Good Morning everyone, or perhaps, afternoon?

It doesn’t really matter what part of the day you are reading this, as it is always a good time for a coffee. I can imagine how difficult it is to get through these days without coffee, and it must be even more difficult since most of our favourite coffee shops are closed once again. I think I can speak on the behalf of all of us, in thanking those of you who managed to stay open for take out, keeping a small piece of our regular routines a constant. To those who have sadly had to close their doors, we send you loads of love and strength.

I believe there is always a right time to begin new things, like brewing coffee at home. I personally am a big coffee drinker, and since the first lockdown also a huge fan of home brewing. As mentioned in the last blog post, there is truly something therapeutic about brewing your morning or afternoon coffee. The time you are taking, the thoroughness you prepare the coffee with, the lovely sound of coffee brewing/pouring, or the smell which comes with it at the end. Hmm, did you just close your eyes and imagine yourself enjoying your favourite cup sip by sip? Well, I did.

Since many of us have started brewing coffee from the cosiness of our homes, we would love to share with you a few of our favourite brew methods. Before we begin, I will mention that we are all learning from different sources and knowledge, and so we will be sharing the ways in which we know and love. This is not a manual but let’s say a little inspiration for those who want to add to their repertoire. Hopefully soon, we can enjoy sharing our methods and knowledge together at Habitual.

Moka Pot

I think the reason why my favourite brewing method is Stove pot aka the Moka Pot is the sound. It is a simply delicious and stylish way to make a brew and it looks damn good in the kitchen, I always keep mine on the stove which gives the kitchen a touch of style.

A few simple rules which you might want to keep in mind, which make a difference to the taste and enjoyment of the coffee - I have learned this from James Hoffman and even would recommend his videos for those who don’t have many experiences with Moka Pot or any other methods.

• Safety and cleanliness are connected with your Moka Pot - keep it clean, otherwise it brings a trace of bitterness to your coffee.
• Store your Moka Pot loose, not too tight.
• Preheat your water instead of using cold water and please make sure you use the towel when you screw the top and bottom of the stovetop back together.
• Leave a small amount of space between the water level and valve.
• Leave the top lid open while brewing and once you hear the coffee start to bubble out, turn off the hob, close the lid and cool it down with cold running water.

These are just a few simple rules which I follow and will hopefully help you out. My personal favourite step by step guide is on the website Stump Town Coffee.

One last thing, I would not recommend putting it through the dishwasher or scrubbing too hard. Just give it to good rinse and proper dry after each use. My good friend has used her Moka Pot for year’s and once a year descales it by using water, white wine vinegar, and table salt.

Chemex

Alright, let’s be honest how many of you started to use Chemex after watching Friends? I confess I did. It just looks so cool on the table while hosting a brunch with your friends, family, or even with the company of yourself only. It might not be the cheapest version, you have to be very careful using it but it gives you two decent mugs of coffee and also looks great for Instagram pictures.

Be careful with the filter papers, which are different from V60 filter papers, use the 3 layers towards the spout and rinse the paper with hot water before adding the coffee. This will help diminish any papery tastes.

• I like to use 52 grams of ground coffee, and slowly pour over 100 grams of boiled water.
• I then let it bloom for 1 minute 30 seconds and make sure all the grounds are wet.
• After this time, continue pouring slowly 600 grams more of boiled water, keeping the stream focused towards the centre of the grounds.
• Once I reach a total of 700 grams of water, I wait for the water to filter through and the coffee grounds to begin to dry - this brewing method takes around four and a half minutes total.
• Once all the water is filtered through, discard the filter papers and grounds, and enjoy your freshly brewed coffee!

V60

V60 is our favourite morning brew when we are meeting at Emily’s. Unfortunately, not at this moment, but it still keeps a smile on my face when I think of our meetings. Coffee? Is always the first question before we head to work.

All you need for the V60 brew method is a scale, V60 brewer, paper filters, kettle and your favourite mug, and of course delicious ground coffee.

The advantage of buying coffee in our favourite specialty coffee shops is the opportunity to ask for a specific grind size of coffee depending on the brewing method you are using at home.

If you are not sure, always ask for help from your barista but also try to remember a simple rule which might be helpful for those who are lucky enough to have a coffee grinder at home ~ the larger the grind size, the faster the brew time which then precedes finer grind takes a bit longer to brew.

Here is a little hint why this is: imagine a jar full of pebbles, the larger the pebbles are, the faster the water pass through, and that works exactly the same with more coarse coffee, water simply passes through the coffee quickly.

On the other hand, if you have a jar full of sand the water will pass through slower and so more fine coffee leads to slower water flow. With faster V60 brewing you usually bring out a brighter and lighter-bodied cup. With slower brewing, you increase of body which could cause bitterness, therefore is important to make sure your delicious coffee is perfectly ground.

Our favourite ratio is 18 grams of coffee, to 300 grams of water, and the total brew time around 3 minutes. This can vary but it is worth trying to learn and find the sweet spot and enjoy the perfect cup of coffee for you. You can learn the details from many V60 Brew Guides online, we personally love the one from Blossom Coffee Roaster which shows you very nicely and simply how to brew step by step :)

Always remember to take your time and be patient with learning. You might struggle at the beginning but it’s only practice. Just enjoy the process and the journey.