How Do You Brew?

We were nestled in Southern Alps as we woke up at the mouth of Lake Wakatipu in a small town and hour south of Queenstown New Zealand. The snowcapped mountains, roaming sheep and crystal clear water felt like we were in another world.

I woke up at sunrise, the embers still hot and crackling in the woodstove. I stoked the flame as it released its warmth into our little 600sq ft. cabin we were renting from a well-known Chef. I grabbed the Moka pot, the warn metal clearly showing this as his favorite brew method, a bag of fresh coffee from a prestigious Melbourne roaster and portioned out 22g of coffee into my Hario Hand Mill. As the water was on its way to boil I slowly ground my coffee fine, coarser than espresso, as I stared across the lake into the sparkling mountains. I turned on the gas stove and listened to the burps and bubbles of this remarkable little vessel, then came the aroma. Big, sweet espresso filled our little cabin, which undoubtedly woke up my wife as she inhaled with a smile. We sat in bed, sipped our coffee and watched the mountains as the sun pierced its way through the morning fog.

This moment stands marked in my memory. I can still smell the aroma of that coffee and find myself in that little cabin if I let myself go there. Something about makingcoffee, engaging your senses, anchors you to a moment in time.

I make coffee every morning, but when I actively engage in the process of making coffee, whether using a Moka pot, V60 or Aeropress, it allows me to have an engaging experience rather than just doing a mindless task. Those experiences scattered throughout our days add to the quality of our lives and I am of the thought that we need a little more of those moments throughout the mundane tasks of the day. Sure, I can easily set up the Mr. Coffee and put 5ish scoops of coffee in the machine the night before, or I can set aside a few moments to engage with my morning, slow down and make myself a coffee that will anchor me and add value and connection to my day.

At The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co. I have the joy of teaching people how to make amazing coffee at home. Sometimes people come to these classes never having made a cup of coffee before. I love watching that light bulb go off and a whole new world open up for them when they learn how to make that amazing coffee we all want. I hear stories of how they’ve loved making coffee each morning, during a 15 minute break in their office or for their weekend camping trips Up North.

A few weeks from now, on August 5^th we have another round of classes where we will be going through the basics of manual brew methods and espresso. Click here, sign up for a class and come with a friend. Experience more of those special moments by learning how to make amazing coffee at home.

 

Here’s to slowing down and staying connected,

Kees

 

Use this Moka pot recipe below to enjoy an espresso-like coffee. Cheers!

 

1. Fill the bottom reservoir of the Moka pot with hot water, about 20-30 seconds off of boil, up to the bottom collar of the pressure release valve.

2. Fill the metal filter basket with ground coffee, think the texture of table salt. No need to overfill or tamp, just evenly settle the coffee.

3. Insert the filter to the bottom reservoir and remove any grounds on the metal lip. Screw the Moka pot together.

4. Place the Moka pot on a stovetop at medium-low heat (lower if using a gas stove.)

5. After a few minutes, the brew should start flowing into the upper chamber. Intense sputtering or spitting means the heat is too high.

6. When the brew is about 80% complete, remove it from the heat. You can optionally wrap the bottom with a chilled bar towel to halt the brewing process. This helps prevent over extraction and a metallic taste.

7. Pour and serve immediately, dilute if needed and enjoy!