Things to bear in mind when you brew coffee
The first, for us, is that no standard is sacred. Only one metric matters: does it taste good? We are constantly reassessing how we do things.
At this point in our journey, here’s what we can somewhat confidently impart as to what is important:
The quality and age of your beans
After getting your hands on beans of good quality, try to ensure that they rest for at least 7 days following the roast before use. This is to allow the carbon dioxide generated from the roasting process to escape; these trapped gases contribute to a “roasty” flavor in the cup that can overpower delicate aromas. In our specific case, we’d say that 2-6 weeks from the roast date is the ideal window (this is based on our experience with the machine).
The quality and timing of your grind
As a rule of thumb, we recommend grinding your coffee “to order” if you plan to enjoy it during its peak window (again, in our case, that’s 2-6 weeks from the roast date). But it’s helpful to keep in mind that grinding in advance can be a handy way of expelling some of the carbon dioxide from a roast that’s still quite fresh. Try to invest in a solid grinder that allows you to calibrate the size of the grind, as opposed to the less reliable ones with a blade.
The quality of your water
In Denmark, our showers can become caked with calcium after just a single use! It’s no surprise that when it comes to coffee, relying on water that hard leads to dull brews devoid of brightness and acidity. With that in mind, we would recommend that you consider the particular qualities of the water that you’re going to use to brew your coffee.
For example: those living in areas with similar issues to us here in Copenhagen might consider getting bottled water with a low mineral content (below 50ppm). That alternative can work well, albeit at the cost of money and the usage of plastic. Otherwise, using a water filter can serve as a more reliable long-term solution.
The use of weights and measurements
Our brewing recipes are predicated on weights and measures. Whilst we respect the age-old tradition of “eyeballing it,” the very simple fact is that not all coffees are created equal. Some beans are larger than others, some denser. Some easily extractible, some not. The most reliable way to account for all of these variations in the execution of a recipe is by weighing everything, and to the gram.
