The greatest thing that came with the push for new knowledge in the third wave of coffee is the diversity it has brought to every person’s cup of coffee. When choosing your speciality coffee, you now have so much information readily available to guide you through this decision. This could be specific flavour profiles supplied by expert cuppers, or information from the farm so that you know exactly who is growing your coffee and that their lifestyles are benefitted from using their crop.
However, the most interesting thing about domestic coffee drinking comes from one question; ‘how do you make your coffee at home?’
In past decades, this answer was simple: ‘instant’ or ‘filter’.
This question now receives such a broad range of answers which is why when recommending coffee, it is always the first thing to be asked.
Every person has a unique palate which contributes to their choice of coffee, however the brew method they use will also influence how they appreciate this coffee, and a personal favourite may not be when brewing differently.
The following is meant to be used as simplified advice to guide your coffee selection:
Mokapot/Stovetop:
Stovetop pots are usually for the more intense coffee seekers. These brew at a very high temperature using pressure, similar to the way you get an espresso however the pressure is less controlled and brews upwards through a less fine shower screen. The higher temperature tends to burn the acids and sweetness and results in a bolder, bitter more intense cup of coffee. I recommend the Moka Alessi 6 cup espresso stove top by Alessandro Mendini for £39.99 which can be found on our website.
Recommended coffee type: Brazil Cachoeira Finca
Roast: Dark
Origin: Asian, Latin/Central American
Cafetiere:
Cafetiere brewed coffee is the simplest brew method and yet the hardest to find an ideal coffee for. Due to the nature of the brew, just using infusion, this method is universal in coffee type. The only real variable here is the coffee and this means it is totally down to personal preference. Cafetieres can be a very good starting brew method if you are new to coffee, you can get a decent cafetiere for under £10 or you can invest in a high end one for more. We recommend our Grunwerg 6 cup Cafetiere Café Ole Elegant for £9.99
Recommended coffee type: Colombia Finca Sofia
Roast: Any
Origin: Any
Espresso makers:
Espresso makers have now been around for almost a century and yet, they are still the hardest brew type to master. You must calibrate the grind perfectly with the espresso machine to achieve the ideal 9bar extraction. The first thing that will be extracted from the machine will be the acidity and this can be a prominent aspect of the cup. To get a balanced and easy drinking coffee, typically you will need to find a flavour profile which has a medium-heavy body, low acidity and a cleaner, sweeter finish. For this reason, African coffees tend to be less suited to espresso brews and they tend not to pair so well with milk which means a latte will be off the table. Espresso machine sales have gone crazy over lockdown, with everyone wanting a barista perfect coffee at home, and why not! It’s easily achieved with the plethora of amazing espresso machines available.
We recommend trying an AeroPress for a quick and budget friendly Espresso at home. The AeroPress is an innovative product for making a perfect coffee every time. Whether it is at home, in the office, on a camping trip or at a hotel, the AeroPress enables you to make smooth and rich coffee without any bitterness.
Water and finely ground coffee are mixed, and then gentle air pressure pushes the mix through a micro filter. The AeroPress can be cleaned in a matter of seconds. It produces an easily disposable puck of coffee, which is simple to remove.
This innovative product is truly value for money, and beautifully simple to operate. You can find it for under £30 on our website.
If you’re looking to splash out on a high end, bean to cup barista espresso machine for home, we recommend the Sage Barista Pro. It has a beautiful LED display, and an auto grind and dose built-in grinder which grinds just the right amount of coffee every time. With a 3 second heat up time and precise espresso extraction, you go from bean to cup, faster than ever before.
For a more price savvy alternative, the Ariete Moderna 15 Bar Machine. This Ariete Espresso Maker has a generous 250g hopper which holds enough beans to grinds up to 35 portions of coffee. The machine also has various settings to ensure all your need are met, whether you want your coffee coarse, medium or fine.
An 800ml capacity water tank ensures you won’t have to refill as often when making drinks and as it is removable, even when you do have to refill it is perfectly easy.
Recommended coffee type: Guatemala Antigua Los Volcanes
Roast: Medium-Dark
Origin: Latin/Central American
Dripper:
Drippers are a great brew tool for all kitchens. You can produce an excellent brew with absolute ease! They will transform and benefit most coffees that are used with them. The filter catches many of the oil and leaves an exceptionally clean cup. You can have a heavier coffee will still have an intense flavour yet lose some of the less desirable bitterness. Overly acidic coffees will often be transformed to extremely sweet, easy drinking and even tea-like drinks. Drippers are one of the cheapest and effective ways of making great coffee, with prices starting at £4.00 for a plastic version. We recommend our plastic Hario V60 dripper in Red for a splash of colour or upgrade to the Ceramic Hario V60 for something more robust and elegant.
Recommended coffee type: Brazil Santos
Roast: Medium- Medium Dark
Origin: African, Central American
Pour Overs:
Pour over coffee has been embraced and loved by the specialty coffee scene in recent years and it is the perfect kit for coffee beginners to start their coffee journey at home. The pour over method involves hand pouring hot water through coffee grounds in a filter. The water drains through the coffee and filter into a carafe. This makes it a popular choice for single origin coffees since it allows the flavours and aromas to shine. Good filter coffee is clean, clear, and consistent. This is because the water can extract coffee oils and fragrances in its own time and at its own pressure. The filter then catches a lot of oils, leading to a clean cup. What’s the difference between pour over and a dripper I hear you ask? The basics of the pour over and drip coffee brewing methods are in fact the same. In both methods, temperature-controlled water is added to coffee grounds, and the spent grounds are separated from the liquid. The difference lies within the specifics of the two processes. There are distinct variables like speed and water flow, and brew time that affect the characteristics of the product, including texture, taste and overall quality of the coffee.
We recommend the Chemex Pour Over CM-6A 6-Cup Classic Series Glass Coffeemaker it delivers the purest flavour experience. It is made of non-porous Borosilicate glass which will not absorb odours or chemical residues. CHEMEX pour-over allows coffee to be covered and refrigerated for reheating without losing flavour. It is simple and easy to use with timeless with elegant design.
Recommended coffee type: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Koke
Roast: Light to Medium
Origin: African, Central American
If you like our brewing method article, check out our guide on choosing the correct filter papers here!
