11 June 2020
With the right coffee beans and coffee makers, you too can brew a fragrant and invigorating cup of quality java in the comfort of your own home.
When the craving for freshly brewed coffee hits, why not make your own cafe-style drink at home?
There are two main factors to making a cafe-style cuppa–the beans and the type of coffee maker you use. In particular, good quality beans will determine the flavour and aroma of your drink. There are also different types of coffee makers ranging from the French press to Moka pots and one-touch pod machines, to ensure you get the best out of your beans.
In collaboration with Hook Coffee, a Singapore roastery specialising in globally-sourced artisanal coffee beans, we present a starter guide to six commonly used coffee makers and the best types of beans to use with them.
For the coffee purist, use… a V60
This is an absolute must have to savour the natural, clean and crisp flavours of the coffee. Just like how all the best wines are made via vinification, the best coffees are made via the V60. Every coffee is unique and grown with love and if you are seeking to taste all the nuances and notes the coffee has to offer, this is the brewing method that you should use.
How to use it: Also known as a coffee dripper, the V60 is a cone shaped device that is placed over a cup to make drip or pour over coffee. Place filter paper into the V60 and rinse the paper with hot water before adding ground beans. Slowly pour just enough hot water in a circular motion till there is just enough to cover the grounds. Add more water as coffee drips into the cup. In general, you will need 12g of coffee for 200ml of hot water.
Best for: This slow extraction process produces a very clean flavour, so light roast beans with fruity and floral flavours are ideal for this coffee maker. If you do not have a V60 dripper, check out Hook Coffee’s Flight Club bundle, which includes a selection of single serve beans conveniently packed into drip bags that are individually sealed with nitrogen for optimum freshness. All you need to do is pour water over the filter bag slowly.
For the coffee-obsessed globetrotter, choose… an Aeropress
Being on-the-go doesn’t mean you need to compromise on quality. Without a doubt, the Aeropress ticks all the boxes for a compact, light and sturdy coffee maker you can bring with you to the office and on future travels.
How to use it: An Aeropress may look like it belongs in a science laboratory but it is actually easy to operate. Add grounded beans to the coffee compartment, pour hot water and let it steep for a minute. Screw on the cap, place a mug upside down over the Aeropress and flip both over at the same time. Then, press down on the Aeropress plunger to release the coffee into the mug and you are all set.
Best for: Try using medium roast beans for a strong, smooth and full-flavoured cup of joe.
For hassle-free and no fuss coffee, brew your drink with… a French press
Weekends should be slow, chill and relaxed. After all, achieving creamy scrambled eggs and crispy bacon is already a challenge on its own, so let’s not add coffee into that list? Simply add freshly ground coffee, hot water, time it, plunge and drink!
How to use it: Otherwise known as the coffee plunger, this commonly seen coffee maker is very easy to use. Add a scoop of coffee grounds into the French press and pour in almost boiling water. Steep for about four minutes before pushing the plunger down slowly. The coffee is ready to be served.
Best for: Medium to dark roast beans, which tend to retain more flavours. The beans should have a medium to coarse grind, to prevent the residue from passing through the wire mesh filter.
For the cafe-goer who is stuck at home, use… a Moka Pot
The Moka Pot is probably the next closest thing to an espresso machine. This stovetop brewer produces delicious espresso-like coffee, and will definitely give you the caffeine boost you seek. If you want an amazing cup of coffee, get one from a cafe, said no one ever.
How to use it: Fill the bottom compartment with water up to the pressure valve and add ground coffee the coffee basket before screwing the pot onto the base. Place the Moka Pot on the stove at low to medium heat and listen for a gentle gurgling sound after a few minutes. At this stage, coffee will bubble up into the upper chamber. Turn off the stove when the upper chamber is filled with coffee.
A tip from Hook Coffee: To get frothed milk for a velvety cappuccino, you can also grab a French press, pump the milk till it doubles in size and pour it over your black coffee.
Best for: Dark roast coffee beans with low acidity and strong, full bodied flavours.
For the coffee perfectionist… an espresso machine
That syrupy shot of caffeine goodness. That luscious cinnamon-brown crema. Finished with a slow poured swan latte art. Now that’s a perfect cafe cuppa made with an espresso machine. It will definitely take some time learning how to use this machine but to paraphrase a famous saying, “Coffee’s a climb but the taste is great.” For a perfect cup of latte, this is your best bet.
How to use it: Espresso machines, which are what baristas commonly use in cafes, require a degree of technical precision to operate. Every step of the process, from grinding the beans, to the amount of coffee ground to use, temperature and pressure of the water and the extraction time will affect the brew. Many espresso machines also come with milk foamers so you can heat up milk for your coffee.
Best for: Experimenting with different types of roasts and beans and ultra-precision brewing. Get started on your journey to becoming a coffee expert with this Taster Pack comprising three different bean blends so you can see, taste and smell the difference yourself.
For lazy mornings, busy people and even some dessert, choose... a pod machine
Definitely the fastest form of brewing with minimal clean up, pod machines are the best option when you need to catch up on that extra five minutes of sleep or if you’re in need of that kick of caffeine. Plus, you can even make a dessert-worthy treat with this machine!
How to use it: Coffee pod machines are possibly the easiest to use as you simply need to insert a pod which is already pre-packed with ground beans and let the machine do the rest of the work. There are many different brands of pod machines available, but do note that they often require differently shaped capsules.
Best for: Try the Yaya Kakaya Shotpods, which are made with 100 per cent specialty-grade Arabica beans from Brazil, Colombia, India, Nicaragua and Indonesia and infused with natural flavours of pandan and coconut for a unique flavour similar to popular local desserts like ondeh ondeh or kueh salat. Add some sugar and a dash of milk for a one-of-a-kind specialty coffee drink.
For convenient access to a wide variety of premium specialty beans, check out Hook Coffee, which sources for beans from the world’s best farms and roasts them with state-of-the-art roasters to produce top-of-the-line coffee. The brand is also strongly committed to the traceability of the beans it sources and empowers the coffee farmers they work with by paying them a bigger share of the final retail value, to ensure sustainability in every cuppa that you brew.
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