How to make coffee – Caffè Ernani

“One Mocha, a Thousand Shades” evening report.

Martina Mazzoleni — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

On Friday, March 22, 2024, we held our second theme night at Torrefazione Ernani in Milan!

How did it go? What have we done? Will there be other events?

These are the questions you have asked the most, so let’s answer them together in the new article of ABCoffee, the weekly blog of Caffè Ernani!

The evening

The second cafeteria event had as its theme Ms. Moka, the undisputed queen of Italian homes but often not exploited to its full potential.

We started with a bit of theory–how can you figure out how to make the most of the coffee you have using the mocha if you don’t know the coffee, how the tool works, and the variables of extraction?

So we shed light on what coffee is and where it grows, the differences of the two main species, namely arabica and robusta, the methods of harvesting and processing, moving on from roasting to understanding extraction, grinding and possible related errors.

In short, a summary of everything related to coffee, geared mainly toward understanding the very nature of making the drink with the Italian coffee maker.

Once the world we were immersing ourselves in was defined, discovering its beauties and immensity, we moved on to the practical part.

Surely this phase was more hands-on and fun allowing us to put into practice everything we had previously discussed.

The practice

This involved making coffee by four different methods:

Homemade method, i.e., following the “keep it simple” principle, as anyone would brew a mocha at home, without scales, kettle, thermometer, etc. However, following the correct steps to avoid mistakes that would compromise the taste of the coffee in the cup.

You can better understand the method by watching this video:

Professional Method, that is, following all, but really all the correct steps, also employing a correct Brew Ratio, thanks to the specific scale for brewing, and many other tricks.

Without boring you too much I will leave you directly with the video to refer to:

Tasting coffee resulting from the first and second methods, all the trainees immediately understood the difference on the palate and in unison confirmed how much better the taste with the second method was, richer in aroma and with less lingering bitterness.

How does this so recognizable change occur?

For an infinite number of reasons…staying on the general though, the answer is simple:

coffee extraction is a matter of chemistry.

Countless researches, studies and tests carried out by the top experts and scientists in the field have identified the correct ratio of water to coffee to make sure that it extracts only the best from the ground coffee and brings the widest and most intense range of aromas to the cup.

As well as, of course, establishing temperatures, water types, preferable pressures and much more.

So if we want to prepare and taste a product to its fullest potential, we cannot rely on “chance,” but must become chemists ourselves, performing each step with precision and punctuality.

The difference then can be felt immediately!

Paper Filter Method, but in this one we wanted to repeat the exact same steps as in the second, but resting an additional round paper filter on top of the ground coffee contained in the filter. (the Aeropress ones to be clear). This is because the paper filter, unlike the metal mocha filter, is much denser. As a result we would have a drink with even less bitterness, more delicate, clean, light, but still intensely aromatic.

This method is useful for those who do not like bitterness at all: try inserting a filter paper!

Pump My Mocha Cold Method, finally we combined two more types: cold water extraction, using the brand new tool Pump My Mocha (click on the al name to land on the site)! At the moment I still tell you very little, as I will make many videos and articles in the coming months explaining every single feature.

In general, however, I can say that it is the most revolutionary tool for making mocha coffee since the mocha itself was invented in 1933.
It is an external pump combined with a thermometer strip, which redefine the rules of the game. In fact, now one can have full control of extraction: from pressure, to temperature, finally elements independent of the heat source (stove or induction plate).

With Pump My Moka you can do anything, the only limitation will be our creativity.

Will there be other events?

Seeing the enthusiasm of the trainees certainly does!

During the premiere we operated an espresso tasting like true professionals.
In the second evening, precisely as just presented, we talked about Mocha and its many nuances.
During the next evening, which will be held in May 2024, we will explore filter coffee.
Finally, in September of the same year, we will reintroduce the Coffee Beer Tasting together with expert Fabio Spollon, aka BeerSlinger89, held for the first time in Desio in October 2023.

These same evenings will then be repeated, both in Milan and Desio during 2025, who knows, maybe even adding more!

If in the meantime you want to start educating yourself on the topic, go to ours page:

Ernani Academy

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Hoop: how to prepare coffee with Hoop!

Martina Mazzoleni — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 08:18:47 +0000

After having told and explained the preparation of coffee with the Moka, the Espresso, the Aeropress, the French Press, the Chemex, the Siphon, the Clever, the V60, the Cold Brew Dripper, the Brew Bottle and the Napoletana…

Today I present to you Hoop, the latest addition to the family of Brewing methods!

Leggi gli articoli sugli altri metodi di estrazione qui!

Hoop, as mentioned, is a brand new tool, presented for the first time at the Sigep fair in Rimini in January 2022!

It is a simple and intuitive coffee maker, which uses the percolation method, perfect for anyone who wants to approach paper filter methods for the first time ever, but still does not have great knowledge or all the necessary tools.

P.S. The term “brewing” includes all the tools used to prepare coffee as an alternative to espresso. First of all we can remember the moka, followed by the Neapolitan and then all the other methods with paper filter, such as the V60, or the metal filter, such as the French Press.

Introducing Hoop

Hoop was patented by Marco Flores of the Ceado company, an innovative company dedicated to the creation of super professional lines of coffee grinders and much more for the service of bars and kitchens.

The objective was to create a Brewing method that was truly simple and intuitive, within the reach of anyone, even those who were approaching this world for the first time ever, but at the same time offering a result that was anything but banal.

In fact, Hoop does not require many tools, but only a paper filter, which can also be purchased from Ceado, but can also be replaced with those from Aeropress.

It does not even require great skills from the operator, as the pouring phase is simplified to the maximum and the instrument independently takes care of the mixing and percolation of the water through the ground block.

So to summarize, to make coffee with Hoop you will need:

Hoop
Round paper filter
Balance

While you can eliminate the electric kettle with a gooseneck spout specific for Brewing and the server can be replaced by a simple mug.

Hoop structure

The tool, as mentioned above, is very simple

It is in fact made up of two cylinders, a smaller internal one and a larger external one, which fit together thanks to a screw system at the base.

Right where the two parts are screwed, the round filter also fits together, as you can see in the next photo.

Finally, on the lower edge of the smaller cylinder there are small holes that allow the water to pass through and therefore percolate through the ground coffee.

What does percolation mean?

Without being too academic or technical, percolation is a principle of coffee extraction.

It occurs when water filters through a block of ground coffee without any pressure and, drop after drop, reaches a container placed underneath the instrument.

Let’s imagine what happens for espresso coffee: I insert the ground coffee into the filter, attach the filter holder to the machine and start the extraction. Then the water will pass through the ground coffee to arrive in our cup.

The difference, however, lies in the fact that the water for espresso has a considerable pressure, which can even reach 12 bars. On the contrary, in percolation methods, the water that filters through the coffee has no pressure other than the force of gravity alone.

This extraction method is therefore more delicate, thus allowing us to obtain a more fragrant, acidic and sweet coffee, in which bitterness is almost, if not completely, absent.

Hoop extraction

The Brew Ratio, i.e. the dose of coffee in relation to water, is 60 g of coffee per 1 L of water; in this case we will prepare the dose for a mug, using 15g of coffee for 250 ml of water.

The coffee must be ground coarsely, therefore coarser than that used for the moka. To be precise, the grain size should be between 600 and 800 microns.

Preparation steps:

First separate the two cylinders;
Place the filter on the base of the instrument;
Hook the two cylinders together until we hear a shrill sound, which will make us understand that the paper filter is secure and tight and will not risk falling into the container below during extraction;
Meanwhile, heat the water to around 93°C (do some experiments with your coffee to understand the ideal temperature, staying between 90 and 95°C);
Pour hot water onto the filter to start heating the instrument and eliminate any odorous paper residue;
Empty the instruments from the water;
Pour the ground coffee into the smaller cylinder and tap the side a few times to level it;
Now pour the water into the outer cylinder;
All you have to do is wait for the tool to work its magic and finish the extraction in about 3 minutes!

NB. If the water takes more than 3 minutes to pass through the grounds, it means that the coffee is ground too fine and therefore the drink will be over-extracted.

On the contrary, if it takes less than 3 minutes then the coffee is ground too loosely and the drink will be under-extracted.

If you still have any doubts, watch the video below!

Which coffee to use?

What has been said so far is trueonly if you use high quality coffee with a medium or medium-light roast.

In fact, you can pay all the attention in the world to make an excellent coffee, but if you select a dark roasted ground coffee, produced starting from green coffees with aromatic defects and no merits, the result will always be a bitter cup with notes of rubber, wood and empyreumatic (burnt), if not even worse!

Then select a premium single-origin arabica, relying on roasters, like us at Caffè Ernani, who take care of the bean in every aspect, from the plant to the final service.

Then choose a washed coffee if you prefer more delicate aromas accompanied by good acidity, or opt for natural ones if you want to obtain greater sweetness.

Here are the single origins of Caffè Ernani

Discover the intense and well-defined taste of a fine single-origin!

Click here

Do you want to practice with this method and also discover all the other brewing techniques and tools?

We are waiting for you at the Ernani Academy Brewing course!

Fill out the form below to request information on courses, without any kind of obligation!

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All about coffee grinding

Martina Mazzoleni — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 08:05:24 +0000

Grinding has always been a much discussed topic, sometimes simple in application, but complex in its understanding.

Finding the correct grind is a mechanical act, which requires a few precautions and clear and simple references.

But understanding the importance of finding the perfect grind is not always so intuitive.

So here is a guide on the correct grinding of coffee, with Caffè Ernani!

What is grinding?

The term Grinding describes the operation of breaking coffee beans into multiple smaller sections.

Based on the size of the ground coffee and its uniformity, we are able to define the different levels of resistance of the coffee to the passage of water.

In other words: the degree of grinding modifies the extraction speed.

To understand this, just give a very simple example:

Imagine you have two buckets, one full of rocks and the other full of fine sand.

Now pour a basin of water over it.

In the first bucket, the one with the stones, the water will pass very quickly, reaching the bottom quickly, because between one stone and another there is a lot of space to pass through. On the contrary, in the bucket with sand, the water will pass much more slowly, as the passage space is very small.

The same concept is applied to coffee: if we grind it very large, the water will pass quickly, while if we grind it very fine, the water will have a lot of difficulty passing through it.

Why is coffee ground?

This is a complementary answer to the previous one:

We grind because we increase the contact surface between the water and the coffee during the extraction phase, thus helping to transfer the soluble solids from the ground coffee to the final drink in the cup.

Let’s understand better: if we had a whole grain, as in the image on the left, the water, represented by the blue line, would only pass over the surface, thus bringing only the oils deposited on it into the cup.

The final drink would therefore be very dull, without body or aroma and above all of a very dull light yellow.

While when we break the bean into small pieces the water manages to pass through it, investing it completely and therefore managing to bring not only the oils into the cup, but all those substances that allow us to savor and enjoy an excellent extracted coffee, such as lipids, carbohydrates, nitrogen compounds, etc.!

P.S. The size of the ground particles is defined as grain size and their size is calculated in microns (µ): 1µ = 1000mm, on the contrary 1mm = 0.001µ.

So why is grinding important?

Because it influences over or under extraction and the color of the final extracted drinkdThe consequence influences the taste and aroma of the final drink.

We have already addressed this topic in the past. I’ll show you both the video and the complete article.

Also read the related more in-depth article on the importance of grinding:

L'importanza della macinatura

Getting back to us, let’s try to understand how it is possible that grinding influences the taste of the drink so much.

Graphic of a coffee bean with the different possible extraction percentages indicated The bean is composed of 30% soluble substances, i.e. substances that dissolve when water passes and therefore manage to reach the cup, and 70% non-soluble substances, i.e. which do not dissolve and therefore do not reach the cup.

But that 30% of soluble substances does not have to be completely extracted, it is in fact better to extract around 18-22% of substances to have a balanced drink with a tasty aromatic profile.

In other words yet:

if I extract less than 18% I will have a drink in the cup defined as under-extracted;
if I extract more than 22% I will have a drink in the cup defined as over-extracted.

To be precise and aware of the extraction percentage, there are specific tools, but if you are not a great expert in the sector it is useless to buy, given the high prices.

Let’s therefore rely on our senses to learn to recognize under or over extraction!

We take for example espresso, as it is the easiest to recognize even just by looking at it:

1. In the first line above we see an under-extracted coffee.

As the word itself says, we have extracted too few substances from our coffee bean, making the final drink very dull.

In particular we will see:

The pale cream, tending towards white and already practically “pierced”, thus allowing a glimpse of the dark drink underneath.
On the palate, however, the coffee will be dull, with a flat and not very intense aroma and above all a bad and very unpleasant acidity will prevail.
Finally the drink will have no body. If we swirled the coffee between the tongue and the palate we would not feel any density.

If you are not preparing an espresso you will not have the cream to help you, so rely on the taste and try to understand if it is balanced and good, or if on the contrary it only has a strong and really annoying acidity, without other aromatic notes.

2. In the third and last line at the bottom we see an over-extracted coffee.

As the word itself says, we have extracted too many substances from our coffee bean, making the final drink too full.

In particular we will see:

The very dark cream.
On the palate, however, the coffee will have a less complex aromatic profile, in which we would only perceive empyreumatic (burnt) hints. The dominant taste will be bitter.

Again, if you’re not making espresso you won’t see the crema so taste it and find out if it’s really too bitter, without much else to offer.

3. Finally, in the central row we see a correctly extracted coffee.

We have therefore extracted the right number of substances for a balanced, intense, full-bodied cup with an incredible aromatic profile!

In particular we will see:

The hazelnut colored cream, shiny and smooth, without micro or macro bubbles, and which persists for at least 1 minute after extraction without “piercing”.
On the palate, however, the coffee will be excellent, with a wide and tasty aromatic range, with notes of chocolate, caramel, vanilla, toast, honey, flowers, fruit, citrus fruits and much more! It will then be intense and above all you will notice a delicate and pleasant bitterness, a more or less marked and enveloping acidity, balanced by a more or less intense dose of sweetness. Finally the drink will have a good body. If we swirled the coffee between our tongue and palate we would feel the density of the drink. INHow much does grinding influence the success of the extracted coffee?! In the end, dWhat is the grinding affected? Grinding is influenced by many variables, such as: The coffee you purchased, its freshness, composition and storage; The tool you selected for extraction: espresso, moka, paper filter, percolation, pressure, infusion, etc.; External environmental conditions; The water used: temperature and molecular composition; and much more. Without going too much into the technicalities, let’s aim directly at what is most important for us at home or at the bar: the tool we are using to prepare the coffee. Each tool requires its specific grain size, i.e. size of the ground material. Why? Because the contact time depends on the grinding.And contact time defines an under- or over-extracted drink, as we saw previously. Let’s explain the theory behind this statement: Different squares, representing equally sized ground coffee grains, with blue spaces, representing contact with water. Starting from the left: 30 seconds of contact between water and coffee, 120 seconds of contact and 240 seconds of contact. Let’s assume that each grain of the coffee we ground is as large as these 3 squares above: If the water passes through the ground coffee for just 30 seconds, as in the first case on the left, it manages to penetrate the grain just a little. All the substances that are therefore found in the center of the grain will not be brought into the cup, consequently making the coffee under-extracted. Same thing if we let the water flow for 120 seconds: the water would be able to penetrate deeper, but not yet completely. The coffee is therefore still under-extracted. While the correct extraction will take place in 240 seconds. Now let’s take the opposite example: Different squares, representing ground coffee grains of different sizes (smaller on the left, larger on the right) with blue spaces, representing the contact with water for 120 seconds, and other red spaces, representing the over-extraction of the beverage. This time we pass the water through the ground coffee for 120 seconds, but changing the size of the ground coffee: In the first case we have a very fine ground coffee: if the water passed through it for 120 seconds, not only would it reach depth, but it would also extract too much, making the coffee over-extracted. In the second case, however, we have a medium ground coffee, perfect for an extraction time of 120 seconds. Again, however, in the third case the grain is too large and in 120 seconds the water does not do its job well, making the final cup under-extracted. Given that each tool for preparing coffee has its own specific extraction principle (percolation, infusion, pressure, boiling or a hybrid of these) and therefore its own specific recipe and extraction time, we must adapt the size of our ground coffee to make so that the final drink is always good and pleasant! Find out more in another article: https://www.caffeernani.com/come-preparare-il-caffe/diverse-macinature-per-diversi-metodi-di-estrazione/ Finally, I leave you with other interesting references to complete your knowledge on grinding: https://youtu.be/YBebSRzM9dw Which coffee grinder should I buy for my home?https://www.caffeernani It will then be intense and above all you will notice a delicate and pleasant bitterness, a more or less marked and enveloping acidity, balanced by a more or less intense dose of sweetness.
Finally the drink will have a good body. If we swirled the coffee between our tongue and palate we would feel the density of the drink.

How much does grinding influence the success of the extracted coffee?!

In the end, dWhat is the grinding affected?

Grinding is influenced by many variables, such as:

The coffee you purchased, its freshness, composition and storage;
The tool you selected for extraction: espresso, moka, paper filter, percolation, pressure, infusion, etc.;
External environmental conditions;
The water used: temperature and molecular composition;
and much more.

Without going too much into the technicalities, let’s aim directly at what is most important for us at home or at the bar: the tool we are using to prepare the coffee.

Each tool requires its specific grain size, i.e. size of the ground material.

Why?

Because the contact time depends on the grinding. And contact time defines an under- or over-extracted drink, as we saw previously.

Let’s explain the theory behind this statement:

Different squares, representing equally sized ground coffee grains, with blue spaces, representing contact with water.

Starting from the left: 30 seconds of contact between water and coffee, 120 seconds of contact and 240 seconds of contact. Starting from the left: 30 seconds of contact between water and coffee, 120 seconds of contact and 240 seconds of contact.
Let’s assume that each grain of the coffee we ground is as large as these 3 squares above: All the substances that are therefore found in the center of the grain will not be brought into the cup, consequently making the coffee under-extracted. Same thing if we let the water flow for 120 seconds: the water would be able to penetrate deeper, but not yet completely. If the water passes through the ground coffee for just 30 seconds, as in the first case on the left, it manages to penetrate the grain just a little.
The coffee is therefore still under-extracted. While the correct extraction will take place in 240 seconds.

Now let’s take the opposite example:

Different squares, representing ground coffee grains of different sizes (smaller on the left, larger on the right) with blue spaces, representing the contact with water for 120 seconds, and other red spaces, representing the over-extraction of the beverage.

This time we pass the water through the ground coffee for 120 seconds, but changing the size of the ground coffee: In the first case we have a very fine ground coffee: if the water passed through it for 120 seconds, not only would it reach depth, but it would also extract too much, making the coffee over-extracted.
In the second case, however, we have a medium ground coffee, perfect for an extraction time of 120 seconds.
Again, however, in the third case the grain is too large and in 120 seconds the water does not do its job well, making the final cup under-extracted.

Given that each tool for preparing coffee has its own specific extraction principle (percolation, infusion, pressure, boiling or a hybrid of these) and therefore its own specific recipe and extraction time, we must adapt the size of our ground coffee to make so that the final drink is always good and pleasant!

Find out more in another article:

Diverse macinature per i diversi metodi di estrazione!

Finally, I leave you with other interesting references to complete your knowledge on grinding:

Which grider would be better at home?

La scelta del macinacaffè!

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The perfect holiday coffee maker companion

Martina Mazzoleni — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:07:58 +0000

If you haven’t started your holidays yet, you will soon… so here is a small guide to choose the perfect holiday coffee machine companion!

In this article we’ll take into account ease of use, compactness and fragility.

The idea of writing this Guide came after the vacation I took last year: a journey to discover Lanzarote and Fuerteventura aboard a camper van.

The kitchen, as you can imagine, was missing and we often stopped to sleep in completely rural areas, where the first bar available for breakfast was even 30 minutes away by car. Luckily I was prepared, with my coffee gear in the suitcase.

After this experience I discovered that many Italians have coffee in their luggage.

So here are my tips for a “travel coffee”.

Moka pot

Surely the best known and loved instrument in Italian homes.

But is it the right one to take on vacation?

If you have a kitchen, yes!

In fact it is a compact instrument, so it will not take up too much space in your suitcase. It is strong, thus also avoiding the possibility of breaking during the jolts of travel.

The moka pot gest a nice 8 out of 10.

It falls short of full marks for one reason only: you need fire. In fact, it is not enough to obtain hot or even tepid water, fire is needed to keep the steam under pressure and allow the extracted coffee to escape into the upper tank.

If you want to know how to best use it, watch the video:

Or click here to find out everything you need to know about the moka:

Tutto quello che c'è da sapere sulla Moka

Now let’s move on to filter coffees to see four other practical, comfortable, resistant and above all, always incredible results!

French Press

This tool gets a nice 10/10!

While it’s not my favorite for my personal taste, it’s objectively unbeatable.

It is very simple to use: just pour water and ground coffee into the container and wait for the infusion to finish.

How could you go wrong?

It’s plastic, so it won’t break in your suitcase.

It is available in different formats: from 150 ml up to 1.5 L.

You can use hot water, if you have a source of heat available, but also cold water, extending the infusion times a bit.

Finally satisfies everyone!

This same tool can be used to prepare coffee, tea and any infused drink in general, and it also allows you to froth the milk for an excellent cappuccino, with both hot and cold milk.

In short… it has all the credentials to be an excellent travel companion on any occasion and situation.

Watch the video per understand how to use it to prepare coffee:

Hoop

It’s time to introduce you to a brand new tool just created in Italy: Hoop.

This too has compact dimensions, is resistant and above all very simple to use.

Insert the filter, screw the central cylinder, pour in the ground coffee and then the water. The extracted coffee is then collected directly in the cup.

However, the vote for this tool is 8/10.

This is because the result is better with hot water, so we need a heat source.

Here the video to see how to prepare coffee with Hoop:

Clever

I will be very brief on this instrument, because the characteristics are practically identical to Hoop.

Comfortable, compact, resistant, simple to use and the coffee is collected directly in the cup.

The difference is that the result is excellent even with cold water, simply by increasing the dose of coffee a little, while leaving the quantity of water unchanged.

That’s why the score is 9/10.

Not reaching 10 full, unlike the French Press, only due to the fact that the filters are not reusable and therefore you have to carry around a few more spare ones.

And as for the others, here is the video to learn how to make the most of it:

Aeropress

Aeropress And finally we come to my favorite coffee maker: the Aeropress!

I don’t know why but it always hits me. Making coffee with this tool is a different art every time.

This is why it is the method that always follows me in my suitcase.

I have wonderful memories related to my last trip: in fact, I woke up with the van on the beach, I took out the table, the aeropress, the coffee and the cup. I started the preparation with an ocean view. A peaceful and relaxed ritual.

Maybe I’m exaggerating, but as you can guess from my words, I’m really in love with it.

Despite this it takes an 8/10.

Because even this tool performs better with hot water, requiring a heat source. For example, I had a camping stove.

Then, disposable compostable filters are needed for extraction.

However, it also has many pros: in addition to its beauty, it offers an intense, aromatic coffee, rich in aromas and practically without bitterness.

The doses can be made by eye with the help of the numbers placed on the instrument which indicate the number of cups. It is also compact, resistant, adaptable and simple to use.

Watch the video if you want to find out how to prepare it:

Now all you have to do is choose your favorite and put it in your suitcase, combined with an amazing coffee, intense and fragrant.

Choose yours here, click below:

Vai allo Shop Ernani!

Have a good trip from all the Caffè Ernani team!

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How to choose the coffee grinder for home?

Martina Mazzoleni — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 08:24:23 +0000

Last week we talked about all the methods for making coffee at home, both manual and automatic, of all sizes, extractions and prices.

In short, now you have all the information you need to choose the machine to buy for your home, so today we’re talking about coffee grinders.

I know, it seems like a minor point, but it’s not!

The grinder is just as important as all other equipment, if not more. If you grind it wrong or in any case the particulate obtained does not have high quality standards, you will never be able to have an optimal product in your cup.

In other words: if the grinding is wrong, the extracted coffee will never be good.

Let’s also remember another important fact: 15 minutes after grinding we’ve lost 60% of the coffee aromas.

Therefore, if you want to obtain an intensely aromatic final extracted drink, you should grind the coffee fresh, i.e. only at the time of extraction.

Let’s get started!

The importance of grinding

First of all, as already mentioned, we must understand why grinding is important. This is why I’d suggest you to watch a video about the main aspects.

Grinding is used to increase the contact surface between coffee and water.

By breaking the bean, the water has a better chance of touching even the internal parts of the same, extracting all the substances that are useful to us.

Grinding is important because:

It influences the color and the extraction of the drink: if the grinding is wrongly made, you will get an under-extracted or over-extracted coffee;
Consequently it influences the taste: an under-extracted coffee is flat and with an unpleasant acidity, while an over-extracted coffee is bitter with empyreumatic scents, i.e. with notes of burnt and/or ash.

Finally, the grinding is not constant.

Let me explain: coffee is a porous food, so it absorbs everything from the external environment. For example: if the weather is dry in the morning and the afternoon becomes more humid, the coffee will need a different grind.

So it should be checked every day and several times a day.

To find out more about how to grind coffee, read the dedicated article:

Articolo: Diverse macinature per diversi sistemi di estrazione

You will really find all the information to find out how to grind for each extraction method and above all how to check its correctness.

Finally watch the video below on how to use the hand grinder:

How to choose a coffee grinder

The first questions to ask yourself before buying are definitely:

Which is my need?
What type of coffee grinder do I need to satisfy it?

If you are a great coffee lover and you already own other professional or semi-professional equipment, it is better to focus on the same target also for the grinder.

If, on the other hand, you are less demanding or are just starting to approach the world of fine coffee, you can start with cheaper, but still high-performance equipment, to practice.

Here are the different technical characteristics:

Grinding system:

With rotating blades

I advise against these regardless of one’s personal level, as the blades do not allow in any way to obtain a uniform and homogeneous and above all constant over time detail. This is because the blades cut the bean, not grind it. Furthermore, it is not even possible to adjust the degree of grinding.

Flat grinders

The most widespread system as it is precise, constant and resistant, perfect especially for espresso.

Conical grinders

Allow to obtain a uniform grind, also by turning at lower speeds, it prevents the coffee from overheating. Ideal more for paper filter methods.

Finally, the millstones can be:

Ceramic – cheaper, but less precise and more fragile;
Steel – more expensive, but stronger, more accurate and also easier to clean.

Grinding adjustments

Another key feature is the ability to adjust the degree of “thickness” of the ground coffee.

This is because each method has its own specific grind level. The grinder must therefore allow, as the one in the photo, the possibility of adjusting the granulometry, which is not possible with the blade one, but only with the conical or flat grinders.

Capacity

Important feature, but not essential.

The capacity indicates the quantity of beans that the grinder is able to contain in its tank.

This can vary from 15 g for small and domestic ones up to 2 kg for larger and professional ones.

If we consider domestic use, it must be large enough to grind the necessary coffee in one go, without ever having too much residual coffee, so as to avoid its oxidation and loss of aroma.

Let’s take a practical example: if I’m alone in the family and I prepare a moka, the smallest 15 g one is already sufficient.

If, on the other hand, we are a family of five and each morning we each make two coffees for ourselves, we must provide a dose of ground coffee of at least 70 g (10 cups of 7 g each), thus requiring larger models.

Budget

You can find coffee grinders starting from € 20.00 up to € 5,000.00 if not more.

So decide how much you want to spend, bearing in mind that the performance will depend on the price.

As mentioned at the beginning, consider your level of preparation. If you are a beginner, you don’t need to spend too much, as you are in an experimentation and learning phase. Furthermore, if you are buying it only to obtain a more qualitative moka, you are fine, but you will not need the best coffee grinder on the market.

While if you try different coffees every day, maybe even Specialty with different extraction methods, then you need to aim higher.

Which manual grinder to choose?

Hario Skerton Pro

Excellent entry level grinder, with adjustable ceramic conical grinders, 100 g tank and completely removable for cleaning.

Grinding level is adjustable.

Acquistabile qui

€ 30,00 – € 40,00

Royal catering

Manual coffee grinder with conical stainless steel burrs and up to 12 different adjustable grind levels and 20 g tank.

Acquistabile qui

€ 55,00 – € 65,00

Stelton Collar Coffee Grinder

A minimal and chic grinder, created by designer Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri to prepare coffee at home in style.

It has ceramic grinders, which can be completely disassembled for cleaning and with the possibility of regulating the particle size.

Acquistabile qui

€ 85,00 – € 105,00

Comandante

Elegant, recognizable and loved. It is available in various colors, models, materials and sizes, but what unites them all is the incredible quality of the components.

Yes, it is expensive, but if you are a professional you must have the best to be able to work at your best!

Conical stainless steel grinders with ball bearings, obviously precise, constant and adjustable particle size and approximately 40 g tank.

Acquistabile qui

€ 150,00 – € 380,00

Pietro Grinder

Brand new on the market and in my opinion the one with the higher performance!

The first manual grinder with flat 58 mm grinders (almost as big as professional electric grinders) placed vertically, obviously adjustable to always guarantee excellent extraction.

Finally very easy to disassemble and clean thoroughly!

Acquistabile qui

€ 360,00

Which electric grinder to choose?

The costs are decidedly higher, as are the performances.

Here are the ones to keep an eye on.

Wilfa Svart

Easy to adjust, with steel conical burrs and 250g capacity.

Designed for home use, therefore it does not allow you to grind very large quantities, for example those required in a commercial activity.

The only small hiccup is in the struggling to empty the entire grinding chamber properly, making cleaning more difficult.

Acquistabile qui

€ 130,00 – € 200,00

Eureka – Perfetto

Beautiful to look at, compact and available in an infinite number of colours.

Easy to adjust and dose, with flat grinders.

The result is amazing! So perfect if you are real coffee lover professional Especially designed to be combined with an espresso machine.

Acquistabile qui

€ 330,00 – € 800,00

Fiorenzato – All Ground

Last recommended, but not least, recently launched on the market, it is comfortable, intuitive, constant, precise and suitable for any type of grinding, for this reason it is called “all ground”, i.e. “all the grinds”.

At the moment for the home channel it was one of the grinders I had the most fun with!

It has flat burrs in steel and coated in titanium, 64 mm.

Acquistabile qui

€ 600,00 – € 800,00

Now you just have to choose yours and start making coffee like never before!

If you want to find out more about coffee and learn how to use the grinder at its best, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media!

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L'articolo How to choose the coffee grinder for home? proviene da Caffè Ernani.

Which is the right home coffee maker for you?

Martina Mazzoleni — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 08:49:49 +0000

Making coffee is an art and a moment of relaxation for all of us.

There are hundreds of different methods, each with its own peculiarities and results in the cup.

So which coffee maker or machine should you choose to make coffee at home?

In this article we will answer this very question, comparing most of the existing methods and highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each!

However, I will only list the general categories, not for example all the different espresso machines that exist and their characteristics.

There will be other articles to go deeper on the various methods If you don’t want to miss them, subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

Iscriviti alla nostra newsletter e ricevi gratis la nostra Guida per riconoscere un caffè di qualità!

Ready to start?

Manual coffee makers

In the first paragraph we will compare all the manual coffee extraction methods including our beloved moka pot.

The coffee makers require a certain dexterity and a bit of time for their preparation.

I admit that these are my favorites, because they need our attention and care becoming a moment of relaxation, allowing us to focus on the coffee preparation ritual.

You can vary the recipe, the extraction times, the water temperature, the environmental conditions, the grinding and obviously also the coffee used, to obtain something different every time.

But let’s see them in detail now!

Mocha pot

Perfect for you if you love tradition and if one of your happiest memories is the scent of your grandmother’s house after a family lunch.

It does not require very great skills, but only a few precautions to obtain a good result.

It’s for you if you love a concentrated and intense drink, with a higher bitterness.
On the contrary, it’s not for you if you don’t like bitterness.

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo sulla Moka + video

Neapolitan

Always perfect for you if you are a person in love with traditions and rituals.

It’s for you if you love a concentrated and intense drink, similar to the moka pot, but with less bitterness.

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo sulla Napoletana + video

French Press

This is one of the simplest filter extraction methods ever, because it doesn’t require great skill. Furthermore, the coffee maker is very versatile: it can be useful to prepare frothed milk at home or to make any type of infusion, as well as tea.

It is for you if you are looking for a diluted and delicate drink, typical of pressureless filter methods, but still “pastey”, with a good consistency in the mouth.
It’s not for you if you want a very fragrant and clean drink, obtainable for example with a Chemex or V60.

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo sulla French Press + video

Clever

Another fairly simple filter method, which combines the advantages of the French Press and the V60. In fact, it has a first infusion part, which simplifies the pouring phase by avoiding some possible errors. The second allows the filtering of the ground as for the V60.

It is also convenient to use in cafè because it can be extracted directly from the clients, involving them in a fun way in the preparation of the drink.

It is for you if you are looking for a diluted and delicate drink, typical of pressureless filter methods, with a good aromatic intensity and simple to use.
It’s not for you if you want a creamy, full-bodied drink.

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo sulla Clever + video

Hoop

To conclude with the “simplest” filter methods to use, we must mention Hoop, made up of only two cylinders: one to house the ground and the other the water.

The margin of error here is really low.

It’s right for you if you’re looking for a diluted and delicate drink, typical of pressureless filter methods, with good aromatic intensity and simple to use.
It’s not for you if you want a creamy, full-bodied drink.

Aeropress

This is possibly one of my all time favorite methods,Why versatile, easy to handle, perfect in any place and situation and also allows you to experiment a lot.

In short, if you want to have fun anywhere you have to buy Aeropress!

It’s for you if you are a traveller, if you love adventure and the outdoors, but always want an excellent coffee with you!
It’s not for you if you want a creamy and full-bodied drink like a mocha pot or espresso coffee, with even more bitterness.

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo su Aeropress + video

V60

Unmistakable, trendy, versatile, funny, famous, studied and so much more. The V60 is one of the most famous methods in the world for coffee extraction, especially for high-level ones. Used in world competitions and by all passionate of Specialty coffee. In short, the progenitor of manual filter methods.

If you are a coffee lover, you must buy it!

It’s for you if you want to experiment more than ever with coffee and if studying the subject and acquiring manual skills fascinates you. And if you are looking for a very fragrant coffee, without bitterness and intensely aromatic, then you have found the right method for you!
It’s not for you if you want a creamy and full-bodied drink like an espresso can be, with even more bitterness, or if you don’t want to study and prepare yourself to respect this drink.

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo sul V60 + video

Chemex

Very similar in preparation, shape and result to the V60, but with a more elegant and impactful design. The only difference is that the obtained drink is even cleaner and more delicate.

It’s right for you if, just like the V60, you love a scented drink and want to experiment.
It’s not for you if you want a creamy and full-bodied drink like an espresso can be, with even more bitterness, or if you don’t want to study and prepare yourself to respect this drink.

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo sul Chemex + video

Syphon

A tool that is nothing short of spectacular, similar to a deconstructed moka pot. Watching his preparation is fascinating.

It’s for you if you want to surprise your guests with a very peculiar maker and if you are looking for a filter coffee, a diluted and perfumed drink, but with a slight of extra bitterness.
It’s not for you if you desires to be in control of every variable during the extraction phase or if you are looking for a sweeter and more fragrant drink, with less bitterness.

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo sul Syphon + video

Cold Brew Dripper

If in the summer you love cold, energizing and thirst-quenching at the same time, this is the best choice you can make.

It’s for you if you love cold, diluted, intense and fragrant coffee.
It’s not for you if you don’t have patience, because the extraction can last 12 hours. Of course, you can prepare a large quantity and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days!

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo sul Cold Brew + video

Brew Bottle

Brew bottle

The result is almost similar to coffee prepared with the Cold Brew Dripper, but it is also cheaper and easier to use. It also requires less waiting: 3 to 6 hours.

It’s also a very versatile tool: it prepares tea, chai, golden milk or why not experiment with alcohol?

It’s for you if you love cold, diluted, intense and fragrant coffee.
It’s not for you if you love scenographic tools that capture attention.

N.B. Fundamental to each method is to use the correct grind!

If the coffee is not ground in the right way, you will never, ever get a drink intense, round and enveloping.

To learn more about grinding, click below:

Scopri di più sulla macinatura

Electric and/or automatic coffee makers

Now let’s move on to all the electric tools, such as the espresso machine, but also all the automatic ones, which help us simplify the steps during extraction.

Espresso machine

What more can you say than what you already know? It offers an incredible cupped drink, copied, awarded and envied around the world. We couldn’t do without it, not even at home!

It’s perfect for you if you have the opportunity to invest in equipment. Being a gem of engineering the general rule is: if it’s cheap, it’s a bad investment. It also takes up space and consumes energy.

N.B. It’s a great extraction method and I would recommend it to anyone, just say don’tunderestimate it: it’s expensive, it’s complicated and you have to keep it, along with all the other equipment accessories to buy. So you have to take it only when you are convinced to do so.

It’s not for you if you don’t want to grind coffee, weigh it, check the grind and if necessary correct it and learn how to make the most of it with a small coffee course.

Find out how to best use it below:

Leggi l'articolo sull'espresso + video

Super-automatic machine

If you love espresso, but don’t feel like all the work that involves that extraction method, opt for a super-automatic instead. Of course, the result will never be identical to an espresso and will never be of very high quality, but with a good initial investment there are now really high-performance superautomatics on the market.

It’s perfect for you if you want a “simple” espresso to prepare.
It’s not for you if you want to experiment and be able to vary all the variables or even if you want a perfect espresso!

Pod machine

If you love espresso, but you don’t feel like preparing it and you want a less expensive machine that is also bulkier than a super-automatic, then opt for paper pods.

The result is not exactly like that of an espresso, as the paper filter retains part of the oils, making the drink slightly cleaner and less creamy, but still very close.

In addition, differently from plastic capsules, these can be thrown into the organic waste.

It’s perfect for you if you want an “espresso” that’s simple to prepare.
It’s not for you if you prefer to be the creator of the preparation of your coffee!

Capsule Machine

The capsule machine consumes little, is small and very simple to use. In a total of 45 seconds you can turn it on, wait for it to heat up and get your coffee.

The result, even if it seems identical to the espresso, is not, as it produces a thick cream although composed only of air, while the drink underneath is more diluted, less full-bodied and less intense.

It’s perfect for you if you want an “espresso” that’s simple to prepare.
It’s not for you if you prefer to be the author of the preparation of your coffee or if you also want to reduce the consumption of single-portion products.

Automatic Filter Machine

There is little to say: if you love filter coffees, scented, with a lower bitterness and more diluted, but you don’t want to buy all the equipment or spend time and expertise in their preparation, this is the best alternative!

It’s perfect for you if you want an easy-to-make filter coffee.
It’s not for you if you prefer to be the creator of the preparation of your coffee!

We have thus reached the end!

I have not entered any existing tool as there are infinitely many of them and it would not be possible introducing them all, but these seem to me more than enough to be able to to find the one that best suits your tastes and above all your needs.

I’d suggest not to remain stuck with one and change, try and experiment, so that making coffee may also become a really exciting game!

For more information on extraction methods, click below and open our dedicated blog!

Leggi tutto sul mondo del caffè qui!

L'articolo Which is the right home coffee maker for you? proviene da Caffè Ernani.

All coffee drink recipes!

Martina Mazzoleni — Thu, 25 May 2023 08:03:09 +0000

We Italians are masters of customization!

At the bar as at home we love to pamper ourselves with a drink that is ours alone, that fully reflects our tastes and the desire of the moment.

In fact, it is not strange to enter a club in the morning and hear a chorus of voices:

“For me cold macchiato, thank you”

“A little longer with a teardrop”

“A cappuccino with cocoa and cinnamon”

“A tepid light latte macchiato”

Up to the extreme:

“A double ristretto coffee in a large glass cup, cold macchiato with cream on the surface and with a sprinkling of cocoa underneath and cinnamon on top”

and so on…

On the other hand, the espresso machine lends itself to the creation of these incredible drinks, always strictly based on coffee.

But what are the italian codified recipes?

Let’s see them together!

The different types of espresso

Restricted espresso

A very concentrated drink, with more acidity, sweetness and body than the “normal” espresso.

15-20 ml of extracted coffee

Use a 60-80 ml espresso cup Espresso

Espresso

A concentrated drink, well balanced in acidity, sweetness and bitterness, with a good body and a compact, silky and shiny cream.

20-30 ml of extracted coffee

Use a 60-80 ml espresso cup Espresso

Long Espresso

A longer drink with less body than the first two.

30-50 ml of extracted coffee

Use a 60-80 ml espresso cup Espresso

American

An espresso-based drink diluted with hot water.

Long espresso: 30-50 ml
Hot water separately: 120 ml

Use a 150-180ml capped cup

Long Black

An Americano, but with cream on the surface, as the water is first poured into the cup and then a double espresso is extracted over it.

Double espresso: 50-60 ml
Hot water at 80°C: 120 ml

Use a 150-180ml capped cup

Coffee drinks

Macchiato Espresso

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Whipped milk: 10-30 ml

Use a 60-80 ml espresso cup Espresso

Espressino

(white, moroccan, genoa)

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Whipped milk: 30-40 ml
Cocoa powder between coffee and milk
Very thick cream: 1.5/2 cm

Use a 60/100 ml glass cup

Mocaccino

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Topping with flavor of your choice: 20-30 ml
Whipped milk: 30ml
Cocoa powder

Use a 90ml glass cup

Cortado

Double espresso: 50-60 ml
Hot milk: 40-80ml
Very thin layer of cream: less than 0.5 cm

Use a 100ml glass tumbler

Cappuccino

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Whipped milk: 130-160 ml
Thick cream layer: 1-1.5cm
Serving temperature: 50-65°C

Use a 150-180ml capped cup

Flat white

Double espresso: 50-60 ml
Hot milk: 90-180ml
Very thin layer of cream: less than 0.5 cm
Serving temperature: 50-65°C

Use a 150-240ml capped cup

N.B. It is perfect for making Latte art

Latté

It differs from coffee milk because the milk with lots of cream is poured into the cup first, only after the espresso with the help of a small glass or briquette.

Espresso: 20-30 ml
120-330g of frothed milk
Thick cream layer: 1.5-2.5cm

Use a tall glass: long tumbler or tall rock, 150-360 ml

Coffee milk

Caffelatte It differs from latte because the coffee is poured into the cup first, only after the hot milk without cream.

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Hot milk: 120-210 ml of hot milk
No whipped cream

Use a tall glass: long tumbler or tall rock, 150-360 ml

Shakerato

Double espresso: 50-60 ml
Sugar syrup: 20ml
Ice cubes: 8-9

Shake and strain with a strainer as you pour into a cup

Use the martini cocktail glass

Ice coffee

(Salento-style, Lecce coffee)

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Almond milk syrup: 20 ml
Cubed ice to fill the glass

Use a 90-150ml glass beaker

N.B. Alternative preparation: make ice cubes with the almond milk over which you will pour the espresso

One shot coffee drinks

Bicerin

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Chocolate topping: 20ml
Whipped milk: 30ml

Use an 80-100ml glass beaker

Nocciolino (Peanut)

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Hazelnut topping: 20 ml
Whipped milk: 30ml

Use an 80-100ml glass beaker

Calabresino

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Licorice Topping: 10-15 ml
Whipped milk: 30ml

Use an 80-100ml glass beaker

Siculo (sicily style)

Espresso: 20-30 ml
Pistachio Topping: 10-15ml
Whipped milk: 30ml

Use an 80-100ml glass beaker

Now all you have to do is experiment and discover your favorite!

L'articolo All coffee drink recipes! proviene da Caffè Ernani.

Frothing your milk: 5 steps + photos

Martina Mazzoleni — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 09:52:28 +0000

To obtain an excellent cappuccino, you need to start with the correct milk frothing!

Sometimes it seems difficult to find a good coffee and we are unfortunately used to under-extracted or over-extracted espresso and to really poor raw materials.

When it comes to cappuccino, the official Italian breakfast drink, envied and copied all over the world, things don’t get better.

In fact, very often the barista does not know how to use the milk jug or the steam wand, he simply offers warm milk or without cream or worse still uses a dirty steam wand. And if it the steam wand is not cleaned, we can just guess what happens with the remaining parts of the process.

But for every cafè like this, there is one that on the contrary works correctly, with baristas who know exactly what they are doing. So let’s learn to reward this kind of work and activity!

In this article we will therefore discover together what is the correct way to froth milk and what should be the goal!

Let’s start by saying that the final result should be a glossy and elastic cream, without bubbles and at a temperature between 55/60°C.

By following the 5 L rule, we can no longer be wrong:

Milk
Jug
Steam lance
Processing
LatteArt

1.Latte

As with everything, if you start with a poor or unsuitable raw material, obtaining the desired result becomes much more difficult.

We also remember that milk is a food and being such it must be treated like any other: preserved appropriately, not cooked over and over again and the used tools should always be clean!

The milk must be:

Fresh, therefore obviously far from the expiry date and it is preferable if it has undergone processing at lower temperatures;
Entire, as it will be easier to assemble. There should be about 3.5% fat(35 g/1L) and 3.2% protein(32 g/1L): the former help to create a shiny and elastic cream and make it last over time, while the latter help in the formation of the actual cream, incorporating the hot air;
Cold, the starting temperature of the milk must not exceed 4°C;
Fitted, between 55° and 60°C.

It is important to know that milk contains casein, which, combined with the tannin found in coffee, forms casein tannate.

These are big words to say that if the temperature of the milk exceeds 65°C the casein tannate is no longer digestible by our stomach and to put it nicely it makes us go to the bathroom in a hurry!

In fact, I’m sure that at least once after a cappuccino at the cafè you had to run to the bathroom… now you know why! The serving temperature was too high!

The same is also true when we see bubbles on the surface: too much air has been incorporated and the final problem is always the same.

NB. If you want to use vegetable drinks to expand your offer, taste them cold first, then hot and finally with coffee, to make sure that the combination is correct and gives a good result to the taste. After that, rely on professional brands created specifically for cafès!

2. Milk jug

The milk jug, as we can well imagine, is important to obtain our result.

If you don’t use the right tools, as in all professions, you are already at a disadvantage.

The milk jug must have the following characteristics:

in stainless steel;
with a firm and comfortable grip;
with a spout;
always very cold to be able to whip the best.

Furthermore, a good barista should have several milk jugs, of different sizes, to be able to work correctly, without waste and offering an excellent final product:

A 75cl milk jug, to be used in the morning for breakfast, when requests are very high;
Two 50cl milk jugs, to be used when there are still requests for cappuccinos together with some macchiato coffees;
Two 35cl milk jugs, to be used in the afternoon, when most of the frothed milk is used for macchiato coffees.

Also returning to the previous paragraph, where we talked about the temperatures of the milk, these recommended measures are used precisely to avoid having excess milk.

The milk can be frothed only once, after which the one not poured into the cups must be immediately put back in the fridge to bring it back to the temperature of 4°C, or it must be thrown away, but that would be a real waste!

Reassembling it several times in fact creates bacteria, indigestibility and an unpleasant taste.

The good bartender is the one who knows the turnout of his place, foresees the requests and uses the right tools.

3. Steam wand

I hope this is the norm in every cafè by now, but both before and after frothing, the steam wand must be purged:first to release the condensation created inside, the second to make sure that there are no more milk residues inside the cannula steam, while cleaning it also externally with a soft microfiber cloth.

If you walk into a bar and see a dirty steam wand, please run out! If they don’t wash that let alone everything else!

The second thing is to position it correctly inside the milk jug, which will allow the creation of the vortex and therefore the incorporation of the steam (air) in order to be able to froth our milk in the best possible way.

Then pour the milk into the milk jug up to the base of the spout, as in the photo below.

Now position the steam wand: the tip should be just below the surface of the milk, about 0.5cm.

Now imagine it as a cross on the surface of the milk with the two axes intersecting in the centerperpendicularly: the spear must be placed in one of the 4 obtained quadrants.

See the photo below.

4. Processing

During the frothing of the milk we go through several phases:

Volume phase, is the moment in which the air is being incorporated and the drink increases in volume. The longer the tip of the lance remains on the surface of the milk, the more air will be incorporated and the creamier the milk will become, suitable for example for a Morocchino. On the contrary, if I have to work in Latte Art, a less dense and more elastic cream is needed, so I remain on the surface only for the first few seconds of whipping.

It is important to say that this phase ends when the milk reaches approximately our body temperature, therefore around 37°C. After which the milk itself stops absorbing air, but only ends up reaching temperature.

For this reason, at the beginning of the frothing, the milk must necessarily be cold: if we started from a milk at 20°C, we would have too little time to incorporate the necessary air.

Emulsion phase, here the spear is now incorporated in the milk which has increased in volume, the still present vortex defines the texture, i.e. the compactness of the cream and the absence of bubbles on the surface. This phase ends when the milk reaches 60°C.

NB. If you are not sure of the correct temperature the first few times, help yourself with a thermometer. But trust that with experience the sensitivity of your hand can fully replace it!

At this point, let the frothed milk rest just long enough to prepare the coffee that we will use as a base.

When the coffee is ready too, we swirl the milk cream on the edge of the milk jug with circular movements, in order to make it more shiny and elastic and we close our cappuccino or macchiato!

5. Latte Art

LatteArt is not just the beautiful drawing on the cappuccino, or as the word itself says, real art.

It is a frothing and pouring technique that includes a different way to enjoy an excellent cappuccino!

In fact, it provides a frame of coffee along the edges of the cup, with the milk froth on the surface that has clear and contrasting edges.

In this way, when you drink a cappuccino, bringing and tilting the cup towards your mouth, the coffee and the milky part mix in your mouth, creating a perfect balance of taste.

Indeed the LatteArt is not for all customers, but only for those who prefer a cappuccino with a less thick milk froth and who are ready to taste new variations of the traditional Italian drink.

Let’s briefly look at the differences in points:

The Emulsion Phase should allow for the creation of a shiny, firm and more elastic cream than that required for traditional cappuccino.
Before starting the pour, the cream must be “broken”, i.e. half the milk and the cream must be poured into another milk jug.
The cup must be held, if you are right-handed, keeping the handle towards our body.
The milk jug should be held like a pen, to increase accuracy and fluidity in drawing.
And the pouring follows precise steps: first the coffee cream is broken up and the brown base canvas is created, after which the design is created until the milk reaches the edge of the cup.

Now cappuccino has no more secrets for you!

L'articolo Frothing your milk: 5 steps + photos proviene da Caffè Ernani.

Espresso coffee machine: how it is made and how it works

Martina Mazzoleni — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 09:06:13 +0000

Today we talk again of the much-loved Italian espresso, but in a different guise: let’s discover the structure of the espresso machine, so as to better understand the incredible drink it produces.

So here is the article that explains the Structure of the Espresso Machine!

If you want to find out more about the world of espresso:

Come si degusta un espresso

Come si pulisce la macchina da espresso

Also watch the video on the history of the espresso machine!

The Structure of the Espresso Machine

The espresso coffee machine is a real jewel of Italian engineering, admired and copied all over the world.

The structure is very similar for both the professional machines that we find in bars and for domestic machines. We will see the exact difference at the end of the article.

Professional machines are generally more performing.

The parts that interest us the most are:

Water heater;
Boiler pressure gauge;
Heat exchanger;
Electric pump;
Brew group, filter holder and filter;
Hot water tap;
Steam launch.

1. The boiler

The boiler is usually made of steel, copper or brass and is used to dispense hot water, heat the water for coffee extraction and create steam for the steam wand.

The water deriving from the water mains passes through a softener or purifier, which precisely eliminates the substances unsuitable for the preparation of the espresso, such as limestone, chlorine, etc.

At this point it arrives “clean” inside the boiler, where it is heated and kept at the right temperature for the entire required duration of service.

In the boiler, the water arrives at temperatures of around 110-120°C and with a pressure between 1.1 and 1.4 bar.

Furthermore, as can be seen in the image, the boiler is never completely full, because in the upper part, thanks to the high temperatures, steam is formed which the barista will then use to heat and froth the milk for cappuccino or macchiato.

2. The pressure gauge in the boiler

The pressure gauge is precisely that part of the machine visible to the operator which allows you to check the correct or incorrect pressure inside the boiler, which as we have just said must be between 1.1 and 1.4 bar.

3. Heat exchanger

The heat exchanger is the system that allows you to heat the water needed to extract the espresso.

How?

In fact, to prepare the coffee we do not use the water present in the boiler for two reasons:

The temperatures are too high. The water in the boiler reaches over 110°C, while to extract a coffee we should stay between 90 and 95 degrees;
The water in the boiler is stagnant. It is true that it comes from the purifier and therefore has no more limestone or other substances, but it remains in the boiler for a long time at very high temperatures and unpleasant bacteria or sediments could therefore form.

That’s why the heat exchanger is used!

You have to imagine a small pipe, usually made of copper, which carries the purified water from the water mains.

This tube, passing through the boiler, allows the heating of the water inside it.

The water for making the espresso is therefore always purified, sweetened and fresh!

4. The Electric Pump

It is the tool capable of “squeezing” the water against the ground coffee stick with very high pressure, generally around 9 atmospheres.

This is what makes espresso so!

In fact, espresso is a very concentrated, dense coffee-based drink with a creamy surface. What allows the creation of the cream, combined with other factors, is precisely the pressure. Without the pressure, the cream would not be able to form in the cup.

In fact, let’s think of the moka: even with the best moka in the world and using the same coffee that we use for the espresso, we will never get the exact same crema of the espresso, precisely due to the lack of this great pressure!

If you want to know the difference between espresso and capsules, click below:

Leggi l'articolo!

5. The brew group, the filter holder and the filter

The dispensing unit is the part to which the filter holder is attached, i.e. the arm that the operator attaches and detaches to insert the ground coffee and make a new coffee.

It has a shower, which distributes the water evenly on the ground, and from the gasket, which allows the total adherence of the filter holder.

The filter holder, on the other hand, is, as we have said, the arm that we hold in our hand with the filter that contains the ground coffee inserted inside. The latter, being perforated on the bottom, lets the infused drink come out.

6. The hot water tap

This component is the one from which the hot water comes out to prepare tea, for example.

In this case, in most espresso machines, the hot water comes directly from the boiler, not from the heat exchanger as in the case of espresso.

Only in a few machines of the latest generation does the water come out with the heat exchanger system.

7. The Steam launch

And we have arrived at the last part of the structure of the espresso machine, namely the steam wand: the tool that allows the steam to escape in order to froth the milk.

This then draws the steam from the boiler and lets it out.

Operation of the espresso machine

So:when we press the coffee extraction button, the machine draws a small amount of water from the water mains, passes it through the coil, i.e. the heat exchanger, to heat it, and after a few seconds of pre-infusion the electric pump forces the water with great pressure through the ground ball, extracting the substances and aromas of the coffee in a very energetic way.

Difference between a bar machine and a home espresso machine

The difference between a home machine and a bar machine lies in the dimensions.

The boiler in domestic ones is smaller and has more difficulty in keeping the water hot enough and at a constant temperature for extraction, as well as providing even less steam to froth the milk.

Furthermore, the structure of the coffee machine is heavier and more robust, allowing better pressure retention to extract the espresso to its full potential.

Now you just have to find out how to make an espresso like a true professional, by watching the video below:

L'articolo Espresso coffee machine: how it is made and how it works proviene da Caffè Ernani.

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L'articolo Togliere la moka prima dal fuoco | CAFFÈ ERNANI proviene da Caffè Ernani.

Perché non si deve fare la montagnetta nella moka? ! CAFFÈ ERNANI

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L'articolo Perché non si deve fare la montagnetta nella moka? ! CAFFÈ ERNANI proviene da Caffè Ernani.

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Martina Mazzoleni — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 11:00:00 +0000

L'articolo Fare la moka con la macinatura sbagliata | CAFFÈ ERNANI proviene da Caffè Ernani.

How to make coffee – Caffè Ernani

“One Mocha, a Thousand Shades” evening report.

The evening

In short, a summary of everything related to coffee, geared mainly toward understanding the very nature of making the drink with the Italian coffee maker.

The practice

This involved making coffee by four different methods:

Tasting coffee resulting from the first and second methods, all the trainees immediately understood the difference on the palate and in unison confirmed how much better the taste with the second method was, richer in aroma and with less lingering bitterness.

coffee extraction is a matter of chemistry.

So if we want to prepare and taste a product to its fullest potential, we cannot rely on “chance,” but must become chemists ourselves, performing each step with precision and punctuality.

With Pump My Moka you can do anything, the only limitation will be our creativity.

Will there be other events?

Keep following Ernani Coffee to stay up-to-date, either by subscribing to the newsletter or by following us on your favorite social!

Hoop: how to prepare coffee with Hoop!

Today I present to you Hoop, the latest addition to the family of Brewing methods!

It is a simple and intuitive coffee maker, which uses the percolation method, perfect for anyone who wants to approach paper filter methods for the first time ever, but still does not have great knowledge or all the necessary tools.

Introducing Hoop

Hoop structure

What does percolation mean?

It occurs when water filters through a block of ground coffee without any pressure and, drop after drop, reaches a container placed underneath the instrument.

This extraction method is therefore more delicate, thus allowing us to obtain a more fragrant, acidic and sweet coffee, in which bitterness is almost, if not completely, absent.

Hoop extraction

Preparation steps:

Which coffee to use?

What has been said so far is trueonly if you use high quality coffee with a medium or medium-light roast.

Here are the single origins of Caffè Ernani

Do you want to practice with this method and also discover all the other brewing techniques and tools?

We are waiting for you at the Ernani Academy Brewing course!

All about coffee grinding

So here is a guide on the correct grinding of coffee, with Caffè Ernani!

Start your journey with this video:

What is grinding?

The term Grinding describes the operation of breaking coffee beans into multiple smaller sections.

In other words: the degree of grinding modifies the extraction speed.

Why is coffee ground?

We grind because we increase the contact surface between the water and the coffee during the extraction phase, thus helping to transfer the soluble solids from the ground coffee to the final drink in the cup.

So why is grinding important?

Because it influences over or under extraction and the color of the final extracted drinkdThe consequence influences the taste and aroma of the final drink.

But that 30% of soluble substances does not have to be completely extracted, it is in fact better to extract around 18-22% of substances to have a balanced drink with a tasty aromatic profile.

Let’s therefore rely on our senses to learn to recognize under or over extraction!

1. In the first line above we see an under-extracted coffee.

2. In the third and last line at the bottom we see an over-extracted coffee.

3. Finally, in the central row we see a correctly extracted coffee.

How much does grinding influence the success of the extracted coffee?!

In the end, dWhat is the grinding affected?

Each tool requires its specific grain size, i.e. size of the ground material.

Because the contact time depends on the grinding. And contact time defines an under- or over-extracted drink, as we saw previously.

The perfect holiday coffee maker companion

In this article we’ll take into account ease of use, compactness and fragility.

Moka pot

If you have a kitchen, yes!

The moka pot gest a nice 8 out of 10.

French Press

This tool gets a nice 10/10!

Finally satisfies everyone!

In short… it has all the credentials to be an excellent travel companion on any occasion and situation.

Hoop

However, the vote for this tool is 8/10.

Clever

That’s why the score is 9/10.

Aeropress

Despite this it takes an 8/10.

Now all you have to do is choose your favorite and put it in your suitcase, combined with an amazing coffee, intense and fragrant.

Have a good trip from all the Caffè Ernani team!

How to choose the coffee grinder for home?

In other words: if the grinding is wrong, the extracted coffee will never be good.

Let’s also remember another important fact: 15 minutes after grinding we’ve lost 60% of the coffee aromas.

Therefore, if you want to obtain an intensely aromatic final extracted drink, you should grind the coffee fresh, i.e. only at the time of extraction.

The importance of grinding

Grinding is important because:

How to choose a coffee grinder

Here are the different technical characteristics:

Grinding system:

With rotating blades

Flat grinders

Conical grinders

Grinding adjustments

Capacity

Budget

Which manual grinder to choose?

Hario Skerton Pro