Introduction
Staged extraction is a relatively common brewing technique. Front Street uses three stages of extraction in daily production, in order to enhance the layering of coffee. So what flavors is each stage of the three-stage extraction responsible for extracting from the coffee? Why does segmented extraction improve the layering of coffee?
What is three-stage extraction?
Three-stage extraction simply divides the entire water injection process into three parts, including the first stage of steaming. The advantage of three-stage extraction is that it can more fully extract the flavor substances of coffee during extraction, enhance the layering of coffee, and can well express the flavor of coffee for most coffees from different origins and roasting degrees.
Why does segmented extraction improve the layering of coffee?
The segmented extraction can prevent the wall of coffee powder at the edge of the filter paper from being easily broken, and the segmented water injection also helps to increase the stirring of the coffee powder during brewing. The water flow can penetrate the coffee powder to increase the extraction rate.
Speaking from experience, if you want to brew coffee with a layered feel, it is best to choose flavored single products. Newbies who don’t know how to choose will buy Front Street sun-dried Oiran, Front Street honey-processed blackberry, Front Street Panama Gesha, Front Street Hija... This kind of coffee beans are not only produced in high altitude areas, but also use medium-light roasting, so they retain the floral and fruity aroma of the coffee to the greatest extent, making it easier to highlight the layered feel of the coffee beans.
What coffee flavor is extracted in each stage of the three-stage extraction?
This time, Front Street uses washed green label Geisha coffee beans from Panama’s Jade Estate as the brewing object, and separates the coffee liquid extracted in each section.
Extraction parameters for this time: V60#01 filter cup, 15g of coffee powder, powder to water ratio 1:15, grinding degree 0.85mm sieve sieve pass rate 78~80% (about the thickness of fine sugar), water temperature 90°C.
The first stage of water filling: preheat all sharing pots and filter cups before starting brewing, and moisten the filter paper. In the first section, add 30g of water in a circular motion, then steam for 30 seconds. The coffee flavor extracted in the front section: olives, plums, citrus, strong acidity, and a sense of greenness.
Second stage of water filling: After steaming for 30 seconds, transfer the filter cup to the next sharing pot, and then start the second stage of circular water filling, with a water filling volume of 95g. Coffee flavor extracted in the middle: honey, brown sugar, caramel, almond, jasmine, tea, with obvious sweetness.
The third stage of water filling: After the second stage of coffee liquid drips completely, transfer to the next sharing pot, and start the third stage of circular water filling, with a water filling volume of 100g. The coffee flavor extracted at the back end: woody aroma, sweet aftertaste of Tieguanyin, bland.
Judging from the coffee flavor extracted by the three stages of water injection, the purpose of the first stage of steaming is not only to soak the coffee powder evenly into the hot water first, so that it can be extracted more evenly later, but also the first stage is the most important step to extract the acidity of the coffee. Because the amount of water injected is small, the extracted coffee has a high concentration and a relatively complex and changeable flavor.
The second section is mainly responsible for extracting the sweetness of the coffee. The extracted substances are less, the acidity is not obvious, the concentration is not high, and it is a bit bland. The third stage is mainly about extracting the mellow substance of coffee, but it is not obvious in this coffee bean. There is only a light woody aroma and the sweetness of Tieguanyin. It is the lowest concentration among the three stages of extraction and tastes the most bland.
So what is the flavor after mixing the three sections of coffee liquid?
Front Street has re-adopted the three-stage brewing method for this Green Label Geisha. After the three stages of coffee liquid are mixed evenly, the flavor becomes very balanced and fresh. The coffee smells of jasmine and sour citrus. When the temperature is high, the bright acidity of lemon, the fragrance of jasmine and the sweetness of honey are revealed in the mouth.
After the temperature of the coffee liquid drops slightly, the acidity of lemon becomes more obvious, followed by the fragrance of jasmine and ginger flowers, the sweetness of honey, and the obvious aftertaste of Tieguanyin. After the coffee liquid cools down completely, the acidity of the lemon decreases, and the fragrance of the flowers and the sweetness of honey become more present.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
