COFFEE CONNOISSEUR

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WHAT ARE YOU REALLY DRINKING IN THE MORNING, AND HOW IS IT PREPARED?

What is more exciting than grabbing your morning coffee from a specialty coffee shop? You know you are getting the finest quality whether it be drip, pour over, cold brew or espresso. By explaining a few of the most ordered beverages we can turn you into a coffee connoisseur beginner.

1. DRIP
Drip coffee is your usual coffee, made in a coffee pot and typically in larger quantities. It consists of hot water “dripping” through your coffee grounds, similar to brewing tea.

2. ESPRESSO
This is the most complex form of brewing, and something not every coffee shop will have. Fine espresso is made from an espresso machine, which extracts the coffee flavors using intense amounts of pressure. This only creates about a 2 oz. cup. Usually, milk will be steamed and poured over the espresso to create a latte. When the milk is steamed to a foamy consistency, it is considered a cappuccino. Adding chocolate to a traditional latte creates the famous mocha. An americano is when espresso is watered down to make a weaker cup of coffee. (The Italians think they’re so funny!)

LATTES AND LATTE ART:
(Aka, something that is very difficult to do at home.) Latte art is a form of craft art similar to a perfectly crafted cocktail made by a true mixologist. For latte art, you need perfect espresso, gold in color with thick elastic crema on top. Then you need steamed milk, perfectly consistent with great micro-foam. This usually looks like wet paint. It needs to be poured from far above, cutting the espresso at an angle. In a circular motion, you pour the milk at a steady pace into the cup, keeping the milk from touching the mug. As the cup starts to fill, gradually bring the cup of milk closer to the coffee, where the nose is almost touching the liquid. Slowly and gently rock your wrist back and forth; you will notice that the milk will start to bloom on top, creating beautiful patterns. It will take lots of practice, but it’s worth it!

3. POUR OVER
Pour over is a method of hand-brewing that brings out the natural notes in coffee; it’s usually a favorite for black coffee drinkers. Using a pour over system with fine grounds, it is similar to a concentrated, well-balanced drip with a smooth flavor profile. Although it only makes one concentrated cup, it is an overall better coffee. Oftentimes, tasting this coffee can be compared to tasting wine due to the wide range of flavors and textures the coffees may have.

4. COLD BREW
Whether infused with nitrogen or just processed cold, cold brew is the strongest cup of coffee you can get. The grounds sit in a cold process for 18-28 hours creating a very dark, “tea-like” cup. It is usually very strong and served cold. The caffeine and flavors extract for hours making it a seriously intense pick-me-up. Side note: A very good cold brew tastes just as good black as it does with lavender and cream.