The MAG Vietnam Vol 6 Feb 2017 | Page 17

Brewing Tips
Feature Article

Brewing Tips

So far there has been a tremendous amount of work by a multitude of lovely people to get you the best coffee bean possible . What ’ s next ? Well , just don ’ t sit there , you Ninny , it ’ s time to take some responsibility . Take those exquisite beans in hand and brew them ! Brew them I say !
Buy Only High Quality Beans . Keep it Fresh . Air , heat , light and moisture are coffee ’ s enemy .
Only grind your beans right before use . Once coffee is ground , it degrades rapidly ! Water . For best results used filtered water . Cleanliness . Use a gentle sponge and little or no dish soap , so your coffee doesn ’ t end up tasting lemony fresh
Temperature and Time . After the kettle has boiled let it sit 1 minute before pouring into your coffee . De- pending on the method and grind choice , coffee brews anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes Good Measures . a good rule to observe is one tablespoon of coffee , properly ground , per 175mls of water . Serve Promptly . Coffee that sits for as little as 15 minutes can lose its true flavour as natural oils that provide taste break down and evaporate .
Pure Espresso
This is the intense experience of coffee that most Europeans prefer . Proper Espresso is served in small demitasse-style cups and consumed promptly after extraction in the following types of servings :
Ristretto The “ short shot ” is the first ¾-ounce of espresso in an extraction , which many believe is the ab- solute perfect espresso .
Single Shot A 1-ounce shot of espresso . Lungo Otherwise known as the “ long shot ”, this is a 1 ½-ounce shot of espresso . Double Shot . This is not merely a 2-ounce shot of espresso ; this shot uses twice the amount of coffee . Espresso Macchiato . It is simply a shot of espresso with a layer of foamed milk . Espresso con Panna . A shot of espresso with a layer of whipped cream . Café Breve . A shot of espresso with steamed half and half , a . k . a . light cream Cappuccino . A shot of espresso with steamed , wet milk , not necessarily slathered with a frothy , dry foam .
Café Latte . One shot of espresso is mixed with 6 to 8 ounces of steamed milk , then topped with foam - if you prefer . Without the foam it ’ s officially known as a Flat White .
Café Americano . This is essentially a watered-down shot of espresso with the resulting flavour arriving very close to simple , brewed coffee . One espresso shot ( 1 ounce ) with 6-8 ounces of hot water .
Flavoured Espresso Drinks
These are essentially the same drinks listed above with flavoured syrups added somewhere in the process . For instance , Café Mocha is simply a latte with chocolate syrup added with the steamed milk .
The MAG Vung Tau 17