Category: Blog

Trained baristas know the importance of selecting the right grind size for different brewing methods. In fact, most coffee shops regularly recalibrate their grinders throughout the day to keep drinks consistent. But if you’ve been brewing coffee at home, you might not have considered why grind size is important. This is likely to be the case if you purchase pre-ground coffee, which is sometimes marketed as being suited for any brewing method or coffee machine. To demonstrate how different grind sizes affected a single brewing method, we conducted an experiment with a Hario V60 dripper. We used several different grind sizes and measured how that affected the flow rate, water… Read More

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Choosing a coffee can be overwhelming if you’re unfamiliar with the terms used on packaging. A common label you’ll see is the claim that the coffee is “100% arabica”. But what does this mean? To explain that, you first need to understand the key differences between the two main species of coffee, arabica and robusta. I spoke to experts in the supply chain to figure out the differences between the two, and to learn about what it means when coffee is labelled “100% arabica”. Read on to find out what they said. WHAT IS ARABICA COFFEE?  Dozens of coffee species exist, of which roughly 124 have been identified. The two… Read More

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Manually brewing coffee at home has many advantages. It’s relatively inexpensive and easy to do, making it popular with those getting familiar with coffee for the first time. It’s also a brewing method that you can experiment with, making it equally popular with coffee professionals and coffee shops. Whether you’re a home brewer wanting to know more about which device to invest in, or a barista looking to better understand the origins of the device you use every day, you’ll benefit from knowing the history of the following manual brewing devices.  Here’s how approaches to manual coffee brewing have changed over time, as well as the most popular devices that… Read More

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‘Macchiato’ is an Italian word that loosely translates to ‘marked’ – and is commonly used to describe the coffee beverage of the same name. Ask most fans of the drink how to make it, and they’ll say that you add some milk to an espresso shot. While this is correct, there’s no universally accepted amount of milk used, which means that if you order a macchiato in different cafés, you could get drastically different drinks. Here’s where the macchiato originates from, how it’s served today, and how it might evolve in the future. WHO INVENTED THE MACCHIATO & HOW IS IT MADE? The macchiato was likely created in Italy in… Read More

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Delicate filter coffees and bold espressos aren’t solely found in coffee shops. Brewing coffee can be done from the comfort of your own home, too. It’s an enjoyable pastime that has delicious results. Plus, you get to learn something new every day. We’ve put together a guide on how to brew the perfect cup of coffee at home, whether you’re new to specialty coffee or a seasoned pro. Read on to find out how to make coffee at home and discover some top tips to get the best results. IF YOU’RE NEW TO HOME BREWING Whether you’re taking your first steps into making coffee at home, or have a fair… Read More

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