Moka Pot
STOVE TOP METHOD FOR A FLAVOURFUL CUP
- Unscrew the boiler from the pourer
- Fill the boiler with hot water up to just below the safety valve (the use of hot water saves the coffee grounds being heated too much as you heat the pot).
- Grind the coffee on a medium setting and fill the coffee-holding funnel up to the top. Do not tamp down.
- Place the funnel into the base (boiler) and the filter disc and gasket into the upper section and screw the two parts of the pot together.
- Bring the water slowly to the boil and water will start to flow through the coffee pad into the upper section of the pot where the brewed coffee is collected (you could leave the lid open to get a better view).
- The end of the process is signalled by a gurgling sound once the lower section is almost empty. Immediately remove from the stove and place the lower section under cold running water to prevent any further (over-) extraction.
- Pour the coffee.
French Press
SIMPLE METHOD, FULL BODIES COFFEE
- Measure out the appropriate amount of coffee. A good starting point is a ratio of 1 part coffee to 16 parts water (62.5g coffee per litre of water).
- Grind the coffee on a medium-coarse setting (fine enough to give a good extraction but not so fine that the mesh is blocked and you are unable to push down the plunger).
- Place the pot on your scales, add the coffee and tare the scales. The water used should be just ‘off the boil’ ie. between 92°C and 96°C. Pour water on to the coffee to the desired weight
- Stir the coffee with a long spoon and set a timer to 4 minutes.
- Place the plunger in the pot, up to the top of the floating grounds.
- After 4 minutes standing, press the plunger down through the coffee until it reaches the compacted grounds.
- Pour the coffee.
Portafilter
WHEN COFFEE IS A HOBBY
The following parameters are suitable for coffee extraction using a portafilter machine:
- Water temperature 88-96oC
- The lower temperatures are used for dark roasts, the higher for light roasts
- Narrower ‘normal’ range 90-93oC
- Steam temperature 126-128oC
- Typical shot duration 25-30 seconds
- Typical coffee weight 10-12g for single portafilter, 18-20g for double
- If there is too much coffee in the portafilter you will see an imprint in the coffee puck. If so, reduce the coffee amount by 0.5g
- Heat the machine before use: the group head should be too hot to touch
- Flush the group head before attaching the portafilter to maintain the temperature of the head prior to extraction
- Set the target ratio of weight of coffee grounds to coffee drink eg. 1:2
- Single 12g coffee to 24g in cup
- Double 17g coffee to 34g in cup(s)
- Set the grinder to a setting suitable for the coffee you are brewing
- This will be determined by ‘trial and error’. The appropriate grind size is that which gives the intended coffee weight in the cup with the target shot duration
- Stir the espresso cup once you have pulled the shot (to prevent a gradient of coffee strength/ taste). A cappuccino cup can be swirled
- When setting the parameters check the coffee for over- or under-extraction
- Too sour (taste at the front of the tongue), aim for a longer extraction time
- Too bitter (taste at the back of the tongue), aim for a shorter extraction time
Coffee machines
EASY ONE TOUCH COFFEE MAKING