Discovering Brew Methods with Matt

Today we explored different brewing methods with Matt, barista extraordinaire!

Having narrowed down his favourite roast to the Black Gold, a dark roast Single Origin from Papua New Guinea, we can now proceed with testing out some delicious ways of making coffee!

First, ensure your water temperature is between 90c to 92c, the recommended water temperature for brewing coffee (don’t use boiling water as it will burn the grinds!)

Here are the methods we used:

Plunger

French Presses use a metal filter that allows natural oils and fine particles from the coffee beans to pass through into your cup. This is what gives French Press coffee it’s rich and hearty body compared to brewing methods that use a paper filter.

Place the pot on a dry, flat surface. Hold the handle firmly, then pull out the plunger

Add a heaping tablespoon (7-8 grams) of coffee to the pot per 200 ml (6.7 oz) of water

Pour hot water—not quite boiling—into the pot, and gently stir

Carefully reinsert the plunger into the pot, stopping just above the water and ground coffee (do not plunge yet), and let stand for 3-4 minutes

Press the plunger down slowly, exerting steady pressure

Aeropress

We’re sure you must have seen this distinctive coffee maker before. It looks like a giant syringe! The most notable characteristics of an Aeropress-brewed cup are its cleanliness and brightness. The paper filters keep any fines out of the cup, which can make the brew much cleaner than that of a French press.

Step 1
Put filter in filter cap and twist filter cap onto chamber

Step 2
Stand chamber on sturdy mug and put one rounded scoop of fine drip grind coffee in chamber. Shake to level coffee.

Step 3
Add water up to Level 1 on the chamber. 175°F (80°C) water for hot brewing or tap water for cold brew. Stir for about 10 seconds for hot brewing or 1 minute for cold brew.

Step 4
Insert plunger and press gently, pausing when you feel resistance, until plunger reaches grounds. 

Nanopresso

Compact, lightweight, and sturdy, Minipresso GR weighs only 360g and is designed to be the smallest, lightest and most versatile handheld espresso machine!

What’s also important to remember is that each of these methods require different grinds. The size of the grind will determine the extraction time. We use a visualisation guide to determine which grind will suit a particular brewing method.

Firstly, imagine two buckets both with holes at the bottom. The first bucket is full or rocks and the second bucket is full of sand.

When we pour water into each bucket, you will find the bucket with rocks will allow water to tun through very quickly while the bucket with sand will restrict the water, causing it to drip through.

The bucket with rocks symbolises a coarse grind and the bucket with sand symbolises a fine grind. The longer the coffee takes to brew, the more caffeine it is going to extract.

Depending on the grind size, you would want certain amount of time for the water to be in contact with the ground. Rule of thumb, slower water flow and faster extraction time and vice versa.

Matt’s preferences are, #1. Espresso Machine #2. Aeropress #3. Plunger. He loves a really clean cup of coffee compared to the French Press which leaves a bit of sediment!