NEWS
The
best
serve
Maxime Herbaut, national sales manager at La Cimbali, spends a lot of his time sharing knowledge and expertise to help customers deliver the best coffee experience possible. TOP TIPS “Whether I’m visiting a small independent coffee shop or a large, branded chain, the challenges that customers encounter on a daily basis are pretty much the same,” says Maxime Herbaut. “Here are the top six issues which come up time and time again with simple solutions to help operators serve the best coffee going.” Why does my coffee taste bitter? If you start to notice bitter tasting espresso it might be because the extraction or pour time is too long, or that your equipment hasn’t been maintained properly. Aim for a pour time of between 25–35 seconds depending on the coffee profile and equipment, and watch the coffee as it comes through ensuring it doesn’t over extract. Ensure all equipment has been cleaned as per manufacturer recommendation to prevent stale coffee residue mixing in with the fresh coffee as this can impart a bitter taste. Regular servicing by a professional is also key to ensure the equipment works as it should and extracts the coffee as needed. The daily grind… Using consistently sized coffee grounds is very important to overall drink quality - larger sized grounds cause under extraction which creates a weak and watery coffee with a sour taste. Smaller grounds can cause the coffee to be over-extracted which can add bitterness. Uneven grounds are usually caused by wear to the burrs and so they should be checked and adjusted/replaced on a regular basis. Sharper burrs will grind the coffee with more consistency and precision
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