The Daily Grind

Hey everybody, what are you drinking? I’m Roger In Coffee and welcome to Coffee Cup.   This week I’d like to spill the beans on the Planalto from Brazil, in this special edition grind taste test.

I was recently asked if freezing beans before grinding is a good idea. Intuitively I'm going to say no, because if you are flying around the world cupping coffee at farms they will have exact controlled conditions that don't include a freezer. 

However, pop-science click-bait journalism has suggested that freezing could be a force for good.

http://www.sciencealert.com/want-to-drink-better-tasting-coffee-freeze-your-beans-say-scientists

So in the spirit of domestic science I thought I'd add to this with my own eye-witness anecdotal evidence.

As I said, I chose the Planalto for this because I'd reviewed it earlier in the year so I knew exactly what to expect. The full review of this can be found here. http://rogerincoffee.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/brazilian-planalto.html

So in the name of science I divided my beans fairly, freezing one batch in a low-moisture airtight container and having the other sealed in a similar fashion at room temperature. Room Temperature is sub-summer at the moment but its room temperature nonetheless.
Not knowing the specific heat capacity of coffee, its "freezing point" or how long that's going to take I left them overnight, however they "looked" frozen after two or three hours so take your pick.

Both batches were prepared in the same manner, 15g of medium ground beans in a wide cup filled at 250ml water at 90'C. The surface was broken after four minutes, skimmed at ten minutes and tasting began at twelve minutes. I did this with reasonable precision, although my balance is only +/- 1g and what is a few seconds between friends?

For reference, I had a sneaky espresso beforehand to wake up my olfactory system for the experience and prepare the palette.

So without further ado - The frozen beans have less of a sheen to them. Obviously the oil is the same, but its the visual indicator that one is cold. On the grind it's very difficult to tell the two apart and they are very similar.
Any grinder is going to produce a range of sizes and to get an impression of the balance you have to cut it, so credit cards at the ready. You can tell the ratio of fine to course grinds because the fine grinds clump a little with the oils, so as you play it back and fourth you can see clumps forming and breaking. I'm going to say the frozen beans might have been a more even grind, with less clumping, but there wasn't much in it.
The fine grinds are a little brighter too, and catch the light less. (weaker specular highlights for the technically minded) but this is pretty hard to gauge by eye.

In this side-by-side composite image, the frozen grinds are on the left. I think they are a little more even but its super difficult to tell.

So, fifteen grams and four minutes later the break revealed the aroma and both were pretty similar. I couldn't distinguish them and didn't really expect to. I think the room temperature batch was slightly sharper on the taste from its smaller grind but its hard to say.
In the drinking, I couldn't really tell the two apart. I think I prefered the frozen batch but confirmation bias is pretty strong and I didn't do a blind test.
Is frozen better ? You might just have to Let it Go.

I’ve been Roger in Coffee, and this has been my experience of using frozen beans vs a room temperature grind using the Planalto from Brazil. In the 21st century we are drinking over two billion cups of coffee a day. I'm doing my part, are you?

Brazilian Carmo de Minas Nespresso shots

Brazilian Carmo de Minas Nespresso shots

Hey everybody what are you drinking? I’m Roger in Coffee and welcome to my Coffee Cup blog. Today I’d like to spill the beans with an update on the Pact Pod kickstarter, with a double-bill review of both the hardware and coffee.

To keep you up to date, Pact coffee have recently started producing coffee pods compatible with Nespresso machines. Colour me interested. Nespresso machines have a loyal following and because it’s something I’ve never tried I decided to jump right in and commit to a rack of forty pods - twenty espresso and twenty long shots.

For the transatlanticans, Nespresso is a branded K-Cup pod. They are small plastic cups with a few grams of coffee, and sealed with a foil cap. I’ve avoided disposable machines like this because of the waste they create and they just feel like a gimmick but this seemed like the perfect opportunity to try them out and make up my own mind.

The machine I’ve chosen is the Krups Pixie, a small footprint machine with a removable tank that provides short or long shot operation. I think the colour of mine is “Titanium”, which I’m guessing is a Chrome-Manganese alloy stainless steel, but the machine is also available in striking scarlet or a variety of hues to suit your decor. Overall, the side panels look easy to remove and refit so giving yours a splash of custom colour is not so difficult.

True to their word Pact Coffee have delivered the goods and my box of shots arrived in the post at the start of the year. So the two coffees I’ll be cupping are the espresso and long shots from the kickstarter. Both are the Carmo de Minas from Brazil, the accompanying letter claims the region has the perfect altitude, soil and rain for growing coffee.

Carmo is an area of Minas in Southeast Brazil. It sits just shy of the coast where the landscape transitions from hills to mountains giving the coffee growers a range of conditions for growing. While the area is famous for the beauty of the mountains, just for today we’ll be taste tourists of this wonderful landscape.

So let's dive right into to the coffee! The short shots produced in the nespresso machines have a thick crema. It’s a typical mid crema colour, you can see it slightly lighten during the extraction as you’d expect. The drink doesn’t have a strong aroma - it smells of coffee but doesn’t overpower.

The first sip is quite impressive, it’s clearly everything you’d expect from Brazil. Surprisingly smooth, the Carmo has an immediate earthy feel in the mouth. It’s not the sharp darkness from a deep french roast but without seeing the beans I’d guess “well done” rather than “medium rare” The sweetness from the Carmo is a dark, caramelised sugar complementing the bass notes.

Typical of Brazil, this dark flavour dominates the experience and carries on to a lingering aftertaste once the shot is done. I’d say it overstayed it’s welcome a little and I’d recommend sweetening the shot or consider adding a touch of milk or foam to quell its bold flavour. After a few experiments, I’m adding a tiny touch of honey to the shot after it’s pulled.

My first impressions of the Carmo were that it is quite strong - I’m not set up to titrate or otherwise measure the caffeine content but I did register the effect. I’m accustomed to strong coffee and didn’t expect two or three shots to register on the scale but was pleasantly surprised by the strength of the short shots. Because of its darkness, and the hit, I’m feeling the Carmo as a good morning drink.  

The lungo pods are similar to the shorts. The initial intake isn’t as dry and earthy so it’s more gentle if you aren’t looking for such an intense hit. The lungo shots open up the hints of caramel sweetness - it’s still not a sweet drink, but that dark caramel comes out of hiding here. The body if the flavour is the same and it carries the same aftertaste but overall I found the long shots a bit underwhelming. Maybe the mouth feel is a little drier, maybe my machine is supplying too much water, I’m not sure. Overall I just didn’t rate the long pod as highly as the shorts.

It’s also possible to draw a long shot from a short pod, and ristretto the long pods with reduced water. I didn’t find either of these two options hit the spot, and I’m not going to recommend going against the grain.

Carmo de Minas, short shot Americano.

Next on my list was a black Americano made with the Carmo short shot. The drink didn’t gain much here, and it’s well suited to the stronger strengths. I found that it wasn't a super drinkable combination as the earthy balance became too dry and the caramel character was lost. Overall if you are after a more delicate taste, honey or milk foam will go a long way rather than just water. If you are after an Americano, definitely start with two short shots. One just isn't enough.

Short Shot in the aeropress.

To establish a basis for comparison, the pods can be carefully opened with a peeling knife and the ground coffee extracted. The grinds are very fine and not suitable for all coffee makers. I opened two pods and emptied the contents into an aeropress, using enough hot water to make up a double espresso drink.

The aeropress preparation tastes very similar to the nespresso machine. I’d say I over extracted a fraction and the aeropress result was more similar to the long shot than the short, with much of the initial bitterness tempered by hints of dark caramelised sugar. Like the pods, the long aftertaste is dry and dark which could put some drinkers off.

It’s worth saying I’m very impressed by how similar the Aeropress and Nespresso performed here - I really didn’t expect the machine to rival the smooth, even results of the Aeropress. I can see how the Nespresso machines have earned such a loyal following. If it wasn’t for the additional plastic waste, i’d recommend the Krups Pixie pod based machine in a shot.

I’d say the Carmo de Minas works well as a morning coffee, and don’t be afraid to go to town at the patisserie - a Pecan slice, or almond croissant, and this coffee will make a great breakfast. The pastry will give it a surface to sit on and complement the mouth feel and the extra sugar will bring it alive and add some zest to that dry finish.

After drinking many of the pods, I’m really preferring the short pods. I can’t really put my finger on why. I suspect the long shots are destined for the Aeropress. Overall, I’m surprised with the quality of coffee from the nespresso machine which I’d always ignored as a gimmick. It’s a button-press operation that delivers a coffee better than most high-street drinks you’ll find.

Pact Coffee

https://www.pactcoffee.com/about

Nespresso
https://www.nespresso.com

Krups Pixie
http://www.krups.co.uk/pixie-stainless-steel

Aeropress from Aerobie

http://www.aeropress.co.uk/

Brazilian Planalto

Hey everybody, what are you drinking? I’m Roger In Coffee and welcome to Coffee Cup.   This week I’d like to spill the beans on the Planalto from Brazil.

This review is based on a 250g whole bean package of “Brazilian Planalto” from Pact Coffee, prepared as two-shot espresso and two shot americano using an Aeropress coffee maker.

The Planaltos espresso has an initial berry hit that is a little sharp, like cherries that are still a fraction pink and this contrast adds to the complexity and fills out the flavour.  The main flavour is deep and booming but not overly earthy.  There aren’t many apparent floral, honey, high notes. The Planalto is all about the bass. The aftertaste is short, and fades away leaving you wanting more.

I always like to try an Americano with a new coffee. Often some of the subtle character is overpowered by the espresso and adding water can reveal higher flavours and bring the drink to life.

At americano strength I also found the Planalto very drinkable, there are small peaks in the flavour but nothing that overpowers the senses. I found I prefered a strong americano which I made by adding just a dash of hot water to the espresso rather than filling a cup, but the weaker drink didn’t suffer and a 10 or 12 oz Americano will work just fine.

The Crema remained dark for all of the regular drinks I made, which might suggest I was under extracting slightly.

Cold Filtering made a great drink, and added to the strength without creating a bitter finish. In a cold filter, you will use a coarser grind and the drink to brew slowly. I actually used warm water - around 45’C (113’F) - but you can go down to room temperature or below if you want to. I found the aftertaste flatter and lasted longer, which wasn't entirely objectionable but didn't add enough for me to push a hard-sell on cold filtering.

In an unusual twist I enjoyed the espresso with some delicious smoked chorizo, and following that can recommend the Planalto as a breakfast coffee.  If you are looking for sweet rather than savory, woody flavours like hazelnut or almond will subtly bolster its strengths. I expected to be able to bring up the top end with a dash of vanilla but I found that it flattened the flavour out and the aftertaste it added didn’t do it justice. Always follow your nose and pick flavours that hit the spot.

Since the Planalto is a mix of subtle flavours, it’s a great drinker that doesn’t overpower the palate and accepts a lot of flavours. I’d expect all of your favorite coffee biscuits or wafers to work well and while anything too creamy will cut into its flavour it’ll manage a range of cakes too.

Overall, I was very impressed with the Planalto. I’d expected to find it overly flat and earthy but was pleased it had such a fruity body. It was a great drinker that you can have easily in large portions.

I’ve been Roger in Coffee, and this has been a review of the Planalto from Brazil. In the 21st century we are drinking over two billion cups of coffee a day. I'm doing my part, are you?

Aeropress steel filter

Aeropress steel filter

Hey everybody, what are you drinking? I'm Roger In Coffee and welcome to Coffee Cup. Today I’d like to spill the beans on the Aeropress steel filter from Home Revolution.

The Aeropress from Aerobie is one of the cheapest and most effective coffee machines you will ever have the pleasure to use and produces reliable espresso coffee shot after shot. Keeping stocked with paper filters is easy enough, and they are available in the hundreds from your coffee stockist however I wanted to try the alternative steel gauze I saw that disposes of the need for paper.

I washed the filter before first use, but didn't rinse quite as well as I should have and some detergent residue made it into my cup which just destroyed my first impressions.  Following a paranoid rinse of everything in warm water I was ready for take two, and my second first impressions were good and the results were everything I was expecting.

The steel gauze performs just as well as the paper filters do. It’s difficult to say for sure but I didn’t detect any difference in the coffee. I’ll keep switching between paper and steel in future weeks so I can confirm or deny this conclusion.

Second impressions on the steel filter were mixed. The Aeropress is really designed for disposable, biodegradable, paper filters that you can pop into the waste along with the puck of grounds in one simple movement.  The Aeropress scores high points on hygiene and convenience for how slick this process is.

The steel filter changes that, interrupting your movement with the need to gently remove the filter from the puck before disposing of it and then the filter demands immediate attention to rinse it out and place it on the side for drying.

While paper filters can be rinsed, dried, and reused several times - and you may meet connoisseurs who rinse their paper filters before use - the general practice is to dispose of them.

The steel gauze is incredibly fine and seems like it’s a perfect substitute for paper. One thing is that it feels really delicate and you probably have to be pretty careful when washing it otherwise you could stretch or damage it. Even rinsing under the tap I was super gentle with it because I didn't want to deform it before its first outing. This could be a long term consideration for the steel filter if it takes a lot of punishment and mine already has a small mark on it from where I applied too much pressure.

The steel filter costs about as much as a thousand paper filters, and while it might survive a thousand uses I'm not sure it’ll take that much rinsing and washing unless you really do take care of it.  Holding it in the plastic cap for the rinse should let enough water through without putting it in too much trauma.

Taking these downsides - minor as they are - into account, I don’t see myself switching from paper to steel for general home and office use, but I'm definitely pleased with the steel filter.

It might be that the more I use it, the more I like it, but the extra care and cleaning it adds kind of goes against the quick and easy operation of the aeropress.

The Steel filter will be great as a backup, and especially as a travel option it’s the way to go. Carrying one steel filter on the road is hugely preferable to carrying half a dozen paper filters and knowing there is a steel filter available at home means running out of filters is no longer a problem.

Likewise the steel filter could be a good choice for the outdoors - camping, hiking, or fishing trips - where a few grinds might bio-degrade but you don’t want to litter the camp-site with used paper filters that can get dug up by animals.

In conclusion, I’d recommend having a steel filter, even if you don’t use it every day. It’s small enough that it doesn’t take up any space. It can sit at the bottom of your paper stack so you know where it is and you will always have a filter to hand. It’s absolutely perfect if you are on the road, or there is an earthquake and your house floods and ruins your paper filters. At least you can still make a top-notch coffee.

In the twenty-first century we drink well over two billion cups of coffee a day.  I'm doing my part, are you?

Aeropress from Aerobie

aerobie.com/product/aeropress/

Stainless steel coffee filter from Home Revolution at Amazon

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0063SL2TQ/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_1