We advise on the best ways to make your coffee at home
This applies if you are a pure beginner looking for advice, or simply an enthusiast needing reassurance with your choices. Espresso, Chemex, "French press", Aeropress, Moka, cold extraction, we have tested everything for you. In this article, you'll find our methods to extract an excellent specialty coffee.
Wake up the barista in you with espresso
The only goal of Luigi Bezzera, the creator of the espresso machine, was to reduce the break time of his employees! As the name suggests, espresso is quick to order, prepare and drink. It's said that an espresso must be drunk within 4 minutes of its preparation to preserve all its aromas. We used to also believe that the espresso machine was only reserved for world champion baristas. With a quality espresso machine, a good specialty coffee and a little patience, you can outperform the top barista at your local specialty coffee cafe. Impress your loved ones by having them taste your homemade espresso. For starters, opt for ultra-fresh beans when making your own coffee. And to make your barista dreams come true, invest in a high-performance machine. Enjoy the same conditions as a professional with the Rocket Appartamento, or add a little elbow grease with an Aram espresso maker. You can also opt for an automatic machine that performs the barista gestures for you, but that's not the goal, right? Although it's customary to say that an espresso should be drunk immediately “illico presto” after its preparation, it should be savoured like a fine wine. Above all, it's a unique tasting experience that combines the discovery of flavours and sensations tenfold. The result is a powerful and explosive taste with lots of body that may well leave you temporarily speechless.
Compared to it filter coffee, it has ten times the body!
Treat yourself to a distinctive filter with the Chemex We all know the electric coffee maker of the 50's, a bit mid-range in quality from a sock juice coffee brand, it quickly got under your skin. Dr. Peter Schlumbohm would be turning in his grave today... this ingenious man had created, a decade earlier, an hourglass-shaped filter coffee maker that continues to amaze our taste buds. Thanks to its iconic design, the Chemex has earned a place in New York's MOMA and in a few other art and design museums around the world. It has become so famous that other brands have tried to reproduce it with their own version: Goat Story with its splendid Gina and Bodum with its iconic Pour Over. But there's more to life than looks. There is also the pride of making coffee by hand. Choose your coffee from our many roasters. Among them, for example, you'll find more fruity or slightly woody aromas from Africa or Brazil. Use your arm strength to prepare your own hand-ground coffee (if you're in a hurry, you might be able to put up with an electric coffee grinder). Then comes the folding of your Chemex filter which turns into a mini origami session. Next, get out your stopwatch to monitor the grounds, in 4 minutes you'll have time to gently pour hot water from the kettle over them, making circular movements along the way and performing a few squats in the remaining minutes of extraction. The result will be a naturally sweet gourmet coffee that is bursting with aromas. Even if it's that good, be careful not to over do it on the caffeine by drinking the entire contents. You'd fill at least six cups with the quantity obtained.
Give your arms a workout with the "French press"
Invented by Milan's Attilio Calimani in the 20's, the Italians initially named it the Caffettiera. But Faliero Bondanini decided to make it in France. As a result, the British, big coffee drinkers at that time, called it the French press and the name spread everywhere. The French slow method is a bit rustic, but it has a lot of body. Simple and effective at first, it becomes more of a challenge since it can leave a lot of coffee particles floating on top. To keep your cup clean, you need to use a grind that is both very large and consistent in size. Choose whole coffee beans or coffee already freshly ground by a roaster (remember to check the preparation recommendations of our roasters if you have any doubts). If you want a rock hard body, nothing beats a daily French press session at home (Arnold Schwarzenegger approved)! Contract your abs and gently push the piston to the bottom of the coffee maker. Well done, thanks to your efforts, you’ll fill eight cups of coffee.
Get off the beaten track with the Aeropress
Be it with a camper van, boat, bicycle, kayak, or even a rocket, get out and discover the space around you, not with NASA, but with the Aeropress. Invented by the creator of the Superdisc frisbee and the founder of Aerobie Inc., Allan Adler had no idea in 2005 that this tubular plastic coffee maker would become such a hit. Finally, when you understand what each component is for, and the numbers on the tube, it's pretty simple. The Aeropress adapts to all variables: the size of the grind, the temperature of the water... Long or short coffee, choose your water-to- coffee ratio. The paper filter saves the game by leaving less deposits than a piston coffee maker. Between two solo treks, make yourself a great coffee quickly and without the fuss and mess. You'll still need a bit of lightweight gear that fits easily in any backpack such as a packet of ground coffee, a camping stove and kettle.
Experience the dolce vita with the Moka
It's crazy how this little coffee maker, 100 years old and timeless, inspires all generations and retains its original shape! Invented in 1822, it resisted two world wars and the digital revolution. Even induction hobs don't scare it. It only had to change its traditional aluminium armour to stainless steel. Whether you're single, in a couple or part of a family, you'll inevitably find the right sized Moka for your needs. If you love strong and concentrated slow-coffee without breaking the bank (the water-coffee ratio is high), closer to espresso, this coffee maker is for you. Monitor the Moka as the coffee is brewing, one minute too long is enough to get a bitter result, with no soul. The first sips of this Italian coffee will transport you to the Piazza della Signoria in Florence.
Cold extraction, for procrastinators Cold brew
Cold extraction, is the increasingly fashionable cool summer drink. Why, you ask? We live in a world where everything goes too fast and sometimes we like to take it slow.Cold extraction means twelve hours before you can enjoy a refreshingly cold coffee. Not bad, right? You most likely already have what you need to brew a cold coffee at home. You can take any container, put your coffee in it and pour water on it, but we have an even better technique to do it well. If you're a slow-coffee enthusiast, the Gina from Goat Story is your best friend. It can accomplish all slow methods, including cold extraction. If you're a bit obessive and/or a cold brew enthusiast, get your hands on the Goat Story kit. It is also very convenient and can easily be taken on all your outdoor excursions. In any case, the result will be a pleasant, well- rounded and mild coffee, almost sweet and very refreshing, for your mouth to savour. Make sure all the grounds are wet before letting it infuse for 12 to 16 hours in the refrigerator. Attention, you should definitely enjoy it with ice cubes and a non-plastic straw in a glass mug.
