Difference between revisions of "Test:Techniques"
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When selecting a bean you will want to anticipate what flavor profile you would like and what equipment you will be brewing on. Certain espresso machines and grinders are not compatible with oily beans for example. Using fresh beans, which were only opened within the last two weeks is important. Coffee is like other food and it does deteriorate and become stale/rotten. Typically we suggest a light/medium roast that is dry, roasted within the past two weeks, and roasted dry with no excess oils. We caution against excessively dark roasted or oily beans because this roasting style is frequently used to mask flavor defects within the bean. | When selecting a bean you will want to anticipate what flavor profile you would like and what equipment you will be brewing on. Certain espresso machines and grinders are not compatible with oily beans for example. Using fresh beans, which were only opened within the last two weeks is important. Coffee is like other food and it does deteriorate and become stale/rotten. Typically we suggest a light/medium roast that is dry, roasted within the past two weeks, and roasted dry with no excess oils. We caution against excessively dark roasted or oily beans because this roasting style is frequently used to mask flavor defects within the bean. | ||
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Revision as of 08:29, 1 February 2017
Espresso at its simplest is a coffee brewing method which utilizes heat and high pressure to extract flavor from ground coffee beans. While this definition may sound straightforward the actual practice of brewing a great espresso involves balancing different variables to produce the best results. Brewing a great shot of espresso is similar to a controlled experiment, where you understand the effect of each variable. This is why espresso brewing is commonly referred to as both an art and a science.
The Basics
There are four main elements of espresso brewing which are going to produce the end result. They are commonly called the 4 M's of espresso brewing. The 4 M's stand for Miscela, Macinadosatore, Macchina, and Mano. Roughly translated they mean the type of coffee used, the grind and dose of the coffee, the brewing equipment, and the user. The user and the type of coffee being used are particularly important, but all four of these elements need to work together to produce good results.
Type Of Coffee
Since espresso extraction is a much more concentrated brewing method than other coffee brewing methods the quality of the bean is going really important. Espresso concentrates and amplified the inherent flavors of the beans. Simply put, if the beans being used are poor quality, then the resulting extraction will also be poor quality. Just like any other form of cooking using quality ingredients is important for getting the best results.
When selecting a bean you will want to anticipate what flavor profile you would like and what equipment you will be brewing on. Certain espresso machines and grinders are not compatible with oily beans for example. Using fresh beans, which were only opened within the last two weeks is important. Coffee is like other food and it does deteriorate and become stale/rotten. Typically we suggest a light/medium roast that is dry, roasted within the past two weeks, and roasted dry with no excess oils. We caution against excessively dark roasted or oily beans because this roasting style is frequently used to mask flavor defects within the bean.