There is a crucial little detail in freshly roasted, freshly brewed coffee, that is, the barista will emphasize the need for "simmering". There is even a saying in the coffee circle, "Steaming is good and brewing is hassle-free." There is a positive correlation between steaming and brewing.
So what is steaming and how to steam it? Careful friends will also find that there is no consensus on the steaming time on the Internet, so how long should the steaming time be? Front Street will explain these details to you in one article.
What is steaming?
The so-called steaming means injecting a small amount of water to allow the coffee powder to expel gas, so that more flavor substances can be extracted when the water is officially added later. However, it is not a simple matter to evenly moisten the powder layer with water. Therefore, scientific water injection is very important.
Below Front Street lists some of the more commonly used steaming and water injection techniques, and briefly explains the pros and cons. We can also find a suitable water injection method based on the actual situation.
Common steaming and water injection methods
1. Quickly fill the center with water in a small circle.
Under ideal conditions, a small flow of water from the center is quickly injected in a small circle, which looks like "spreading water on the surface of the coffee powder." The moistened coffee powder layer will slowly expand and spread around, achieving the overall steaming effect.
This water injection method is suitable for when the coffee beans are ground finer, fresher, and have more gas content, so that the water can spread more easily. The requirements for water injection are also relatively high. Once the water injection is not standardized, it is easy for the water to spread in one direction, causing the entire powder layer to be steamed to an inconsistent degree.
2. Fill the center with water in a circle outward.
This is a very common method of steaming and pouring water. Slowly pour water in circles from the center outward until the coffee powder on the surface is moistened.
This water injection method can be applied to a variety of coffee beans and is a very simple method. But there are also shortcomings, because the powder layer in the middle of the commonly used cone-shaped filter cup is the last, and the powder layer around it is the thinnest, which can easily cause some water to flow into the lower pot through the diversion groove of the filter cup.
3. Inject water in a circle around the center
It is similar to the method above, but in a different direction, first filling the water in a circle from the outside to the inside. This method makes up for the shortcomings of the previous method, but it is not suitable for some very fresh or dark roasted coffee beans, because it will affect the exhaust effect and make it more difficult to exhaust medium-grade coffee powder.
4. Dig a small hole in the middle and pour water around the hole to steam.
This method is suitable for dark roasted fresh coffee beans. This type of coffee beans has a fluffy texture and expands greatly when steamed. Digging a small hole and filling it with water in the middle is to reduce the thickness of the powder layer in the middle and to control the expansion effect of the coffee.
So how to judge whether the coffee is steaming?
Many times we describe steaming as very formulaic, such as using twice the amount of water as powder and steaming for 30 seconds. For novices, this formulaic brewing is undoubtedly the best way in a short period of time. But we all know that the purpose of steaming is to expel the gas in the coffee powder.
The texture, roasting degree and freshness of the coffee beans will all affect the gas content in the coffee. In other words, this formulaic steaming is not the best method.
Therefore, to understand stuffy steaming, you must learn to observe. When brewing coffee beans that are too fresh, you will see bubbles coming out of the bulge. This is because there is so much gas inside that the bulge bursts and releases a large amount of gas. This does not happen with coffee beans that have been well-raised.
Coffee beans with a softer texture will swell more, and accordingly, the steaming time should be shortened accordingly. Coffee beans with a harder texture will swell less, and it will take longer for water to reach the center of the powder, so the steaming time can be extended appropriately.
So how to judge whether the steaming is completed? Here is a very simple observation standard: whether the coffee powder is completely moist and the coffee bulge is swollen and stationary (not exhaling), which means that the steaming is completed and you can continue to add water. This time is not necessarily30seconds, it may be25seconds, or maybe35seconds.
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
