There are several different ways to prepare coffee. Whether with a bean-to-cup coffee maker, a filter coffee maker or even a cold coffee brewing machine, each way differs and has its own specificities. All these ways of preparing it change its taste, much more than you might think.
To understand what elements play a role in its taste, the American online media HuffPost interviewed coffee experts to get their advice on the ideal equipment and its optimal use. Among these specialists is a true “coffee sommelier”. And according to them, the equipment used is crucial, which should change the way you approach this drink that you perhaps drink daily.
According to Rocco Carulli, owner and manager of R House restaurant in Miami, the choice of coffee machine is crucial. “Good equipment allows precise control and this control reveals the full potential of coffeehe believes. The machine used has a huge impact on flavor, aroma and body. Each brewing method changes the extraction of oils, acids and flavors from the coffee.»
Different machines and methods
“A good machine does not just pass hot water, adds Rocco Carulli. It maintains a constant temperature and pressure to reveal all of the coffee’s natural sweetness, depth and complexity.” However, there is no ideal machine, according to the specialist. “It all depends on your preferences. Some favor the purity and clarity of filter coffee; others prefer the body and intensity of espresso.”
Ted Chan describes himself as a “coffee sommelier” and has tried nearly 1,500 varieties of coffee beans. It takes stock of the different methods. “On one side are gentle, low-pressure methods, like filter coffee and slow brew coffee, where water passes slowly through the grounds for balanced extraction and a clear aromaexplains the coffee expert. Immersion brewing methods, like the French press, increase the intensity of contact by allowing the grounds to fully steep in the water, resulting in a fuller-bodied coffee. Italian coffee makers and percolators, thanks to the steam pressure, produce more intense, sometimes harsher aromas.”
A matter of taste
If you are looking for a coffee “pure and balanced, with moderate acidity and a smooth texture”so Colorado-based coffee roaster Leo Yuffa recommends a filter coffee maker. Regarding the Italian coffee maker, the American roaster defines flavor as “intense, with pronounced notes, somewhat reminiscent of a light espresso”however the results are not always constant and the risk of burning the coffee is frequent.
Coffee makers pour-over – where you pour the hot water over the coffee yourself – are “the best way to reveal the aromatic subtleties of a coffee and it is particularly effective for distinguishing the specific notes of single origin coffees”says Lauren Abendroth, director of research and development at Death Wish Coffee Co.
Finally, espresso machines produce “dense, smooth espressos with exceptional richness and balance when prepared welladds Rocco Carulli. Espresso machines offer intensity and balance, capturing the full aromatic palette in a small cup.”
In any case, whatever model of coffee machine suits you best, specialists agree on the importance of having very hot water. “Most domestic machines do not heat the water sufficiently for optimal extraction. And that’s important, because most people find that coffee brewed with hotter water has more intense flavors.specifies Shawn Steiman, author of the book Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry (published in 2013).
