Archive of posts from 2021/01 📝

This is the first post in a three-part series on my adventures learning how to use the Hario V60.

Earlier this week, I received a package containing some coffee. Unlike other coffee deliveries I have received, this one contained two bags of the same coffee. But, the end product was not the same. Both coffees had been roasted to different degrees, allowing me to get an insight into how roast influences the taste of a bean. One bean was roasted lighter—more traditional for speciality coffee—and another was labelled "too dark," meaning it did not meet the roasters' expectations. But, I did not taste the full impact of the roast on these beans until this weekend.

I discovered Cult Espresso on Instagram near the start of my speciality coffee journey. Their online presence is unique and playful; a reminder to not take yourself too seriously when you are making coffee. Interested in their cafe—and their move to start roasting beans—I decided to reach out with a few questions. Adam, a barista a Cult Espresso, took some time to speak to me over email about what it is like to be a barista and what he does at Cult. Enjoy the interview.

I am trying to cup twice every week and I've learned a lot about coffee tasting in the process. But why should any home brewer cup at home? This is the question I answer in detail in my latest blog post for the Steampunk blog, written from my perspective as a home brewer.

In a few days, I shall share a three-part series on my battle trying to find a recipe that worked well on my V60. I call this a "battle" because there were times when I was frustrated and left wondering whether I should just go back to my Kalita Wave. I persisted and, after a bit, figured out a good recipe for my V60.

While both the Chemex and the V60 are both cone-shaped pour-over devices, the devices are distinct, both in terms of design and the final cup profile. In my latest blog post for Steampunk Coffee, I talk about the similarities and differences between the V60 and Chemex. I also share some of my experiences from using both of these devices.

One of the cafes on my "to-go" list is Lowdown Coffee, based in Edinburgh. This cafe is situated in a basement, sporting a minimalist aesthetic inspired by Japan. Lowdown caught my eye on Instagram due to their aesthetic and I wanted to learn a bit more about the cafe. Seeing as I cannot visit right now, I thought I'd reach out to the founder, Paul, to ask a few questions. Below is the chat we had about Lowdown, offering pour-overs in a cafe, and coffee.

I have been curious about coffee subscription boxes for a while. My point of hesitation for buying a subscription box has been that I like to pick beans myself, usually ones that stand out to me in some way. For instance, I recently bought a coffee from Full Court Press that went through extended fermentation.

What equipment do I use to brew with the Kalita Wave?

Ukiyo Koffie, a business that sells coffee from a bicycle cart, caught my eye on Instagram. Aside from the aesthetic of the page, I was intrigued by the idea of serving coffee from a mobile bike you could take anywhere.