People like drinking coffee, they have coffee in the early morning everyday, no matter cold or hot drinks. Everybody has their own favorite types of coffee. They know how to taste coffee, so that they can fully enjoy the flavor they like. People also know where to purchase different coffee powders of high quality. However, when it comes to the question of brewing a fine cup of coffee from some raw coffee beans, many busy people get square-headed. I’ve learnt to be a barista brewing coffee in a local coffee shop and the whole thing takes time, patience and creativity, but in return, I can enjoy a fine cup of coffee brewed by myself and it worths the time I devoted to it.
In the morning, I started with some simple tasks in a café, like doing cleaning jobs and serving customers. Initially, to my surprise, I didn’t realize that I would be doing such things which was totally irrelevant to the job of a barista, to my opinion, but when I went on, I gradually understood that it was just a test, a starter, testing my passion and enthusiasm of brewing a cup of coffee. Of course, I successfully endured. By the way, I learnt some jargons, special phrases used in local café, for example, ‘Break the couple’ means a cup of tea and a cup of coffee, ‘206’ means a warm coke with lemon and ‘306’ means a warm coke with lemon and ginger. It was quite challenging at first but it was not a big deal that I got used to it quickly. I was glad that I could serve every customer well in the peak hours.
After a whole morning of doing the catering service, I could finally have a taste of the main dish – learning to brew a fine cup of coffee. Before brewing my own coffee, there are different elements to be considered. There are many methods for brewing coffee, but no single technique is right for everyone. The method chosen for brewing coffee should be based on the drinker’s need and his unique coffee preferences, for example, do you prefer a milder coffee or a more robust coffee flavor? Do you favor a dark roast coffee, a light blend or something in between? Therefore, I think that it was a really interesting process that I had to integrate the skills learnt and be out of the box and creative. Every step, every technique I applied, would account for the taste and quality of the coffee.
No matter how you choose to brew your coffee, there are guidelines to follow which gives you the best cup of coffee possible. We should make sure that the equipment used is thoroughly cleaned after each use bye rinsing it with clean, hot water and drying it with an absorbent towel. Check that no grounds have been left to collect on any part of the equipment and that there is no accumulation of coffee oil. Such residue can impart a bitter, rancid flavor to future cups of coffee. I fully understood why the owner of the café was so careful about the cleanliness of the equipment and urged me to clean the machines thoroughly with care. Now you see, any factors, steps, even the equipment have a great impact on the finished coffee. If you get them used appropriately, you will get a fine cup of coffee, contrariwise.
The other factors are also very important. They are the varieties and regions of coffee, the purchase of coffee, the use of different types of grind, quality of water, ratio of coffee to water and milk, the temperature of water during brewing (about 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal extraction), as well as the brewing time. In a drip system, the contact time of water with coffee grounds should be approximately 5 minutes. If you are using a plunger pot, the contact time should be 2-4 minutes. For espresso, as the name implies, the brew time is short – only about 20-30 seconds. You can’t brew the coffee for too short or too long or it will be either underextracted or overextracted. I had to experiment with the contact time for times until I can make a cup of coffee that suits my tastes perfectly.
Enjoying the product is always easier than producing it. There are different elements, factors and varieties of methods to be concerned when brewing coffee. It takes time and endurance to find out the coffee which best suits your taste.
So whenever you buy a cup of coffee, or your mum or dad brews a warm, hearty mug of coffee for you, be thankful! The process of brewing a fine cup of coffee seems complicated, but when you can finally have a taste of what you’ve devoted to, you will find it meaningful and yourself more capable of doing fancy stuff.