What's on my coffee bag, and why does it matter?

Have you purchased a new bag of coffee and are unsure where to begin as far as an espresso recipe belongs? You must know that the information on your coffee bag informs you what to expect from the coffee. From tasting notes to roast dates, we will explain the hidden code to that perfect recipe.

Roast Date

The most crucial bit of information to discover on your coffee bag is the roast date. According to your roaster, you might see this on the bottom, side, or front of the coffee bag. When the coffee is roasted, it starts to discharge carbon dioxide gas that was developed during the roasting procedure and stays inside the partition structure of the bean. To aid fight against aging coffee as you perform through the bag, you will require to crush better to allow the water and pull any remaining savor from the coffee into your shot. 

Do not dump an old coffee only because of an old roast date. Try crushing better first. If that does not function, use it for different brew techniques that are less hanging on the age of coffee.

Roast Level

Roast level exceedingly alters the thickness of the bean, how it will remove, and how you will require to adapt your recipe. The more extended a coffee is roasted, the more water and form are removed. In the case of the barista, you will want to concentrate on your brew temperature, crush size, and moisture to coffee balance as it pertains to roast level.

Because more delicate roasted coffee beans consume less time in a coffee roaster, they are thicker and require hotter water, finer grinds, and more extended brew times. We suggest beginning with a ratio between 1:2-1:3, a brewing temperature between 200 to 205, and a grind measure that enables your shot to carry between 28-and 34 seconds.

For medium roasts, it is recommended to start at a ratio between 1:1.5-1:2.5, a brewing temperature of about 200, and a grind size that permits your shot to carry between 25-30 seconds.

For dark roasts, you can start with a ratio between 1:1-1:1.5, a brewing temperature between 195 to 200, and a grind size that lets your shot draw between 25-and 30 seconds.

Region and Elevation

Usually, coffee will be quoted after its growing area. Also, the tasting notes will be contemplative of their source. Coffee plants require rich soil, gentle temperature, routine rain, shady sun, and high elevation to develop completely. The finest coffees are generally produced between 2,000 to 6,000 feet beyond sea level. If you notice a coffee bag that states chocolate, caramel, or blueberries, these are notes that should come from the coffee when brewed correctly and are not added to the beans.

Blend or Single Origin

When selecting a coffee for espresso coffee machine, pay attention to whether you are purchasing a mix or a single-origin which indicates that all the beans came from the same area or the same ranch. Espresso blends suggest that a coffee roaster has curated such specific coffees to be used for espresso. Blends are excellent for milk-based espresso beverages as they are balanced and can satisfy your milk of preference. 

Processing Methods

This is the final stage coffee goes through at its source until it is sent to be roasted. The process by which coffee beans are removed from their fruit has a vital impact on the flavor of the coffee. The most common ways are washed procedure and the natural approach. The natural method is the authentic way which involves leaving the coffee seed in its fruit beneath the sun for many weeks until the fruit dries up. The washing process is the most familiar because it is the quickest and most petite labor-intensive. This is the usage of water to release the beans from the coffee cherries.