rancilio Silvia, but it
can be used with any decent espresso machine.
There are a number of things that make this burr coffee grinder
stand out:
 It has a powerful motor well above the average grinder
 The burrs are commercial grade, and unless you use it in a
restaurant, they should last you a lifetime.
 It is a very silent grinder, unlike most of the competition
 A solid construction, meant to last you years, and years
 Consistent grind
 Slow grind to avoid overheating of beans
 The path from burrs to chute is very short resulting in easy
cleaning, and a minimum holdover of grounds from grind
to grind
 55 grind size adjustments
 Grinds Turkish, a feature that impressed me
The downside of this fantastic machine is somewhat related to
the fact that it is designed with espresso brewing in mind as a
primary market target. The brewer doesn’t have coarse settings,
the grinder is calibrated to grind from Turkish to almost French
pot size.
Coffee Tips
1. Make sure you only store your coffee in tight sealed
containers or bags so that there is the least air contact
possible. If you buy a big bag of roast coffee beans store it
in multiple smaller containers so that you don’t open the
big bag every morning.
2. Don’t use your coffee mill to grind spices or the other way
around!
3. I store my coffee beans in an airtight bag in the freezer.
There is a little debate over storing coffee in the fridge or
 freezer. For me, this works the best. I only grind what I use
and then I put it back in the freezer.

How to Use a French Press

You have to know how to use a French

press if you want to get that delicious
coffee that everyone talks about. You will
be amazed by the richness of flavors, and
the fantastic aroma you will get from a
press pot. To get those aromas though,
you need to master the brewing technique.
This is what we intend to do on this page: to teach you how
to make coffee with a French press.
The French press or French pot is the original European home
coffee brewer. It is known as a coffee plunger in Australia and
New Zealand and a cafetiere in the British Isles. These days, it
lost a bit of its popularity, compared to other coffee making
appliances.
Espresso and drip coffee machines are very popular now. More
recently, pour-over brewing kits, such as the V60 and the
Chemex have replaced the French press in many kitchens. There
even exist combination coffee and espresso machines, that can
brew one or the other depending on the needs. It is an excellent
device, and we have forgotten how great a cup brew with this
unassuming device can be.
One of the reasons the press pot is losing its popularity is
because it is often used incorrectly. With an incorrect use, the
coffee is not that great. When I was growing up I always felt
like the French pot didn’t brew good coffee, because my parents
used to make coffee using pre-ground beans. But this isn’t the
only mistake that can be made. My goal is to show you how to
brew this type of coffee properly. I will highlight some of the
common mistakes that people make. I will also give you some
hints on how to explore new variants that appeal to your taste.
 How To Use a French Press in 12 Steps

1. Make sure your plunger and the beaker are clean. Rinse
them with hot water, and use soap if needed. Coffee
sediments will impart a bad taste to your coffee.
2. Fill the pot with hot water before brewing; it will help to
maintain the brewing temperature during steeping. It will
also prevent thermal shock and keep your coffee hot a little
longer.
3. In the meantime, grind your favorite coffee beans with a
good quality burr grinder. The grind size should be coarse
for a clear cup.
4. Dump the hot water and put three tablespoons of the
ground coffee into the bottom of your beaker.
5. Pour hot, water, (194-200 °F) into the glass pot. Add just a
quarter of the final volume, and stir the water and coffee
with a wooden spoon or spatula. Metal spoons can break
you glass because of the thermal shock.
6. Pour the rest of the water and stir again.
7. Place the plunger on top of the pot and lower it just enough
to make contact with the water.
8. Make sure to turn the lid covers the mouth of the French
press to maintain the water temperature.
9. Wrap the pot with a towel to add insulation; it helps to
maintain the coffee hot.
10. Let the coffee steep for about 4 minutes.
11. Push the plunger down slowly, all the way to the
bottom of the beaker.
12. Lift the lid to open the
spout, and pour.

Grinding the Beans for

French Press
The most common step that is overlooked by coffee lovers is
grinding the beans. It is only in recent years that home
baristas have started to grind fresh just before brewing. Grinding
fresh is an essential step when brewing at home with any
method.  Take the time to grind your beans every morning, even
if you have to set the alarm ten minutes earlier. You can buy a
decent domestic grinder for around $100. It will be well worth
the money!
Coffee beans start to lose their aroma and flavors the minute
they are ground. Again, grind just before you brew, and to grind
only what you use. Using freshly ground coffee is as important
as drinking freshly brewed coffee.
Traditionally, we use a coarse grind for French pot coffee. It is
possible to experiment with the grind size, though.  The French
press is a great device because it is quite versatile compared to
other brewers. I recommend you to use a medium coarse grind
and not coarse as almost everybody else does.
You can avoid the grit and silt in your cup by using James
Hoffman’s French press technique.  
Here are the two grind size recommendations:
 For a decent cup, the grind size should be coarse; coarser
than drip. This rule will keep your coffee clean and smooth.
 For a great cup, use a medium – medium coarse grind and
make sure you follow the recipe later in the page.
A good burr grinder will ensure an even grind. A poor grinder
will produce “dust and boulders“.

French Press Preparation

What Is the Brewing Temperature for French Press

The water temperature when pouring it the press pot should be

192-200 °F if you want a bold cup, 185 – 191 °F if you want a
mild and sweeter cup, and off the boil if you want to accentuate
the bitter notes in your cup. 
My preference is to brew with water between 190 – 195 °F. This
temperature helps extract some of the bitter flavors, but not too
much. It is the perfect balance between bite and more delicate
flavors. 
Coffee, in general, is best prepared with water that is a little
under boiling temperature. Espresso machines, for example,
brew with water at about 194-202 °F. If you use boiling water it
will burn the coffee. This will cause over-extraction. On the
other hand, too low brewing temperatures will result in a sour
under-extracted cup, and a tepid coffee.
A good practice to nail a perfect steeping temperature is to pre-
heat your coffee maker. Just pour some hot water in the press
pot, and then throw it away. An easier way is to use a stainless
steel French press coffee maker. These press pots are insulated
and they will maintain the correct temperature longer.
How do you nail that perfect temperature? The best way is to
use a variable temperature kettle. Heat the water 1 or 2 degrees
higher than you need, and pour. A kettle with a thermometer is
another great solution, is just a bit more time-consuming.
If you don’t have the budget for a new kettle, use a thermometer
and a timer. Follow this procedure:
 Bring water to boil and let it cool off.
 Measure the temperature a few times in three minutes, and
take notes of the time and temperature.
 Repeat the process one more time for accuracy.
 From now on you know how long water needs to cool off
from boiling to the desired temperature.
 If you change the environment, you need to repeat the
process for good accuracy.

Maintain the Perfect Temperature Longer

I experimented by immersing my press pot in hot water for the
entire period of the brewing.  This maintained the proper
brewing temperature longer and ensured coffee was still hot
when I poured it in cups. I admit that this is very inconvenient,
though. If I had to this on a regular basis, I would give up
brewing with a French press. However, using a towel to wrap
around the pot works too. Check the press pot variations section,
for some options. You’ll find some great innovative devices that
fix the temperature problem.

Recipe – Coffee to Water Ratio French Press

Strictly speaking, the best recipe for coffee
preparation is 2.3 ounces of coffee to 8.8
ounces of water. However, following this
recipe, every morning would be very
impractical! It’s not very convenient to
measure your ground coffee and water
every time you brew a pot. Generally
speaking, the coffee to water ratio for
French press is one decent sized tablespoon
of coffee to a cup of water. It is, however, popular to drink
French press coffee slightly stronger than this. Coffee lovers
would often use a tablespoon and a half of ground coffee per
cup of water. If you like a milder coffee, stick to the standard
recipe!
Blue Bottle Coffee recommends using 40 grams of ground
coffee for every 400 grams of water. This ratio is what they call
1:10 coffee to water ratio. It’s a little inconvenient to measure it
that way if you ask me. But this comes around 3 tablespoons of
ground coffee to 2 cups. So this means they like their coffee
stronger.
You can play with the coffee to water ratio when brewing with a
French press, altering other factors. For instance, if you grind
finer, you can use fewer grounds. Water temperature plays a big
role here, the hotter the water, the less grounds you need. But
with very hot water the brew tends to migrate on the bitter side,
being over-extracted.

Blooming and Steeping

Another important step for French press

brewing is blooming. In a busy lifestyle
who has five minutes to wait for the
coffee to brew? I tell you now that you
must make time! Those few extra
seconds of waiting are well worth it,
you can’t rush the process.
1. The optimum steeping time for a
French press is between 3-5
minutes.
The brewing time depends on grind size, roast, beans
origin, water temperature, and your taste. More about this
later.
2. Firstly, the grounds need to bloom or pre-infuse.
This is done by pouring some of your prepared water onto
the coffee bed and stirring it for 30 seconds. By stirring we
ensure all grounds absorb water. This, in turn, improves the
extraction and encourages the grounds to sink.
3. After the blooming, you can add the rest of the water. I
always give the coffee another gentle stir at this point as
well.
4. Place the plunger on top of the pot, but do not press it at
this point.
Just leave the screen above the brew, and place the lid
tightly. This will help to maintain the optimal brewing
temperature a little longer.
5. After steeping for 3 to 5 minutes, press the plunger slowly
and evenly.
If you press sideways the screen lifts and allows the
grounds to pass into your coffee. If you press too fast you
 will agitate the grounds raising the fines into the brewed
coffee.
6. You now have a freshly prepared and ready to pour French
press! Handle gently so you don’t pour the silt in the cups.
Additional Notes about the French Press
The French press is famous for certain characteristics. A few of
these characteristics have caused some contradictory discussions
among coffee lovers.
French Press Has a Rich Flavor
The first thing to note is that coffee
brewed from a French pot generally
has a fuller and richer flavor
compared to other coffee brews. This
is because there is no micro-filter in
a French press, (paper filter), so lots
of oils and more soluble solids can
pass in your cup. The oils and the
extra body are what give the French
press coffee its full, delicious taste. It is also because of the
longer steeping time compared to other coffee makers.

More Oils In Your Cup

There are two reasons here why some people don’t drink coffee
prepared in a French pot. The first reason is the oil. Even though
the coffee drinker gets lots more flavors from an oily coffee,
there are some studies that suggest that drinking oily coffee
raises your bad cholesterol. The responsible compound for
raising the cholesterol levels is cafestol. You can find a good
article about it here. This is something that a lot of people are
conscious of in our day and age. Although this is a factor to be
considered, unfiltered coffee does not contribute to cholesterol
levels as much as your diet and physical activities routine. There
is some evidence that cafestol and kahweol can beneficially
contribute to our health.
Coffee Is Not Hot
Another reason people avoid French pot coffee is the
serving temperature. As I already mentioned, water should be
below boiling when it is added to ground coffee. Considering
this, and the 5 minute steeping time, coffee will be lukewarm
right after brewing. Most of the people like their drinks to be
hot! A friend recently told me that when she buys coffee from a
coffee shop, if it’s hot, she drinks it too quickly. She considers
this a waste of money. By wrapping a towel around the press pot
will maintain coffee hot. Make sure you insulate it this way as
soon as you placed the plunger/lid on. Some press pots have an
extra lining on the lid, to improve the insulation. Some don’t
have it. Look for this when you buy yours.
These issues with French press coffee have lead baristas and
coffee drinkers to experiment with French press coffee, to see if
they can improve the extraction.
Finer Grind Size for French Press
Again, something I talked about earlier on the page was how the
grind for a French pot should be coarse. This is because finely
ground coffee slips through the guard and ends up in your coffee
cup. But the coarse grind is exactly the reason we need a longer
steep. With coarser ground coffee, it takes longer to extract all
the lovely flavors from the coffee. People have searched for
a solution to lower the steeping time. Lowering the brewing time
keeps coffee hotter.
The biggest advantage of using finer grounds though is the
ability to extract more aromas in your cup. The coffee
profile changes and it gets more body when using a medium
grind. If you like a thick coffee, with an ample body, similar to
espresso, you should try finer grinds.
The biggest problem with finer grinds is a poor grinder. A poor
grinder, even a decent one, will produce an uneven grind, with
dust, boulders, and the desired particle size. The dust is our
problem. The screen is not dense enough to filter the small
particles, and without the proper technique, it will pass into your
cup.
The technique is to make sure you allow all the grounds sink
before pressing the plunger and handle the press pot very
carefully. Firstly, you need to stir in the blooming phase, to
encourage the grounds to sink. Secondly, have patience during
the steeping for the 3-5minutes required. If you hurry te process
some of the bits will not fully saturate and will float up through
the screen. Finally, handle the pot gently so you don’t stir up the
fines. They normally settle at the bottom of the beaker and they
stay there.
Sturdy Coffee Maker for Finer Grinds
When steeping with finer grinds, the coffee doesn’t need as long
to extract, and so it is hotter and less oily. It is necessary,
however, to have a good quality French pot if you wish to grind
your beans finer. A good quality press pot has a good, solid
plunger that sits firmly in its place. It also has a good screen
filter to retain the finer grinds. When experimenting with finer
grinds is also imperative to use a good burr grinder to ensure an
even grind.
Ground Coffee Sifter
A ground coffee sifter is the best investment for a French pot
coffee lover. The sifters will help you separate the dust allowing
for a truly uniform grind size. Kruve has a sifter set that ranges
from 300 micrometers to 1600 micrometers.

How To Use an AeroPress

Aeropress is one of our favorite coffee

brewing methods. I don’t know what
took us so long to write this guide, but
we finally wrote it. As with all our
tutorials, we don’t just aim to teach you
how to make AeroPress coffee. Our goal
is to give you the technical knowledge to tweak your own
recipe. What works for some, doesn’t work for others.
I like rich coffee, (espresso is my absolute favorite), so
Aeropress is a logical second place on my list. In fact, many
people who like rich, full-bodied coffee, prefer it to espresso.
You will see, that my recipe is tweaked to maximize coffee
richness and body.
There is always a little confusion about AeroPress because the
brewing concept is so similar to French press. While the idea is
very similar, there are a few things that make AeroPress
superior.

What Makes the AeroPress Great

People new to it always ask: “What’s so special about the

AeroPress?” There are a few things that contribute to its fame
and popularity. First of all, AeroPress is an inexpensive device.
With a cost around 30$, is probably one of the least expensive
brewers on the market. But the price is not the concern of us
coffee lovers. We spend hundreds of dollars on expensive
equipment to get a great cup, so the cost is not the most
important aspect.
Many people love it because of its cleaner cup and milder taste,
at the same time having a rich and complex taste. AeroPress is a
milder version of espresso if brewed correctly. Some drip coffee
lovers enjoy the stronger coffee made with the AeroPress, but
the bolder flavor of espresso is too much for them.

Probably, the greatest advantage of the AeroPress is its

versatility. Using Aeropress is a constant surprise, you can
always brew a totally different cup, yet equally great. People
want to brew espresso with Aeropress; you can’t get an espresso
out of it, just to be clear about this. You can get a coffee closer
to a Moka pot, though. However, as a manual brewing method,
you can tweak your final cup in many ways. Stick with me and
you’ll find your favorite way of using the AeroPress.
Lastly, we’re going back to the comparison with espresso. Even
great baristas can pull a bad shot from time to time. The
AeroPress coffee, on the other hand, is very consistent. If you
follow the recipe, you’ll get the same taste every single time.
CoffeeGeek.com has an entire article showing why AeroPress is
a great brewer. They rate this coffee maker noteworthy, give it a
read, if you want to see what other people think about it.
We actually dedicated an entire article for reviewing the
AeroPress, it’s nice read.
Technical details:
 Aeropress uses immersion for the extraction. Immersion
optimizes the extraction compared to drip, by extracting at
a uniform temperature.
 It prolongs the extraction time, compared to espresso, and
this enables a better saturation.
 The exerted pressure is way lower than espresso, and this is
about the only aspect where it loses points.
 The lower brewing temperature allows longer steeping and
avoids extracting bitter compounds.

SCAA Drip Coffee Makers

Drip coffee is the most convenient way

to brew coffee. There is a price to get
one of the 7 SCAA certified coffee
makers, but if you are a perfectionist, and
your coffee means for you more than the
daily fix of caffeine, the price is worth it.
Making a great cup of coffee requires precision. Drip coffee can
taste great even if it’s made at home. You just need to have the
right coffee brewer.
This is a comparison review of the SCAA certified coffee
machines: Bonavita, Technivorm, Oxo, Breville. Learn which
SCAA coffee maker is the best.

You probably asked yourself why the coffee at Dunkin Donuts

tastes better than the one you brew at home. Although there are
stories about them using great beans, different than the ones they
sell for you to take home, this is only part of the story. The main
reason is the coffee maker. See, a commercial coffee maker is a
powerful machine that is conceived to brew fast and consistent.
The powerful heating element ensures consistent, precise water
temperature during brewing. The combination of the brew bed
and showerhead are optimized for perfect grounds saturation.
The filters they are using are selected after serious testing to
ensure the best taste/coffee clarity ratio. The commercial
machines are conceived to deliver hot coffee every time.
Why Do We Need SCAA Certified Coffee Makers
We could probably buy one of the Bunn’s commercial coffee
machines, but it would be too expensive for home use. There is
a lot of science behind brewing coffee and it involves using the
right brewing temperature, maintaining that temperature during
the entire period of coffee extraction, and ensuring that the
coffee grounds are properly, uniformly extracted.
Most of the coffee makers on the market are not conceived to
follow these strict rules, and that’s why we get insipid,
flavorless coffee at home. Many manufacturers don’t care about
the temperature during brewing, or if the flow of water during
dripping is correct.

If the dripping is too fast the coffee grounds will be under-

extracted.

If the water is too hot and the dripping is too slow, we will get
over extracted coffee.
Getting these parameters right, requires some research, testing,
and using the right material and design. This drives the price of
a coffee maker up, and lowers the profits of a manufacturer.
Buying a cheap coffee maker almost guarantees bad coffee.

SCAA has a program to certify home coffee makers. A certified

SCAA coffee maker is a machine that is checked against a
battery of tests to ensure it complies with the specialty coffee
standards, and all the brewing parameters are correct. Some of
the parameters that SCAA test during certification are:
 Brewing time
 Brewing temperature
 Extraction uniformity
 Coffee clarity
 Temperature of coffee

Moka Pot

The stove-top espresso coffee maker can get

you an espresso-like beverage. A moka pot is
a nifty device that brews coffee using the
pressure of steam. The moka pot is also called
stovetop espresso coffee maker. This coffee
brewing method is very popular because it
brews a strong concentrated coffee that uses pressure during
extraction. The moka pot is the choice of many coffee lovers
because it’s inexpensive, easy to use, and very reliable. You can
probably use one of these devices forever if you take care of it
properly. People also love the taste of stove top coffee, which is
basically a rustic espresso with a lot of bite.
The macchinetta, as the Italians call it, was invented by Luigi de
Ponti, and he patented it for Alfonso Bialetti in 1933. The exact
same model is still sold by Bialetti as Bialetti Moka Express.
The full history of the macchinetta here. The aluminum made
octagonal coffee maker is the favorite way of making coffee
for millions of people.
How Moka Pot Coffee Tastes
People call moka pot coffee espresso. Technically, we can call it
espresso, because the brewing method involves pushing hot
water through a puck of coffee. Taste-wise it’s not really an
espresso, because it tastes differently. The reason is the water
temperature, which is hotter than the pump espresso, and the
lower pressure during brewing.
Moka pot espresso is a rich coffee with a full body, with full
notes of chocolate and caramel. There are also more bitter
accents in a stovetop espresso. Probably more than in most of
the coffee brewing methods.
If you love strong coffee, and you aren’t afraid of some bitter
notes, this is definitely for you. If you add sugar to your coffee,
you will fall in love with this brewing method. Italians use sugar
with their coffee prepared in a macchinetta. You can use sugar
in two ways, more about that in the preparation technique
section.
If you need an espresso-like coffee for your milk-based
beverages, the stovetop espresso is a great option. The milk will
mellow down the bite, and you will get a flavorful cup similar to
the drinks at Starbucks. You can prepare a great cappuccino, or
latte using the espresso brewed in a moka pot.
How to Brew with a Moka Pot
Most people will tell you that brewing with a moka pot is very
simple, and you can’t mess it up. Well, if your objective is to get
a hot, black, caffeinated liquid, the statement above is true. If we
are talking specialty coffee, you need to time and tweak your
brewing sequence. If you don’t, you risk to over-extract or burn
your coffee. Sure many times this isn’t an issue, for instance in a
latte. Lattes contain a lot of milk and this will mask the
bitterness resulted from over-extracting the beans. Any beverage
with less milk will be ruined. For those who want to obtain a
great, unique cup of coffee, here are the instructions.
 Make sure your stovetop coffee maker is clean.
 Fill the base of your moka pot with hot water up to the
line, or slightly below.
 Grind coffee beans. The grind size is slightly coarser than
espresso but definitely finer than drip. The range is
between espresso and hand drip.
 Fill the filter-funnel loosely, without packing the
grounds.
 Some people like their coffee clearer, if that’s you, place a
round paper filter on top of the grounds.
 Make sure rim is clean or it will lose pressure during
brewing.
 Screw on the three parts and put it on the low, or medium
heat. A gas stove is the best, but if you have an electric
stove, you can use a heat diffuser to control the high
temperature.
 Wait a couple of minutes if the water was hot. If you
poured cold water, you probably have to wait up to 6-8
minutes until coffee starts flowing in the top reservoir.
 Once coffee starts to flow in the top carafe, immediately
take it off the heat. The residual heat will be enough to
finish the brewing. Depending on the stove, (gas vs
electric), you might need to keep the pot on the stove
longer.
  Stir in the upper chamber with a spoon to mix the different
coffee layers for uniform flavor.
 Pour it in cups right away.
Note that moka pot coffee doesn’t have crema. Carrie Pacini
from the forthefeast.com has a little trick to make some fake
crema. Put 3 sugar teaspoons in a small cup. When your moka
pot starts to brew, and you are removing it from the heat, pour
about 2 or three teaspoons of the coffee over the sugar. Whip the
sugar and coffee for about 2 minutes or a little more, until you
get a foamy, creamy consistency. Pour coffee over the
frothy mix and stir. This will also help to lock in some of the
oils that evaporate normally.

Additional Instructions and Explanations

Make sure your moka pot is clean, the reason behind this is
obvious, no comments needed. What is very important though,
is: never wash it with detergent. Just rinse it hot water, and
from time to time, use some dry paper towel to wipe the excess
of coffee buildup.
When you pour water into the water recipient, you don’t want
to pass the line. That ensures your safety. You use hot
water because this reduces the amount of time water reaches
boiling temperature. It’s easier to babysit the pot 3 minutes than
babysit it 9-10 minutes. Trust me with this, you always find
something in the meantime, and you miss the
critical second when you have to remove from heat. I’ll tell you
in a bit why is this important.
The funnel is where the magic happens, the coffee beans get
firstly soaked, and as the saturation with water completes, the
coffee will start to flow. The steam from the boiler chamber
goes up where it cools down just a bit, just at the right
temperature for brewing. As more steam is developed, more
water cools down in the funnel, and it’s pushed further up. If
coffee is packed too firmly, the steam pressure will not be
enough to get through the puck. Or it will flow too slowly, over-
extracting and burning your coffee grounds. This is why is
critical to fill it up, but not tamp. You sometimes need to play
with your grind settings, to compensate for beans differences. If
you use too little coffee, there is not going to be enough
pressure, and water will pass too fast through the grounds.
This step is one of the most important ones: When coffee starts
to flow in the upper chamber, remove from heat immediately.
The pot has enough thermal inertia to carry on the brew to the
end. On the other hand, if you hold it on the stove until all the
water in the lower chamber climbs up through the funnel, the
water gets too hot. It’s going to burn the coffee, of over-extract.
See the troubleshooting section for more tips.
Some people like to wrap a wet towel around the base after
coffee starts to flow. It depends on the coffee maker. Some don’t
need the forced cooling, but some pots do need it. I let the
coffee flow a bit more then I pour my coffee in cups.

Pour Over
Manual drip is my favorite way to make
drip coffee. It gives me more control over
the brewing and allows me to make a
stronger cup, and more flavorful, exactly
how I like it.
Pour over coffee is probably one of the trendiest manual coffee
brewing methods. It is more and more popular, even in places
where convenience supersedes taste. The tutorial on “how to
make pour-over coffee” was my projects for a while, and as a
manual brewing enthusiast, I should have written this earlier.
Anyway, today I shook off the lethargy and I am going to show
you how to brew the perfect hand drip coffee. This is mainly
because of a recent coffee date that I went on. I ordered my
standard cup of pour-over-filter-coffee while my friend had a
latte. After a few minutes of chatting, she noticed that the coffee
was taking longer than normal. I told her that the pour over
brewing method takes a little more time to prepare than espresso
coffee. She looked over to the bar where the barista was bent
over the pour over coffee equipment and said: “But it looks so
easy!”
Yes, as a matter of fact, it is easy to brew with a manual coffee
dripper. But if you make a little mistake your coffee will be
ruined. You have to be precise, and respect the recipe and the
technique. I spent the rest of the date talking about the specifics
of pour over coffee brewing and wondering if other people
thought that pour over brewing was easy.
Automatic vs Manual Drip
Drip coffee has been popular in
the U.S for a long time now.
Lately, manual ways of brewing
filter coffee are being used
more and more. Manual coffee
makers are great because the
barista can manage and adjust
all the variables in coffee
making. In contrast, with an
automatic drip coffee maker, a
lot of these decisions are left up
to the machine. There is no
tweaking possible, and this will favor certain coffee beans
during extraction, leaving a small error margin. However, for
special beans and roasts, the standard temperature and time for
extraction of automatic drip machines will not work.
Checklist for Manual Drip Coffee
 Freshly roasted coffee beans
 Drip Cone brewing device
 Coffee filters – cone-shaped
 Timer to avoid under or over extraction
 Scale or a scoop to measure your quantity
 Grinder – a good grinder is mandatory
 Kettle – a pour over kettle helps a lot
Firstly you need your pour-over coffee brewer. These are
normally cone-shaped devices with a hole in the bottom, that are
placed on a stand with a cup or carafe placed underneath,
although many manual drip brewers stand by themselves.
You then need the right filter for your device, which sits into the
cone. The filters can be paper filters or metallic screen filters.
That is entirely up to you, and the filter will affect the aroma and
taste of your final cup.
As with any other brewing method, you will need a scale to
measure out your dose. At the very least you can use scoops to
measure volume instead of weight. But it is important to use the
same measurements every time for consistency. Many baristas
use a scale to measure everything, including water. You’ll see
later in the page why.
You need a timer for timing your brew. If you brew too short,
the coffee will be under-extracted. Brew it too long and you
could have a bitter over-extracted coffee or a cold beverage.
The grinder is essential as with any other brewing method. You
need to freshly grind your beans, and the grind needs to be very
uniform. A decent grinder will help you achieve that grind
consistency for a perfect extraction and a clean cup. Having the
option to easily adjust your grind size might be essential for
your cup. A nice article by Maddie at Kicking Horse shows you
how the grind size affects extraction.
I strongly recommend you to invest in a pour over or gooseneck
kettle with a narrow pouring spout. This allows much more
control over pouring when you are making your coffee. It is
almost impossible to make a perfect pour-over brew with a
traditional kettle spout. All that is left then is your freshly
roasted coffee of choice.
Best Coffee Cones
In manual drip brewing, the coffee and filter are in the open air
and the water is added by the barista, not by a machine. Pour
over coffee makers can be glass, plastic, ceramic or metal. Glass
and plastic pour over coffee makers are popular because it’s
possible to see the whole process as it happens.
Best Coffee Beans for Pour Over
The best pour over coffees are lighter, brighter and fruitier
coffees. Darker, more full-bodied coffees are not generally
considered good coffees to use with pour-over brewers. This is
because the brewing time isn’t as long with pour over coffees
compared to the French press and so lots of the fuller flavors
and oils are not extracted from the bean. I recommend a light to
medium roast coffee with light, bright and floral notes. Coffees
from Ethiopia and Rwanda are always a good choice here. But
Brazilian beans are a great option for a delicate palate.
How to Make Pour Over Coffee – Grind Size, Dose, Recipe,
and Instructions
Pour Over Coffee Ratio
Pour over coffee brewing is a passive form of brewing coffee
that relies on gravitation for extracting.
A medium grind is recommended for optimum extraction which
is coarser than espresso grind but finer than the grind for French
pot coffee.
The best ratio of coffee to water is 60g of coffee to 1 quart,
(liter), of water or roughly speaking 1 tablespoon of coffee
beans to 1 cup of water. Pour over coffee makers are generally
single serving devices so this ratio is divided by four to achieve
the quantities for a single serving of coffee.
If you like weighing your beans, our ratio is 15 g of coffee to
250 ml of water. I personally like to use 16g of coffee and 233
ml of water. This allows for some of your dose being left in the
grinder and for a slightly stronger cup of coffee, but this is just
personal preference. As a general rule, the mass ratio should be
around 1:16 to 1:14.
Brewing Temperature
I have read a few other tutorials on “how to make pour over
coffee”, and to be honest I was surprised by the conflicting
information. What you need to remember is that the water
temperature needs to be adjusted for different beans, and
different roasts. Your taste plays a role too.
As a safe starting point, water should be around 200 degrees
Fahrenheit, a few degrees under boiling temperature. Water
should be fresh and filtered.
As I said mentioned, brewing temperature can be slightly
changed according to your taste.
For a dark roast 200 °F is perfect, but for lighter roasts, you need
to increase the water temperature a few degrees up to 207°F.
For finer grinds, you need to lower the brewing temperature. For
instance, for a fine grind, dark roast, your water can be as low as
196°F. But experimenting with various grinds takes a special
dripper, and a special technique not discussed here.
In general, hotter water will help for a better dissolution, but this
is not always a good thing when we talk about making coffee. A
better dissolution will dissolve more compounds from the
ground coffee, including the ones that impart bitterness. So, if
your coffee has too much bite, you know the water was too hot.
This is what baristas call over-extraction.
Pour Over Coffee Instructions

 Place a fresh filter into the cone of your equipment.

 Bring your water to 200 degrees.
 Pour some water through the filter and then pour over
dripper. The water will pass through the filter and the cone
into your mug underneath. This step has several functions.
Firstly it serves to rinse the filter. Paper filters need to be
rinsed before they are used. Otherwise, some qualities of
the filter find their way into the cup and your delicious
coffee ends up tasting like paper! The other function of this
process is to preheat all of the equipment. If coffee is
prepared with cold apparatus the coffee will be cooled
down by the equipment and it won’t be nice to drink.
 Throw out the water you used for preheating.
 Grind your coffee beans with your coffee grinder set to
medium.
 Place the ground coffee into the filter and level it. Now we
are ready to start pouring.
 Start your timer and at the same time start pouring 30 ml of
water. Firstly we need to pre-infuse our coffee to let it
bloom. Pour evenly and gradually over the coffee bed for
an even extraction. For pre-infusion, it is best to use twice
the amount of water as coffee.
  Pour 30g of water onto your coffee bed and leave the
grounds to bloom for 30 seconds.
 After thirty seconds continue your pour. At this time you
can pour in phases or continuously. I personally like to
pour in phases. At 30 seconds I continue pouring another
100 ml of water. I then finish pouring my water at the one
minute mark. Whichever way you choose, the process
should be completed in two minutes. If it takes more or less
time than this your grind needs to be adjusted.

More on Brewing Time – Tweaking the Manual Drip to

Perfection
The 2 minutes brewing time ensures a light-bodied coffee,
cleaner. If you want a strong cup, grind slightly finer, so that the
dripping takes a little longer. According to this post on
seriouseats.com, the total brew time should be 3 minutes for
dark roasts, and 4 minutes for light-roast beans.

The finer grinds will allow a better dissolution and diffusion of

the sugars and caffeine in coffee. But will also result in more
fines in your cup. As a result, the coffee will taste better and will
be stronger but will have a lot of silt. If you are preparing more
than one serving at one time, every number needs to be
multiplied by two.

Remember, whenever you adjust one factor, every other factor

needs to be adjusted. Also, as I always mention, filter coffee
should be taken black in order to enjoy all the individual flavors
in your coffee. I like to add a bit of sugar to mine. Finally, take
your pot of delicious coffee, pour it into your favorite mug and
enjoy!
Permanent filters
When you learn how to brew with a drip cone, is smart to begin
with the paper filters. This is the safest way to get a great
tasty and flavorful cup of drip coffee.
If you love a full-bodied cup, however, it is a good idea to invest
in a metallic, permanent filter for your pour over coffee dripper.
Metallic filters have several advantages.
 Firstly, there is much less waste with a metallic filter and it
saves you money in the long run.
 Secondly, the metallic filters are not as fine as the paper
filters. This means that more of the flavors and oils can
pass through the filter and into your coffee cup.
 If you are using a metallic filter for your pour over coffee
maker, however, you probably need to grind your coffee a
little coarser. This way coffee grounds don’t pass into your
mug.
 Finally, with a permanent filter, you never have to worry
about the taste of paper in your coffee cup!

Espresso Brewing Guide

When you start to learn how to brew

espresso, you get frustrated, and some
even give up and they return to the
mediocre shots at the famous coffee shop chain. This is
understandable, because making the perfect espresso is a
complex, elaborated, sometimes intuitive combination of coffee
quality, extraction pressure and time, water temperature, coffee
grind, and roast, and more... If only one of these parameters is
off, your espresso shot will be an average one.

As in all areas where talking about savor, aroma, and

taste, preparing a good coffee needs strict rules. If you skimp on
the beans quality, it will dramatically affect your espresso, a
poor grinder will also have a bad effect on the end result, and
let's not forget the espresso machine which can make or break
your shot. 
But also, Espresso requires preparation and tasting ritual, and a
lot of subjectivity. That means that the perfect espresso shot is
subject to personal taste and mood. Having said that, there are a
few factors that are the common ground no matter what is your
personal taste. Let's see what are these factors and how can we
control them for a perfect shot.

Home Espresso Making

This is an advanced espresso brewing guide, and it assumes you
have some knowledge on the subject. You can read it anyway
because it provides you with facts that are useful regardless of
your knowledge level. If you would rather take it gradually and
start from the beginning, I recommend you to read our low
budget espresso making page. It is a a great starting point in
your barista training journey.
The Perfect Shot
The perfect shot is a subjective term. Many people like ristretto,
other prefer a lungo, and other like the normale. The Northern
American coffee community has attached an objective
description to espresso perfection. The description doesn't take
into account personal taste, it's just an ideal extraction of the
essence of coffee. This ideal shot is very hard to prepare, most
people get it right once out of 5-7 shots. This perfect espresso
is referred to as the God Shot, and it's basically a
double ristretto. For a detailed description, you can read this
article by Mark Prince on CoffeeGeek.com.
Great Espresso Machine
Here is a modified Gaggia espresso machine, pulling a shot.
Note the foam quantity while pulling the shot. This is the dream
of any barista or espresso enthusiast.

What Is the Perfect Espresso?

You heard someone saying: "This espresso is perfect", but you
don't really have a comparison term, and maybe you didn't even
like it. Then the question is: "how do you know you have been
served a good one?". Here are a few hints that will give you at
least an idea of what it means "a good espresso".

 It should have a consistent layer of the specific brown

foam, called crema. Much of the specific taste of espresso
resides in its crema, and it accompanies the dark extracted
liquid through the end, leaving a unique combination.
 The taste is in a small measure dependent on the beans'
provenience, but more than that, it depends on the roasting art.
Bitter is often associated with espresso, but that's not what
properly describes it. In fact, a Starbucks shot is bitter, but it is
that way because the coffee is over-roast.
 Furthermore, a long shot tastes different than a regular one,
and a ristretto is different as well. And they are not different
because of the concentration, they are structurally different.
 The aroma of an espresso shot is so unique, it resembles
somewhat the drip, or the Turkish coffee, or any type of coffee
brew, but it is distinct, and you can easily tell espresso from
other brew types only by its aroma.
The Perfect Espresso Recipe
"The perfect espresso" is a combination of the coffee beans'
quality, the espresso machine's quality, and the barista's skills.
This is what makes up a great espresso shot:
 An espresso shot contains around 1 oz of brewed liquid and
is made from 6 to 8 grams of ground coffee.
 A double shot, or a doppio, is prepared with 12-14 grams of
grounds.
 The brewed coffee is a mixture of acids, proteins, sugars,
aromatic oils, and other substances, in perfect concentration
and proportion to enhance the aroma and taste to maximum.
 The extraction is made by passing hot water - 190 to 202 °F
(the espresso brewing temperature in Celsius is 88-94 °C) with
a pressure of 9 atmospheres, through the ground coffee.
 Coffee is placed in the port-filter and pressed with a special
tool, (espresso tamper), with about 30 pounds force for that
perfect stream of water to pass through the entire dose. If the
coffee is too finely ground, the tamping should be lighter.
 Espresso is just great as it is, with no additions to it, besides
maybe a little sugar, or a biscotti. But many people love it as a
base for other coffee beverages, such as latte, or cappuccino,
or a macchiato.
How to Pull the Perfect Espresso Video
The Perfect Espresso – Preparation Tips
Espresso is above all a race against time. Prepare quickly, in just
30 seconds in which hot water passes through the ground coffee
beans, at a certain pressure. Ideally, the barista serves the
espresso fast and you drink it fast. Ten seconds after pulling the
shot, the espresso taste begins to change and the change
increases exponentially in time. The fact that the preparation is
extremely fast, makes it even easier to miss the perfection. Here
are some tips for preparing your best ever espresso:

 Buy coffee as fresh as possible

 If you don’t buy an “espresso blend”, choose a “Full City
Roast” or a “Vienna Roast” more about coffee roast
 The espresso is brewed at 195 °F to 205 °F, (90 °C – 96
°C). Some espresso machines need a warmup before pulling
the shot. If your machine doesn’t have that in its program, just
pull a blank shot.
 A regular, single shot is made with around 7-8 grams of
ground coffee. You can play a bit with this but start with the
standard to get a decent shot, and then experiment your way to
greatness.
 Always freshly grind coffee, always.
 Tamp with around 20 lb to 30 lb pressure. As a beginner,
you can tamp on a scale, in time you’ll get the feeling of it.
Check the video below to see how to setup your practicing
bench. Or if you want precision every time, look at the Espro
Calibrated Tamper.
 The grind should be espresso grind size, and it dictates
the tamping force. The finer the grind the lighter the tamping.
But this is only if you want to play around. Most baristas will
keep the tamping at 30 lb pressure and adjust the grind until
they find the sweet spot.
 Coffee beans choice: you can’t go wrong with Brazilian
beans, but if you buy espresso marketed beans, you will be
sure you bought good coffee. You can’t go wrong with Illy,
but is more expensive.

What Not To Do When Brewing an Espresso
Why My Espresso Doesn't Have Crema
There are other countless ways to fail an espresso. In the first
five seconds pre-infusion occurs, the contact between water and
the ground coffee, and then in the next 25 seconds follows the
actual infusion - the espresso pull.
The 25 seconds of infusion is the time when the flavors and
aromas are poured into the cup. A too short pulling time results
in a very short espresso with low volume and an acid taste. If the
pull is too long, the coffee will be bitter and will mask all of the
coffee flavors, and the shot will contain more caffeine. At the
end of the pull, the foam turns brown in color, and this foam
contains the highest concentration of caffeine. This foam, (la
crema), must be dense and thick. Air bubbles or white spots are
signs of a poor preparation.

In your quest of preparing a "barista grade" espresso, you need

to know the potential problems, that could render your shot
bland, or bad:

1. Coffee is oxidized, (stale) - it had contact with the air more

than 4 hours before use;
2. The coffee tamping is too mild or too hard, or uneven;
3. Extraction time is too short or too long;
4. Poor maintenance of the device (you have to clean and
descale on a regular basis)
5. Coffee grind is either too fine or too coarse
6. Poor quality coffee
7. Bad tasting water
8. Cold cups, or cold equipment, (brew head)
There are also problems that you can't control, related to the
equipment. You can't change these after you bought a bad
espresso machine, but you can choose carefully your next one.

1. Inadequate pressure, too low or too high, (best machines

have a PID)
2. Water temperature is not consistent

Your Perfect Espresso Shot is a Bit Personal

Normale vs Lungo vs. Ristretto vs. Americano - A Matter of
Taste
The perfect espresso is many times a matter of personal taste.
Many times, what a barista considers a perfect espresso, is not
working for you. I will give you the example of Starbucks
espresso; for any coffee connoisseur, their espresso is too bitter
because of the excessive bean roast. They still have a constant
stream of people who just love their espresso. So, don't let
anybody tell you what is the best espresso for you. Experiment
with various beans, various extraction times until you get your
espresso right for you.

Personalize It
A few variations of the taste and strength can be obtained
through the control of the extraction time. The standard espresso
shot is called "normale", and it is about 1 fl oz. A slightly
longer extraction time will produce a "lungo", which is less
concentrated but will contain more caffeine.
If you prolong the extraction time even more, you will obtain
the "caffè crema", which is a longer espresso, (longer than
lungo), and has the taste of the espresso, but is milder, and it has
a bit more caffeine.
"Caffè  americano" is similar to a long shot, but is obtained by
pulling a long shot, and adding a shot of hot water. The
americano It has the strength of a "caffè crema" but it is
different because it maintains the espresso flavor profile,
but diluted.
Using a short extraction time, you will obtain the "ristretto", a
short espresso. Ristretto contains less caffeine but more flavors
and aromatic oils. If your espresso machine has the capability,
you could prepare the ristretto by shortening the extraction time
but pushing the same amount of water through the coffee grinds.
The result will be similar, but you will have more coffee in your
cup. Ristretto is less bitter than normal, (regular espresso), and is
more flavorful.

How to Serve and Drink an Espresso

Tips to Enhance your Espresso Experience
Serving and drinking espresso is part of a ritual that makes up
the whole espresso experience. You need to focus on every
detail of the process to enjoy the flavors to the maximum. Here
are a few hints.

Porcelain espresso cups maintain optimal coffee temperature for

a longer period and maintain the foam and the flavor. There are
also glass cups with a double wall that are even better than the
porcelain ones, and they look fancier. For optimum results, the
cups need to be warmed up before pulling the shot. Oh, by the
way, you also need to warm up the portafilter before using it.
Drink Mineral Water with Your Espresso
Drink a few sips of water before your espresso; this will help
your taste buds to wipe any previous taste memories. You can
also drink water in between your espresso sips. Coffee
dehydrates, and you need to drink water.

Espresso is a strong coffee and while is very tasty and bold, for
some it is hard on the stomach. A little water between sips won't
dilute the taste, but will dilute its strength in the stomach.
Drinking water cleanses the palate, so you can drink before
taking the first sip, and you can drink it in between sips. 

Mineral water, (sparkling water), is the best because carbonated

water neutralises better lingering flavors in your mouth.

I typically end this routine wit a sip of espresso, because I want

the exquisite taste to linger a little longer. Sometime though, I
choose to end wit water, so I can wash off the taste of a poorly
prepared shot.  

Cookies and Espresso

Mix a bit in your espresso before the first sip, even if you don't
add sugar, this will ensure that the first drink is not a bitter one.
Some add sugar to their espresso, others eat a biscotti or any
other cookies with their espresso, others will just drink it as it is,
plain. The cookie's sweetness will contrast with the espresso's
bitterness in a good way, accentuating it. 

How Does a Good Espresso Taste

A properly prepared espresso is vaguely fruity, floral, slightly
sweet, reminiscent of chocolate and caramel tones. Bitterness is
a quality sign only if it's gently weighted by a little acidity.

Espresso Coffee Makers

We tested for you the most popular super-

automatic espresso machines, on the market.
We reviewed side by side Jura Elektroapparate,
(Capresso), Gaggia, Saeco, DeLonghi, and
Krups. Even though there is no clear winner, we
can definitely point plusses and minuses.

The super-automatics are a relatively new product on the

market. Despite the high price point, their popularity is growing.
The reason for this popularity is that the convenience and
consistency.
The super-automatics remove the human error factor. They
allow us to pull shots faster, with consistent results.
Most espresso aficionados will convince you to get a manual
machine. Their argument is that you have more control over the
brewing process. Some, however, admit that for them, espresso
is not just a cup of coffee is a lifestyle.
For the rest of us, espresso is just a great cup of coffee and a
little luxury. This is why a fully automatic espresso machine is
the perfect choice.
The best super automatic espresso machine. Compare the best
super-automatic brands on the market side by side: features,
reliability, and design.

How To Get The Perfect Espresso Shot?

A perfect espresso shot is the combination of techniques, skills,
intuition and good coffee. As a home barista, you first need to
perfect your own espresso recipe. Starting from there, you can
tweak the recipe. Some people prefer a lungo, other prefer the
ristretto, while others will prefer a cafe Americano.
An important indicator of a well-prepared espresso is the crema.
If crema is abundant and has the right color and texture, the
espresso is good.
There are a few factors that will decide the fate of the espresso.
Some are brewing related, and they require a lot of skills. The
other important aspect is the coffee beans. Good quality, fresh
beans are a must.

Espresso Brewing Factors

While operating a semiautomatic machine, or a manual one you
need to master the brewing aspects. Here are the most important
ones.  (No, you don't care about these when you have a super-
automatic.)
Tamping
The perfect tamp is critical for getting great espresso shots. You
need to use the exact amount of pressure and an even
distribution in the portafilter. Training tip: start tamping on a
scale. When you found the right tamping pressure continue
exercising it on a scale until you get the feel of it.
Grind size
The correct grinding size is critical for espresso brewing. Grind
too coarse and you will get no crema. On the other hand, if you
grind too fine, the espresso machine will not be able to force the
water through the grinds.
Water Temperature
Preheat your machine before pulling a shot. Pull a blank shot, to
warm up the pipes, the portafilter, and the cup. If you have a
fully automatic machine, make sure you choose the
correct temperature. Play with the temperature: if the water is
too hot, it might destroy the delicate coffee accents.
The Brewing Pressure
The pressure for a great espresso is 9 bar. If your machine is not
capable of achieving that pressure, your shot will be average.
Filter Holder
Keep the empty filter holder inserted in the brewing head. While
grinding and warming up the espresso machine, the portafilter
will warm up.
Filter Baskets
The filter baskets are also a critical part of your espresso
making. Not all filters are the same, and some are better, some
are not so great. You can get great results with one filter basket,
and mediocre with another one. Experiment, and follow the
manufacturer's instructions. In most cases, using the single filter
basket produces better results. Usually, the grind/tamping ratios
are different for the different baskets.

Grinding Machine
Do not even attempt to grind with a blade grinder or a poor
grinding machine. A blade grinder will give you an uneven
grind. The grind size will vary from powder to coarse, and this
will affect your espresso.
Super Automatic Espresso Machines and The Perfect Shot
As a home barista, you need to master all the above techniques
to get the right espresso. If you make a little mistake you
compromise your shot. As a result, you'll get an average shot.
Even if you know what it takes to get your shot right, there is
very little room for error. Failed shots are pretty common with
beginner baristas. You probably noticed in coffee shops that the
shot differs from barista to barista.
This is where a fully automatic espresso machine comes in
handy. Once you have set up the machine and tweaked all the
settings, you can't go wrong anymore. All preparation steps are
fully automated, the dosage, the tamping, the grind size,
temperature, extraction time, etc... You can expect consistent
results, a great espresso shot every time. Maybe that's why many
restaurants decided to go with super automatic machines.
The Beans’ Quality Most Important for the Espresso Shot
The coffee beans are very important in the brewing process. No
matter how good and fancy your espresso brewer is, if you use
bad beans, the shot will be under average.
 Coffee Freshness
The fresher the beans, the more dense and persistent the crema.
Grind only enough for the coffee you make, and just before
making your espresso. It takes 15 minutes from the moment you
grind, to lose about 50% of the aromas and oils from coffee.
 Coffee Beans Quality
The quality of your beans will decide the taste of your espresso.
I prefer Brazilian beans for my espresso. Some people prefer
blends, some prefer single origin African beans. Check this post
for more espresso bean options.
 Coffee Beans Storage
I store my coffee beans in the freezer. I found that freezing the
beans locks in the flavors for extended periods of time. Use an
airtight container or zipper bag. Coffee absorbs odors.

Drip Coffee Guide

Learn how to prepare the best drip coffee you've ever drunk. We
delve deep into all brewing aspects, and how they affect your
cup. You'll be amazed to see what details you might be missing.

Great Espresso Beans

Espresso is my favorite way of making and drinking coffee. I
have tried so many coffee beans, way beyond the standard
espresso blend. If you like your espresso shot perfect, this
buying guide is for you. We have a few great beans
recommendations for your next shot.

Turkish Coffee
If you are up for a strong coffee, nothing like
your daily drip, stronger even than a French
press coffee, check out our Turkish coffee
brewing guide.
What Are the Best Beans for Turkish Coffee
Best Beans
You can use any coffee beans you want with this brewing
method. Traditionally, the African coffee is used, but modern
times have brought Brazilian beans everywhere. I personally
like to use high quality Brazilian beans for my Turkish cup. My
absolute favorite beans are a blend of Ethiopian Harar,
(medium-light) and Brazilian such as  Bourbon Santos or Brazil
Cerrado, (medium-dark). The have their unique subtle earthy
flavor, and with lighter roasts, these are preserved in the bean
and passed onto your brew.
Turkish Coffee Roast
If we refer exclusively at Turkish coffee, the medium-dark roast
is the most commonly used. Historically, darker roasts were
employed by the Turkish roasters. Lighter roasts are very
common with Arabic coffee and Greek coffee. The roast ranges
from cinnamon all the way up to Full City and Vienna.
When using light roasts, the coffee beans have to be of a high
quality. Otherwise, your beverage will pick up the bad flavors.
Coffee beans with a strong acidity are not great with this
brewing method, as they will impart too much acidity to your
final cup. My personal favorite with Turkish coffee, is a
medium-dark roast.
Grinding for Turkish Coffee
The uniqueness of Turkish coffee is given by the exceptionally
very fine grind size. The ground coffee is milled into a powder.
This ensures a very fast extraction time, the fastest extraction
possible. It also facilitates a better dissolution of the soluble
solids, which give Turkish coffee its distinctive body.

The domestic electric burr grinders are not capable of grinding

Turkish size, because their motor is not strong enough for the
huge force needed. Grinders that are advertised as such will give
you a fine grind, but not the real thing. Real Turkish coffee
grind can be obtained with either commercial machines or
manual grinding machines. You have to do some manual
grinding, but it is worth the effort. Read this article for more tips
on grinding Turkish coffee.
Some Arabic coffee recipes call for coarsely ground coffee.
Greek coffee uses in its recipe the finest grind, while Turkish
uses just a slightly coarser grind.
Turkish Coffee Profile – How Does it Taste?
If you wonder what to expect from a cup of Turkish, or Greek
coffee, (exactly the same recipe), let me tell you, it doesn’t look,
or taste like any other coffee you drank. The beverage is very
dark, and you can see it’s a strong coffee. There is no
considerably more caffeine in a cup brewed this way, but there
are more soluble solids and more coffee oils than in any other
brewing method.

The classic recipe calls for sugar, and this is the way most of the
people will drink it. However, I have friends who drink it black.
I like mine a little sweet.
The taste of a classic Turkish coffee is a little on the bitter side,
but if you tweak your brewing parameters, you can avoid that.
Some people like to compare it with espresso, and it has some of
the espresso attributes, but the brightness of espresso is missing
with this brewing type.
The lack of pressure during extraction provide you with a more
dulled profile, but very tasty, nonetheless. The taste and the
aroma are closer to a French press brew if you want, but more
flavorful.  The extra flavor and aroma are enhanced because of
the very fine grind. The fine grind allows more sugars, oils and
other solids to pass into the coffee. The beverage is very thick,
and it is a strong coffee. Turkish coffee has the highest TDS
among all coffee brewing methods. The foam on top and the
deep black color fo the coffee make it easy to recognise.
A Greek, or Arabic, or Turkish coffee will fill up with aroma
large spaces. In fact, my wife brews a cup in the weekend
mornings knowing that the smell coming from the kitchen
downstairs will wake me up. It is the best way to be awakened.
The smell only gets me a little caffeinated, if you can believe
that.
Arabic coffee is a twist on Turkish coffee. The change is the
addition of various finely ground spices to obtain a nice aroma.
Traditionally, there are no spices in a Turkish or a Greek, or an
Eastern European coffee. The spices used with Arabic coffee are
cardamom or saffron most usually. Other spices used are cloves
or rose water. The ratio is three parts ground coffee to one part
cardamom, but you can tweak this to your taste.
Properly prepared, a Turkish coffee is a strong beverage, with a
full body. It is a dense beverage, saturated with soluble solids. It
is stronger than most other brewing techniques but does not
contain more caffeine. The popular belief is that a Turkish
coffee will make you jittery, as too much espresso does. In
reality, Turkish coffee does not give you jitters unless of course,
you drink three cups at once. However, if you boil Turkish
coffee, as with some recipes, it will have more caffeine. The
longer you boil it the more caffeine will dissolve into your cup.
However, boiled coffee tastes bad.
How to Make Turkish Coffee Step by Step
The best Turkish coffee is brewed at low temperatures, under
160 degrees Fahrenheit, (70 degrees Celsius). The objective is to
maintain the froth that forms at around 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
The froth is delicious, and it imparts your coffee a special taste
and texture. But make sure you don’t destroy the froth also helps
you brew at a low temperature, which prevents aromatic oils to
evaporate at higher temperatures. So here my 8 steps brewing
guide for Turkish coffee.
Measure the water for the number of servings you need, and
pour it into the brewing pot. I brew an 8 oz mug for myself, and
I use an ibrik.

Measure the water for the number of

servings you need, and pour it into the
brewing pot. I brew an 8 oz mug for
myself, and I use an ibrik.
Place the brewing pot on the stove and turn
the knob up to maximum, until the water
heats up.
Add sugar to the hot or cold water.
I use about one and a half teaspoons for my 8 oz mug, but I have
seen people who like it sweeter than that. Do not stir the sugar
yet, just let the water warm up.
When the water starts to warm up, add 2 tablespoons of finely
ground coffee to each 8 oz of water.

Stir in to make all the ground coffee saturate

with water.
This ensures a uniform and complete brew.
Also, make sure there are no clumps after you
stir.

When the ground coffee starts to sink turn down

the heat to low.
This means the water is hot enough to dissolve
soluble solids in your coffee, and you need to
avoid overheating your coffee. If you overheat
it, you will over extract. With the heat turned down, stir the
grounds a few times, until the brew starts to make the foam.

When the coffee just starts to rise and forms a

dark ring, it means it is mixed with coffee
grounds. The brewing temperature should not
raise at all at this point. Stir continuously at this
point to make all the fine coffee particles sink,
and to encourage the foam to form.
If you use an electric stove, the temperature will still raise, even
with the heat turned down. To avoid this, lift the coffee pot just
a millimeter off the heating element.

The foam should be very fine, the aspect is

similar to the espresso crema, however, the
chemical composition is different. It is very
important to keep the heat low and not to allow
the coffee to raise too much. A high brewing
temperature will destroy the foam, and all the
volatile compounds that make coffee delicious
will vanish.
When the foam is thick enough take it off the stove.
Never boil Turkish coffee, as you will get a bland coffee, very
strong, similar to a strong drip. If the foam disappears, your
Turkish coffee is not that tasty anymore.

Some More Tips and Tricks

Some recipes on the Internet say that you should raise the coffee
3 times. When you do that, you have more caffeine in your
coffee, but the aroma and taste will disappear. So, never let the
brew raise more than once. There is also some advice that you
should raise the coffee a few times, so the fines in the coffee
sink. While the objective of clearing up your cup is achieved,
the beverage turns bland and more caffeinated.
As with any brewing method, coffee grounds need to be fresh.
Stale coffee will not make a foam and will taste bland.
When you pour it in cups, make sure you pour a little in each
cup, so that the foam is shared equally. The foam is the best part
of a Turkish cup, and it imparts a distinctive look and flavor to
your coffee. Spooning the foam is a common technique. You
can spoon the foam while brewing.

Many coffee experts think that coffee continues to brew when

poured into cups because the grinds are never removed from the
beverage. This is not true, at least not to the extent to cause
over-extraction. The brewing temperature is very low, and when
removed from the heat, and poured into cups, the temperature
drops even more. At these temperatures, there is no extraction
anymore.
Many people complain of grounds in their coffee, but if you
give the coffee 30 seconds or so, all the grinds will sink at the
bottom of the cup. More than that, they will form a compact
layer that is not easily disturbed. Just remember to leave the last
sip in the cup. Some add a drop of cold water in the freshly
brewed cup, to accelerate the grounds sinking. I personally
don’t.
Traditionally, Turkish, or Greek, or Arabic coffee, is served on a
tray with a glass of water. I drink water with any coffee. People
think that the water is meant to cleanse your palate before
sipping your beverage. However, the real reason is a health-
related one. Because Turkish coffee is strong, it dehydrates you,
so drinking a cup of water keeps that in control. Also, the sugar
in coffee gives you a little insulin spike, so having a cup of
water helps evening out the sugar crash. Furthermore, there is
evidence that your pancreas reacts to unsweetened coffee. So,
protect yourself and have a glass of water with your coffee.