Coffee was first discovered in 800AD in the Ethiopian plateau, where a goat farmer noticed his flock snacking on a bush and becoming more energetic. The shepherd, Khaldi, decided to try the fruit himself only to discover he also felt more energetic. He gave these ‘magic beans’ to the local monks who decided it was a gift from God. The caffeine content meant they could pray for longer, not that they knew it was caffeine at the time. Since then coffee has become a staple for a large percentage of the population and many can’t start their day without a cup of the good stuff.
As we are now in the third wave of coffee, making the best cup at home has become more than a passion. The number of ways to make a stunning cup of coffee at home is on the rise and here we are going to take a look at 7 ways to tantalize your taste buds.
Home Espresso Machine
Since the espresso machine was created in Italy, it’s been a staple of the coffee world, creating beautiful shots of espresso that we now enjoy daily. Originally, espresso has been just that. A 60ml shot of short, strong, beautifully smooth coffee.
Since then and with the demand of consumer culture, plenty more drinks have been created to satisfy the needs of the masses. We are now at a point where Starbucks offers over 87000 different varieties of beverages. Not just that, Starbucks has also started accepting cryptocurrencies at its coffee shop chain in the US, so you can check the price of your coffee in a bitcoin calculator.
The home espresso machine started slowly. It was difficult to create something as powerful as that in the shops at a decent price point. But now we have reached a happy medium with the development of technology and the demand for pulling power in our own homes.
Espresso machines can be purchased from as little as $200 up to $7000+. The experts at Sip Coffee House explain that reviewing your own needs before purchasing a machine is essential for finding out your price range.
If you love your coffee, want the best bit of kit, and money is no object then you should be looking toward La Marzocco. If the budget is on your mind, then reading some real-life reviews from other home baristas will help you understand what’s going to work best for you.
Chemex
The Chemex was invented and developed by a man called Peter Schlumbohm in 1941. To many, it looks like a chemistry experiment, but to a barista, it’s a stunning piece of equipment that’s known to produce some of the best cups on the table.
It’s a manual pour-over, which means you have all the control when making your beloved beverage. It does require some skill so practice is the best thing when it comes to a Chemex.
If you use the right coffee, flavor notes flowing out of this brew method tend to be tea-like in flavor. If you enjoy tea as much as you enjoy coffee – you should try the Chemex. It produces a light and delicate taste. A beautiful cup for the more sophisticated palette.
Aeropress
This whopping bit of kit was made by the same people that make the Aerobie, yeah, the Frisbie that flies for miles…It caused such a fuss on the specialty coffee scene that there is now a dedicated competition for it. The Aeropress championships are held every year and all the recipes used by the competitors are available online for you to try.
This kit lets you enjoy coffee by creating your pressure inside a handheld “espresso” device. It doesn’t make espresso, but the concept is relatively similar. If you have an Aeropress and you’re looking for some advice. Look up the inverted method. You’re welcome.
Clever Dripper
Most home baristas will have heard of the V60. One of the original and most popular forms of pouring over coffee. Many believed it couldn’t be topped but swooped the Clever Dripper. Similar to the V60, it has a cone shape filter, but with a flat bottom instead of a pointed one.
The best thing about this bit of kit is that it’s impossible to mess up. You put your ground coffee in the bottom, boiling water on the top, leave it for 2-3 minutes and place it on top of a cup when it’s finished doing its thing.
The V60 requires some skill and some specialized equipment like a gooseneck kettle. The Clever Dripper takes the requirement of barista level skill and allows anyone to enjoy a full-bodied, tasty, flawless cup of coffee.
Enjoy Your Coffee at Home, Not Just the Energy
When it comes to making coffee at home the bean is something that’s going to make a huge amount of difference. Discover what kind you love most and go with it. You need to enjoy your coffee at home and not just use it as a tool to get energy.
Take the time to taste different varieties and different processing methods. The best thing about being a home barista is the fact you get to be a geek about it and everyone will love you for it. Those that can make a good cup of coffee will go far in life. Mark my words.
And lastly, if you’re in NYC looking for a list of great coffee shops – read this post.
