How to brew coffee at home
Told by Masha, owner of the Mountain Café in Minsk
Before I left Minsk, I used to come to Masha's on Oktyabrskaya almost every day and she would make me my little Americano in a big glass. This spring I saw that a new cafe was opening in Minsk and Masha was its owner. This news was one of the best news for me from Belarus, and today the secret of brewing coffee in a cup is shared with us by the owner of cafe Mountain!
- Hi. Tell us about Mountain and share what kind of coffee you like yourself.
- Hi, I'm Masha, and I work as a barista at my own Mountain Café.
We open from 8 am, brew coffee and enjoy a wide menu with various porridges, crispy croissants, omelets, cheesecakes and bruschetta. The main menu and dessert lineup has vegan items, so everyone can choose a dish, desserts and drink to suit themselves.
And here's our instagram:
We open from 8 am, brew coffee and enjoy a wide menu with various porridges, crispy croissants, omelets, cheesecakes and bruschetta. The main menu and dessert lineup has vegan items, so everyone can choose a dish, desserts and drink to suit themselves.
And here's our instagram:
Маша
владелица кафе «Mountain»
I myself like to drink both black coffee and coffee with milk. Everything depends on the mood and the weather.
There's a big selection of roasters in Minsk and I like many of them, but now I work with the guys from SingleStep and I'm very satisfied!
I am at work almost all the time and there is more than enough coffee, so I almost never drink coffee at home.
There's a big selection of roasters in Minsk and I like many of them, but now I work with the guys from SingleStep and I'm very satisfied!
I am at work almost all the time and there is more than enough coffee, so I almost never drink coffee at home.
- Now there are many alternative ways to brew coffee: funnel, Kemex, aeropress, pullover. Why is it so popular and what is the point?
- Alternative ways of brewing coffee, or simply alternative, is the process of brewing the beverage without a coffee machine. This way the taste of the bean is revealed to the maximum and its natural properties - density, aroma, sweetness and acidity - are manifested.
Alternative is special for me because I'm mostly responsible for the taste of the coffee I make, from the brewing profile I choose to the brewing process itself and the taste of the coffee that comes out.
The taste of the resulting coffee is greatly influenced by how fast and how intensely and often I pour out the water. This intrigues me.
Otherwise, it all depends on one's preferences: some people like their coffee black, less rich and dense than an Americano, while others drink coffee with milk only.
Alternative is special for me because I'm mostly responsible for the taste of the coffee I make, from the brewing profile I choose to the brewing process itself and the taste of the coffee that comes out.
The taste of the resulting coffee is greatly influenced by how fast and how intensely and often I pour out the water. This intrigues me.
Otherwise, it all depends on one's preferences: some people like their coffee black, less rich and dense than an Americano, while others drink coffee with milk only.
- Okay. In order to get delicious coffee at the output, you definitely need some kind of auxiliary equipment. What kind of equipment is this and where can I find it?
- Alternative brewing is black coffee, which is brewed by hand.
All you need to make it is your hands, water, a kettle with a temperature setting or special thermometer, a coffee grinder, and coffee.
Espresso equipment is often expensive, so for convenience and less expense, people brew an alternative for themselves.
It will be similar to tea, a compote, in terms of tactile sensation. There will be more caffeine because the duration of contact between coffee and water is longer than when making espresso. This method reveals the flavors and aromas of coffee better than others.
The most important equipment for the alternative is a coffee grinder and a scale. Usually in a coffee shop, when buying beans, you can ask for coffee to be ground specifically for alternative brewing.
If possible, it is better not to do this, as the coffee loses its flavor and aroma after a while.
Expensive equipment can be replaced, it all depends on your imagination. There is even a championship, where one comes up with his own device from what is at home. He prepares a presentation and performs with his idea.
All you need to make it is your hands, water, a kettle with a temperature setting or special thermometer, a coffee grinder, and coffee.
Espresso equipment is often expensive, so for convenience and less expense, people brew an alternative for themselves.
It will be similar to tea, a compote, in terms of tactile sensation. There will be more caffeine because the duration of contact between coffee and water is longer than when making espresso. This method reveals the flavors and aromas of coffee better than others.
The most important equipment for the alternative is a coffee grinder and a scale. Usually in a coffee shop, when buying beans, you can ask for coffee to be ground specifically for alternative brewing.
If possible, it is better not to do this, as the coffee loses its flavor and aroma after a while.
Expensive equipment can be replaced, it all depends on your imagination. There is even a championship, where one comes up with his own device from what is at home. He prepares a presentation and performs with his idea.
- This is great news! After all, it turns out that you can make delicious coffee at home in a mug, too. It would be cool if you could give us a step-by-step plan of action.
- Of course!
It would be great if you could at least get a hand grinder.
In any case, to make homemade coffee, you first need to find the right ratio of coffee and water, depending on the volume of your cup.
Next, you need to choose the water, because its composition also affects the taste. When you buy beans in a coffee shop, ask the barista to advise which water is better to use.
The standard is to take 60 grams of coffee per 1000 ml of water. Thus, for a 250 ml cup, you should take 15 grams of coffee.
Boil the water and after a minute, pour it into the cup with the ground beans.
After 4 minutes, remove the "coffee crust" with a teaspoon, and do not forget that the coffee will continue to give off flavor. For some people it will seem too strong, so it is better to pour the coffee through a filter bag.
That's the secret. Have a delicious coffee for you! Enjoy your homemade coffee or come to Mountain for a funnel or cappuccino.
It would be great if you could at least get a hand grinder.
In any case, to make homemade coffee, you first need to find the right ratio of coffee and water, depending on the volume of your cup.
Next, you need to choose the water, because its composition also affects the taste. When you buy beans in a coffee shop, ask the barista to advise which water is better to use.
The standard is to take 60 grams of coffee per 1000 ml of water. Thus, for a 250 ml cup, you should take 15 grams of coffee.
Boil the water and after a minute, pour it into the cup with the ground beans.
After 4 minutes, remove the "coffee crust" with a teaspoon, and do not forget that the coffee will continue to give off flavor. For some people it will seem too strong, so it is better to pour the coffee through a filter bag.
That's the secret. Have a delicious coffee for you! Enjoy your homemade coffee or come to Mountain for a funnel or cappuccino.
- Masha, thank you! You really make every day other people better through coffee in Mountain and this knowledge you shared with us.