Coffee Blog and Coffee Bean News

OCD Coffee dosing and distribution tool Vs the Chinese knockoffs

24/3/2017

The original OCD coffee distribution tool

The original OCD coffee distribution tool

Have you heard about the coffee tool known as OCD? it was developed by Sasa Sestic, the 2015 World Barista Champion and he is Australian! The Ona Coffee Distributor (shortened to OCD) is a round 500g chunk of metal with fins on the underside that contacts with the coffee grounds and is designed so that a correctly dosed coffee basket will have its coffee grounds distributed in the basket perfectly, evenly and consistently, every singe time. That repeatably allows you to concentrate on other areas of your coffee technique, and will reduce the effects of water channelling where presurised water will take the path of least resistance through the coffee puck. This tool does not replace a coffee tamp, though I have seen baristas completely omit the tamp and rely solely on the OCD tool as a combination distribution and tamping tool. I bought my first OCD late 2016 at around $160 and was very pleased with the purchase. The only problem I had with the device was that while it was adjustable, it required plates (or shims) to be inserted to raise and lower the head.

Can the original OCD be improved?

It is ironic that the Chinese knockoffs that appeared on eBay of the original design, were in fact improved (some of them were, some were a direct copy). These replicas had an internal adjustment so that the height could be changed on the fly, without the need for adjusting shims. They also weighed in at the same heft of around 500g. I had to buy one of these as well, of course. While the quality doesn't compare to the original, it is a nice spin on the original.

A Chinese knock off of the OCD tool

A Chinese knock off of the OCD tool

So, the OCD tool is rebuilt, better than the original.

Thats right, in 2017 the original OCD tool is revised to now include that on-demand adjustability that the knock-offs used. I have not purchased the V2 OCD- at an extra $40-$50 on the original, I might leave that for Santa, or the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy.

The improved OCD tool, named OCD V2

The improved OCD tool, named OCD V2

Are you looking for quality tea in Australia? I've got some great news for you!

23/3/2017

So, I have to tell you about another business I am passionate about; Tea! I guess it only makes sense since Coffee and Tea are both related in that they bring people together and that they keep us warm when we are apart. If you or someone you know is passionate about loose leaf tea or pyramid tea bags, please tell them about BuyTea.com.au - I offer the same great service over there with free delivery anywhere in Australia and great advice.

Coffee and Tea are both related in that they bring people together - www.buytea.com.au

Coffee and Tea are both related in that they bring people together - www.buytea.com.au

Shorter coffee extraction makes for better sweater coffee without sugar

23/3/2017

Shorter extraction makes for better sweater coffee without sugar

Shorter extraction makes for better sweater coffee without sugar

Did you know that you can make your coffee naturally sweeter very simply - its all a matter of timing. Essentially, a typical coffee extraction is 30mls of coffee extracted over 25 seconds, or for a double shot, 60ml of coffee in the cup over the same 25 seconds. First, allow me to help visualise the different stages of the coffee extraction. Imagine you are extracting into three small shot glasses instead of one cup, and that you continue the extraction while you switch each of the thee glasses through the coffee stream, ending up with only 10ml of coffee in each of the three shot glasses. You will discover that;

1. the first glass has a very dark extraction, and will taste the sweetest of the three
2. the second glass will be a little more tart and lighter in colour
3. the third glass will be the most tart of the three and the lightest in colour.

When extracted into a single cup, the difference is barely noticeable as all the flavours are blended together in the cup, but when separated in this way, you can taste the differences quite easily.

A simple trick to obtaining a sweeter coffee, is to extract only the first 15 seconds of your coffee and discard the rest - this is known in the industry as Ristretto - a very strong concentrated version of coffee (the opposite of Lungo). What I usually do is a double ristretto, resulting in a total of 30ml (instead of 60ml from a typical double shot), resulting in a sweeter and smoother tasting coffee. The resulting syrup may be a little too unbalanced for you, but give it a try if you are looking for a sweeter tasting coffee without the use of sugar!

How to tamp coffee - Step by Step Guide

23/3/2017

How to tamp coffee - Step by Step Guide

How to tamp coffee - Step by Step Guide

Tamping your coffee is an important part of the coffee extraction process. It does a number of things, most importantly to ensure an equal and even distribution of pressurised water through your coffee puck so as to ensure a consistent and full bodied extraction.

After dosing the required amount of coffee into your portafilter, gently tap or shake the filter on a clean surface or tamping mat.
Apply your precision tamp to the coffee grounds with a light amount of downward force
without removing the tamp of the coffee grounds, inspect your tamping angle from eye level to ensure you are tamping horizontally. Any failures here can be corrected in the second stage of the tamp
tamp the coffee further with around 7kg of downward force. A great tip here is to tamp onto bathroom cales for a few times so you can build muscle memory on what 7kg feels like. Keep in mind it is more important to remain consistent in the pressure you apply each time, rather than to be completely accurate. IE: if you feel more comfortable with applying 5kgs each time, just use that as your personal tamping pressure. Your coffee grounds will need to be more fine compared to someone that tamps heavier, but no problems at all.

What are the best coffee beans to use with Aeropress?

16/3/2017

Aeropress deserves great coffee!

Aeropress deserves great coffee!

If you've got an Aeropress, I'm betting you love great coffee! The convenience, the silence, the aroma, they are all qualities of the Aeropress and bring you closer to your coffee journey. I don't like to use this word often, but I find that it is a romantic process, mixed with a bit of theatre and science to satisfy my curiosity.

What beans are best suited to Aeropress?

Selecting the best beans for Aeropress is a personal choice, but I find that it is a very delicate process that brings out the lighter characteristics of each coffee variety that is otherwise lost in other processes like the Espresso Machine, which can sometimes be jarring in comparison. The most ideal coffee beans for Aeropress are coffees such as Premium Reserve from regions like Keyna or Ethiopia, bringing out the fruity light flavours, or a Mocha Prince for some subtle complexity and chocolate flavours.

What grind should I use for Aeropress?

If you haven't got a grinder, don't worry, just select GRIND FOR AEROPRESS when you checkout and buy your coffee beans online and I will take care of everything. If on the other hand, you do have a grinder, you will benefit from a bigger flavour profile if you order as WHOLE BEAN and are able to grind your beans on demand, so its a very worthwhile option if you can use a grinder. The grind you are looking for is very coarse compared to what is used at a cafe espresso machine; aim for something that feels like coarsely cracked pepper. A more expensive grinder will typically grind more evenly and consistently, but you certainly don't need to spend a fortune on a grinder to pair with your Aeropress.

Where to buy the best coffee beans in Australia?

16/3/2017

Where to Buy the Best Coffee Beans in Australia

Where to Buy the Best Coffee Beans in Australia

There are plenty of options today in Australia when it comes to buying coffee beans; we are literally spoiled for choice in this market - the problem is that quality and freshness is essential in producing a great coffee, so you're web search needs to be specific to ensure you are getting high quality Arabica coffee beans, roasted fresh, ideally, just for you!

I used to purchase my coffee beans from the local markets, thats when I upgraded to buying from the shops, but that still wasn't enough for me - I demanded fresh roasted coffee beans after a friend showed me the difference with some coffee beans that he had purchased himself from an online coffee shop - I was hooked! the crema, the flavour, the aroma, sensational! When I returned to my original beans, the difference was immediately notices - flat, lacklustre crema, mild aroma. yes, disappointment filled the air.

Pro Tips to buy the best coffee beans in Australia.

When you want to find the best coffee beans, you should target bean varieties that satisfy your flavour preference. Don't get me wrong, part of the fun is experimenting with all the different flavours that come from the various bean varieties and roasting methods, but its always nice to hit the jackpot early. This about if you enjoy a strong bold flavour, in which case, you'd look for something with the South American beans like Colombia, or Brazil. If you prefer something a little more mild, opt for Nicaragua or PNG, Other flavours are sweet, like mocha, or fruity like a Kenyan, or Ethiopian bean. What ever you decide on, there are absolute essentials;

Freshness
Expertly roasted
Value for money
Excellent customer service
Fast and free delivery

What do you think?

Best coffee beans Australia has to offer can be found at Bay Beans Coffee.

We've been roasting the best coffee beans in Australia since 2006, and delivering to customers all over Australia every single day since. Our coffee beans are selected from the highest quality beans available and expertly roasted on demand only when you palce your order - there is no extra fee for this service, it is our personal endeavour to deliver the best quality coffee beans anywhere in Australia as fast and as fresh as possible while delivering value for money and excellent customer service.

We are bringing you the freshest and best coffee beans Australia produces.

Coffee at the office - where is my Flat White?

16/3/2017

coffee at the office

I’ve been asked to write a guest blog post about coffee. Having zero creativity this is going to be a challenge.

My experience with coffee to date has been centred around the corporate world of Finance professionals. Long hours, tight deadlines, loads of pressure and lots of coffee. We buy a lot of take-away coffee, some good and some bad, but there isn’t a day that goes buy in the work place where coffee is not consumed en masse.

Team Meetings = Coffee!
Board Meetings = Coffee!
Weekly Catch-up = Coffee!
Client meetings = Coffee!

See what I mean?

Then there is the matter of who has what coffee? I mean you need a list by team of who has what so if you even dare to be polite and offer to do the coffee run, you can read the order to the poor Barista and hope they get it right. "one Flat white, two cappuccino's, one with 2 sugars, the other with none. A piccolo, long black with an extra shot, oh and another flat white, skinny milk please!" phew!

Translating the coffees that come back into what people ordered is another challenge. Based on the scribble on the cup lids; "Sorry Steve, that's my Hot Chocolate".

I'm going to suggest we get a coffee machine at the office, use our own coffee beans and save ourselves from the insanity of the endless coffee run!

Time is up for assignment one. Off for a coffee!

Coffee - What kind of morning person are you?

15/3/2017

So, I asked over on the Bay Beans Facebook page, "What kind of morning person are you'? Me personally, I am Flat White, every single time - there is something about the warmth, and hugging of my coffee mug that just tells me ' Today.... O.K., lets do this'.

I will usually enjoy an Espresso mid-morning, and drink it at the machine, kind of in and out in under two minutes!

So, what kind of morning person are you?

Check out the Facebook post to see what others are saying, or drop a comment below.

Coffee - What kind of morning person are you?

Coffee - What kind of morning person are you?

How to clean a coffee machine used for Espresso

5/3/2017

Cleaning your coffee machine makes perfect sense; it is rewarding and will save you money in repair costs, all the while your machine will feel and look newer for longer.

I have a Giottoa Rocket V2 at home - it is a HX machine which is similar to what is used in a cafe. Before this achine, I've owned a Rancilio Silvia v3 and a Faema dual boiler. Each and every machine benefits from being maintained and cleaned.

My Giottoa Rocket V2 HX espresso machine

My Giottoa Rocket V2 HX espresso machine

One thing that I do every month, well, I do it close to the first Sunday each month to make it easy to remember, is to use a half teaspoon of Espresso Clean powder added to a blind filter (which is just a normal coffee basket without the holes punched through). The method is to load porta-filter with the cleaner into the group head and then start an extraction - leave it pressurising for only 5-10 seconds and then stop the extraction. The dirty water will dump out of the waste water trap into the drip tray - repeat this process three or four times with about 30-40 seconds between each attempt so as to give the pump a moment to rest, and to also allow the cleaner to do its job. Finish off with a couple of fresh water (no cleaning solution) flushes to ensure all the cleaner is flushed through.

Espresso Clean powder

Espresso Clean powder

Here is a blind filter (blank filter) used for cleaning. I also use this same filter after each coffee to just clear out the excess coffee and coffee oils from the previous extraction. When I say each coffee, yeah, I'm a bit lazy in this area and it usually ends up being once or twice a day, sometimes not at all! I also like to do what I call the porta-filter wiggle - that is to allow hot water to flow over the rim of the blind filter to clean the rubber group head seal, or flush it at least. This part is a bit messy, but it does keep the group seal fresh.

Espresso Clean powder

Espresso Clean powder

Cleaning the exterior of the machine is best done when the machine is cold - if done it a few times while hot and I always seem to get complacent and come away with a few near-burns.

After cleaning the inside of the machine, I will usually make an extraction and dump the coffee, just to season the bits that are in contact with the coffee and ensure I don't get any aftertaste. This step is likely not at all required, but old habits die hard.

Time for a test espresso shot - good to dump after a good clean

Time for a test espresso shot - good to dump after a good clean

One last thing to add, if you have a machine finished in stainless steel, I've had great success using window cleaner - it seems to do a great job at cutting through any splatters of espresso or dried up milk splatters that seem to be unavoidable - it also finishes everything with a great reflective shine!