The Science of Coffee

2) Coffee Extraction

How you brew your coffee dramatically affects what you taste. And I do mean dramatic! Brewing up the same bag of coffee beans can taste like a slice of heaven, or a slap in the face. So, what exactly is happening at a microscopic level when water swirls through coffee grinds? Why does boiling water extract certain flavours, while letting the kettle cool for five minutes make it taste markedly different? In this episode, we dive deep into the academic research conducted at the UC Davis Coffee Center so you can choose your flavour adventure: Do you like your coffees when they’re a sour bomb? A floral caress on the lips? A smokey drag on a pipe? Or a treacle of sweet syrup? We also explore why it can be so difficult getting the same flavours from the same beans consistently. And finally, I equip you with tools so you can begin finding your perfect brew. —---Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple PodcastsLeave a 5 star rating on SpotifyExplore this episode’s sponsor Marco Beverage Systems SP 9 brewer and how it delivers consistent brews in the cafe (https://bit.ly/3Tgh18r)Listen to the Adventures in Coffee episode about making dramatically different brews using the Aeropress: https://bit.ly/3TghsQ7 Want more to listen to more documentary podcasts about coffee? Check out Filter Stories - https://bit.ly/3zb5vnOWant to go deeper into coffee extraction? Mackenzie Batali’s fractionation research - https://bit.ly/3CFnvH0UC Davis’ brewing control chart research - https://bit.ly/3CLoiGzTake courses on coffee brewing with the Specialty Coffee Association - https://bit.ly/3EQFoVVStudy at the UC Davis Coffee - https://bit.ly/3TwSgodRead ‘The Craft and Science of Coffee’ - https://bit.ly/3zb7bN8 Connect with my very knowledgeable guests: Samo Smrke - LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3EKrjtg) and Instagram (https://bit.ly/3IdrfRz)Bill Ristenpart - Academic profile (https://faculty.engineering.ucdavis.edu/ristenpart/)Mackenzie Batali - LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3s7VRxr)Peter Giuliano - LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3yT66tv)Danny Pang - LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3Sd9mqq)David Walsh - LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3VEH7Uo)The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations:BWT Water and MoreMarco Beverage SystemsTraboccaEversysOatlyFiorenzatoSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast: https://bit.ly/2NArChO

1) Water For Brewing Coffee

Water really matters when you’re brewing coffee. Different waters can dramatically change how a single coffee will taste. But what is the right water for the best coffee? In this episode I will give you the answer, but I will first take you back billions of years to tell you the story of a single mineral and how it's responsible for making our coffees taste lame. Because here’s the thing: water science is chemistry, and chemistry is very complicated and easily forgettable. But with a great story, I’m hoping you’ll remember!In the second half, I show you why Christopher Hendon’s book Water for Coffee made a big splash in the coffee community, but also why some academic chemists are critical of the book, and how this all manifested in the creation of the Specialty Coffee Association’s Water Quality Handbook. And, to cap it all off, I offer you some environmentally conscious ways to get hold of good water for coffee, so your coffee brews can finally explode in flavour. —---Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story Write a review on Apple PodcastsLeave a 5 star rating on Spotify Discover this episode’s sponsor BWT’s water filtration products. I use their Penguin Magnesium Mineralised cartridges and cafes can use their BestAqua ROCRead Marcia Bjornerud’s amazing book, Reading The Rocks Want more to listen to more documentary podcasts about coffee? Check out Filter StoriesWant to go deeper into water chemistry? SCA’s Water Quality HandbookBWT White Paper on the effects of magnesium (German)How to add magnesium to your soft water out of the tap (scroll to bottom)Christopher Hendon’s Water for CoffeeCertificate of Advanced Studies at Zurich’s Coffee Excellence Center online courseRead ‘The Craft and Science of Coffee’Barista Hustle's Water courseJames Hoffman's water videoConnect with my very knowledgeable guests: Samo Smrke - LinkedIn and InstagramChahan Yeretzian - LinkedinFrank Neuhausen - LinkedInMarcia Bjornerud - Academic profileChristopher Hendon - LinkedIn and InstagramThe Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations:BWT Water and More - https://bit.ly/3EEpuxNMarco Beverage Systems - https://bit.ly/3T2YDzYTrabocca - https://bit.ly/3Tjn8bVEversys - https://bit.ly/3CBkp6XOatly - https://bit.ly/3exvlKSFiorenzato - https://bit.ly/3T3nmUQSubscribe to my A History of Coffee podcast 

Introducing: The Science of Coffee

The Science of Coffee is a journey into coffee's hidden microscopic secrets to help you make even better coffee at home. Across six episodes, documentary maker and coffee professional James Harper takes you deep into the world of water for coffee, coffee extraction, plant genetics, espresso technology, latte foam and sonic seasoning. Press the Subscribe button so you don't miss future episodes!The Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories. Follow James on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Mlkk0OListen to Filter Stories: https://bit.ly/3zb5vnOThe Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations: BWT Water and MoreMarco Beverage SystemsTraboccaEversysOatlyFiorenzatoListen to A History of Coffee here: https://bit.ly/2NArChO