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Loadshedding can be a frustrating experience for coffee lovers who rely on electricity to brew their daily cup of coffee. However, there are alternative coffee brewing methods that can be used during power outages to keep you caffeinated and satisfied. In this blog post, we’ll be exploring 4 different coffee brewing methods that you can use to brew our premium Magnificent Barista Boy coffee blends without the use of electricity.

#1: The Moka Pot MethodMoka Pot

One of the most popular coffee brewing methods without the need for electricity is by using a Moka pot. This classic Italian coffee maker is easy to use and can create a rich and full-bodied cup of coffee. In this section, we’ll go over the basics of using a Moka pot and provide tips for achieving the perfect cup. We’ll discuss the materials needed, the steps to using the Moka pot, and some tips for getting the most out of your brew.

Moka Pot Brew Guide: What barista tools will you need?

  • Moka Pot
  • MBB Ground Coffee
  • Digital Scale
  • Gas Stove or alternate means of heating
  • Water (for best results used filtered)

How to make the perfect cup of coffee with a moka pot? Make sure your moka pot is clean as any lingering coffee from your previous brew will influence the taste in a negative way.

Method:

Step 1: Add hot water to the bottom chamber. Fill to just below the pressure valve.
Step 2: Add your coffee grounds into the filter basket. Fill the basket but do not ‘tamp’ it, just a gentle press with a spoon will do fine.
Step 3: Screw together the top and bottom chambers tightly and make sure the lid is on. The bottom chamber will be hot to the touch due to the hot water already in there so use a dry kitchen towel to prevent burning your hand.
Step 4: Put the moka pot onto the gas plate to begin brewing your coffee. As soon as you hear the coffee bubbling, remove from heat and cool the bottom chamber under cold running tap water. This rapidly stops the brewing process and prevent bitter flavours brewing into the coffee.
Step 5: Serve and enjoy! Pour out your perfect cup of coffee and enjoy the way you prefer. This brew method should deliver a coffee at near espresso strength and can be diluted with hot water or milk or be enjoyed as is! We’re confident that once you give it a try you’ll never look back!

French Press#2 The French Press Method

The French press is another popular alternative to electric coffee makers. This coffee brewing method involves steeping coffee grounds in hot water and then pressing them down to extract the flavor. We’ll cover the steps for using a French press and discuss the materials needed and some tips for getting the most out of your brew.

French Press Brew Guide: What barista tools will you need?

  • French Press
  • MBB Ground Coffee
  • Digital Scale
  • Gas Stove or alternate means of heating
  • Kettle
  • Timer
  • Water (for best results used filtered)

Ratio: We recommend starting with a 1:12 coffee-to-water ratio. So if you’re using 350g of water, you’ll want 30g coffee. Just increase the coffee for a stronger cup.

Method:

Step 1: Boil Water.
Step 2: Weigh coffee and place into the French Press.
Step 3: Pour approx double the weight of the coffee in hot water over the ground coffee and give it a gentle stir. Allow to sit for 20 seconds.
Step 4: Pour the remaining water and place the lid gently on top of the grounds but do not ‘plunge’ just yet. Let the coffee steep for four minutes.
Step 5: Gently press the filter down – When you’ve finished pressing, serve the coffee immediately. Don’t let it sit, as this will cause it to continue brewing and over-extract.
Now your coffee is ready!

Aeropress#3 The Aeropress Method

The Aeropress is a newer coffee brewing method that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. This method involves using air pressure to extract the flavor from the coffee grounds, resulting in a smooth and clean cup of coffee. We’ll walk you through the steps for using an Aeropress and provide tips for customizing your brew. We’ll also discuss the materials needed and some tips for getting the most out of your brew, such as adjusting the steeping time and using a metal filter instead of a paper one.

The AeroPress is a hugely popular and simple coffee brewing device, invented in 2005 by Stanford engineer Alan Adler. This method involves using air pressure and water to extract the flavor from the coffee grounds, resulting in a smooth and clean cup of coffee. There is more than one way to brew coffee with an Aeropress, in this this guide we’ll explain the ‘standard’ brew method which yields a coffee comparable to a Pour Over brew.

The Aeropress Brew Guide: What barista tools will you need?

  • MBB Ground Coffee (15g)
  • Aeropress Brewer (Fully kitted with filter intact)
  • Gas Stove or alternate means of heating
  • Timer
  • Digital Scale
  • Water (255g)
  • Mug or Server

Ratio: We recommend a 1:17 coffee-to-water ratio. So if you’re using 255g of water, you’ll want 15g coffee.

Method:

Step 1: Heat your water to 93- 95°C by boiling and letting rest for 5min before use.
Step 2: Place a paper filter inside the Aeropress. Rinse some warm water through the paper filter to flush out paper odour. Place on Mug or Server.
Step 3: Pour in the 15g coffee grounds.
Step 4: Pour the hot water over the coffee until it reaches the top line in the Aeropress.
Step 5: Stir quickly but gently to ensure coffee and water is evenly mixed and insert the plunger quickly to avoid coffee seeping through the filter.
Step 6: Allow to brew for 1.5min, then firmly press down until you hear a long hiss. Congratulations, you have a delicious cup of coffee!

Pour Over#4 The Pour-Over Method

The pour-over coffee brewing method might require a bit more patience, but if you’ve tried it, you would know it is worth every second. This method involves pouring hot water over coffee grounds that are held in a filter, resulting in a wonderfully ‘clean’ cup of coffee. We’ll cover the steps for using a pour-over method and provide tips for getting the most out of your brew. We’ll also discuss the materials needed and some tips for customizing your brew, such as adjusting the water flow rate and using a gooseneck kettle.

The Pour Over Brew Guide: What barista tools will you need?

  • MBB Ground Coffee (25g)
  • Pour Over Brewer (Dripper)
  • Mug or Server
  • Goose neck pour over kettle
  • Filter Papers
  • Timer
  • Water (375g for brewing)
  • Gas Stove or Alternate means of heating

Ratio: We recommend a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. So if you’re using 25g coffee, you’ll want 375g of water. Just increase or decrease the coffee dose for a stronger or slightly weaker cup.

Method:

Step 1: Heat your water to 93- 95°C by boiling and letting the water rest for 2-3min before use. To avoid losing temperature unnecessarily, pre-heat your mug or server jug by adding roughly 100g hot water to it, let it sit for approx 1-2 min to draw in the heat before discarding it.
Step 2: Place a paper filter inside the pour-over dripper (brewer). Rinse some warm water through the paper filter to flush out paper odour. Place the rinsed dripper on a mug / server jug and set it onto the scale, add 25g coffee to the dripper and tare weight off to 0.
Step 3: Start your timer. In a circular/ spiral motion, pour water over the top of the coffee, just enough to saturate all the coffee, stop pouring and allow the coffee to sit for 20 seconds.
Step 4: Once the timer gets to the 20 second mark, gently start the pour, in the same circular/ spiral motion – from the middle to the outer edge, try to avoid pouring into the rim of the brewer.
Step 5: Keep an even and gentle pour, ensure the coffee is fully saturated in water during brewing until your timer reaches about 1.5 minutes – the scale should be near 340g, let all the poured water draw through the coffee.
Step 6: Remove the dripper from your mug/ server. Enjoy your delicious home brewed coffee!

Some Extra Coffee Brewing Tips:

  • Can I use pre-ground coffee? Freshly ground coffee will always trump pre-ground – after coffee is ground it starts to stall at a rapid rate and loses complexity in flavour and aroma. If you like fresh coffee – a grinder should be a top coffee-priority. If you have a grinder and notice you are scheduled for that dreaded 06:00 – 08:00am loadshedding slot – grind some coffee the night before and keep it sealed in an airtight container for the morning.
  • Can I brew my coffee if I don’t have a scale? Yes you can. When considering the coffee to water ratio, a good benchmark is 4 tablespoons of ground coffee to about 1.5 cups of water. Ratios are always suggestions and should be adjusted to personal preference. If you like it strong, add more coffee or less for a slightly weaker cup.
  • Do I need to use filtered water to make my coffee? Water quality directly affects the taste of your coffee, so filtered water will be the best choice if available. However, if you don’t have access to it, tap water will do just fine.
  • Why does my coffee taste bad/ weak /bitter? Besides your preferred coffee to water ratio, there are two other key factors to be pedantic about: Brew-time and Grind setting.
  • Brew-time? Under-extracted (not long enough), results in weak, watery and sour tasting coffee. Over-brewing (too long) will make your coffee taste bitter and burnt.
  • Grind setting? Too course will result in an under-extraction and too fine will cause the coffee to over-extract.

Loadshedding doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your daily cup of coffee. With these alternative coffee brewing methods, you can still enjoy a delicious and satisfying cup of original, dark or barista blend roasts even when the power is out. Experiment with different methods and find the one that works best for you. Happy brewing!

Need the right tools? Find all your the essential Barista Tools you’ll ever need to be a professional at home Barista on www.baristaboys.co.za

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