A good cup of coffee is the most important thing in the morning for more than one in four Australians*. So it’s key that you get every cup of coffee that you serve right. When it comes to cooking dinner, many of us just function freestyle - a little bit of this, a pinch of herbs and a dash of sauce. Coffee, although it is also a perishable food, is different. Throwing caution to the wind when you cook up a meal might work, but coffee is always moving and changing. Its qualities change as it ages and it is constantly impacted by the environment.

So what can you do?

No, you can’t taste every coffee before you serve it to your customers (or the wife or hubby if you are an at-home barista). What you can do is follow a recipe that will help you control the variables that will impact the final result - the dose/weight, yield/volume and shot time.

What is a coffee recipe?

A coffee recipe will guide the amount of ground coffee that goes in, the amount of coffee extracted out into the cup and the time it takes to pour. Having a coffee recipe will help you quickly jump to the sweet spot so you can get the best out of your beans in every cup.

Extraction - getting the best out of your coffee

Extraction is about extracting the right balance of flavour from the coffee. As a general rule, if the coffee is flowing too fast/too short you will have edgy, sour espresso. Too slow and long, things are going to get bitter and metallic. Using a recipe can give a barista the ability to draw out the flavours, notes and tastes that the beans provide. Missing the mark can mean disaster and some very unhappy customers.

Our standard recipe for a double espresso

Our recommended recipe for a standard double espresso is: 22grams of ground coffee, to produce… 60ml of espresso coffee including crema (40g) In 30 seconds. Making coffee with a recipe like this one will seriously improve your cafe (or home) brewing experience and results.

Using the right tools

Without scales and a few other reliable barista tools, you’ll be working in the dark. To create good quality coffee every time, you will need a simple, basic set of scales (this is absolutely crucial); a good quality manual or auto tamper; and a grinder with a fresh set of burrs (the average set of burrs should be used for approximately 400 kilos - model dependent). Make sure your tools - from your grinder and filter to the coffee maker itself - are thoroughly cleaned after each use. Without the right tools in a good condition, you won’t be able to get the recipe right and create that consistency that is key for the success of any cafe.

Always be guided by your tastes

At the end of the day, the best way to ensure your recipe is producing the results you want is through a well-adjusted and passionate palette. Are you proud to serve the coffee you are serving? Are your customers happy? Continually taste and test so that you can deliver on that promise and reputation for great coffee, every day. If you are looking for the right recipe for your Peaberrys coffee at home or in your cafe, chat to us today by dropping in to our coffee cellar door or emailing sales@peaberrys.com.au. *McCrindle, October 12, 2017, Australian Attitudes Towards Coffee.