Grinding and Brewing

Since Uncommon asked me to write about how my Uncommon beans are fitting into my coffee lifestyle, I’d like to share my two most frequent methods of brewing: stovetop moka and Turkish.

Stovetop Moka

I really like the stovetop moka maker. A lot people call it stovetop espresso, but that is a misnomer. This is not espresso, nor is it drip coffee, or Indian coffee, etc. Each brew method provides different flavors, and that’s what makes coffee exciting!

There are a variety of methods and theories to what method works best when brewing with a stovetop coffee maker. I’ve begun to follow the method outlined in this video. Afterall, it was prepared by a World Barista Champion!

Basically, the grind required is fairly coarse; I use a Zassenhaus Knee Mill, a conical burr mill that offers any kind of grind you could ask it for. Electric grinders work well too, but burr grinders are preferred. When filling the portafilter, do not tamp or compact the grinds as this could produce clogs. I pre-boil water, and fill the bottom chamber of the stovetop maker to just below the safety valve. Add the portafiler, and assemble the coffee maker, making sure to tighten properly without over-tightening. On low heat, the coffee should be ready in a few minutes. I typically stop the brew process before steam is able to pass through the grounds. This is done by submersing the bottom portion of the coffee maker in cold water. If you don’t stop brewing before steam comes through, make sure to stop it as soon as you can to prevent over-extraction. I also like to pour the coffee into my cup, decreasing the chance that it will overheat or burn in the stovetop maker.

My Zassenhaus grinder and grounds.

My Bialetti stovetop moka maker ready to go!

Moka coffee!

Turkish

Turkish coffee can be an acquired taste. Since the coffee is boiled, the taste can be vastly different from other brewing techniques. I prefer stronger Turkish coffee to weaker; you may enjoy it with sugar.

Turkish brewing requires the finest grind possible. There are dedicated Turkish grinders, but the finest grind my Zassenhaus gives is fair enough. Once ground, the coffee is added to warm water in a small, but deep (you’ll need room for when it boils) pot. Something that just fits enough water for two mugs is great. Stir the coffee into the water; add sugar if desired. On low to medium heat, bring the coffee to a boil. As it boils to the top of the pot (watch out for boil overs!), remove from the heat and stir for about 20 seconds as the boil subsides. Return to heat repeat this boil procedure another two to four times (3 to 5 boils total), but do not stir after the last boil. Then decant the coffee (there will be grounds in the bottom of the pot) into your mug! An easy, quick, and fun way to brew!

The Turkish coffee beginning to boil around the edges.

Boiling up!

Here’s a recap video:

Here’s a great article about brewing Turkish coffee at home:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/brewinstr/brew.inst.ibrik.html

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Whenever I’m doing something of which I require the utmost quality, I strive to reduce the number of links that result in the final product. This allows me to minimize faults, mistakes, and inefficiencies while working to improve the essential steps in the process. When it came to coffee, beans were my weakest link. When purchasing roasted beans, I could never be sure when (or how) the beans were roasted, and I’d often forget when it was that I had purchased the beans. Due in part to my laziness and in part to commercial roasters failing to supply a roast date, I was never sure how old my roasted beans were. Not to mention the variability encountered when comparing beans roasted and purchased yesterday, verses last week. The solution was simple, and surprisingly economical: home roast.

I must first dispel the myths that home roasting is an expensive investment, as well as a time consuming process. I made no initial investment to begin home roasting, and home roasting only adds 5 to 10 minutes of work, which consists mainly of keeping a watchful eye on the roasting process (read: you can enjoy a newspaper and a coffee while home roasting if you desire). Spread across the 3 to 6 brews I get out of each roast, that’s less than four extra minutes per brew max additional time. The 30% off price tag of green beans (as compared to roasted beans at Uncommon), the control over the roast, guaranteed freshly roasted beans, the knowledge gained from home roasting, et alia all make these four extra minutes well worth it.

Being one of the few green bean purchasers from Uncommon, and an avid Twitterer (Hi @UncommonGrounds!), the powers that be at Uncommon asked me to write a little bit about my process; about how Uncommon fits into my life at home. I strongly encourage you to try home roasting, and join me in purchasing green beans from the only seller in Saratoga Springs (Uncommon, duh!), and one of only two green bean sellers in the Capital Region.

Hey, maybe we can start a club?

Picking up the beans!

Purchasing the Beans

When seeking out raw beans at Uncommon Grounds, it may be wise to ask for a manager since they are most well-versed in picking out the correct beans from the often strangely labeled burlap sacks in the back of the store. The first time I purchased green beans from Uncommon, the employee helping me was really excited to go search out the green beans; he was ready for the ‘challenge’ of digging up my request from the supply in the back of the store and was excited to learn a little about home roasting.

It really doesn’t matter what kind of beans you home roast.

I know you have an adventurous spirit if you’re trying home roasting, so try something new!

Roasting Equipment

Basically all you need to roast is intense heat. This can be accomplished in the oven, on the stove, or over a fire. I’ll be covering the technique I use most often: the air popcorn popper.

Some of us already have an air popcorn popper at home; I did. Otherwise, it’s a simple department store purchase for only $20 – $30. And you can still use it for popcorn! The popper needs to be the kind that has vents around the interior bottom of the cylindrical popping area. These vents push the chaff (the skin that will come of the beans when roasted) up the chamber, and out the popper. You should use a bowl to collect the chaff. If you got a popcorn bowl with your air popcorn popper, that’ll work perfectly. Don’t be surprised if the chaff blows out of the bowl though and makes a slight mess, it’s very light.

Notice the vents at the bottom of the container.

The Roast

Be aware: the roast will likely produce some steam, CO2, and even smoke. I roast on my stove and turn on the fans.

My roasting setup, with large popcorn bowl to collect the chaff.

Fill the top of the popcorn popper with green beans. It is recommended to follow the manufacturers recommendations as with popcorn popping, and fill the basket with as many green beans as you would popcorn kernels. You can do less, but it is not wise to do more. Turn on the popcorn popper, and drop in the beans.

Fill the basket with beans, as recommended by the manufacturer

I’m not an expert on the various degrees of roasting (from Cinnamon to French). I think you should experiment and figure out what you like best. Afterward, you can figure out what kind of roast you’ve been performing. Regardless, your roasting process should take anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes. I find the first crack to occur between 4 and 5 minutes, and the second crack after 7 minutes. I prefer to roast to the point where the beans are quite dark, and becoming oily, as I feel that most of the flavor has been developed at this time. The air popcorn popper roasting method will not provide an even roast to all the beans, and many people see this as a con to the popcorn popper method. I like an uneven roast, as it broadens the flavor spectrum of a sample of beans.

Chaff collecting in the large bowl. A few beans have jumped out too, no big deal.

Roasting beans!

Check Wikipedia for a decent article on different roasts:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_roasting#Darkness

The Cool Down

It is important to realize that since the beans are still hot, they will continue to roast once the popcorn popper has stopped. As such, you want to start the cool down process just before the beans reach your desired roast. Once the popper is turned off, the beans will come to rest inside the roasting column. It is important to pour out the beans before they have a chance to burn. Cookie sheets work great for cooling, as they absorb heat well. I use a circular pizza sheet that has holes in it, allowing for better air circulation. In colder weather, you can leave your cooling tray outside for a few minutes prior to roasting to bring its temperature down. You can also take your beans outside for cooling. After pouring the beans onto your cooling tray, mix the beans around for a minute to facilitate cooling.

Cool down of the beans on a perforated pizza sheet.

It is recommended that the beans rest for at least an hour before grinding and brewing, longer for certain varieties of beans. You can transfer them to a container once they’ve reach a tangible temperature, but don’t cover them tightly as they will continue releasing CO2 for another 6 to 12 hours. I usually roast in the morning if I plan to brew later in the evening, or roast in the evening if I plan to brew the next morning. I don’t find air tight storage to be very beneficial, as I typically use all my roasted beans within a week. If beans have been sitting for over a week, I usually roast fresh ones. If you do home roast, don’t ruin your beans by refrigerating or freezing them.

Check out these articles related to home roasting and brewing:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/airpop/airpopmethod.php
http://www.sweetmarias.com/skilletmethod.php
http://www.sweetmarias.com/ovenmethod.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_roasting#Darkness

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twitter.com/iamdooser
blog.iamdooser.org

Check back tomorrow for Part II of Devin’s guest post detailing the brewing of his home roasted beans!