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#010 - coffee

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Banan
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Banan
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Coffee and its Wonders
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To the IT department, coffee is what rocket fuel is to StarX. Without it, there’s no motion. No work. No life. Absolutely nothing. - This is what one of my colleagues often quips.

One might think that the best approach to a delightful coffee experience is a do-it-all, have-it-all coffee machine. A machine where you simply choose the type of coffee you desire on its screen, place your mug underneath, and press a button.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth. I once stumbled upon this video: James Hoffmann Answers Coffee Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED. That’s when my journey began, delving into the abyss of incredibly tasting coffee. A coffee so delicious that it was hard to believe such flavors existed. Coffee so good that I could drink it without adding milk to neutralize any “unpleasant” taste.

For those who aren’t fond of coffee, I’d recommend trying out these 2 recipes. Note that these recipes mention a grinder - it refers to the manual coffee grinder HARIO Mini Mill Slim PLUS.

Recipe 1 - Aeropress Coffee
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  • Set the grinder to 4-5 clicks (almost as fine as espresso - more like a moka pot).
  • Take 12 grams of your preferred coffee.
  • Grind the beans.
  • Pour the coffee into the Aeropress.
  • In the inverted Aeropress, add 200 ml of water above 90°C.
  • Stir the coffee with the water using a spoon.
  • Leave it for 2 minutes.
  • Stir again once.
  • Wait for another 30 seconds.
  • Attach the filter end to the Aeropress.
  • Turn over the Aeropress.
  • Press the coffee through the filter into a cup.
  • Voila! It’s ready.

You can add milk to this coffee if you wish, but it’s not mandatory.

Recipe 2 - Pour Over Coffee
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This recipe uses the Clever Dripper, a pour-over that retains water until placed on a mug. Learn more about Clever Dripper. This recipe is derived from that video.

  • Set the grinder to 9-11 clicks (the coarseness can be compared to sugar crystals).
  • Take 15 grams of your favorite coffee.
  • Grind it.
  • Preheat the pour-over and insert a paper filter.
  • Pour 250 ml of water, above 90°C, into the Clever Dripper.
  • Stir the coffee and water together.
  • Leave it for 2.5 minutes.
  • Place the Clever on a cup.
  • Wait until the coffee drains into the cup.
  • It’s ready!

Like the previous recipe, you can add milk, but it’s optional.

A New Perspective on Coffee
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All this “fun” with coffee showed me how little I knew about it. I hadn’t realized how many small factors significantly influence its taste. The grind size, amount of coffee, water temperature, and brewing time all play crucial roles. I discovered various brewing methods, not just espresso machines but pour-overs (Aeropress, dripper, Chemex), French press, and cold brew. Each has its unique influence on coffee’s flavor, aroma, and consistency.

Sometimes, though, all you need is to throw some coffee into a cup, add hot water, and you’re done. There’s even a name for such coffee – the “Polish Parzucha.”

I encourage everyone to experiment and enrich their “coffee breaks” with truly delightful coffee.