Coffee in Spain has a long tradition, but not so much quality but because, in many cases, it leaves much to be desired. For decades, the coffee we have become accustomed to bars and restaurants has been, mostly, of low quality.
This is due to several factors, but especially a sad inheritance of the years of hardship that followed the civil war. Coffee was a luxury, and broke easily. Then the Café Torrefacto appeared, a sugar toasted method that allowed to keep the coffee beans for a longer time. In addition, it allowed to obtain a coffee with more “body” and color of worse quality, of the robust type, much cheaper than those of the Arabic variety.
The result is a very acidic, very bitter, very dark coffee, that many people take excessively hot and that can only tolerate if they mix it with milk and a lot of sugar. The surprise comes when a coffee made with quality grains is taken, without burning and with the correct extraction method, and they realize that the taste with sugar is not necessary, because it is good alone. That is what is called specialty coffee.
In recent years, establishments that offer this specialty coffee have appeared everywhere, in general with clonic decoration and high prices. But the reason is the quality of coffee, from crop to the cup. Specialty coffees come from Arabic grains, which are more delicate and complex in flavor. The roasted process is more careful, seeking to keep the aromas and characteristics of each type of grain. Thus it is possible to appreciate floral, fruit, citrus, nuts or chocolate notes.
The coffee ceases to be a concoction to start the day and becomes as varied and sophisticated as wine. But can we access this world at home? There are two essential components: grain coffee and equipment.
The importance of coffee grain
To make exceptional coffee at home, the first step is to choose a good coffee. Specialty coffees are classified according to their quality on a scale of 100 points and those that exceed 80 points are considered specialty. Within this category, there are different flavor profiles depending on the origin of the grain and the variety. For example, an Ethiopia coffee can have floral and citrus notes, while one of Colombia can be sweeter and fruity with spice notes. A Brazilian coffee can have nuts of nuts and chocolate.
In addition to the origin, the cultivation process and the process after the harvest also influence the taste. The washed coffees, in which the fruit from the grain is removed immediately after collecting them, tend to be cleaner and acidic, while the natives (dried with the peel) can have more intense and fruit flavors. Type coffees Honeywhich are an intermediate point in which a mucilage layer is left covering the grain, offer a balance between sweetness and acidity.
Once we have a good coffee, the next step is to grind it just before preparing it. Grinding coffee at the time makes a big difference, because if we buy ground coffee, it will lose its essential oils and aromas in less than a week due to air exposure. Grinding the grains at home guarantees that all flavors and aromas are present in the cup. In addition, the thickness of the ground should be adjusted according to the preparation method: thicker for piston coffee makers and finer for espresso coffee.
The equipment to grind and filter coffee
If you want to prepare coffee like a barista at home, you will need the right equipment. That means that the Italian coffee maker ‘of a lifetime’ falls short. To get a longer and more aromatic coffee, the best option is coffee makers. For Café ‘Cafeteria’ coffee we will have to get a machine.
For filter methods, also called pour over, A discharge coffee maker, such as a V60 or a Chemex. These coffee makers have a very simple mechanism that works by pouring hot water little by little over ground coffee in conical filter. The filter can be paper or steel with very thin perforations. Other options are aeropss or piston coffee maker, which have their own technique, but are based on the same filtering principle and water temperature control.
These coffee makers allow total control over the extraction process, which are mainly temperature and time, which allows you to highlight the unique characteristics of coffee. For the first, you will need a water boiler with temperature control, since the water must be between 90 and 96 degrees for optimal extraction.
The speed with which the water passes through the coffee in the filter depends on the ground. Here, again, the traditional blades will not serve, because it is very difficult to control the grinding with it. A teeth coffee mill is necessary, preferably steel, which allow uniform and adjustable grinding. There are cheaper, and electrical manual models, which can cost hundreds of euros.
The espresso coffee maker: the Holy Grail
For the best espresso coffee, the team is more complex and expensive, but the result can be spectacular. You will need an espresso machine that is able to generate the necessary pressure (about nine bars or more) to extract coffee correctly.
Many commercial espresso coffee makers have a pump that generates this pressure to push water through ground coffee. Here, again, to obtain the best results it is necessary to grind the coffee at the time and, in addition, with a very fine and uniform grinding, specific for Espresso, which will allow to obtain the cream that crowns a good espresso coffee.
Some portfiltros (the chuck where coffee is placed) have double wall and allow you to get this cream with a thicker grinding coffee, but experts use simple wall filters, which requires much more precision.
The espresso preparation process is a science: you must dose the coffee correctly, distribute it uniformly in the portfilter and compact it with the proper pressure. The ideal extraction time is 25 to 30 seconds to obtain a balanced espresso. The most advanced espresso coffee maker allow us to regulate everything: from water temperature to pressure; And there are videos on YouTube that will help us navigate this coffee ocean with confidence.
For those who do not want to complicate life so much, there are superautomatic coffee makers, who are responsible for grinding, preparing and extracting grain coffee by clicking a single button. Much more comfortable and offer good results consistently, but what grace does that have?
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