It is 20 years ago when inventor and coffee lover (not a barista) Alan Adler developed the aeropress. His quest was simply to make a better cup of a coffee, more consistently and somewhat quicker…
Today, millions of aeropress coffee makers travel everywhere we go and bring us a tasty, quick, solid cup of coffee. From Arizona canyons, to camp sites in the South of France, to the plains of Eastern Europe, back country of Australia and ocean islands in the Pacific. It is ubiquitous and still going strong!
What used to a single product is branched out into a wider variety of choices, materials and add-ons.
Aeropress Original
Aeropress Premium
Aeropress Clear
Aeropress XL
Aeropress Go & Go Plus
Very recently, Aeropress have also introduced a manual grinder to match their style and create the option to get everything from one source. Very smart, though it may not be the best manual grinder for your money. That remains to be seen…
Coffee lovers understand that the quest for the perfect cup begins long before the brewing process. It starts with the beans themselves – those aromatic, freshly roasted gems that hold the promise of a delightful experience. However, preserving their delicate flavors and aromas can be a challenge.
Disclaimer: I was offered to test an Outpeak canister free of charge, but these are my honest observations and experiences.
Exposure to air, light, heat and moisture can rapidly degrade the quality of specialty coffee beans, leaving you with a lackluster brew. That’s where metal coffee canisters with vacuum technology step in.
The Factors of Coffee Freshness
To truly appreciate the benefits of these canisters, let’s delve into some science of coffee freshness. Air (oxygen) is the enemy of freshness. It reacts with the coffee oils and fragile organic compounds, causing them to oxidize and deteriorate. Light, heat and moisture also accelerate this degradation process.
Traditional storage methods (paper, plastic or glass) offer minimal protection against these elements. This is where metal coffee canisters with vacuum technology shine. These canisters are equipped with a small battery-operated air pump in the lid, which removes most of the air and oxygen from the container at the touch of a button. This significantly slows down the oxidation process and preserves the beans’ freshness over a longer period.
Metal vs. Glass: The Battle for Light Protection
Unlike glass canisters, which allow light and heat to penetrate, metal canisters block harmful UV rays. Light can trigger photochemical reactions that degrade coffee’s flavor compounds. By blocking out light, metal canisters add another layer of protection, ensuring your beans remain fresh and flavorful for longer.
Airtight Seals and Moisture Control
The airtight lids on these canisters serve a dual purpose. Firstly, they maintain the low pressure (-25 kPa and -33 kPa) created by the pump, preventing air and oxygen from seeping back in. Secondly, they keep moisture at bay. By creating a dry environment, the airtight lids contribute to the longevity of your beans.
Real-World Experience: The Outpeak Coffee Canister
I recently had the opportunity to try the Outpeak coffee canister and the results are encouraging! As someone who goes through a 250 gr bag of coffee beans in about a week, I’ve always been frustrated by the rapid decline in freshness, particularly with the more expensive specialty coffees.
By the end of the week, those unique and vibrant flavors would fade, leaving me with a less exciting cup.
With the Outpeak canister, I noticed a remarkable difference. Even after a week, the specialty coffee beans retained more of their distinctive characteristics. The flavors were brighter, the aromas more pronounced, and the overall experience more satisfying. While the difference may be subtle, it’s undeniable that storing beans in a vacuum, away from heat, light and moisture, has a noticeable impact on their longevity.
The Outpeak canisters offer a built-in USB-C charger port and a full charge lasts more than 4 weeks, in my experience. I fully charged the lid with pump upon arrival and haven’t had the need to recharge it yet. That’s great! I will update this post with a more precise duration, when I need to recharge.
I had the good fortune of testing the 500 gr canister. It comfortably fits a fresh bag of 250 gr coffee, obviously. I get fresh coffee delivered every two weeks and most roasters ship bags of 250 gr, sometimes 350 gr.
I found two minor issues with this version of the canisters that I hope Outpeak can improve in an updated version:
The diameter of the lid is slightly too large (ca. 12.5 cm or just under 5″) for my (small) hands, making it somewhat hard to get a good grip to open it. Letting air in twice helps.
The 500 gr canister is a little big when you only store 250 gr. That leaves a lot of open space inside. Perhaps 300 gr, 550 gr and 1100 gr versions are more inline with the amount of coffee most people need to store on their home countertop.
Getting a fresh bag every week is very practical anyway!
Investing in Long-Term Freshness
For coffee enthusiasts who value quality and freshness, metal coffee canisters with vacuum technology are a worthwhile investment. While they may be slightly more expensive than traditional storage options, the benefits they offer are undeniable. By preserving the delicate flavors and aromas of your more expensive specialty coffee beans, they ensure that every cup you brew is a great experience.
Pressing the vacuum button on the top of the lid. In the middle the large vent to let air back in when you open it.
If you’re tired of your coffee losing its luster after just a few days, it’s time to upgrade your storage game. Metal coffee canisters with vacuum technology, like the Outpeak canister, offer a simple yet effective solution. By creating an optimal storage environment for your beans, they unlock their full potential, allowing you to savor the true essence of freshly roasted coffee for longer.
Remember, the quest for the perfect cup starts with the beans. Treat them with the care they deserve, and they’ll reward you with an unforgettable coffee experience.
Update 1 Nov 26th 2024: Well, I have stored some decaf beans in the Outpeak vacuum canister for several weeks now. I wanted to test the preservation of flavors because decaf beans “spoil” much faster than caffeinated beans. We don’t know why yet. After being kept in vacuum for almost 6 weeks, the beans brewed a great coffee on my Hario V60. Very comparable in taste to a fresh brew when the beans are less than a week old! That’s wonderful news.
Update 2: Fellow has just launched opaque vacuum canisters (Atmos) as well at a comparable price to Outpeak’s offering. Good to see vacuum storage of beans in metal containers is becoming more popular. I know glass is prettier but it’s worse for the preservation of flavors.
A site called LabDownUnder has a blog about research from Australia that explores using ultrasound to brew coffee. In other words, the high-pitched sound waves used in medical imaging can also make a cup of coffee!
They wanted to see if ultrasound could change how much of the good substances (such as caffeine, oils, and flavors) gets extracted from the coffee grounds.
Coffee Sonication
To test this, they brewed filter coffee with and without ultrasound, changing things such as how much coffee they used, the water temperature, and how long they used the ultrasound. They then measured the concentrations or quantities of antioxidants, caffeine or oils, and the specific smells and flavors in the brewed coffee. They also judged what the coffee looked like – its color and how much foam it made.
Ultrasound can be used to extract important compounds in the brewing process through what is known as cavitation. As the sound waves travel through the water surrounding the grounds, differences in pressure create microscopic bubbles which themselves expand and collapse.
LabDownUnder
The Findings
They found that ultrasound helped get more caffeine and oils out of the coffee grounds. This is probably because the ultrasound waves shake things up at ultra fast rates, making it easier for the compounds in coffee to dissolve into the water. They also found that ultrasound helped extract more of the compounds that give coffee its aroma, which means the coffee might smell even better!
However, they noticed that ultrasound seemed to decrease the amount of antioxidants in the coffee, especially when they used it for longer or at higher temperatures. Also, the coffee brewed with ultrasound had a lighter color and less foam, which they think is because of the extra oils. These oils are called triglycerides.
While traditionally the crema floats on top of the coffee, ultrasound actually emulsifies the triglycerides (oils) that make up the crema layer with the beverage, mixing them together. This created a milky-looking beverage with caramel tones.
The Results
Overall, the research suggests that using ultrasound to brew coffee could be a way to make coffee with more caffeine, a richer flavor, and a stronger aroma. However, it might also have less antioxidants and a slightly different appearance. More research is needed to fully understand the potential of ultrasound in coffee brewing.
Dr Francisco Trujillo of the School of Chemical Engineering of UNSW was chief investigator behind the study. The original article has a link to a video made by the researchers, that I cannot link to without permissions. They also show a photo with a color comparison between French press and sonicated coffee. The sonicated coffee looks like it already has milk added to it, when it doesn’t! Check the link to the blog at the top.
I get asked this question a lot: “What’s the best coffee machine for at home?” Just like: “What’s the best coffee to buy?”
I understand why people ask it, though. They want an experienced opinion. I’ve tasted more coffees than most. Unfortunately, it is not that easy.
To answer the question: “What is the best coffee machine to use at home?”, I would first need to know what kind of coffee you prefer? In other words, the drink itself:
Black or milk-based coffee?
Espresso or filter coffee?
Drip, pour-over or submersion coffee?
To choose the best coffee machine for making coffee at home, you need to find your favorite style next. Then find the best machine that suits that style. That said, I can give a couple of recommendations for good coffee machines for your home. These machines make a great cup of coffee every single day.
Most people either prefer espresso-based coffee or filter coffee. We have all grown up to become accustomed to dark roasted, fairly bitter tasting coffee (with or without milk). With that in mind…
Espresso machines
When buying any espresso machine, do pay attention to the diameter of the portafilter. It is a handle-like device that holds the coffee grounds and attaches to the espresso machine’s brewing group. The portafilter plays a crucial role in the extraction process, determining the flavor, strength, and quality of the espresso shot.
Ensure that this is 53 – 58 mm, which are the industry standards. It should hold 14 – 24 gr of ground coffee. Anything smaller will also work but it will be much harder to find parts, accessories and additional tools. And you will get more tools! LOL
Fully automatic
Don’t get a fully automatic machine! Ever! Seriously.
My biggest complaint about fully automatic espresso machines is that they grind the beans for you without any useful form of manual adjustments. The manufacturer will never include a great grinder. That would make the machine too expensive. Always get a separate grinder, it will last you at least 10 years.
These automatic machines focus on convenience, speed and not flavor. So in my opinion, this is always a setback that I can’t except.
If you prefer speed and ease over flavor, then choose either of these:
The Pro version lets you tamp the coffee yourself. The Impress version has a built-in tamper and will do it for you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Since tamping affects taste much, I prefer to do it myself.
I personally don’t like a Jura machine. Although it’s pretty, it’s too limited and maintenance is expensive. Sorry Jura.
Semi automatic
These machines are more my style. They automate some of the actions but not all. This gives you more control over the espresso that’s brewed. Note that a great espresso maker will cost at least 1250-1500 Euro/Dollars because of the quality of the parts and build. That does not include a grinder!
Your biggest choice depends on how you drink your coffee: black or white?
If you prefer black coffee (an espresso, long black or americano), your life is easy: choose a single boiler machine. They’re a lot cheaper.
Do you (or your partner) prefer white coffees? Think about how many cappuccinos or lattes you will make? For one or two each time, it’s fine to get a single boiler machines as well. First froth your milk then brew the espressos! If you drink more coffee daily or host regular dinner parties, then you should opt for a dual boiler machine. That way, you can start frothing the milk while the espressos are still brewing.
La Pavoni Stradivari
Manual espresso machines
A category on their own for this is where innovation really shines.
Superkop is a brand new, solid, durable design and fully non-electrified. It will work when the power is out, on the road or camping, when disaster strikes and zombies invade our homes! It only needs hot water and ground coffee. It will last a lifetime with only a few replaceable moving parts.
The lever-operated La Pavoni is a classic machine! A gorgeous design that does require some practice and getting used to. Once you do, it is the holy grail of many baristas. Beautiful to look at and room for creativity to add you own special twists when making an espresso.
The Flair revolutionized the world of home baristas when it appeared on Kickstarter. It’s cheap, easy to make, easy to use and a great way to get into making better coffee at home. Quality has improved a lot since and you can’t go wrong with it!
Filter coffee machines
Moccamaster KGB Select
The traditional home coffee makers have received a ton of innovations and improvements over the last 3-5 years. Coffee making, filter coffee at home, has drastically improved since the 80s and 90s. Designer machines, premium options, gorgeous materials and very reliable manufacturing mean that today’s coffee maker is light years ahead of those our parents and grandparents used.
Moccamaster has been the go-to coffee maker for many official coffee competitions and conferences. They’ve been around for 40 years and are rock solid, well built and easy to maintain or repair.
You can also refer to the SCA certified list of approved coffee makers. The Specialty Coffee Association takes their work very seriously. Every machine is thoroughly tested and retested to ensure it makes a great cup every single time, all the time.
I hope this answered some of your questions and gave you a good start to selecting the best coffee machine for your home. Maybe it just confused you more and made you reevaluate what it is you want. Then at least I did my job. Trust me when I say that you will not find the best machine in one go. I will take several iterations before you find what works best.
Most of all, your taste for coffee will change and that brings new machines, new coffees, new equipment and new kitchen setups. If you can, buy second hand on Ebay or your local penny savers. Closed restaurants often sell off their equipment to pay debts. That’s a nice way to get a premium machine for less.
PS: If you follow my advice above and do not buy a fully automatic machine, you will need to also buy a good grinder. That’s a whole new subject, but for starters I can recommend watching James Hoffman’s review video:
This year I can finally participate in something that’s been a dream of mine since I started working with coffee in 2017 and getting certified by the SCA… Corona has been forcing the competition to be postponed. I was going to first volunteer and help others participate, but I’ve decided to just dive in.
At the preliminary, you have to brew 3 cups of an unknown coffee bean in 15 minutes using your preferred brew method. You receive the beans on the day of your round and you get 30 minutes in advance to determine your best recipe using the beans provided, water present and a grinder to use.
Time lapse of a practice run
The preliminary is held at Alleborgh coffee in Almere, a well known espresso machine dealer, who has a backoffice practice floor where you can setup. They’ve been cooperating with SCA Nederland forever, as far as I know.
Not knowing the water used and using a guest grinder is an extra complication. Baristas know their own equipment in and out and can fine-tune results often instantly to compensate for dinner ad-hoc deviation
I’m going to double check the requirements again before Tuesday Feb 22nd, when I’m scheduled to go on stage, but I believe you get 15 minutes total time and can use 8 minutes to set up and 7 minutes to produce 3 cups of 180 grams of coffee liquid.
I also learned that you’ll get 15 min additional time familiarize yourself with the grinder (a mahlkonig EK43 🥰) and can bring your own coffee to achieve the grind size you’re set on using. There are tools to help with this task, such as a Kruve sieve or a ruler that indicates particle size, but I don’t have those yet. Maybe if I make the finals…
This is not that hard at all but the complexity increases because you kinda have to brew 3 batches of coffee in parallel and start the 2nd while you’re still brewing the first. This is where timing gets tricky and routine is crucial!
The coffees are judged blindly (they do not know who’s coffee they judge) on flavors, taste and consistency by a professional jury who’ve sampled the same coffee for themselves, so they know what’s possible to achieve. In a way, it’s whoever is closest to what they achieved wins.
Koffietje.nl already had the great idea to list as many local coffee roasters in the Netherlands with a webshop as possible, so that everyone who’s working at home #stayhome due to Corona crisis can enjoy the best coffee possible. Excellent!
Of course this leaves out those roasters who don’t have a shop (yet)…
Thankfully, Misterbarish.nl already has an extensive list of coffee roasters in the Netherlands (and a list for Belgium). Yay! With these two lists together there is nothing stopping you from ordering fresh roasted coffee beans that suit your taste to brew at home.
I’m happy to inform you that I’ve found a super freelance coffee partner in Amersfoort! It’s also really close to our new home, if the purchase goes through, so that’s even better!
I’m helping out 3 days a week in the relaxing atmosphere of the coffee salon and tea house Boeken Bonen & Blaadjes in het Singelhuys in Amersfoort. It’s a place cultural center and lunchroom with a vintage feel that boasts barista training workshops, private dinner events, remote work spots and meeting place as well as being a magnificent place to chill, relax and unwind in a “home away from home” style. Couches, comfy chairs, a quiet corner or the central tables to meet others and shares experiences.
Boeken Bonen & Blaadjes
Joet Halmos, the owner, could use the extra hands during the lunch rush and would like to leave the coffee and tea prep in capable hands so she can focus more on guests and preparing lunches (the ample bread platters are really worth the trip alone!).
Filter Thursday
On Thursday’s I’m there and using the day to experiment and practise with filter coffee brewing methods as well as assisting where and when needed. So I try new beans, choose and finetune recipes and experiment with an Aeropress, Hario V60, Chemex or Kalita Wave. Once Summer comes and days get hotter, I’m sure I will also try cold drip and cold brew coffees to see how temperature affects taste and flavors. All this to better prepare for the qualifying rounds of the Dutch Brewers Cup 2020 later this year in November.
Friday and Saturday I help out with the lunch rush and assist Joet wherever needed between 11:00 and 15:00 those days.
A pour over coffee brewing station isolated on white, and sitting on a painted white cart.
After having finished the amazing reserves of coffee beans I’ve had brought to me by visitors, the sad time arrives when they run out… This happened last week so now I am resorting once again to supermarket coffee from St Maarten.
“Which coffee do you drink?” is a question I get asked regularly. Well, I don’t make it a secret but bean selection on St Maarten is pretty poor and limited. I’ve tried all the coffees, both ground and whole bean, and my favorites are the house brands from either SuperU or Carrefour. Value/price is super. They both have the same supplier that packages the coffee in custom packages for both, but the coffee is identical as far as I have been able to test and taste.
They come in different “flavors”: Peru, Colombia, Brasil, Ethiopia and Mexico. The Peru and Ethiopia match the best with my tastes. Bold, strong smells and flavors, full bodied strong coffee with enough balance and sweetness not to make it too bitter. They are blends from 100% Arabica beans. Both of them.
Normal recipes call for 30 gr of coffee for 500 ml of water (at 92-96 Celsius) but since this is an espresso grind and not a filter grind (much finer than would should be used), I either use colder water than prescribed (82-86 C) or I reduce the amount of coffee by 10% (3 grams here).
My favorite brew methods are Aeropress in the morning (it makes a more bitter espresso-style cup) and Hario V60 in the afternoon (smoother, milder, less bitter oils)
I had an interview with the famous Dr Soc of island92 radio last Monday. We talked about coffee in general and what you can do on the island of St Maarten make a better “cup ‘o joe” in the morning.
Summary:
No matter what ground coffee you are using on Sint Maarten, use a filter coffee maker and
use Volvic (bottled) water
boil the water and let it cool a minute or two
pick a spoon to measure the ground coffee and always use the same exact one!
use between 50 and 65 gram ground coffee per liter of water.
I recommend starting with 30 gr for 500 ml and see how that tastes.
If too bitter: use less coffee, for instance 27.5 gram for 500 ml
If too bland: use more coffee, for instance 32.5 gram per 500 ml
pour a little bit of the water onto the grounds and let the coffee “bloom” for 30 sec
pour the rest of the coffee not taking more than 3 minutes for all the water to seep through
No Pressure Coffee 