coffee Posts 📝

The IndieWeb is all about scratching itches. When I think about what I want this site to become, I often say to myself that I am building a home for myself on the internet. Starting on the IndieWeb, this was enough. I needed to let my creative spirits run wild. I needed to try out different ideas. I looked at other people's websites and thought about what I could implement.

I have been attracted to coffee shops for a long time. When I was young, I enjoyed going out for a cup of tea with members of my family. I still think back to the days when I was too young to drink tea. I'd drink a carton of apple juice or something similar. I'd think about when I would be able to drink tea. I cannot remember at what age I could finally drink tea. I do know that tea stuck with me for years. I'd drink a few cups a day on most days.

I've brewed two cups of coffee with a set of scales. On my first cup, I tried to measure the coffee after I had ground it. This turned out to be a mistake.

In a recent Instagram conversation, someone shared with me a brewing tip for the Aeropress. They recommended removing the grounds with a spoon before plunging the coffee, which they said would yield a less bitter brew. I did not think much of this at the time other than "I'll need to try this at some point." But I've just started thinking about what this conversation really was: someone sharing a brewing hack with me.

On Monday, my Acaia Pearl scale arrived, the latest addition to my home brew bar. I decided to purchase this scale because my previous scales were not as accurate or responsive as I would like. The Acaia Pearl scale has a reputation for being the best scale for professionals and home brewers so I decided it was worth a look. After further research, I found the scale met my needs: the Pearl was advertised as fast and accurate.

Yesterday two upgrades to my Flair NEO arrived: the pressure gauge and the bottomless portafilter. I purchased these accessories a day or so after buying my NEO because I had found in my research that the bottomless portafilter was the way to go to make better drinks. Perhaps I should have waited but now the components are here I cannot help but use them.

After many hours spent brewing espresso, taking notes, and diagnosing my shots, I realised that the grinder was the weakest link in my chain. It is true what they say about how you should never overlook your grinder for espresso. My espresso journey is temporarily on hold until my new espresso grinder, the REMI hand grinder by Option-O, arrives. So, what should I write about? That question has been on my mind.

When I was at Union Brew Lab on Saturday, the coffee I ordered was given to me in a latte art pitcher. I was also given a mug into which I could pour the coffee on my own. I liked this experience because the act of pouring coffee into a mug, I found, was soothing. There's something nice about pouring coffee that has already been prepared into a mug, ready for you to drink. I was able to pour coffee from the pitcher into my mug three or so times before I was out of coffee because the mug I was given was quite small (and there was quite a bit of coffee in the pitcher, to be fair).

As a child, there were always a lot of mugs in the house. My dad collected them and would seldom part with a mug. For years, I did not understand why: (i) we had so many mugs; (ii) mugs were so highly valued. Over the last few weeks, I have realised that collecting mugs is not unusual, especially for coffee enthusiasts. If anything, it's hard to avoid picking up at least a few mugs that you absolutely do not need but will still find joy in having at home.

A few weeks ago, I decidied that I would brew a cup of coffee in the local park using my Aeropress. I prepared my equipment, boiled some water, and set out of the house to a local park bench where I could sit and brew. If you are ever looking for a new way to brew coffee, try brewing outside, while only taking what you need to make a brew.