Kaffiskóli Kaffiklúbbsins

Uppruni

Ristun

Hvernig skal laga kaffi

Uppruni

Sú planta sem kaffið kemur frá getur spilað stórt hlutverk varðandi bragðeinkenni og gæði kaffisins.

Hægt er að flokka kaffi í ýmsa flokka. Algengast er að kaffið sé flokkað niður í Arabica og Robusta en það eru einskonar yfirtegundir.

Hinsvegar er hægt að flokka kaffi mun nákvæmar með því að vísa í nafn plöntunar sjálfrar. Þessi undirnöfn kallast "varieties" á ensku.

Auðveldast er að líkja þessu við epli. Epli eru til í allskonar stærðum og gerðum. Þau geta verið græn, gul eða rauð og geta verið sæt, súr, mjúk eða stökk.

Kaffiplönturnar hafa allar sína genatísku eiginleka sem ákvarða hvernig kaffið mun bragðast, hversu mikið hver planta getur framleitt á hverju ári, hversu sterk plantan er gegn sjúkdómum og hversu há plantan getur orðið.

Undirtegundirnar Bourbon, Typica, Caturra og Catuai eru nokkrar af þeim algengustu kaffiplöntum sem finnast í Suður-Ameríku á meðan SL34, SL28 og plöntur sem ættaðar eru til Eþíópíu finnast að mestu leiti í Austur-Afríku.

Upplýsingar um upprunaplöntu kaffitegundar geta verið mikilvægar ef þú vilt vita hvernig bragði þú mátt búast við. Við hjá Kaffiklúbbnum vitum þetta og reynum að láta þessar upplýsingar ávallt fylgja með kaffinu.

Kaffiræktunin

"The goal of processing coffee is to remove the outer layers of the cherry to prepare the raw green coffee ready for export and roasting. "
INTRO WASHED METHOD FULL NATURAL METHOD HYBRID METHODS
| INTRO TO PROCESSING |

The goal of processing coffee is to remove the outer layers of the cherry to prepare the raw green coffee ready for export and roasting. Each processing method removes these outer layers at different stages of the process and will play an important role in how the coffee will taste.

SEED: Often referred to as a bean, made of wood cellulose structure

SILVER SKIN: Thin tissue paper like layer surrounding the seed that comes off during roasting, referred to as chaff.

PARCHMENT: Protective layer surrounding seed

FRUIT/PULP/MUCILAGE: If the fruit is removed completely in early stages of processing, it will result in crisper, cleaner coffees, if left on during drying, it can add fruity and sometimes earthy characteristics.

OUTER SKIN: Outer protecting layer of skin.

WHAT ARE THE THREE METHODS?

WASHED (WET)

The majority of coffees from Central America, South America and Africa are washed, while only a small minority of coffees from Indonesia are processed this way.

FULL NATURAL (DRY)

Used predominantly in Ethiopia, Yemen, and Brazil. High quality naturals are selectively picked by hand and meticulously sorted after hulling.

SEMI-WASHED, PULPED NATURAL & HONEY

Hybrid processing methods are used most commonly in Indonesia and Brazil, though new hybrid methods like the Honey process is gaining traction throughout Central America.
|WASHED METHOD|

After selective harvesting, coffee cherries are put in large tanks of water for density sorting. Cherries that sink are ripe, while cherries on the surface, called floaters, are either under-ripe, overripe or defective. These floaters are skimmed off the top before the ripe ones are moved to the pulper to remove the outer skin and some of the fruity mucilage layer.

Once the coffee has been pulped, it needs to ferment. The fermentation process varies widely depending on where the coffee is grown. In Latin America, many wet-mills will ferment the coffee submerged in water in large vats for 12-36 hours. In Kenya, however, many mills will let the pulped coffee sit in the open air to ferment. During this time, enzymatic processes occur and microbial organisms from the environment will descend upon the fruit, and begin to break the fruity mucilage down so it is easier to remove.

Once fermentation is complete, the coffee in parchment is moved to a washing tank where they will wash any remaining mucilage off. Sometimes they will let the parchment soak again to create uniform moisture content in the coffee.

Once washing is complete, it is time to dry it. This can be done a number of ways and also depends on where the coffee is grown.

The parchment can be dried in the sun on a patio or on raised beds for even drying. The coffee must be raked and turned regularly to avoid rotting or uneven drying. This process can take anywhere from 10 days up to a month to complete.

Farmers can also use a mechanical dryer, utilizing stable, low heat to slowly dry the coffee.

Once pulping, fermentation, washing and drying are complete, the parchment coffee needs to stabilize. Called "reposado" in Latin America, this is done by bagging the parchment coffee in large burlap bags and letting it rest for up to two or three months.

After resting, the coffee must be dry milled or "hulled". This process involves removing the parchment layer and getting down to the green coffee. This is done using large machines that break the parchment layer off and separate the green coffee out.

It is now time to bag the coffee. It can be bagged in fresh burlap bags, called "jute", or these bags can be lined with plastic to help keep the coffee fresher and protect it during transport. This is called "grain-pro". A newer technique that can prolong the shelf life of green coffee is to store it in vaccum sealed bags.

Characteristics of Washed Coffees Clean, crisp, bright, light bodied, refined flavor profile.

Fruits like apples, citrus (lemon, orange), berries (blueberry, strawberry); milk and bittersweet chocolate, and nuts are common flavors found in washed coffees.

| FULL NATURAL METHOD |

This is the original processing method, at the most basic level. It has been practiced, in some form, for centuries in Ethiopia and Yemen.

This process requires less resources like water and electricity but much more time and labor intensive to sort for high quality coffees because of lack of water separation of defects. Although it uses few natural resources, it is labor and time-costly to sort well and can produce very inconsistent roasts and can contain lots of defects.

Once coffee is harvested, it is immediately laid out to dry.

This process can take up to a month and must be meticulously observed and rotated so that cherries do not over ferment, spoil or dry unevenly.

This can be done on patios or on raised beds. Patio dried coffee must be rotated more frequently, but can allow farmers to dry more coffee simultaneously. The extra airflow of raised beds helps dry all the cherries uniformly, reducing the need to rotate as frequently to avoid mold, mildew and rotting, but can be harder to dry large quanities of coffee.

After drying, the coffee must be hulled to remove the dried skin, fruit and parchment layers.

Benefits of natural method: When carefully sorted, natural coffees can be exceptionally sweet, balanced and heavily fruited.

Potential disadvantages: It is time intensive to rotate the cherries and sort the green coffee for defects. If done incorrectly, you risk spoiling the entire harvest.

Characteristics of Full Naturals: High quality naturals are bursting with fruits, spices and chocolate. Sometimes, naturals can be heavy or dirty, and on occasion the acidity can be more muted.

Lots of winey/dark fruits (black currant, raisin, cherries), warm/baking spices (nutmeg, cardamom, anise), raw cacao (bitter chocolate), earthy.

| HYBRID METHODS |

The most commonly used hybrid methods are know as the Semi-Washed or "Giling Basah" method native to Indonesia, the Pulped Natural Method commonly used in Brazil, and the Honey or "miel" process used in Central American countries like Costa Rica and El Salvador.

These are hybrid methods because they employ techniques borrowed from both the washed and natural processes to strip a coffee cherry of its layers.

Semi-Washed coffees can be found predominantly in the Indonesian islands like Sumatra. The Pulped Natural method is native to Brazil and is the most commonly found hybrid method in the Americas. The honey or "miel" process is a more recently adopted hybrid method, gaining traction as an experimental processing method in places like Costa Rica and El Salvador. A cousin to the Pulped Natural Method, this process involves stripping the skin off the fruit and some of the fruity mucilage layer in a machine called a depulper. When the fruit layer around the parchment dries, it darkens in color and looks like an amber honey coating, giving it its name.

While these methods are similar, there are some key distinctions between them. They all employ use of a pulper, removing the outer skin and some of the fruity mucilage layer. This is where the the pulped natural and honey methods are different than the semi-washed method.

In the semi-washed method, the coffee in parchment is partially dried then wet-hulled, meaning that they remove the parchment layer before fully dried, to reveal a swollen seed, that appears to be white in color. The exposed seed is then fully dried and at a central milling station and turns to a deep blue-ish hue. The coffee is now ready to be bagged and exported.

In the pulped natural and the honey methods, once the coffee is pulped, it is ready to be dried. Often times, the farmers will allow the parchment to dry completely before bagging the coffee in parchment to rest and then remove the parchment by hulling. Once hulled this coffee is ready to be bagged and exported.

Benefits of Hybrid methods: Cost effective for small farmers, allowing them to sell their crop quickly and use money to support their families. Creates an interesting flavor profile if done properly and meticulously.

Disadvantages: Can result in off flavors, and can lower coffee quality.

Characteristics of Hybrid Methods: Semi-washed coffees tend to have very low, muted acidity, heavy body, and intensely earthy, spicy and herbaceous flavors. Known for being "dirty", lacking clarity.

Pulped Natural and Honey coffees also have a more muted acidity and fuller body. They flavors range from sweet fruits and chocolate to nutty and earthy flavors.

"The altitude at which coffee is grown and the microclimate are complex variables that contribute to how a coffee will taste."
The altitude at which a coffee is grown plays an essential role in developing sugars, acids, and complex flavors that will ultimately lead to a delicious cup of coffee. When coffee shrubs are grown at higher elevations, it creates a unique cultivation environment for the coffee. Typically, higher day time temperatures are met with cooler night time temperatures. This temperature range allows for a slower development of cherries. It is believed that this slower development process of cherries results in more dense seeds, which will roast more evenly and produce a distinctly sweet and balanced cup. When determining what coffee to buy, you will often see the altitude listed on the bag. Look for coffees that range from 1000-2000 meters.

The specific weather, such as rainfall patterns and climate of a region also play a role in the growth and development of the coffee cherries.

Fair trade

"Certifications can be confusing and it's not always clear what each of them means. Here's a closer look into how these programs are designed to help farmers."
When buying coffee, whether at a grocery store, a local roastery, or online, you will often come across various stickers, labels and certifications that can be confusing. The three most common certifications that coffee roasters use to market their coffee are Fair Trade, USDA Organic, and Direct Trade. Even though you may be familiar with the label, you may not always know what it means or how it affects the coffee. Below, we put together a guide on how to distinguish what each label means and how it can impact your purchasing habits.

FAIR TRADE

Fair Trade USA is an organization whose mission is to improve the lives of producers. Fair Trade has established criteria for certifying that farmers are fairly compensated for their product and that ethical employment practices are upheld. Fair Trade acts as a safety net for producers when the market price drops below the cost of production, so that producers are financially protected. Fair Trade has also created standards for ensuring health, safety, fair wages, and adequate housing for workers.

While Fair Trade International does work hard to better the lives of farm owners and their employees, they leave something to be desired. Since many farmers rely on the commodity market to determine the price of their coffee and often times make barely enough to support their families, it can be incredibly expensive for the farmer to invest what little money they have in attaining this certification in the first place.

Also, Fair Trade's standards completely disregard the quality of coffee. This means that they create a standard safety-net pricing for coffee based solely on production, and disregard the quality of coffee when determining the price of coffee. This means that there is no incentive for farmers to improve the quality of their coffee and if they do, they can often times get much higher prices for their high quality coffee outside of the Fair Trade system.

Overall, while Fair Trade's mission does indeed add value and benefits for producers, it still has room for improvement.

USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC

This is an United States Department of Agriculture certification program that indicates that an agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical processes that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. These standards maintain that synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

These standards are designed to ensure that coffee is being farmed in sustainable methods to maintain and improve the environment coffee is grown in. However, this certification can be expensive for farmers to pay for. Often times, coffee is being produced "organically" because the farmers don't have the money to buy pesticides or synthetic fertilizers in the first place, let alone pay for the certification. Similarly to Fair Trade, while these standards are designed to benefit farmers and the environment, they ultimately fail to take quality into account.

DIRECT TRADE

Ideally, the Direct Trade model is designed to directly benefit the farmers. By definition, direct trade is a relationship-centered trade system between farmers and roasters. This relationship encourages roasters to pay higher prices to farmers without any middlemen taking a portion of the profit, which can help a farm invest in itself to improve the quality of coffee they produce as well as the livelihood of those who own and work it. It also encourages roasters to develop real, lasting relationships with the farmers.

While Direct Trade can be a great thing for farmers, the system still has its own flaws. The term "Direct Trade" is not universal, and every company determines their own standards for what Direct Trade means. To some, it means that they regularly (usually once or twice a year) visit a farm with which they have established a long term relationship and work to improve coffee quality and the farmers' livelihoods. To some, it means that they didn't use an importer when sourcing the coffee. And some roasters simply market their coffee as Direct Trade, without doing anything different. It's important to do research on what a company's standards are when defining Direct Trade. Often times, reliable, honest and transparent roasters have published their requirements for what determines Direct Trade coffees.

All of these certifications certainly have merits and are well intended, but when you check out at the counter, make sure to be aware of what you are paying for and how it really affects the farmer.

Svæði

Asía og Kyrrahafið

Afríka

ETHIOPIA The Ethiopian Coffee Exchange (ECX) has changed the way in which coffees are bought and sold in Ethiopia, but the quality of its coffee haven't changed at all. These coffees are wild, exotic, and wonderfully sweet. Whether it's a citrusy, tea-like washed coffee from Yirgacheffe or a juicy fruit-forward natural from Sidama, you can't go wrong with a coffee from here.	RWANDA Rwanda produces some of the most unique and interesting coffees because of the extremely high altitude that they are grown at, reaching between 1,700 and 2,000 meters above sea level. We often taste honey sweetness, a jam-like fruit presence and nuts, like cashews, peanuts and almonds.	KENYA Perhaps one of the most loved producing countries in Africa; Kenyan coffees are distinguished and delicious. These coffees have a distinct fruitiness like cranberries, raisins, and currants, with a certain wine-like acidity and mouthfeel. Perfect for a hot summer day as an iced coffee or a wonderfully aromatic way to start your day.
BURUNDI A relatively small producing country compared to its African neighbors, Burundi produces a unique selection of coffees. Like other Africans, expect a syrupy body and notes of dark fruits and chocolate.

Asía og kyrrahafið

PAPUA NEW GUINEA While the country Papua New Guinea shares an island with Indonesia, its coffees are fairly different than other Indonesians. Most coffee here is washed, and thusly the coffees are brighter, lighter and cleaner than their Indonesian counterparts. Look for mild acidity and a round but clean body.	JAVA The origin of one of coffee's many nicknames, 'Java' actually refers to an island in the Indonesian archipelago. The coffee history here is rich, as Dutch colonists first brought coffee cultivation to Java in the late 17th century. Unlike other Indonesian coffee, most coffee here is processed via the washed method. This produces a cleaner cup, with slightly more acidity and sweeter flavors.	SULAWESI Coffees from Sulawesi are a bit more refined than their Sumatran counterparts. These coffees are a bit more herbacious, with notes of peppers and herbs and can be bit more savory, with a somewhat honeyed sweetness.
SUMATRA Sumatra is probably the most recognized producing region from Indonesia. Coffees from this island are intensely earthy, with notes of tobacco, spice and leather, the body is heavy and almost syrupy and the acidity is only faintly present. Fans of heavy mouthfeel and intense flavors will want to explore coffees from here.

Ameríka

EL SALVADOR The high elevation mountains, favorable microclimate and precise processing practices of El Salvador make these coffees absolutely wonderful. They often boast a delicate mouthfeel, fruited sweetness, and a clean finish.	PERU The mountainous terrain and moist climate of Peru provides a great environment for growing delicious coffees. Peruvian coffee can range from savory and earthy to clean and sweet.	PANAMA Coffees from Panama are some of the most elegant coffees in the world. A handful of truly spectacular lots over the past decade have created an obsession with these incredibly sweet, tea-like and refined coffees. Look for subtle fruits, honey sweetness, and incredible balance.
NICARAGUA Coffee farming in Nicaragua has seen resurgence in recent years, experimenting with processing methods and producing exceptional lots. Coffees from Nicaragua often range in flavor from bright and lively like and Costa Rica, to heavy and fruited like coffees from Colombia.	MEXICO While coffees from Mexico are typically mild and balanced, they deserve recognition for their own unique traits. These coffees are bright, clean and delicate, with notes of nuts, citrus, and chocolate.	HONDURAS Honduras may be a lesser-known producing country, but it is quickly becoming a well-regarded region for its excellent coffees. These coffees often have nut-like, chocolate and caramelly sweet flavors.
GUATEMALA Guatemala is one of the highest regarded producing countries in the world. With their sparkling acidity, round body, and balance of flavors, Guatemalans are a true pleasure to enjoy. We often times associate these coffees with intense chocolate notes.	COSTA RICA Costa Rican coffees have the quintessential Central American flavor profile. These coffees typically have a lively acidity paired with a light body and clean finish. These coffees tend to be sweet and mild, with flavors ranging from floral and tea-like to chocolate and citrus.	COLOMBIA As the second largest coffee producing country in the world, Colombia is an established origin familiar to most coffee drinkers. The best coffees are intensely aromatic, sweet, and balanced with fruited acidity and pleasant nuttiness.
BRAZIL http://mistobox.com/v/mistoboxbeta/images/brazil.jpg Brazil is the largest producer of Arabica coffee in the world, producing over 25% of the world's supply. These coffees are known for having heavy body and lower acidity paired with nuts, dark fruit and bittersweet chocolate notes.

Ristun

"A simplified explanation of a complicated topic, here is a basic introduction to the roasting process."
ROASTING PROCESS SINGLE ORIGIN/BLEND ROAST LEVEL
| THE ROASTING PROCESS |

While the roasting process can appear incredibly complex, the basic premise is relatively simple. A drum roaster utilizes a "drum" or rotating cylindrical chamber that is made of perforated or solid steel to agitate and heat the "green" or unroasted coffee. This process can take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes depending on how the Master Roaster implements a particular roast profile.

This profile is a prescribed set of instructions on when and how to use direct heat from natural gas burners and hot air to turn green coffee into roasted coffee, ready to be brewed and enjoyed. As we know from the previous section, coffee has innumerable variables that will determine how it will taste; from where it's grown, to the variety, to the processing method. The Master Roaster will take all of these in to account when developing a roast profile that will highlight and emphasize the best characteristics of each coffee. For the Master Roaster it's a balancing act of heat and time to perfectly coax out and highlight these subtle nuances naturally found in the raw material.

THREE PHASES OF THE ROASTING PROCESS

WARMING STAGE

When the coffee first enters the hot 'drum', it needs to warm up. This 'warming stage' brings the coffee from room temperature to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The coffee will start to change from green, to a straw-like yellow, to an orange-y brown and the coffee will smell like hay or grass.
DRYING STAGE

Here the moisture still in the coffee reaches a temperature where it turns to water vapor and erupts from the bean along with carbon dioxide and other gases. When it erupts, the gases escape through the center crack, the bean will grow in size considerably and a loud, audible popping noise can be heard. This is called 'first crack.'
DEVELOPMENT STAGE

Finally, the 'development stage' is where the Master Roaster will fine-tune the coffee's final flavors and characteristics, and must be conscious of the perfect time and temperature to drop the coffee to cool.
The newly roasted coffee must be cooled quickly to stop the roasting process. Once the coffee has been roasted to perfection, the Master Roaster 'drops' the coffee into the cooling tray with a rotating arm to aid in expediting the cooling process.

After the coffee is roasted, it needs to rest for a day or two to stabilize before it is ready for brewing and enjoying.

| SINGLE ORIGIN AND BLENDING |

For us, coffee is all about the story. We love knowing that each coffee is a labor of love from the time that the coffee was harvested until it is freshly roasted and shipped to your door, ready to be brewed. We feel that the best way to recognize the story of each coffee is for our roasters to carefully source high quality coffees at origin, roast them lightly to highlight their unique characteristics and let the coffee tell its own story.

We prefer single origin coffees because we are able to enjoy the fruits of each farmer's labors, put the names of each farmer or Coop on the bag and celebrate the unique attributes that make their coffee special. By blending different coffees and origins together, you lose some of that story and some of what makes each coffee special.

| OUR ROASTING PHILOSOPHY |

While many coffee drinkers are accustomed to the smoky and roasty flavors associated with darker roasts, not all coffees taste that way. When a coffee is roasted, it undergoes several chemical changes. Depending on how the roaster chooses to roast a coffee, they can highlight the flavors that already exist in the coffee, or they can hide them. Simply put, the longer you roast a coffee, the less origin characteristics are present- those unique flavors and qualities that come from how it was grown, harvested and processed - and roasty flavors of smoke and burnt sugars emerge.

We love lightly roasted coffee because this roast level accentuates each coffee's inherent characteristics that come from its growing region, soil, elevation, weather patterns, and processing method.

Every coffee requires different people along the way to share its story; the farmer, the miller, the roaster, and the brewer. Enjoying a lightly roasted single origin coffee gives you, the consumer, the opportunity to become a part of that coffee's unique story.

While we only feature lightly roasted, single origin coffees in our MistoBox, fear not! If you have an affinity for a slightly darker roast or like brewing a balanced blend, we carry a variety of offerings from all of our roasters, including blends and coffees of varying roast profiles.

Að laga hinn fullkomna bolla

Mölun

"Depending on how you are going to brew coffee, you need to choose a grind size that will get all of the delicious flavors you want without getting bitterness or sourness you don't."
COFFEE GRINDING PARTICLE SIZE & UNIFORMITY BURR & BLADE GRINDERS
| COFFEE GRINDING |

Whole bean coffee that is freshly roasted and ideally stored is best for brewing at home because it helps retain and preserve all the delicious flavors we want to taste. Coffee must be ground so those flavors are easier to get to, and then hot water is used to wash them out because hot water is great at dissolving these flavors and trapping flavorful gases.

We have to grind the coffee to make these flavors more accessible. Depending on how we are going to extract these flavors, we need to choose a grind size that will get everything we want without getting flavors we don't want, like bitterness or astringency.

We use hot water to wash out flavor molecules capable of being dissolved out of the ground coffee. These flavor molecules are called soluble solids.

| PARTICLE SIZE & UNIFORMITY|

Particle size is extremely important, and one of the important aspect of the grinding process because it dictates how the end result will taste. What is the correct particle size? That depends on which method you are brewing.

As a rule of thumb, the larger the grind size, the more contact time with water for extraction and the smaller the grind, the less time water and grounds should be in contact.

FINE

CONSISTENCY:
FLOUR

METHOD:
ESPRESSO

MEDIUM FINE

CONSISTENCY:
TABLE SALT

METHOD:
AEROPRESS & V60

MEDIUM

CONSISTENCY:
SAND

METHOD:
CHEMEX & DRIP MACHINE

COARSE

CONSISTENCY:
KOSHER SALT

METHOD:
FRENCH PRESS & CLEVER DRIPPER

| BURR & BLADE GRINDERS |

BURR AND BLADE GRINDERS - WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

BURR GRINDERS

When coffee is ground in a burr grinder, only a narrow range of particles can fit between the burrs. This allows you to extract coffee more evenly due to particle size uniformity and consistency.

BLADE GRINDERS

Blade grinders use a blade using high rotation frequencies (sometimes up to 20,000 or 30,000 RPM's) to rapidly chop the beans into smaller particle sizes.

PROS VS. CONS

PROS: Uniform grind size, repeatable grind settings, delivers desired results, minimal friction, less heat from motors.

CONS: Burr grinders tend to be more expensive.

PROS VS. CONS

PROS: They are relatively cheap and widely available.

CONS: Lots of friction, grinding compartment located above motor, blade uses chopping action rather than grinding, inconsistent, impossible to get consistent or desired results.

4 KEY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH BLADE GRINDERS

FRICTION

Rapidly chopping the beans with rotating metal blades creates a lot of friction. This friction creates quite a bit of excess heat, which in turn, diminishes the freshness and flavors of the coffee.

MOTOR

The grinding compartment usually resides directly above the motor, which gives off a good amount of heat. This adds to the heat caused by friction, again diminishing the freshness of the coffee.

UNEVENNESS

No matter how long you keep the blade going, you will always have a huge variance of particle size. Too many fines will result in an overextracted, bitter brew; too many large pieces, result in underdeveloped, weak and watery flavors.

INCONSISTENCY

It's difficult, if not impossible, to get consistent results. Grinding for a set amount of time every time you brew doesn't necessarily mean you get the same results.

Geymsla og ferskleiki

"We think of coffee almost like produce, it should be acquired fresh, stored properly and used within a short period of time for best results."
COFFEE FRESHNESS WHOLE BEAN STORAGE
| COFFEE FRESHNESS |

We all grew up seeing the red can in the cupboard, the comforting aroma that filled the kitchen every time its seal was lifted, and the brown crystals inside that magically changed our parents into functioning human beings. For most people, coffee is considered more akin to a canned good than a perishable item with a shelf life.

While it is true that coffee does not go "bad" in the sense of being unsafe to consume, it does have a shelf life that should be adhered to. We think of coffee almost like produce. It should be acquired fresh, stored properly and used within a short period of time for best results.

Why, you say? Simple. Coffee goes stale fairly quickly, and requires proper handling. Once it is roasted, several chemical processes occur that make it susceptible to staling. Firstly, there are gases inside, such as carbon dioxide, that are produced during roasting and will start to evaporate over time. To make matters worse, a number of aromatic compounds (tasty flavor molecules) adhered themselves to these gases during roasting and will disappear with the carbon dioxide. No matter how you store your coffee, these gases will almost completely disperse within about two weeks, and in order to brew the tastiest coffee, you should use it all within that time. Remember that exposure to heat and light will cause these gases to be released much more quickly.

Secondly, coffee needs an airtight container to protect it from the environment. If it is exposed to other flavors or weird smells, it can absorb them and ruin your coffee. If it is stored in a humid environment, condensation can form on the outside of the coffee and ruin your coffee.

And finally, coffee has oils. As we know with common household oils like butter or olive oil, they need to be stored properly so that they don't go rancid. Over time, the oils in coffee will migrate to the outside of the bean, making them more susceptible to rancidification. In order to avoid this, airtight containers are best for keeping oxygen away.

If you typically buy pre-ground coffee, think again. Whole bean coffee is like a force-field of freshness, once broken it becomes vulnerable. This is because grinding exposes exponential surface area to oxygen (remember those oils we talked about) and it breaks open the cell walls that trap carbon dioxide and aromatic compounds allowing them to escape quite rapidly. Within a few minutes, almost all of these aromatic compounds will have disappeared and the oils in the coffee becomes ever vulnerable to oxygen. Brewing coffee that is ground any more than a few minutes in advance will only produce a cup that has only a fraction of flavor.

| WHOLE BEAN STORAGE |

While the fridge and freezer may be great for keeping meat and veggies fresh, it can actually be more hurtful than helpful in preserving coffee's freshness. A coffee bean is almost as porous as a sponge, which means it will absorb any weird or off flavor lingering in your fridge. It will also be exposed to condensation as the moisture trapped inside will form on the outside of the bean and cause the staling process to accelerate.

Air, light, heat and moisture are coffee's natural enemies, and exposure to them can speed up the staling process, losing those flavors and aromas that make your coffee so tasty. We think that the kitchen cupboard is perfect for storing coffee.

Storing whole bean coffee in a dark, airtight container at room temperature can make sure your coffee stays fresh for up to two weeks.

Að laga hinn fullkomna bolla

"Coffee has a unique benefit of being as simple or complex as you make it. There are a few concepts that will help you understand brewing theory more thoroughly."
WATER TIME TEMPERATURE TURBULENCE
| WATER |

Water is an incredibly crucial part of brewing, comprising over 98% of brewed coffee, yet it is usually an afterthought. It's important to know what's in your water and how it can affect the coffee you brew. High concentrations of certain chemicals can have an adverse affect on the resulting flavor of your coffee, and others can cause scale build up or even corrosion to your home brewing equipment. Here we will discuss some of the key factors of water as an ingredient in coffee brewing and provide some useful tips for best results.

PURIFIED VS FILTERED WATER FOR BREWING COFFEE

If you don't have access to an RO system or a filtered water service, we recommend buying 1 gallon jugs of water usually labelled "Drinking Water" from a local grocery store for your coffee brewing. This water is usually RO filtered water that can range from 50 - 100 ppm, perfect for brewing coffee.
For the majority of coffee brewers, filling up the kettle or coffee brewer is as simple as turning on the faucet. Unfortunately, this generally isn't ideal for coffee brewing for a number of reasons. The water quality from your tap will vary by where you live. If you live in LA, for example, the water is incredible hard and has high concentrations of chemicals (like magnesium and calcium) that will cause build up in your brewing equipment, in addition to muting most of the delicious, nuanced flavors from your freshly roasted coffee. Even though water from your tap has been treated with chemicals to make it pure, which is to say, it is safe for consumption, it doesn't mean it will make your coffee shine. Simply put, just because water is 'pure', doesn't make it the best ingredient for brewing.

By filtering water, usually through a reverse osmosis (RO) system, we can remove high concentrations of any chemicals that would add negative flavors or make your coffee less tasty. For example, too much chlorine in your coffee and it will increase the perception of bitterness. While small amounts of sodium can make your coffee taste sweeter, high concentrations can make it taste sour and unpleasant. An RO system will then add desirable mineral content back into the water to get it to an appropriate mineral level. For best results, we recommend brewing with water between 50 - 150 ppm of total dissolved solids.

| TIME |

In coffee brewing, there are a number of variables that can have huge effects on the final cup. Some of the most important of these can be remembered as the "3 T's".

Time: The "contact" or "dwell" time, refers to how long coffee remains in contact with the water. Generally, brewed coffee needs to sit with water for at least 2-4 minutes to fully extract the desired available flavors compounds (water soluble solids). If coffee sits with water for too little time, you risk underextraction, which will result in weak, sour tasting coffee. If coffee sits with water for too long, you risk overextraction, which will result in harsh, bitter, and astringent tasting coffee. Remember that each brew method has a different ideal brew time that can be affected by grind size, how much coffee will be brewed, water temperature and how much agitation occurs.

IDEAL CONTACT TIME BY BREW METHOD

Espresso: 25 - 30 seconds
Aeropress: 1 - 3 minutes
V60 Pour Over: 2.5 - 3 minutes
Clever Coffee Dripper: 3.5 - 4 minutes
Chemex: 3.5 - 5 minutes
French Press: 4 minutes
Auto-dripper: 6 - 8 minutes
Cold Brew: 12 - 24 hours
| TEMPERATURE |

For optimal extraction to take place, water must be roughly 200°F when in contact with the coffee, and stay within the range of 195° - 205°F for the entire duration of brewing. If the water temperature drops below this temperature range during the brewing process, one risks underextraction, resulting in weak, sour tasting coffee. If the water temperature maintains a temperature higher than this during brewing one risks overextraction, resulting in harsh, bitter, and astringent tasting coffee.

Be mindful that water temperature stays relatively stable when in a large mass, but becomes volatile and can fluctuate easily when that mass is decreased. We recommend bringing a goose-neck spouted kettle filled with filtered water to boil on the stove top immediately prior to brewing. This will ensure that the water is just above 200° when brewing starts and will maintain proper temperature for the entire brewing process.

| TURBULENCE |

Turbulence, also referred to as "agitation", is the chaotic mixing of grounds, gases, and hot water during coffee brewing. The main source of turbulence that we can control is agitation caused by an external force. This usually involves the use of a spoon or paddle to stir the coffee and water mixture during brewing. It is important to be aware of the effects of agitation and its potential implications for the resulting extraction. Agitation will accelerate the rate of extraction and improve the uniformity of extraction. This means that the careful and intentional application of agitation will help produce an optimal and even extraction.

We recommend simple, easily repeatable motions when stirring so that you can produce consistent results, brew after brew. We recommend 2 or 3 slow and controlled stirs instead of violent and random stirring.