It’s been a weird year but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself over Christmas. Here’s a few coffee tips that are front of my mind:
1. Use filtered water – dissolved calcium flattens the taste of coffee. Brita jugs are perfect
2. Correct grind – the size of your coffee particles is important. Too course = sour and thin. Too fine = bitter and flat
3. Only buy Specialty coffee – assured cup quality and a fairer deal for farmers
4. Scales – weigh your coffee and water ratio for consistency – ‘scoops’ are arbitrary. Kitchen scales are just fine
5. Espresso is certainly flavour of the month but it isn’t the only method. Probably better results from a £30 AeroPress than a cheap £300 espresso machine
6. Please don’t buy pods. Despite clever marketing, 5g of stale coffee just isn’t tasty nor environmentally responsible
7. Compost or recycle grinds if you have the space. In a year they will help grow some delicious veg or be re-used as a bio-fuel
8. Freshness – if you can afford a £100 burr grinder then I promise it will be a great investment. Don’t be tempted by a blade grinder – good for herbs but no good for coffee
9. Store coffee in an airtight container, not in the fridge. Condensation is terrible for your coffee
10. Support a local roaster not listed multinationals. I guarantee they do more for your local community
11. Try non-dairy milks but perhaps not the one with Blackstone’s investment
12. Take time out and relax over a coffee. From the 24th I will certainly reflect on what a privilege it is to have my little space in this world.
Cheers and my best wishes to everyone ☕️
