There is something special about the stillness of having a cup of coffee by oneself before the madness of the morning starts. For me, this is usually between 6:30am and 7:00am, so it’s a tight time window! Home coffee making has come into its own of late, so it’s worth looking at some of the home brewing options out there that might tickle your fancy.
Espresso machine
For me this is my favourite way of making coffee. My first coffee of the day is Americano and I look out for a grind profile that feels a bit like grains of salt to touch and has an extraction time of approximately 25 including pre-infusion. I add water that is ‘off the boil’ or around 90 degree into the espresso shot. I use Crone or Djoice whole beans. Pure bliss!
Cafetiere / French Press
This is my weekend treat as it takes a bit longer. The trick here is to leave the coffee brew for 4 minutes before you plunge and another couple of minutes after you plunge. The coffee is immersed in the water and the flavour seeps out of the coffee giving a stronger bolder flavour. Again use water that is off the boil and the grind should not be as fine as for your espresso machine; coffee that has the consistency of granulated sugar is best here. I like to use pre-ground Djouce blend as the citrus notes are more pronounced with the longer brewing time.
V60 / Pourover Brewer
The coffee from a V60 is lighter in body as the water passes through the coffee in the filter paper as it’s poured so the drink is more ‘tea like’ in terms of mouthfeel. The resulting drink is lighter but there is real clarity of flavour, if you use a French press it may take a little getting used of but I find I like it later in the day or after a meal. I like to use either Woodland coffee blend as both taste really great.
Aeropress
The Aeropress is a combination of immersion coffee (like French Press) and filter coffee using the air pressure from the plunge to help extract the coffee flavour. What’s nice is that it’s a really quick way of making coffee and there is loads of scope for experimentation. Again use water that is off the boil and pre-infuse the coffee first by pouring 40ml or 50ml into the coffee and leave for 30 seconds before adding the rest of the water and plunge slowly (between 15 – 30 seconds). The result is a clean balanced flavour but with a little more punch.
For me, I like experimenting and messing around with different ways to bring out the range of flavours in the coffee. Our Woodland Coffees are available in 500g recyclable bags of whole bean or ground coffee, give them a try and perhaps you’ll find your perfect cup!
