BARISTALK: Discussing Coffee Brewing Practice

This article is based on Baristalk that was organized by PiknikHub Malang in 17 September 2021 that discuss about coffee brewing practice.

Coffee brewing is essentially a process of extracting the soluble material that is contained in a roasted and ground coffee using liquid solvent. When we brew coffee, the hot water acts as solvent that dissolves the substances contained in the coffee that will give the scent, taste, and texture of the coffee.

Brewing result can be affected by several factors:

· Coffee to Water Ratio: The ratio between coffee and water would affect the thickness of the coffee. Trial and error is needed to find the right ratio.

· Grind size: Choosing the right grind size is essential because it can affect the taste of the final brew. If we brew the coffee too coarse then it will be less flavorful, while if we grind it too fine the coffee might feel a bit bitter. This is why it is essential to choose the right grind size

· Water Temperature: Water temperature can also affect the result of the brew especially in flavor of the coffee. It should be in the right temperature that is not too hot but also not too cold.

There are several methods that can be used for coffee brewing, the commonly used that was introduced in Baristalk was immersion, percolation, and decoction.

Immersion is a method of coffee extraction by immersing the coffee inside the water in order for the coffee to have full contact in the brewing process. This is the oldest method in coffee extraction that we called Tubruk in Indonesia. This method is the simplest way to enjoy a cup of coffee because we only need hot water and coffee for example like Tubruk Coffee. The characteristic of this brew results is having a strong flavor. The recommended brewing time for is 3–5 minute with a coarse grind.

Percolation is a method of making a solution by passing a solvent which in this case, water, through coffee as the components that needs to be dissolved. Percolation process involves the water passing through grounded coffee to get the coffee solution.

Decoction is a method for extraction that is quite rare to find when brewing coffee. Decoction itself has several different definition, there are some who says that decoction is similar to immersion but followed with increasing temperature, there are also some who says that decoction is an extraction that use pressure (hybrid) for example like syphon. The character of this brew is described as intense, clean and bright, bold.