I remember being asked this question by my soon to be employer. It was during an interview for a position within their coffee company. “What is Specialty Coffee?” To be honest, I had never heard the expression before. I think I answered something along the lines of “A coffee with caramel" in it”. After some research, I was quite embarrassed of my answer. Although I came from a management position within a well known Australian coffee franchise; Specialty Coffee was a complete mystery to me.

Very fruit forward with a delicious sweetness and boozy aroma, this Natural Costa Rican is beautiful brewed black. With notes of Apricot, Nougat and Orange, this coffee is wonderfully refreshing and complex. We’ve been using it as a filter and can’t wait to put it through Cold Brew. Enjoy.

Many people I speak to and serve still buy coffee for their home coffee brewing from the supermarket. If this decision was made purely for financial reasons then, ok, we get it. Times can be tough so some things need to be within the budget. However, if this decision has been made simpy because we are unaware of the possibilities of Specialty Coffee and what it brings to our daily brewing rituals; I think this is a travesty and this is a conversation we need to have.

I literally had just landed into the specialty coffee realm when I tried my first Ethiopian 6 years ago. Since then, I have forgotten the name of the roaster, but I have never forgotten the flavor and feeling that coffee gave me. I remember it like it was yesterday. Blueberry muffin. Literally, blueberry muffin. The aroma and sweetness of that coffee was unparalleled and to this day I have not found another coffee like it.

If you’ve ever remembered having that perfect cordial to water ratio for your favorite glass in your cupboard, then Brew Ratios should make a lot of sense. You would also know that if you use too much or not enough cordial in water, then taste is definitely affected, sometimes for the worst. This is exactly the same for espresso.

Grind size, or how fine or coarse you grind your dose, is such a major variable in specialty coffee brewing. This largely affects flavour, mouthfeel, finish and taste in all brewing methods, especially home espresso. Let’s go through some of the basline key indicators that we should be aiming to start hitting with our brewing at home.

Making espresso at home can be daunting; especially if you have no experience using the equipment or understanding around the processes. Hopefully this series will help improve your espresso extractions and comprehension around why barista’s do what they do and how to make your home coffee, taste better.