Are you getting the most out of your roast?

A friend recently shared a wonderful article with me that got me thinking.

We’ve all heard of the Smithsonian, but I bet you didn’t know that its founder Jimmy Smithson, set about to invent the perfect coffee brewer.

The full article is here, but in essence, he was trying to get the best flavour possible out of his beans.

So now I'm wondering: Am I getting the most out of my roast?

I’m pretty confident I’ve got the roasting sorted (people keep coming back for more),

but I wonder about the method I’m using for turning those beans into a delicious beverage.

My old grinder seems to do the trick, but then I can’t really get a very fine grind. Maybe it’s not up to scratch?

And further down the rabbit hole we go.

I don’t have an espresso machine. I know you can’t believe that, but you see, my lovely little Ariette died. I first laid eyes on her in David Jones in Melbourne in the late 80s and all I can say is, it was love at first sight. Plus she was on sale.

But a couple of years ago, she gave up the ghost. I foolishly did not get her repaired, but gave her to a friend, with the parting words: “I will always love you Ariette”. I told my buddy that if he could get her back up and running she would be faithful to him for a very long time.

So now, I just use a french press. I’ve got my eye on a new espresso machine, but after forking out for the roaster, I’m needing an injection of cash before the next purchase.

But I’ve still been wondering whether the fp is extracting the most flavour out of the beans. Are there better options?

So, I check out one of the top kitchen cupboards, because I recall there is an old Italian stovetop hiding in the back somewhere, gathering dust.

Lo and behold, one very grubby ‘Moka express’.

This really is a great little machine. I give it the once-over with a steel scrubber, and hey presto, it comes up a treat. I vaguely recall that they burn the coffee - probably the reason I discarded it - but to my surprise, after loading it with a freshly roasted Brazilian grind, setting it on the element, waiting for that familiar Vesuviusal eruption, the coffee quality is pretty damn good. With its first tryout since the new millennium, I’m pleasantly surprised.

OK, what else do I have round the house? Ah yes, the Aeropress. You might recall a few weeks back, I introduced you to Drew (Aug 1 blog). And Drew introduced me to the Aeropress. And the snazzy metal filter. I yank it out of the top cupboard, where it has sat for the past couple of months, thinking: Why don’t I do a little comparison for the good folks whom I’m sure have been asking: Which is the best method for getting all those wonderful subtle flavours out of my roasts?

So first up the Moka express. I have to say I love this little machine - so simple. Invented by Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti nearly a hundred years ago, his little aluminium gem opened the way for home brewed coffee across Italy and beyond. If you’re keen to read more, here’s the information.

Next up, the Aeropress and, for about the same price, you can get a good brew. Well that’s its inventor’s claim: Espresso-like coffee with a nice creme on top. This is a bold and largely false claim, even with the added (and overpriced) $20 metal filter. Masterminded by retired professor and prolific inventor Alan Adler, it still does a nice job. Alan, for what its worth, also introduced to the world the Aerobie Pro flying ring bagging a Guinness World Record for its flying length to boot.

Verdict: mmm, this is a tricky one. I’m really not sure; my trusty, easy and quick to use french press does a good job, but the Moka has such a rich heritage, and does make a good rich brew, while the Aeropress, (although I'm dubious of its claims), does make a nice beverage also.

But, taste-wise, I’m leaning toward the …

Hold the phone, before I declare best brew in breed, I reckon a second opinion is the ticket. OK time to make a call.

While I get that organised, if you have a couple of different devices in the house that you haven’t cranked up for a while, why not have a fossick up in the top cupboard, and give them a whirl.

I’ll be interested to see what your perfect brew method is.

Happy brewing!