I've
remarked before on how an espresso blend is always subject to transitions and changes. As much as possible, we try to create a certain flavor profile and experience from all the components. Even so, every shot is unique, subject to different specific conditions ranging from the roast age to machine temperature, from coffee dose to the humidity. That's why our baristas spend so much time
learning to find the best shot in every situation. And it also makes drinking espresso considerably more interesting, by forcing you to find the nuance within a certain flavor profile. My
Leftist shot this morning at our Brooklyn
location held a heavy cashew flavor through a soft texture, had a short appearance of grapefruit zest through the middle, and finished with cloves, extra-dark chocolate, and amaretto liqueur.
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Photos
A triple ristretto is the shot type of choice for our Leftist espresso. A "ristretto" refers to how we restrict the extraction range of the shot to maximize its flavor potential.
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Photos
The Aeropress is a durable, compact, and easy to clean brewing device. There are official instructions as well as many online guides, but don't read too much into parameter recommendations. Experiment for yourself, particularly with temperature, grind size, and steep time.
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Photos
The Chemex is a simple pourover brewing device that uses heavy, unbleached filter paper to slow the brewing process and prolong the exposure of the ground coffee to water.
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When baristas prepare espresso, they control how long the shot runs in order to achieve a certain extraction range. Ideally, this range is sufficiently long to pull out all the desirable flavors but stops short of bitterness and diluted mouthfeel. The only way to control this is by making the bed of ground coffee, or puck, of completely even density. Because water is lazy and follows the path of least resistance, it will find areas of lesser density and extract that coffee first, forming a channel.
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Grinding may well be the most crucial step to brewing coffee. The success of even the simplest brewing methods depends on how freshly and uniformly ground the coffee is. The best way to produce great results is with a burr grinder. This type of grinder uses two burrs, such as the one in the above photo, that can be set closer or farther from each other to achieve different particle sizes.
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Pouring milk designs in espresso drinks has become a specialty coffee signature. "Latte art" is not only being more widely practiced, but has even gained enough admirers to spawn a whole genre of online photo galleries and videos. What is less well known is that crisp, clear, and creative designs can only be poured under the conditions which create delicious coffee drinks. Heart, rosetta, or tulip... whatever adorned the top of your latte this morning was simply a confident artisanal flourish with which your barista signified the care taken in its preparation.
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