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 installment of one of our new initiatives: The barista diaries.
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, in addition to the recipes provided by the roasters, 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 a fresh take on each one of our delicious coffees from people who have a deep understanding and love for coffee.
Today, we are introducing Siebrand van Hengel from Black Gold in Amsterdam who had a go at Don Gallo’s Ethiopia, Mormora Estate from our recently shipped [2/18] 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!
After setting up his station and loading the V60 carafe with 36g of freshly ground coffee, Siebrand leaned over the filter and took a deep breath. “Oh this is beautiful,” he said before starting his bloom. As the coffee welled up inside the filter and quickly took on the shape of a muffin, Siebrand laughed out and proclaimed: “It’s so fresh you can almost smeell the farm!”
The bloom lasted for 35 seconds before he added a total of 500g in slow interrupted pours. The coffee steamed up and its aroma filled the bar area, spiking the interest of curious bystanders.
After he finished, he let the water continue running through the filter until it had pretty much completely drained by the time it had reached 4 minutes.
His verdict? “Gorgeous!” he said. “I’m getting red fruits, cherries and lots of intense flavour from this coffee. Like a nice homemade jam.”
Siebrand’s recipe for filter:
V60: 36g of freshly ground coffee (medium-coarse). Bloom with 45g of filtered water at 91° for 35 seconds, then continue pouring until you reach 500g. Let drain and serve. Total brew time: 4 minutes.
Don Gallo’s recipe for filter:
AeroPress: 16g of coffee ground medium-fine. Add 230g of water at 92° – 94°. Brew time: 1:25 minutes.
Don Gallo’s recipe for espresso:
19,5g of coffee ground fine. Extraction time: 25 – 27 seconds. Yield: 36 – 38g.
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 Don Gallo.
