Whether you’re working from home or social distancing, the coffee shop that used to be your go-to may feel so far away. While many of us are still working from home, it’s the perfect time to pick up some coffee brewing knowledge. Read up for our 4 tips on how to brew good coffee and recreate the café experience at home.
Freshly Ground Coffee Beans
Freshness is the ultimate factor for a good cup of coffee. The longer coffee is exposed to oxygen, the higher the chance for the coffee to turn stale. So remember to consume fresh coffee beans within 60 days, and always grind your beans fresh and only grind as much as required. For a full-flavored coffee, you are recommended to store your coffee beans in an airtight container in a cool, dark and dry environment.
Golden Crema
Crema is the reddish-brown foam that sits on top of an espresso. The darker the crema, the finer the grind. Some people refer to this as the “Guinness effect” because it mimics the foam of the popular Irish stout. Crema appears to be one of the most discussed aspects of a great cup of coffee, that is because it indicates a quality, well-ground coffee, a perfect balance of water temperature and brewing time, and perhaps a professional coffee machine.
?Why is crema found in espresso?
Pressure is the key to crema. First, coffee beans release CO2 when they are roasted, most are released into the air between roasting and grinding. When brewing espresso, pressurized hot water is forced through finely-ground coffee, that’s when water and coffee bean oils emulsify and get supersaturated with CO2, creating crema.
Balanced Taste
Coffee taste is the result of three fundamental elements: the sensations of bitterness, acidity and sweetness. Our sense of taste uses our taste buds to recognise and distinguish the flavours in the extract, and determine their intensity. The bitterness of coffee can be defined as a ”macro-sensation” since it is the main flavour in the black beverage. The second macro-sensation in coffee is acidity, perceived as a pleasant tingling sensation, a sort of “pseudo-freshness”. An espresso must offer a balanced, harmonious taste with no single flavour prevailing over the others, unless there are specific preferences.
Good Coffee Machine
To enhance your coffee-drinking experience and to brew professional coffee like those in cafes, a coffee machine is a great companion. For example, with De’Longhi’s fully automatic coffee machines, you will enjoy perfect from-bean-to-cup results, as coffee beans are freshly ground in the machine, maintaining all the freshness of the coffee.
The coffee machines are equipped with two independent heating systems, meaning you could brew your coffee and milk beverages at the perfect temperature. Its professional stainless steel conical grinder generates less heat in the grinding process, maintaining the aroma of the coffee. Latte lovers will be particularly fond of the LatteCrema System, creamy cappuccino with dense milk foam is always at the perfect temperature until the last drop! Last but not least, the brewing unit is completely removable, because we all know cleaning the inside of the coffee machine is never easy, now even areas that are normally difficult to reach can be cleaned effortlessly.
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