Brew guide for the September 2021 box

September 20, 2021

Brew guide for the September 2021 box

September 20, 2021

For this month's brew guide, I brought out my good old French Press, which makes a surprisingly and good and rewarding cup of coffee

As we enjoy a few more days of a beautiful late summer here in Amsterdam, my mind is already preparing itself for the first cosy autumn weekends spent by the fireplace, book and fragrant coffee in hand.

And what could be better than to share the delicious coffees from my recently shipped September box with the people you love? Precisely.

Which is why for this month’s brew guide, I brought out a classic coffee maker that is largely overlooked by specialty coffee purists but, believe it or not, the French Press does produce really gorgeous coffee if you know how to use it.

Find my own recipe alongside the recipes from The Barn, Calendar Coffee and Kiss The Hippo as well as my monthly playlist to inspire you as you brew down below.

I hope you will enjoy this fine selection of coffees as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you.

Basic setup:

As in any good kitchen or bar, you want to be sure to have a few key items at your disposal that will aid you in preparing a delicious cup of coffee.

These include:

- Scales (with or without a timer – you can use your phone or your watch)
- A good quality burr grinder such as the Comandante Grinder
- The Kruve Sifter (not required but handy to filter out fines)
- Your favourite brew method (Origami, Kalita Wave, V60, AeroPress etc)
- A clean vessel for brewing and decanting
- A ladle or stirrer for agitating the grounds (I was kindly gifted a beautiful handmade stirrer from my ambassadors @bloom.that.coffee
- Water for brewing. This month, I added a free stick of Third Wave Water into every box. You’ll need to add the minerals into a canister of distilled water, which you can get from any DIY store
- A pouring kettle but a regular kettle will also do, however, it requires more precision
- Have some ice in the freezer if you plan to make cold coffee drinks

It’s very important to always freshly grind your coffee just before preparation because coffee is very volatile and quickly loses its full aroma in a matter of minutes.

You can also vacuum pack your coffee in portions, name and number each batch and then keep it in a dry cool place. More information about freshness and how to rest your coffees can be found in this article.

For espresso, I use my home espresso machine, a Lelit MaraX along with a separate grinder for espresso. I use the same water I use for brewing.

My recipe for brewing the Costa Rica, Volcan Azul from The Barn:

French Press: 30g of coffee ground quite coarse, about 32 clicks on the Comandante Grinder. You want this to resemble coarse table salt. Heat up some water and add to the French press for a few minutes to warm up the vessel.

Then, add your coffee and pour around 80g of water fresh off the boil into your French Press. Leave to bloom for 45 seconds, then add the remaining 470g of water. I am going for a slightly bigger ratio here because the coffee in the French Press will absorb a lot of the moisture. Then give it one good stir and place the lid on top. After 2:30 minutes, push the risen coffee grounds down and stir once. At 3:30 minutes, push the sieve down and immediately pour your coffee into cups.

You don’t want to leave any coffee in the French Press for longer than necessary as it will continue extracting and start to taste bitter. Don’t be surprised to find residue in your cup. This is completely normal as the French Press only has a metal filter that will let through fines.

Enjoy!

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The Barn’s for filter:

V60: 16g of coffee ground medium-fine. 250ml of water at 94º. Add your filter to the brewer, rinse and discard the water. Then add your coffee and make sure the coffee bed is flat. Wet all grounds with 30 – 40ml of water.

At 30 seconds, go up to 100ml in slow circular motions. Let the coffee drain out somewhat and then add 50ml more. Continue doing this until you have added all 250ml of water but avoid high and dry pouring. Total brew time: 2:30 minutes.

The Barn’s for espresso:

18g in 40g out in 30 seconds. TDS : 8,85

Dominant Flavours of Dates. Has an everlasting aftertaste of Milk chocolate and raisins. It’s a super sweet and balanced espresso with a great body.

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Calendar Coffee’s recipe for filter:

Step 1 – Put your water on to boil. Thoroughly rinse your filter paper and discard the water from the decanter.

Step 2 – Weigh out and grind your coffee, aiming for a coarse sugar like consistency.

Step 3 – Add the coffee to the brewer, and using your stirrer make a small nest in the middle of the grounds. This will help saturate the grounds during the blooming stage.

Step 4 – Place the brewer on your scales. Once the water has boiled, start your timer and ‘bloom’ the coffee by adding 60g of water.

Step 5 – After 30 seconds, begin adding the rest of your water. Pour small amounts in concentric circles until the scale reads 300g. Aim to keep the level of your brewing water about two thirds up the inside wall of the brewer. Once you reach the desired weight, stir the slurry to help the bed drain evenly. Your water should have completely drained through the bed by 3 minutes. If it takes longer, try grinding coarser or pouring faster.

Calendar Coffee’s recipe for espresso:

18g coffee in, 40g out, 28-32 seconds.

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Kiss The Hippo’s recipe for filter:

21g in 300ml out. Bloom at 70g for 30 seconds. Total brew time: 3:30 minutes.

Kiss The Hippo’s recipe for espresso:

17.5g in 35 out.

What did you think of these recipes and the coffees from the September2021 Coffeevine box? Let me know in the comments down below and make sure you subscribe in time for the upcoming October 2021 coffee subscription box.