WHICH TOOLS I CAN USE TO MAKE AN ICED COFFEE?

Cold Brew Coffee
The real difference of this brewing method is the water temperature in which the extraction of coffee takes place. While regular Coffee methods use near boiling temperatures to quickly extract the properties of coffee, Cold Brewing exchanges time for temperature, taking from 4 up to 24 hours depending on the method to make a full batch.

The results achieved from these different methods can be so drastically different that you may like one method but not the other one, so it is important to know the differences so when the time comes you can order your perfect beverage.

WHICH TOOLS I CAN USE TO MAKE A COLD BREW COFFEE?

Cold Brew Benefits

Less acidic, a study made by Toddy indicates that cold brew is 50-67% less acid than regular brewed coffee. This is not to say that acidity is a bad thing, some people like the flavor brought by acidity, but it can also be harmful to your teeth and stomach.

More antioxidants, recent studies show that green coffee beans contain many antioxidants, the problem is that high-temperature exposure destroys many of these antioxidants, so, between the roasting process and hot brewing, most of the benefits of coffee are lost. Cold Brewing does not destroy these antioxidants so it remains a healthier beverage.

Sweetness, cold brew is naturally sweeter than its hot counterpart, this is because of the less acidity contained, this way people who like to sweeten their coffee will not have to do it or will need less sugar to do so, thus making it a lighter and healthier drink.

Convenience, cold brew may take a long time to brew, but after you brew a batch it can stay in your fridge for up to 10 days and remain fresh tasting, so if  you like to have your coffee without the hassle of having to brew it every day, just brew it before the start of the week and you’re set.

Versatility, a great thing about cold brew is that because of its stability in flavor and body, it can be used in many recipes such as alcoholic cocktails, drinks without alcohol, ice cream and even cakes.

Cold Brew Myths and Facts

Myth: Cold brew has to be drunk cold.
Fact: The fact it was brewed with room temperature/cold water does not limit cold brew to be drunk in a single manner, it can also be heated, especially when the day is cold.

Myth: You need ice to make cold brew.
Fact: You can make cold brew with room temperature water all the way to ice-cold water.

Myth: Cold brew has more caffeine than espresso.
Fact: False, with cold brew you can control the caffeine level with many variables such as type of bean, water-to-coffee ratio, brewing time and roast type.

Myth: Cold brew is better than hot brew
Fact: The truth is the same as with wine, the best coffee is the one you like the most, no matter what other people say. Just trust your instincts and drink whatever you feel like drinking, be it cold brew or hot brew.

If you have any doubts or comments about Cold brew or any of the topics discussed in this article please leave us a comment, we will be happy to respond!

 

Photo credit: David Dewitt

In this article we will illustrate the potential of this new wave of coffee by trying to give you some advice on the essential steps to improve your coffee offer:

1. • Learn more about coffee as a raw material
   • Analise the market
   • Selection of the coffee and brewing methods
   • How to offer the new coffee menu

1. Learn more about coffee

Coffee is a daily life product that has become a commodity, but precisely, for this reason, it is often underestimated or taken for granted. It is an indispensable product for every bar or café, always present in restaurants and hotels, it would be unthinkable not to have it available for our customers. And it is for this reason, that it is important to give the right weight to this product and to obtain a deeper knowledge to be able to adequately offer it to your customers.

2. Analise the market

To differentiate your business correctly, it is important to identify the level sophistication of your clients in order to offer them the most suitable product at the right price.

GET TO KNOW YOUR TARGET MARKET

A deep understanding of your target and business strategy can suggest the right actions and the key points to be exploited. With regard to the coffee proposal, different solutions can be identified depending on whether your clientele is consolidated and who regularly visits your premises but who may be looking for a different experience, maybe you want to attract new customers or increase your slice of the market. It is important to ask yourself what the values ​​of your guests are and how much they can value in a product such as high-quality coffee (which is increasingly giving importance to ​​the right remuneration of all the players in the supply chain and the protection of the environment), but also the potential implications that this product may need to implement for it to complete your proposal.

3. Selection of the coffee and brewing methods

 

THE BREWING METHODS

Adequate knowledge of the different brewing methods and their results in the cup is essential to choose the method that best suits your business. To accompany an afternoon dessert, we can consider an aromatic infusion with the French Press rather than the clean and juicy extraction of the Pour-Over or even an intense cup of coffee extracted with the Moka. We can find the former as an excellent end to a meal as an alternative to the more traditional espresso. We could also replace it with a spectacular preparation with the Syphon or the Chemex if these better enhance the previous courses.

Photocredit: Rene Porter

THE COFFEE SELECTION

The selection of the coffees to be featured in your business, must go hand in hand, and always be based on the analysis of your target. The proposal of a coffee menu, like the wine or dessert list, can prove very successful. In fact, it allows you to satisfy a variety of requests as well as offering a new sensory experience for many. Another example of professionalism is to propose a variable offer that follows the seasonality of coffee (as an agricultural product). Furthermore, selecting coffees among the numerous artisan roasters can be an additional advantage, especially to strengthen the loyalty of their customers.
With such a wide range of possibilities, the fundamental task of our consultants is extremely valuable, who by listening to your needs and framing the context you have analysed, can help you choose the offer of coffee and extraction methods best suited to your structure. (Contact us to find out more)

4. How to insert the coffee menu in your offer

Even the best planning can be made in vain if enough care is not put into practice. For this reason, it is important to devote the right attention to the correct training of personnel and effective communication of the new offer. It is very useful to have the most suitable tools: a coffee list, in the physical sense of the term, which illustrates the offer clearly and completely, outlining the differences between the various coffees. This can provide valuable help for your customer for making the choice, but above all, the stimulus to think outside the box by trying something new. Even the coffee cards, like the collectible ones that accompany the coffees of our selection, can be the ideal companion to guide the tasting and lead your guest on a journey along the entire supply chain for a 360 ° sensory experience.

Most important, is the added value that you can give in first person by giving the best coffee recommendation based on your customer preferences or in the combination of your other dishes, as well as the product’s storytelling by guiding the guests in their tasting in search of incredible notes that range from sweet, fruity or floral, that at times are unexpected to be found in coffee.

Having this offer in your menu comes with many benefits if well executed, that range from profitability all the way to giving a more complete experience and helping your customers discover the wonderful world of coffee!

Why will it be discouraged to do the service on the breakfast common area

To this day, the WHO has published two guides, one for the food industry and one for the hotel industry, which suggest the adoption of a responsible attitude and prevention practices to limit infections. Some of these have now become common practice in the past months: wearing a mask, maintaining regular hygiene, and respecting the interpersonal distance of at least one meter to limit the circulation of the virus. These measures are not so simple to apply in the breakfast room of a hotel where guests come and go freely between their table and the buffet area to choose the dishes they prefer and make this breakfast ritual a happy and delicious moment. During this service, the waiters come and go to restock the buffet every minute, to bring hot drinks and other foods served à la carte, as well as to take the empty dishes that accumulate on the edge of the diners’ tables.

In fact, the buffet can represent an important contagion hazard given the various unprotected foods exposed to possible contamination. During the communication between guests and waiters necessary for orders and the consequent service of the dishes requested, it is particularly difficult to respect the interpersonal distance of at least one meter. It is also impossible to wear a mask while eating. Particular attention must then be paid to hygiene in general: dishes, cutlery, and food containers must be strictly washed in the dishwasher even if they have not been used. Disposable or fabric tablecloths and napkins must be changed between each customer and washed with more restrictive protocols than usual. Even fabrics and carpets in restaurant furnishings (chairs, carpets …) no longer seem suitable because they can be a receptacle for germs and bacteria, and are more difficult to wash than other alternative materials. In conclusion, it can be particularly difficult to serve breakfast in the dining room with the new safety protocols.

The room service solution

To find a solution to this problem in a traditional yet creative way, an interesting breakfast option is room service. Using disposable containers or properly washable dishes, each hotel can adapt this service to its own preferences, with a breakfast card, customizable menus, or Breakfast Boxes to be ordered by phone, as well as of course paper menus to be filled out the night before. This new activity is likely to require dedicated packaging, single-serving products, and extra staff as well as a different organization in the kitchens and in the “back offices” or “offices” of the floors. A further solution may include equipping these with microwave ovens, kettles, and coffee makers in order to heat the dishes that need it and prepare hot drinks at the last moment before delivery to the rooms in order to guarantee excellent quality and presentation.

Filter coffee can be an extremely suitable solution for this situation. The French Press, in particular, because it is very easy to use directly in the room, requiring only hot water obtained with any common kettle and features an infusion time of 4 minutes which can be easily monitored with a dedicated hourglass. The guest can prepare coffee independently by requesting the ad hoc single-dose of ground coffee chosen from a coffee list that can be managed with simplicity and care, for an excellent cup of full-bodied coffee. Percolation coffee makers, such as the professional Wilfa Precision, are perfect for making coffee directly in the “back office”. The high flexibility allows you to manage both the single-cup format, excellent in combination with a coffee menu that offers different selections, and in a multi-cup format by using thermal carafe to keep coffee at the right temperature. The prepared drink can be served directly in the cup or divided into ceramic or metal coffee servers combined with the rest of the dishes provided. Additionally, our single-dose, easy-to-use GROUNDtoENJOY format allows members of the staff to easily manage this new offer without the need for special training. Little space is required in the magazine to store the Roll Box coffee packs thanks to their front opening which makes them stackable and easy to use. Finally, particular attention must be paid to cleaning and sanitising the equipment as recommended by the WHO. All the above-mentioned equipment is dishwasher safe: the French Press can be completely dismantled and each component is suitable for the dishwasher; while Wilfa Precision, unlike many other electric coffee makers, has a removable tank to facilitate the cleaning phase and allow it to be cleaned together with the carafe and filter holder, which are also dishwasher safe for a thorough cleaning.

As stated before, breakfasts can even improve in quality with the implementation of a new coffee offer, which combined with the single-dose format and the coffee cards that accompany the guest in the tasting, transforms this moment into a real sensorial journey. The customers can choose their coffees in the breakfast menu and discover, while enjoying their breakfast in peace, the story of these extraordinary Arabica beans thanks to the coffee card that accompanies each cup. In this way, each day of their stay can become a new discovery, a new journey along the supply chain, and above all, a pleasant memory of their time at the hotel.

How are you planning to organize breakfasts and serve quality coffee in your business while limiting the spread of the virus and maintaining a positive and qualitative image? Leave us your comments or ideas!

I’M NOT A BARISTA was founded by Micky Wang, that used to work in the coffee industry as a marketing director and who often received requests to sponsor baristas but who unfortunately, often had to decline because of budget restrictions.

This awareness that many baristas needed help to pursue their dreams was what ultimately inspired him to establish this NPO.

Photo credit: I’m not a barista

In his own words, Micky describes what he’s aiming to achieve with I’M NOT A BARISTA:
“I want to connect all the dots and help baristas in need by spreading awareness of the barista profession worldwide and supporting baristas in their dreams to participate in coffee competitions.”
–Micky Wang

I’M NOT A BARISTA is intended an icebreaker because many times, baristas are either really busy or don’t know how to approach their customers. It is a friendly way to convey an important mission and create a deep connection,  ideally it will push customers to take the first step by curiously asking “so.. are you not a barista”?

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE #BREWATHOME MOVEMENT?

The #brewathome movement is a global social campaign that aims to support the coffee community during the current global pandemic by connecting coffee companies and baristas with consumers through social media.

The goal is to transmit culture and raise the level of knowledge by encouraging coffee lovers to brew at home as a way to pass time and stay safe, as well as to promote the online purchases from local coffee roasters & equipment merchants.

All this is done through the sharing of tutorials, tips, online events & conferences, and giveaways.

As the campaing slogan points out:

“Alone, we are strong; together, we are stronger”

 

Between roasters, importers, coffee gear manufacturers & coffee shops More than 100 coffee-related companies have already joined the movement, and it is just getting bigger & stronger.

The #brewathome campaign is a great example of how challenging times can bring the best out of us, in specific, the coffee industry.

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

If you are a roaster, barista or a coffee lover, you can always pitch in and help this movement grow stronger and there are lots of ways:

• Register as a partner company here.
• Register as a volunteer here.
• Share pictures or videos of your brewing sessions with the hashtag #brewathome.
• Support your local roasters. Check the roaster’s map

For more info, visit I’M NOT A BARISTA’S website.

HOW ARE WE AT ESSENSE SUPPORTING THE CAMPAIGN?

We are very proud to be an official partner of the #brewathome campaign and we thank @specialty_pal for letting us know about it!

Being an official partner of the #brewathome movement and are offering free shipping and a 15% discount on all orders, so if you need coffee or brewing gear use the BREWATHOME coupon in our e-shop.

Furthermore, we are improving our website with video tutorials and other interesting content, but our main channel is certainly our Instagram account @essense.coffee together with our other social profiles. There you can find brewing tips, details on coffee and the entire supply chain, and many other curiosities, both ours and other actors of this fantastic movement. We also love to share and give visibility to third party contributions because after all we are all one big family: the big #brewathome family!

WHAT EXACTLY IS A SHADOW PLANTATION?

Shadow planting is a form of planting coffee trees together with different types of shade trees*. This cultivation system incorporates many ecological principles, and coffee grown in this way is marketed as “shade-grown”.

*Shade trees are large trees whose primary role is to provide protection to the surrounding plants due to its spreading canopy and crown.

In these types of plantation, coffee plants are grown under a canopy of shade trees. And since this cultivation method integrates the principles of ecology to promote natural symbiotic relationships, coffees grown in the shade can be considered a by-product of permaculture.

This planting configuration of the coffee tree is formed by a sophisticated agroforestry system, in which coffee is associated with other species in different levels. This cultivation method contributes to a more sustainable use of resources and to an interaction of the ecosystem and more natural breeding because it promotes greater animal and vegetable biodiversity.

The dense vegetation needed to produce shade-grown coffee helps to purify the air and filter the water, improving the quality of both.

In the next image you can see an example of a Shadow Plantation:

WHAT IS FULL-SUN PLANTING?

The “full sun coffee” or coffee grown in the sun is a configuration of the plantation which is inspired in the methodology of intensive agricultural practices.

In the 1970s, the idea of ​​growing coffee in the sun was introduced to coffee farmers with the intention of increasing production. While coffee grown in the sun produces higher yields and subsequently offers farmers a higher profit, it has a negative impact on the ecosystem and the quality of the coffee.

In Guatemala for example, coffee is traditionally grown in the shade, so it has not been a major cause of deforestation in the country. However, throughout Central America, sun coffee cultivation has resulted in a loss of 1 million hectares of forest. And since coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, the ways in which coffee is grown really count.

In the next image you can see an example of a full-sun plantation:

BENEFITS OF THE SHADOW PLANTATIONS

In a study in 2010, birds were excluded from a coffee plantation and resulted in a 70% increase in the percentage of coffee fruit infected by the “coffee borer bettle”, a parasitic species of insects. It is among the most harmful pests for coffee crops in the world.

Birds tend to go away when they cannot longer find bigger trees to build their nests on, so this gives us light of the importance of a balanced ecosystem in coffee farming and this has been demonstrated with shadow plantations.

The high diversity of species found in shadow plantations allows the formation of relatively complex food networks. Both birds and mammals play an important role in pest control by eating many herbivorous insects such as the coffee borer.

This helps farmers to avoid the use of pesticides that are harmful to agricultural workers but also to the ecosystem and those who consume coffee.

What is good for coffee, benefits people too.

Other benefits that shade-grown brings to the “cup”:

• Helps increase the longevity of the plant
• Protects the tree from the sun and wind.
• Less water required because there is less perspiration.
• It improves soil fertility.
• Reduction of erosion.
• The ripening is slower, therefore, the harvest is better.
• Increased production thanks to bee pollination.

Our first experience with Shade-grown coffee was the Tanzania Kilimanjaro, it gave us a new perspective on the qualities of this type of coffee.

CURRENT SITUATION

The trend of most coffee plantations goes towards the non-use of this form of cultivation. The method that’s being most adopted the full-sun (use of pesticides, fertilizers, lots of irrigation) especially where the increase in biodiversity and respect for the environment is not a priority.

This is most pronounced by the way the coffee sector has worked in recent years. coffee producers are not being paid what they deserve, so they have to focus on being more profitable just to make ends meet. 

But all is not lost, there are many initiatives that are working to solve this problem by bringing greater awareness to the entire supply chain; from the importer to the end user on how a small price adjustment can positively impact a farmer’s life and, in return, give them the opportunity to grow a much better coffee.

This is a win-win situation, don’t you think?

A few examples of the initiatives are:

• Bird Friendly
• Rainforest Alliance
• Fair Trade Coffee

The shadow plantations have already demonstrated their great benefits for the environment and many farmers who have implemented it, mainly in rural areas and at high altitudes, where maintaining a good level of biodiversity is essential for cultivation, have found that the benefits can also be found in the cup.

This result in the cup comes thanks to the shading that guarantees constant humidity and reduces the temperature, thus the maturation of the cherry gets prolonged. This in turn, promotes a greater development of the sugars, thus obtaining a more aromatic and full-bodied coffee.

CONCLUSION

So the answer to the question “is shade-grown better than full-sun?” seems obvious, but for it to become a reality, there must be the participation of all those involved in the supply chain, from the bean to the cup, from the farmer to the drinker as some might say.

Shade-grown coffee is much better in terms of quality and environment, but we should also think about the well-being of the farmers who grow it before saying that it is better in every respect.

Have you ever tried a Shade-grown coffee? please let us know in the comments your thoughts! We will be more than happy to start a caffeine-filled conversation.

Sources:

• Rice, Robert (2010). “The Ecological Benefits of Shade-Grown Coffee: The Case for Going Bird Friendly”. Smithsonian.
• Shade Grown Coffee Movie
• Permaculture Principles

Who will get the golden AeroPress this year?

 

Each country’s AeroPress Champion will go to the W.A.C (World AeroPress Championship) to put their recipe to the test. Having defeated thousands of contenders in their own countries, all of the national champions will take the stage where the eyes of the coffee world will see them battle out to find out the world winning AeroPress recipe of 2019.

Learn more about the World AeroPress Championship.

We love this competition so much that we decided  to award the winners with BRRREWER, which they will surely try in the future with exciting recipes for making cold brew.

We will update this article as soon as the winners are announced.

Let us know in the comments below if you are planning to attend the event!

OUR PARTICIPATION

It was an amazing experience as we got to connect with people from all over the world who are passionate about fine culinary products.

Much to our surprise, we found that many more people than we imagined were fascinated by the diverse brewing methods as well as the origins of the coffee they are currently drinking, which sometimes is hard to figure out.

These kinds of events are a big opportunity to show people the true qualities of coffee and all of the great characteristics that can be potentially discovered when the quality is high enough.

Many people showed their interest in GROUNDtoENJOY which is a single-dose coffee that’s optimized for a great result in the cup.

GROUNDtoENJOY is a coffee lover’s favourite as we take special care of the grind levels depending on the brewing method and keep it fresh for a long time because of our cutting-edge packaging technology.

THE BEST OF

As a measure for the upcoming trends in fine food, the Gourmet Selection “Best Of” awards award products offering genuine added value.

The judging panel, made up of experts and professionals selected for their love of good products and expertise, try the products and inspect them from all angles to single out the “must-have” stars of the show.

Products are selected for their organoleptic qualities: visual appeal, texture, taste, smell, flavours. Non-food products are judged on criteria such as innovation, eco-friendliness etc.

BRRREWER our Cold Brew coffee maker won the non-food category because of its focus on usability, great design and sustainability.

You can check out the other winners here.

After our successful campaign on Kickstarter, BRRREWER has been giving us lots of satisfactions. But it has to be noted that it was a joint effort with the Be a Taster community, which is a project that involves hundreds of coffee enthusiasts from all over the world , and its main goal is to collaborate with people with a passion for coffee to create amazing products.

We will surely be attending next year, and hopefully we will get another award for some amazing product!

You can check out our step by step Brewing Guide for more detailed info.

Do you have any questions or doubts? please do let us know in the comments, we will be glad to respond!

COMPETITION FORMAT

To decide who will be the world’s best barista there are three judging stages held over two days. This year’s first round will consist of 42 participants from all over the world who will have to advance to the semifinals round (16 participants)  and then to the finals which will comprise the top 6 scoring baristas who will compete on the last day.

 

In every round, the participants will perform a 15-minute drill in which they have to serve a total of 12 beverages to each of the four judges:

• 4 Espressos
• 4 milk-based beverages
• 4 Original Signature drinks

There are two types of judges; Sensory and Technical. Sensory judges will award points based on different factors such as presentation, flavor, and the drink’s balance. Technical Judges will award points based on the techniques used by the baristas and the cleanliness of the process. Baristas usually will perform the same routine in all of the rounds that they compete, this is because normally these routines have taken months of preparation and are well studied, so it makes sense that the barista feels comfortable and sure that the result will be positive.

The judges awarded points are then added to produce a final qualification at the end of each round, thus eliminating those with the lower scores. The baristas with the higher scores will advance from the first and second rounds to finally decide who will be the year’s champion.

2019 WBC COMPETITORS

SEEN IN COMPETITIONS…

Conclusion

The world of coffee competitions is really exciting and growing every year, more and more people are starting to recognize coffee as a premium beverage rather than just an uplifting drink. These kinds of competitions show us how sophisticated and delicious coffee beverages can be, the Essense team is really excited to watch this year’s Championship, what about you? If you have any comments please share your thoughts with us, we are eager to hear what you have to say!