Come 5th November, Singaporeans will get the chance to taste the world's most expensive coffee. The Hacienda La Esmeralda, beans cultivated at 1,800 metres above sea level in the mountainous region of western Panama will be making an appearance at The Coffee Academics in a one-day-only brewing and cupping demonstration.
And if customers prefer to prepare the exclusive brew themselves, they may purchase the beans at The Coffee Academics' flagship store at Scotts Square. But act fast, there are only 80 servings available for purchase. We chat with their trained team of baristas for some of their best home brewing tips and hacks. Here's what we found.
And if customers prefer to prepare the exclusive brew themselves, they may purchase the beans at The Coffee Academics' flagship store at Scotts Square. But act fast, there are only 80 servings available for purchase. We chat with their trained team of baristas for some of their best home brewing tips and hacks. Here's what we found.
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Baristas from The Coffee Academics: (from left to right) Simargeet Singh, Muhammad Farhan Bin Rohim, Vanessa M. Caceres, Kua Bing Zhong
1. Store your coffee beans in the freezer. Freezing them before you grind them helps your beans break down more evenly.
- Simargeet Singh, Senior Barista
2. Brew your beans as soon as you grind them. Because every minute that goes by is flavour and freshness lost.
- Kelvin Toh, Barista
3. Never reboil brewing water. If for some reason, you didn't use your hot brewing water immediately, pour the old batch away and put on a new batch of fresh still water.
- Abdul Hafiz Bin Abdul Molok, Barista
- Simargeet Singh, Senior Barista
2. Brew your beans as soon as you grind them. Because every minute that goes by is flavour and freshness lost.
- Kelvin Toh, Barista
3. Never reboil brewing water. If for some reason, you didn't use your hot brewing water immediately, pour the old batch away and put on a new batch of fresh still water.
- Abdul Hafiz Bin Abdul Molok, Barista
4. The ideal water brewing temperature is 93°C. Water that is too hot will extract compounds in the coffee that are more bitter than pleasant. And reheating coffee can turn even best coffee bitter and acrid.
- Adri Zaihan Ahamd, Barista
5. Rinse your coffee filters thoroughly. Even if you're using paper. It's a simple yet crucial tip as any residue left can tremendously affect the taste of your brew.
- Muhammad Farhan Bin Rohim, Senior Barista
- Adri Zaihan Ahamd, Barista
5. Rinse your coffee filters thoroughly. Even if you're using paper. It's a simple yet crucial tip as any residue left can tremendously affect the taste of your brew.
- Muhammad Farhan Bin Rohim, Senior Barista
6. Always check the roast date of your coffee. And check with the baristas or roasters what is the coffee bean's ideal resting time. Freshly roasted does not necessarily mean that the coffee beans are better nor do old beans mean that it is bad. All beans have different profiles and characteristics.
- Kua Bing Zhong, Senior Barista
7. A steady spiral does it. While brewing your coffee, pour from the center of the grounds and rotate your kettle in a spiral outwards and then back in again. This method ensures an even extraction of flavour from the coffee beans.
- Nor Fazira Binte Azman, Barista
- Kua Bing Zhong, Senior Barista
7. A steady spiral does it. While brewing your coffee, pour from the center of the grounds and rotate your kettle in a spiral outwards and then back in again. This method ensures an even extraction of flavour from the coffee beans.
- Nor Fazira Binte Azman, Barista
