Fika by W Liu

March 2016

Issue 01

CONTENT

When The Coffee Machine Is Just a Human

Masterpiece in a cup

Perfecting the pour

Bittter Shot

Brew The Perfect cup of Coffee

Tutorial : Pour over Coffee

The Milk Ratio

Coffee Review

Coffee culture: The Global Phenomenon

When The Coffee Machine Is Just a Human

Pour-over is a method of coffee brewing that allows a bean to express its specific, unique character. The pourover process is divided into three stages: the warming, prepping, and pouring. In the warming stage, the pour over device and the coffee cup are heated to prevent premature cooling of the brew. A filter is usually added and wetted to establish a good seal. In the prepping stage, coffee and water are measured, using a ratio of one gram of beans to 15grams of water. The rise of pour over coffee has relied on the increased availability of direct-source, lighter-roasted specialty coffees that offer a wider range of flavor possibilities, f rom toasty to fruity to vegetal. These coffees often come f rom not just a single region but a single farm, pac kaged with information for this lot of coffee.

In the pouring stage, a small amount of the heated water, generally twice the weight of the grounds is added to the pour-over device, and the beans are allowed to â&#x20AC;&#x153;bloomâ&#x20AC;? for 30 seconds, so that the coffee can release any pent up carbon dioxide. The remainder of the heated water then is slowly added according the instructions for the specific device. Some pour-overs are immersion brewers while others are drippers, adding the water in tiny increments. As the water extracts the coffee's flavor, the steam rising from the device can become almost intoxicating: a piquant, chemical buzz, when compared to the mellow aroma of a brewed cup.

Masterpiece In A Cup Another obsession that has taken the Land of the Rising Sun by storm is latte art, especially in recent years, with the entry of Third Wave coffee purveyors from the West.

The champion latte art lovers track down with a passion is Yusuke Ota. Originally hailing from Yokohama, Ota was the winner of the Portland 2014 Latte Art World

Championship. In order to take the top spot, he had to beat out sixty three other baristas from around the world. He recalls," I would have competed in the Coffee

Fest's Latte Art World Championship many times in the past before finally winning. There are so many talented baristas out there; the only way to stand out is to keep training and competing, and never give up.

"Today, Ota is the head barista at Downstairs Coffee, a café at the ground floor of

the Mercedes Benz Connection in upmarket Roppongi. The café goers here tend to be

“roamers”, professionals who work outside the office and appreciate a strong wifi signal

to go with a great cup of coffee. Yusuke explains that "We use Streamer Coffee Company because Sawada-san has created a roasting profile that is dark enough for the latte art to

stand out clearly once we add milk to the coffee. In fact, he’s famous for his signature triple rosetta latte art. It’s one of my favourite latte art designs too, I do it in a 12 ounce cup." Why a 12 ounce cup?" It needs to be big enough to contain three rosettas!".

Being a veteran of latte art competitions, Ota especially enjoys the Coffee

Fest's Latte Art World Championship Open format. He says, "It's really exciting as

they use bracket style, sudden death rules. This means you go head to head with another

barista and the one who receives the highest score advances to the next round. The loser is eliminated, so you're under a lot of pressure."

Yamaguchi's moment came when he came across pictures of latte art on Internet.

He recalls, "I was so impressed by them that I bought a semi-commercial espresso

machine immediately to practise latte art at home." After four years of what he considers amateur efforts at home, Yamaguchi took the plunge and moved to Tokyo to immerse

himself in the coffee industry. He says,"I worked at The Theatre Coffee in Shibuya for

two years before competing in latte art competitions. My first competition was The

Coffee Fest's Latte Art World Championship in Seattle. I then also got second placed at the same competition in Chicago before winning in Tokyo."

“ All you have is just milk and espresso, that's why latte art is a really pure expression of your art. ”

Today, the self taught bar ista is a sought after latte art trainer, having taught classes in Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines and Malaysia. He believes that good latte art transcends the cup of coffee."If the cup of coffee tastes good, that can make the customer who ordered it happy. If the latte art is beautiful and the customer who had it shares a picture of it, he can make many people other people who've seen that picture happy, not just him. "For those of you who are indifferent to latte art, is as good as reason as any to start appreciating this art form, the way it otakus around the world happily obsess over. When creating three dimension latte ar t, he star ted by making an enormous amount of foam. Since it requires a significant amount more compared to regular latte art which is generally made by controlling the flow of milk or adding things like cocoa powder for decorations, he is always sure to prepare enough before

sitting down to sculpt it. With the espresso brewed and the milk heated, he was ready to show off his craft. Contrary to what you may expect, the foam figures are all created within a short amount of time. “I pour in the foam without hesitation and draw the picture quickly. Because we have barely five minutes to enjoy the clear shape of subjects, this is a battle against time.” While he was working swiftly and deliberately, he forms the soft peaks of frothy milk into the shape of one of his famous three dimensional art creations. Next, he uses a sharp end tool to accent each piece, giving s p i r i t e d e x p re s s i on s t o h i s f l u f f y blank canvas. Contrary to what you may expect, the foam figures are all created within a short amount of time. He was the winner of the Portland 2014 Latte Art World Championship. It is something that he understands very well and is as good as reason as any to start appreciating this art form. 11

In order to take the top spot, he had to beat out sixty three other baristas from around the world. He recalls," I would have competed in The Latte Art World Championship many times in the past before i finally get winning. There aremany talented baristas out there; the only way to stand out is to keep training competing, and never give up. "Today, Ota is the head barista at Downstairs Coffee, a café at the ground floor of the Mercedes Benz Connection in upmarket Roppongi. The café goers here tend to be “roamers”, professionals who wo rk o u t si d e t h e o f fi c e an d appreciate a strong wifi signal to go with a great cup of coffee.

Perfecting the Pour

From berry to cup, latte art signifies you are about to indulge in a quality drink

Latte art is like a never-ending quest for perfection, always outdoing the masterpiece that was poured before it. Latte art, the practice of pouring steamed milk over espresso in a way that creates intricate patterns on the surface of the drink has been popular in small circles for decades.Coffee drinkers fueled by espresso drinks; caffĂŠ latte, cappuccino, cortado, caffĂŠ macchiato, often get an extra boost f rom the designs created in their drink by f ree pouring baristas, mixing gently steamed milk with creamy espresso. Latte art is more than a pretty face. From the berries to the cup, latte art signifies you are about to indulge in a quality drink. Those made free pour, never touching the surface of the drink. Baristas sometimes etch detailed designs into the foam, which is purely for show because of the length of time it takes and the technique chips away at the drink's composure. The art begins before the pour. The tamping of the espresso has to be just right and straight on. The pitcher should be flat when meeting an angled steaming wand, creating a "whirlpool," that results in the velvety"micro-foam" sans bubbles. The sound alone indicates correctly steamed milk. Screaming means you are scorching the milk or turning it flat. Gurgling means "you are inserting too much air." The width and depth of the cup equates to the difficulty of the pour. A smaller cup, like the short glass in which Ms. Cousino served a cortado, requires the design-making begin almost immediately.Pouring from up high, the milk curls under the espresso. She quickly moves the pitcher closer to the glass, inching the foam to the rim. A nicely formed tulip kissed with a heart appears. However, the most admiring quality of the coffee drink was the tinted-brown foam, very well defined and well structured, crowning the silky espresso below.

BITTER SHOT

An espresso, a real one, requires seven to eight grams of freshly ground coffee roasted two to three days in advance, or preserved using pressurization.

Another revolution is ahem brewing. This values flavor deliberation, quality and texture treating coffee as something to be savored rather than pure brain fuel. It recalls the painstaking rituals of Turkish coffee and the precision of finicky Italian espresso machines. This newlyprominent means of making and brewing coffee allows for an intense, individuated cup, but demands an obsessive commitment to craft and method. As some of the coffee aficionados may have already guessed, about the pour-over. U nl i k e th e esp resso, w hic h is made in a dedicated machine, or French-press coffee, which is brewed in the eponymous press pot, pour over coffee can be produced by a variety of devices that share a few common characteristics. From the rugged Chemex (the preferred coffeemaker of Georgia O'Keefe and James Bond) to the high-tech Aeropress, all pour-over devices work the same way: The preparer heats water and, true to the name, pours it over coffee grounds. 15

Unlike the French press, it relies on a paper filter, which makes for a cleaner, flavor. It is more than any other method of making coffee, the pourover is all about control,most diehards insist on using a scale to measure coffee grounds and water, a measure of exactitude meant to ensure the ideal ratio and, therefore, the ideal taste. Normally, coffee p ro d u c e r s h a ve t wo o p t i on s t o control the final product. They can choose where they order their beans f rom, and determine the time and temperature of the bean roast. Once coffee cherries are picked, they are fermented in giant tanks filled with water. The microbial reaction of yeast and bacteria adds complexity and depth to the bean flavor.But the beans' taste and levels of acidity can still be somewhat of a mystery until the coffee beans are roasted and brewed.

A coffee's quality is constantly hanging in the balance. For espresso, make sure it's not sharp or salty. You would want it to be equal parts syrupy, fluffy with a slight intensity tempered by a mild sweetness. It might even be pleasantly effervescent. In order to avoid improperly brewed coffee, the aftertaste can be a good tell. The best coffee roasters and shops are walking a tightrope aspiring towards brews that are clean, sweet with a desirable weight and some pleasant bitterness. The main characteristics to look for across the board are sweetness, acidity, body, and cleanliness, and if there is a lingering aftertaste, of course, you want it to be pleasant.

Brew The Perfect Cup Of Coffee Making superior coffee is not convenient, extracting the purest flavor involves rations, calculations, chemistry and special equipment. Stephen Hall of Tinker Coffee Co. did the hard math for you and provided this step by step guide to scientific coffee dominance.

Even if the coffee beans are sourced from quality farms and roasted at the right temperature, it can be difficult to brew the perfect cup of coffee.

The proper way to measure coffee is by weight. If you are really serious about coffee, then you should invest in a scale that can weigh a small portions of coffee accurately. A good scale is indispensable when it comes to blending your own coffee in small amounts, unless you want to spend a lot of time counting coffee beans. You can measure coffee by volume, but you lose a lot of accuracy because of varying bean densities and having to rely on visual estimation. The proportion of ground coffee used in relation to the amount of water used, constitutes the brewing ratio. After the coffee has been brewed, the amount of solubles that have been extracted in relation to the amount of water, constitutes the drinking ratio. The brewing ratio usually determines the drinking ratio, but it doesn't have to. Hot water can be added to the infusion after brewing to reduce the concentration and flavor intensity of the brew, thus changing the drinking ratio. Experimentation will lead you to your own personal brewing and drinking ratios. It is always wiser to brew your coffee on the strong side and then "cut" it to taste with water.

Pour-over, then, is a method of coffee brewing that allows a bean to express its specif ic, unique character. The process is divided into three stages: warming, prepping, and pouring.

POUR-OVER COFFEE

PREPARE

2 cups (20 fl oz or 600 ml) water 20 grams (0.7 oz) coffee beans 1 Coffee cup 1 Paper filter Gram scale Thermocouple Coffee grinder 1 Swan-necked kettle Ceramic coffee dripper

METHOD Put 20 fl oz (600 ml) of water in the kettle over high heat. Weigh out the coffee. When the water comes to a boil, pour it into the kettle, then let it sit until the temperature is between 185°F and 205°F. Warm the ceramic dripper and cup with some of the remaining hot water. Put the filter in the dripper and pour in the ground coffee. Gently and slowly drizzle a small amount of hot water in the center of the mound of coffee, away from the sides of the filter. The extraction rate is determined by many variables beyond how fast you pour: amount of coffee, grind size, the percentage of fines, and the water temperature. Don’t be frustrated if you can’t pour slowly and steadily right away. It is a skill, just keep practicing. Once you’ve poured the desired amount of water, remove the dripper. At the end of the brewing cycle, starting to extract some undesirable compounds from the coffee; keep those away from the coffee that you are drinking will produce a more delicious product. Drink your coffee, marvel at your dedication and skill. Repeat as needed.

1 serving

The Milk Ratio Baristas claim that the milk you choose affects the flavour and texture of your brew.

The milk math Paramo Coffee did was incriminating. Milk represents 60 to 70 percent of the carbon footprint of a cup of coffee with a few tablespoons of milk; for a latte, it’s more like 80 or 90 percent. Per cup, black coffee produces 21 grams of CO2; 340 grams. It has been very long the neglected ingredient for coffee drinkers. Some don’t bother with it at all, while others see it only as a means to create impressive froth art. Yet for flat white, cappuccino or latte drinkers, milk makes up the majority of the cup of coffee.Milk can affect the taste and texture of coffee, depending on the type used.

The biggest influence is fat content. With full fat milk, you will get a creamy, sweet, melt in your mouth texture. This is down to the milk’s fat globules, which coat the tongue and inhibit the taste of the coffee, What this really amounts to is less bitterness and less acidity. Good for making a rich, sweet, creamy, delicious drink. The other major milk ingredient that matters is protein. The level of protein in cow’s milk (it’s not always found in non-dairy alternatives) is essential in creating tiny bubbles, or microfoam, during heating. A little milk soften espresso as it goes down.

Coffee Reviews

If you're too cheap to buy a coffee maker and you love your morning java, instant coffee might be the way to go. Sure, it doesn't get any of the respect of traditionally brewed coffee, but it saves you time and money. The real question is, what's the difference?

Case Coffee Roasters –Ethiopia Reko Kochere

It was a very f ruity coffee.but the blueberry aroma and flavor is merely one small (and often times, inexistent) element of the coffee’s overall profile, but it made up for it in terms of its balance, acidity, and body.

Andytown Coffee – Wind And Sea

It’s not really a sweet blend, but it does have a nice fruitiness to it as soon as it hits your taste buds., It is the perfect coffee for a Sunday brunch, accompanied by a nice pile of pancakes.

Quills' Coffee

– Ethiopia Konga Incredibly rich, sweet, chocolate flavor.Definitely a berry presence in the longer, lower temperature pulls. But this was more of a savory blend if anything.

Blue Bottle Coffee

– Hayes Valley Espresso

This is a pretty versatile espresso blend though, tasted f ruit more than chocolate, indicating more brightness than the blend is given credit for.With minimal brightness and lots of chocolate in the tasting notes.

Stumptown Coffee –Hair Bender

It has got a rich crema and thick body. Varying fruits and berries notes at different temperature. Little complexity in the chocolate after taste and some bitter notes here and there.

Olympia Coffee

– Ethiopia Konga Yirgacheffe This is a bright coffee with savory notes in the middle and chocolate notes at the finish.Since this coffee is wet processed, one might expect the typical blueberry notes of wetprocessed Ethiopian coffees.

The Global Phenomenon Coffee shops have become a global phenomenon.

Although coffee shops, or cafes, have existed for nearly five hundred years, in the past few decades they have experienced a dramatic expansion. It has become common to find coffee shops, coffee bars, and in places where they were once rare or non existent. Many factors contributed to the expansion, including the globalization of consumer culture, growing appreciation of high-quality coffee, and the public’s eager acceptance of casual spots to study, relax, socialize or pick up an energizing drink. Growth of the internet played a role; it led to a synergistic convergence between caffeine and Internet access in coffeehouses and cyber cafés. In addition, coffee shops are the fastest growing segment of the restaurant business.Coffee shop expansion has been accompanied by gradual growth in global coffee consumption that started around ten years ago.

After several decades of lagging consumption. Coffee shops have become so ubiquitous that it is fair to say that they have impacted global culture. Growing coffee consumption and the popularity of coffee shops represent only the latest evidence of humanity’s long standing fondness for coffee drinking,. Without coffee, the world as we know that it would not exist. The rates of consumption fluctuate, coffee is a customary drink and an integral part of life in many societies. Worldwide, only non-commercial water, tea, and milk appear to be consumed more frequently than coffee, although ranks vary. More of the world’s coffee is consumed in homes than in any other place, thus coffee has become part of the comforts of family life for many adults. But coffee is also omnipresent in public life, where coffeehouses have played a key role in popularising coffee and building coffee culture.

We're in a golden age of coffee discovery.

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