t’is the holiday season that brings every year to a close and with it, the second decade of this century. It is also a great opportunity to look back at the last ten years and remember those incredible milestones that we achieved in our individual lives, careers, relationships and friendships. I, for one, can look back at a life-changing time that has taken me from being a fresh-faced brand executive at a large FMCG company to running my own company that has seen me work with some of the most inspirational, progressive and wonderful people in the coffee industry, many of which have since become dear friends.
For this month’s coffee box, the last of 2019 and this decade, we chose three outstanding coffees from Koppi, Carrow and Root & Branch that represent a set of talented and forward-thinking roasters and their delicious coffees who have come together to offer an outstanding selection of coffees from Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Kenya.
This brew guide will help you to get the most out of each one of these delicious little coffee beans and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a wonderful time with their families.
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
- Your favourite brew method (Kalita Wave, V60, Aeropress etc)
- A clean vessel for brewing and decanting
- Filtered water
- A pouring kettle but a regular kettle will also do, however, it requires more precision
- And a little gas stove if you’re brewing outdoors
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.
If you are working with an espresso machine, you will want to be sure your machine is cleaned on a regular basis and that you check the temperature and pressure to have an optimal extraction.
Koppi’s recipe for filter:
V60: 24g of coffee ground medium-fine. Add a total of 400g of water at 94° – 95°C, dividing it over four pours. Brew time around 3 minutes.
Koppi’s recipe for espresso:
18g of coffee ground fine. Extraction time: 28 – 30 seconds. Yield: 48 – 50g.
19g of coffee (depending on filter baskets). Extraction time: 28 – 30 seconds. Yield: 38g.
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Carrow’s recipe for filter:
French Press: Use 16g of of coffee medium-coarse. Add 250g of water at 95°C and brew for a total of 4 minutes.
Carrow’s recipe for espresso:
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Root & Branch’s recipe for filter:
Aeropress: Use 17g of coffee ground medium-fine. Add 240g of water at 92 – 95°C and give it a good stir. Then press down at 1:30 minutes.
Root & Branch’s recipe for espresso:
Were these recipes useful for you? Share your feedback or own recipe in the comments below!
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