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COFFEE

PANTRY

BREWING

GIFTS

MAKE COFFEE LIKE A PRO MASTERCLASS

ONLINE CLASS

This Masterclass is led by Erin Sampson, Australian Latte Art Champion and 3rd in World Latte Art Championships. It features a step by step guide to making the perfect cafe quality coffee at home.

HOW TO BREW GUIDES

How to texture milk

How to pour a heart

How to get even lattes

Create a canvas for latte art

Distribution

Tamping

Tips to make Boomtown stronger

Cafe style hot chocolate at home

COFFEE FAQS

How should I store my coffee beans?

Coffee beans will deteriorate over time and eventually lose all the good elements that provide the toasty aroma and viscous crema. By storing your coffee beans away from air, light, heat and moisture you can help slow down the ageing process. Keep your freshly roasted coffee beans in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry environment to get the maximum life out of them.

If sealed correctly, you can store any excess beans in the freezer. Check out our barista accessories collection for coffee canisters.

Why is having fresh beans so important?

Fresh coffee beans are the first and most important ingredient when it comes to brewing great tasting coffee. Freshly roasted coffee beans will have a great aroma, body and flavour. Always look for the roast date on coffee bags.

How long can I keep the beans until they go bad?

Coffee beans will never go off but will deteriorate and lose the elements that make them taste great. Over time coffee beans will dry out and lose their aroma, body, flavour and crema. This will result in less flavour and a bitter dry aftertaste. If you keep your unused beans in an airtight container they will retain their freshness for longer but ideally you should aim to use your freshly roasted coffee beans within 8 weeks of being roasted.

Do I need a special coffee scale or is a kitchen scale fine?

A coffee scale that weighs to the point of a gram will be most accurate but a regular kitchen scale is better than nothing. Weighing out your coffee dose will help with a consistent extraction and save you time and precious coffee beans. 

Check out our barista accessories collection for coffee scales.

What is the difference between a double wall and single wall basket?

Dual or double wall baskets can be used on your coffee machine if you are using pre-ground coffee. The dual wall creates added pressure through secondary holes which then create crema. We always recommend where possible to buy freshly roasted beans and grind on demand for the best tasting espresso extraction.

How much coffee should I start with in my filter basket?

There are many different sized coffee handles and filter baskets on domestic machines so a bit of trial and error may be needed. Fill your filter basket to the top with a small mound of coffee over the rims of the basket. Don't forget to use a consistent distribution and tamping technique and then extract your espresso. Once you remove the extracted handle you should have a faint indentation of the shower screen. If your dose was too low, you may see some residual water on the puck. If your dose was too high you may find your coffee puck to be puffy, cracked and dry. Don't forget to use a set of scales so you can repeat next time.

Single shot vs double shot?

This is down to personal preference. A single shot is best used if you are just making one coffee and don't like it too strong. You could use a double espresso shot if you are making two coffees, using a bigger mug or like your coffee stronger. Try not to switch from the single to the double without adjusting your grind as you may find your espresso doesn't pour as well when you are changing basket size.

How do I make my coffee hotter?

To achieve a hotter coffee that retains its heat ensure you have preheated your coffee machine, coffee handle and mug prior to making your coffee. You can do this by adding hot water into your cup. You can heat your milk past the recommended 60 - 65c but try not to go past 70c as your milk will lose its sweetness. To monitor temperature, you can use a digital thermometer while steaming your milk to take out the guess work.

My espresso is just dripping when extracting, what do I need to do?

As long as you have a consistent dose that is not too high or low, you will need to adjust your grind. When your espresso is just dripping, the grind setting is too fine. Try adjusting your grind setting coarser by one or two notches at a time making sure to grind out a little coffee to make sure the new grind setting is coming through. Then keep your dose consistent and you should see your espresso extraction improve.

I'm having trouble getting a high enough pressure on my pressure gauge?

Use the pressure gauge as a guide to extraction but always watch, weigh, and taste your espresso to assist you in finding the right grind size. If the pressure gauge is on the lower side, you may need to create more pressure so try adjusting the grind finer. Alternatively, if your gauge swings all the way around and your shot is pouring very slowly, try making your grind size coarser.

Why does my coffee puck get stuck in the group head?

This can often occur if you have dosed too much coffee into your filter basket. Try lowering your dose and be sure to check how much you have with a set of coffee scales so you can keep it consistent next time. Other indicators of your dose being too high could be water leaking around the group handle or a cracked, puffy or dry puck after extraction.

Do you recommend using filtered water?

It really depends on the water quality in your area but mostly tap water is fine. We do recommend giving your water tank a wipe out at least once a month and filling with fresh water.

What is the recommended time for the extraction to start pouring?

A great shot won't start pouring as soon as you hit go. The amount of coffee in your filter basket and your particle size will slow down the pour and a delayed start or infusion time will produce a better extraction. Every home machine can vary but expect an infusion time anywhere from 5 - 12 seconds.

What is the best way to make a long black?

We believe less is more when it comes to a long black. Equal parts water to espresso makes for a great long black. Put your hot water in the cup first and then pour your double espresso shot on top.

Do I need to do anything different with decaf coffee?

As long as the roast date is fresh you can apply the exact same techniques to get a great taste. Small grind adjustments may need to be made to get the perfect extraction as no two coffees are the same, with many factors affecting how it pours like how the coffee was roasted, when it was roasted and even the weather that day.

When would you use a very coarse grind setting?

A coarser grind setting is typically used when making filter coffee with a plunger or an aeropress.

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