We have been making many changes to The Coffeevine over the past few weeks and months and still have a long way to go before we’re even close to where we want to be, but today we’re happy to share another new initiative with you that we are excited to be rolling out.
Previously, we published a summary brew guide for each coffee box edition that we shipped using the recipes provided by the roasters. From now on, we will take our monthly selection of coffees to three different baristas every month and ask them to brew the coffees for us. The result will be an unbiasted take on each one of our delicious coffees from people who have a deep understanding and love for coffee.
Today, we are introducing our first guest barista Jana Elicker from Happy Baristas in Berlin who had a go at Nero Scuro’s Guatemala, Finca El Limonar from our recently shipped [1/18] coffee box.
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 timer)
- A good quality burr grinder such as the Commandante Grinder
- Your favourite brew method (Kalita Wave, V60, Aeropress etc)
- A clean vessel for brewing and decanting
- A timer (can be in your phone)
- Filtered water
- A pouring kettle but a regular kettle will also do, however it requires more precision
When working with whole beans, it’s crucial to make sure to always freshly grind your coffee just before preparation because it quickly loses its aroma and old coffee ends up tasting stale and hollow.
Now, ready? Let’s brew!
“Wow, this coffee smells really interesting. I can’t wait to get brewing,” Jana said before measuring out 16g of coffee and getting her equipment in place.
First, she placed a paper filter inside the copper V60 and then adding the ground coffee that she had just wizzed through the Ek-43. After adding boiling water into the pouring kettle, she let it cool to 94°C before blooming the coffee with 30g of water for 30 seconds.
Next, she added 90g of water to reach 120g before agitating the grounds with a wooden spatula to encourage a more even extraction and then proceeded to add the remaining 130g of water in one slow continuous pour. Total brew time: 2:35 minutes.
The result? “Hm… I think I need to updose this slightly. Let me do it again,” Jana said after taking a few slurps. She repeated the same recipe only using 17g of coffee instead of 16g and this time it hit the spot: “Yum. It’s super juicy with hints of jasmine. What a gorgeous coffee!”
Jana’s recipe for filter:
V60: 17g of freshly ground coffee (medium-fine). Bloom coffee with 30g of filtered water at 94°C for 30 seconds, then add 90g to reach 120g before using a wooden spatula to agitate the grounds. Resume pouring water to reach 250g in one continous pour. Total brew time: 2:30 minutes.
Nero Scuro’s recipe for filter:
V60: 22g of freshly ground coffee (medium-fine). Do a preinfusion with 45g of filtered water at 95° and stir vigorously. Then wait for 30 seconds before adding in the remaining water. Total: 360ml. Total brew time: 2:30 minutes.
Nero Scuro’s recipe for espresso:
19g of coffee ground fine. Extraction time: 30 seconds. Yield: 36g.
Did you also receive this coffee from our box? Add your recipe below and let others know how you like to prepare this stunning coffee from Nero Scuro.
