the art and science of coffee

8/12/2019 The Art and Science of Coffee

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: History of Coffee................................................................................ 2Chapter 2: Barista Secrets Revealed

.................................................................. 5Chapter 3: How to Choose an Espresso Machine?.......................................... 12Chapter 4: Espresso Caf-Style ......................................................................... 17Chapter 5: Tips for Making an Espresso........................................................... 19Chapter 6: Troubleshooting ................................................................................. 21Chapter 7: The Art of Frothing Milk................................................................. 23


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Chapter 1: History of Coffee

Coffee facts and coffee myths come together to form a

combination of truth and mystery. According to these myths,

coffee dates back to at least the 13th century, before solidrecords were kept, so its hard to know how much truth and

how much fiction is attributed to the long-ago story tellers.

Even if theres only a small amount of truth in it, it makes the

legend so much more plausible.

It all started in the highlands of Ethiopia where a goat herder

named Kaldi discovered that his goats, after eating the

berries from the coffee trees, wouldnt sleep at night.

The wonder of this berry soon reached others in thecommunity, and it wasnt long before people recognized the

energy this drink produced. The story of the coffee berries


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was born and slowly word spread to the east of the Arabian

Peninsula as did a bountiful drink called coffee. It wasnt long

before the whole world celebrated by drinking coffee.

Coffee was born, and today it is grown in different corners ofthe world. All the countries that grow coffee can trace its

roots back to the forests of the Ethiopian Plateau.

Coffee in the Arabian Peninsula

The first people to cultivate and begin trading coffee was the

Arabs. It can be traced back to the fifteenth century in theYemeni district of Arabia where it was grown, and the

sixteenth century it had made its way to Persia, Egypt, Syria

and Turkey. It became not only a popular drink in their homes

but also in coffee houses, which were called qahveh khaneh.

The public coffee houses became very popular with people. It

wasnt just the coffee that was important, but also the social

interaction, the music, the performers, playing games like

chess, and catching up on the current news of the day. In fact,

it became so popular and a leading source of information for

the people, it soon became known as Schools of the Wise.

Word spread quickly around about the wine of Araby as it was

often called by the pilgrims who visited the holy city of Mecca.

Of course the Arabians wanted control of the coffee trade,and were very secretive about their coffee production.


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Chapter 2: Barista Secrets RevealedThe power of making great coffee is in your hands

if you follow this advice from the barista

10 Things You Wanted to Know About Coffee But You

Were Too Afraid to Ask

1 Where does the expression pulling an espresso?

The reason dates back to the original espresso machines which

had a pump handle that had to be pulled to pump waterthrough the coffee.

2 Why do people weigh coffee ingredients?

Its an exact science so Baristas weigh all their ingredientsso they can be confident they are getting the perfect ratio in

every espresso they make.

3 To pull an espresso how long does it take?

To reach espresso perfection should take between 23 and 28

seconds to pull. If youre outside either side of this range,

then you need to adjust your grind.


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4 Is there much difference between an espresso and aristretto?

Theres not much difference. Being a short espresso, aristretto comes in three types:

Ristretto (reduced)

Normale (normal)

Lungo (long)

It is a slight adjustment in the grind although they still pull

the shot for the same length of time.

5 How much coffee does a grande have in it vs a piccolo?

To get more coffee in your grande you will need to order anextra shot of espresso. The larger size cup is only filled with

more milk and coffee, not more coffee.


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6 The art of making latte is that just showing off?

Theres always a small amount of showing off in any coffee art,

especially with the art of making latte. If the designs on thetop of the latte are well formed, then it shows you that themilk has been properly frothed.

7 How long does it take to be a barista?

There are weekend courses you can do in learning to be abarista. This is just the start of your learning journey in the

art and science of making coffee. Like all good baristas, for

them, the learning never stops. On the job training is where

you learn to be a good barista.

8 Will a barista grind my coffee?

The reason why you might ask a barista to grind your coffee is

because grinding fresh coffee is important. If you have a

cheap grinder or one that grinds your coffee beansinconsistently, you will need to buy a quality grinder or as a

barista to grind your coffee.

9 How long ago were your beans roasted?

There is a short life-span for roasted coffee beans. Its best

not to use beans that have been roasted more than ten days

ago. After roasting, coffee connoisseurs like to wait a few


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days before using the beans. A good rule of thumb is between

five and ten days from roasting.

10 Is there much difference between espresso and filter

coffee?

It depends if you like espresso that has more caffeine than

brewed filter coffee. With espresso, the pressure involved

forces more solids and oils into the shot. Or you might like

coffee thats brewed through a filter as it accentuates thecoffees more delicate flavours.


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Chapter 3: What Type of Grinder Should I use?

To make great coffee first you need quality coffee beans. The

second most important ingredient to making great coffee is a

quality grinder. You will find the best coffee houses use a

grind-to-order-grinder, and that should be your aim too. These

are the best grinders because they deliver the exact amountof coffee to your shot.

If you use a doser grinder, it will store ground coffee until itsneeded, which isnt good as it will result in more wastage, more

inconsistently and lower quality.

When it comes to investing in a coffee machine, most machineswill do the job so its better to invest in a quality grinder than

anything else. If you get this right, you will soon be making

quality coffees. Workout what your budget is for your


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espresso equipment, but spend a fair chunk of it on a good

grinder.

Other Variables to Make Quality Coffee

Water

This can be often overlooked when making coffee. Water is

important to the final flavour as it makes up 95% - 98% of

your coffee.

Make sure the water from your tap is not hard water as it can

damage your coffee machine and the taste of your coffee. To

see if you have hard water, check your kettle for limescale. If

you have a crusty element, then you need to filter your water.

Even if you have good water, its best to buy a water filter to

use for your espresso coffee machine. You will definitely

notice the difference in the taste of your coffee.

Temperature

When it comes to heating water, the right temperature isimportant and what everyone wants in making good coffee. It

should be in the range of 93-94 C, depending on what espresso

blend that you are using. All beans are different and requiredifferent temperatures.

It helps your coffee making experience when you have the

latest gadgets and machines, but it isnt the main variable for

making outstanding coffee.

The main variable isyou.


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Theres always a lot to learn in the art of coffee making and it

takes hard work and practice to make your favourite coffeesthe way the cafes and restaurants do. So the best advice to

get a good machine and start making coffee, and learn fromyour mistakes.


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Chapter 3: How to Choose an Espresso Machine?

Espresso machines have

been around for a long time. It was back in 1822 when the

first espresso machine was designed in France, although the

first patent was in 1884 in Italy. That was the start althougha mechanic from Milan improved the machine by adding a few

improvements.

That was the start of something great and today they have

built on that concept to produce a modern coffee maker that

can just do just about anything.


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The Function

There is one aim for the espresso machine and that is to force

hot water through the tightly packed, finely-ground coffeebeans, producing a short, powerfully-blended coffee.

The very first espresso machines were steam-powered witha boiler, which forced the water through the coffee.

Through constant research and improvements, the espresso

machine have improved their performance in the process, even

though there are still steam-powered espresso machinesavailable today.

Buying a Machine

When you love coffee and always thinking about coffee, then

its probably time to go and shop around for an espresso

coffee machine.

If you like most coffee enthusiasts, you will want to have

coffee whenever you feel like it, not when its available. You

obviously love coffee and you just want to make good quality

coffee just the way you like it. Thats why you are reading the

tips in this ebook; to better understanding of the art and

science of coffee.

There are many machines in the market place as the demand

exceeds the expectation of quality machines. There are a lotthat do a good job and some that perform poorly.

Confidence plays a strong part when people are deciding what

coffee machine to buy. They often buy the semi-automatic

model or fully-automatic model because its less daunting and


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challenging than buying a manual model.

The manual machines require a good deal of skill and practice

and for the beginner this can be overwhelming, to say theleast.

So whats the difference between automatic and semi-automatic?

Manual

This is where you do everything with these machines, you pullthe shot by pulling a pump-handle.

Semi-automatic

Keep calm and relax as you turn the pump on and off while themachine handles the rest. Automatic pump controls and boiler

temperature settings make coffee making a cinch.

Automatic

Theres not much to do here except sit back and relax some

more while the machine does the rest. As simple as pressing a

button, and stand back as a pump, automated controlled-temperature gives you a perfect shot of coffee.

Buyers Guide

There are a few key features to keep in mind beforedeciding on what make or model to buy


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Check the Quality of the Machine

Different ways to check the quality of the machine:

As a general rule, metal is better than plastic, but not alwaysthe case. Do your research. Check out online reviews of

espresso coffee machines.

There are many review sites of Amazon Espresso Coffee

Machines, including the one below:

http://www.myespressocoffeemachines.com/blog/
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Chapter 4: Espresso Caf-Style

The favourite among favourites at coffee houses around

the world. The demand is phenomenal for quality coffee

For all coffee enthusiasts, the espresso represents thecoffee culture of our lifestyle.

Its a bittersweet concoction that imbues us with a great

taste of coffee, and is the cornerstone and key ingredient ofmaking cappuccino, latte, and Americano. Even though brewed

coffee is making a big return in popularity, espresso still takes

first prize in the demand of this style of coffee making in

cafes and restaurants.

Its all in the taste from the smell of the caffeine to the

rich flavour and full-bodied crema espresso delivers on all

levels, and all because of the way its produced. The

difference in coffee making methods between brewing and

espresso is supreme; brewing is the gentle immersion of hot

water and coffee grinds, gently lifting the flavour while


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espresso is the extraction of flavours in a completely

aggressive manner.

The almost-boiling water shoots out over finely ground coffeebeans at high pressure, tearing flavour and solids from thecoffee as the process starts.

The true meaning of the word espresso in Italian translates to

express, and refers to the time it takes for each shot of

coffee between 23 and 28 seconds.

This is a crucial process in extraction of both solid and thedissolution of the grinds, which gives espresso an intense

flavour and the caffeine hit that we all love.

How it works:

the high pressure (usually from at least nine bars) brewing

technique extracts the otherwise insoluble oils and flavour

from the beans to produce the crema. While crema doesnt

hold its form for long, you only have a short time to add the

milk. In fact, it is mere seconds. For lattes, you have about 10

seconds to add the milk to the espresso.


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Chapter 5: Tips for Making an EspressoHow to get the art of making espresso right

Learning to make espresso is an important step in the

direction of making other drinks such as Latte and Americano.

This art form is the epitome for coffee lovers.

To make the perfect espresso you will need lots of practice,

fresh coffee beans, and an espresso machine.

Step 1. Warming your cup

First, its important to have a warm cup as espresso is

sensitive to varying changes in temperature. Either buy a

machine that has a cup warm as part of the machine or heat

the cup with hot water from the machine.

Step 2. Dose your coffee

To make espresso successfully, you need fresh, quality coffee

beans to grind grind the coffee beans into your portafilterbasket. Aim to have about 18-20g for each dose, depending on

your machine and your preference. Shake the coffee to settle

it, and then even it out with your finger or knife.

Step 3. Tamping

With the tamper, apply ample pressure to flatten the coffee

in your portafilter. Make sure there are no cracks in the

flattened coffee.


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Step 4. Spray the grouphead

Before you clamp the portafilter onto the grouphead, you need

to let hot water gush throughout the system. If its hissingspurting, then its too hot. Let it settle down a bit before youclamp it on.

Step 5. Clamping the portafilter

Clamp the portafilter onto the grouphead and place the cup or

mug under the spouts. The liquid will start pouring through the

grouphead.

Step 6. Timing is everything

You dont want the espresso to gush out. It should slowly drip

into the cup and increase in speed near the end. By timing it

you will know if youre in the right range it should be between

24-28 seconds.

Step 7. Adjusting the formula

The first time you make an espresso its not going to be

perfect or anywhere near perfect. You will need to adjustthe grind. If its too fast, you need to adjust to a finer grind.

If its too slow, you will need a coarser grind.


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Chapter 6: TroubleshootingPractice, practice, practice helps you in the long run when you

want to make a perfect coffee. If its not quite right, you willhave to go back and fix it.

The bitter truth about coffee making is that the quality is

entirely up to you. If its not quite right, the blame can only beplaced on your expertise or lack of it.

Making great coffee has nothing to do with luck. It has to dowith skill, timing, precision, and artistry. All gained through

practice and experience.

Problems you may be experiencing now can be fixed with duepatience and persistence.

The first thing you need to do is understand there are only

five variables:

Dose: the amount of coffee used

Grind: how fine your grind was

Water: the amount of water you used

Temperature: how hot the water was

Time: how long you left it sitting

A simple adjustment in any of these important factors can

enhance the taste of your coffee, giving you the flavour you

desire.


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A basic knowledge of the art and science of coffee making will

help you decide which element to change to attain betterresults.

Great coffee making requires a little bit of everything; a goodbalance of all the elements will help your coffee making skills

to no end.

The best way to do it is experiment with each element

individually until you have worked it all out. Trial and test is

the secret to great coffee making.


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Chapter 7: The Art of Frothing Milk

The sweetest part of the coffee making experience awaitsyou with these tips on milk frothing

The art of foaming milk is an art in itself as you would have

experienced as a coffee-loving caf drinker. With practice

and these tips, you can emulate the baristas art of frothing

milk.

Once you are accomplished in frothing the milk like an expert,

you can celebrate by making your favourite drinks in style:


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from cappuccino with a mountain of foam or however you like it

to the golden-thin froth of a latte.

Once it all comes together, your confidence will soar as well asyour coffee making abilities, and soon everyone will want youto make their coffees.

This part of the coffee making experience is so easy to do.

There are only a few basics to master. Once mastered, it will

be like second nature to you.

What you will need

A pitcher, an espresso machine with a steam arm, a

thermometer, milk

Step 1Choosing a pitcher

Shop around for the right pitcher because frothing milk is

about style and you need a pitcher that has a sharp-designed

spout, especially good for pouring lattes. You dont want to go

too large because it will be hard to judge the temperature of

the milk.

Step 2

Pour milk

The milk should be cold and straight from the fridge whenpouring into the jug.


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Step 3

Using the steam wand

You have to tilt the jug at a slight angle and position the tip ofthe steam wand just under the surface of the milk. Turn onthe steam, which should create a swirling pool of milk and a

sucking noise. Thats what you want to hear and see as you

prepare the milk for frothing.

Step 4

If you want to make a latte, move the wand closer to thesurface of the milk so a vortex-pool is created. This will cause

the foam to turn into a denser form of microfoam.

Step 5

Moving the pitcher

Move the pitcher down slowly and allowing the hole of the

steam wand to appear near the surface of the milk, creating

the required bubbles.

Step 6

You will want to heat the body of the milk by dipping the wand

deeper into the milk after the milk has increased in volume by

50%. You dont want to heat the milk any higher than 70C(160F). Any higher, and protein curdles and destroys the foam.

A thermometer will help you keep track of this process,

although it is more acceptable in quality cafes to hold yourhands around the pitcher to gauge the temperature. You can

then learn to gauge the temperature with practice and skill.


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Step 7

Give the jug a few solid taps on the bench to settle the

bubbles before pouring into your espresso.


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PersonalMessagefromBruce TannerofMake Mine BlackIhopeyoufoundTheArtandScienceofCoffeeusefulandthatithelps

youtomakeaperfectcoffee!

Formoreinformation,tips,andproductstogetyoustartedyoucanvisit

mywebsite:

www.makemineblack.com

More Links to Help YouIfyouareseriousaboutmakinggreatcoffeeyouwillneedaquality

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