Water is slowly filtered by the ground coffee absorbing the oils, caffeine, acids and other components.

The paper filter stops the coffee grounds from falling through assuring the drink is free from grounds.
This filter can then be thrown away making for ease of use.

The paper filter was invented by Melitta Bentz of Germany in 1908 as she found the coffee of the time was over brewed and often had coffee grounds in the drink.

This simple filter has not changed much since this time and is now used the world over.

In some countries metal filters are used as these do not need to be replaced each time, but of course require regular cleaning.

A commercial filter coffee machine

Filter coffee machines are used through out the world, but have a greater prominence in North America where filter coffee is the more popular version of coffee.
Through Europe, espresso based coffee, coffee produced in a cafetiere and instant are the more dominant drink served.

The first automatic drip-brew coffee maker was produced by Bunnomatic in 1963.
Since then the design has not changed much as per the example above.

Each coffee cherry usually contains two coffee beans with their flat sides nestling against each other.

The coffee beans inside the cherry are green in colour, their natural state as a seed.

Some coffee cherries, around 5%, contain only one coffee bean, this bean is referred to as a Peaberry.

As this Peaberry doesn’t have another coffee bean to push against it is round in shape instead of having one flat side.

The coffee beans contain between 0.8% and 2.5% caffeine, a natural stimulant which makes coffee a very popular drink and the green coffee beans the world’s second valuable traded commodity, behind only petroleum.

Coffee Bean (Roasted)

The brown coffee bean we are all used to seening in our local coffee shop is actually the final product from the coffee roasting process.

The green beans are roasted in a large heated drum for between 8-15 minutes until brown in colour and are ready to send to coffee shops, supermarkets and our homes.

The also provide a range of coffee vending machines and have several Lavazza branded coffee shops.
As well as the Lavazza coffee shops they own the Barista coffee shops brand throughout Asia, approximately 150 outlets plus the Caffè di Roma brand, which has more than 80 coffee shops in the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, France, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

Lavazza Logo

Lavazza was founded in 1894 by Luigi Lavazza in Turin and started life out as a grocery store.

When this store opened it sold a variety of goods like most grocery stores of the day including of course coffee.

By 1910 the Lavazza store was growing in popularity due to Lavazza own blends of coffee, something his competitors were not doing.

By the 1930’s Lavazza was specialising in coffee, consolidating it’s business to make this its main product.

Today Lavazza’s coffee is well know worldwide and they cover most areas of the coffee market.

They are also renowned for their Calenders and advertising campaigns which are very art based and have won various awards.
The calendar has been produced for 18 years and has be shot by famous photographers including Annie Leibovitz.

There are four main ways of grinding coffee beans, pounding, rolling, chopping and burr grinding.

Pounding is used for Turkish coffee where the grounds need to be very fine, almost powdery as the coffee is put in a pot without a filter.
This is usually done with a pestle and mortar though a mill is starting to be come the norm these days.

Rolling coffee beans is done by grinding the coffee beans through 2 corrugated rollers.
This method produces a even, consistent grind and there is little heat to damage the coffee.
Due to the size of the machinery and the costs included, this method is used exclusively by commercial coffee roasters and retailers.

Chopping is done by fast moving blades in a enclosed container. These are usually specifically designed for the task but this can be done in a standard blender.
Chopping gives varied results, often ending with a mix of coarsely and finely ground coffee which in not desired for good coffee extraction.
Coffee choppers are cheaper to produce and as such are usually only produced for the domestic market where the cost of a burr grinder can be prohibitive.

Domestic coffee chopper and top view of the blades

Burr grinders use disks or conical grinding elements which the coffee beans are ground between.
This constant distance, similar to rollers, allows for an even, more consistent grind.
A consistent grind produces a better cup of coffee when filtered or used in an espresso machine.
Burr grinders also produce very little heat so don’t effect the taste of the coffee.
They are the standard for commercial coffee grinders and used in the majority of coffee shops and quality coffee retailers.
Burrs are also used on high end domestic coffee grinders, though these tend to be the slightly cheaper disk types.

Commercial coffee grinder with hopper

Commercial coffee grinders usually have a hopper on the front allowing coffee to be ground in batches then quickly dispensed when needed.
This is very useful for very busy coffee shops as it saves on time, however when the ground coffee is left it quickly goes off, with a noticeable difference with in 20 minutes.

Becoming more popular are on demand grinders, as the name suggests these allow the coffee beans to be ground on demand, ie when the coffee is needed.
On demand coffee grinders are suitable to all but the very busiest coffee shops as the grinding only takes 5-10 seconds but makes sure the ground coffee is fresh every time.

Commercial on demand coffee grinder

When done correctly the espresso will have a dark thick crema, carrying all the subtle flavours of the espresso into the cup.
Tamped incorrectly however leaves a bitter overpowering taste which is unfortunately usually covered up with sugar, syrup and milk.

The first point to note is to make sure the coffee beans are fresh roast and freshly ground.

Grinding should be done only when the coffee is ready to be made.
The oils in the bean are released once the shell is broken and the grounds will quickly go stale.

An on demand grinder is perfect here as coffee can be ground as and when it is needed at the touch of a button, providing fresh coffee grounds with no waste.

The coffee is ground into the group head in a 7 gram measurement for a single shot of espresso and 14 grams for a double.

Before tamping the coffee should be leveled, this is usually done by running a curved finger over the head to level the coffee with the top of the rim.

A Coffee Tamper

The first tamp should be quite light, around 5 pounds of pressure, to form a puck shape from the coffee grounds.

A good way of gauging the amount of pressure needed is to practice on a bathroom scale.

The final tamp should be around 30 pounds of pressure to leave a compact coffee puck to give the desire resistance to the water.

While still applying the pressure the tamp should be twisted through 720° to leave a smooth surface on the coffee, essential for even distribution of the water through the coffee.
The coffee should also be level as if at an angle the water will push through the low side giving a bitter taste to the coffee.

If done correctly the extraction should take 20-25 seconds and leave a nice crema and produce all the subtle espresso flavours.

There are more than 90 species of coffee plant but only a portion of these are used to make the coffee drink.

Coffee Plants

Coffee plants used to make the coffee drink are usually grown in tropical and sub-tropical countries on large farms or plantations.

These tropical plants are small trees that grow to a height of 3-4.5 meters (10-15 feet) and live for 50-70 years on average.
Coffee plants leaves are broad, waxy green and thickly cover the branches.
They bear fruit, coffee cherries,  after 3-5 years and then for the rest of their lifespan.
They also produce sweet, jasmine like flowers in huge quantities.

Coffee Cherries on a Coffee Plant

There are 2 main types of coffee plant grown and harvested around the world, Coffea Arabica and Coffea Robusta.

Robusta is grown at lower elevations than Arabica and  produces a greater yield of coffee beans per plant.
It is also a more robust plant, more resistant to disease and bad weather.

Robusta coffee contains twice as much caffeine, which gives coffee its bitter taste, as Arabica.
As such Robusta is classed as a lower quality coffee than Arabica, often being used for instant coffee, especially due to its lower production costs.

Arabica is grown at higher elevations often on the side of hills and mountains and makes for all the worlds best coffees.
The lower caffeine content gives a smoother taste preferred the world over.
Arabica needs plenty of sun and water with low pH soil and is often grown in volcanic regions as the soil there is perfect for Arabica growth.

Arabica contributes around 75% of all the worlds 8 million or so tons of harvested coffee each year.

Arabica coffee plant

]]> http://www.coffee-machine.org/the-coffee-plant/feed/ 2 http://www.coffee-machine.org/espresso-machine/ http://www.coffee-machine.org/espresso-machine/#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:02:13 +0000 Coffee Machine http://www.coffee-machine.org/?p=180 The espresso machine is the mainstay of many cafes, coffee houses, restaurants, hotels and anywhere there is a desire for excellent coffee.

The espresso machine history dates back to 1822 with the first espresso machine.

The modern espresso machine was created by Gaggia in 1946.

There are 3 main types of espresso machine.

Steam Driven

The earliest espresso machines were the steam driven type which work by forcing water through the coffee grinds using steam pressure.

This technique is still used on some domestic espresso machine, as it requires no moving parts, so they can be produced at low cost.

The problem with steam driven machines is that there is possibilty that the steam can scald the coffee affecting the taste.

Piston / Lever Driven

The piston / lever driven espresso machine works by the barista pumping a lever which puts the water under pressure.

The water is then forced through the ground coffee producing the espresso.

This method is still popular today, however they tend to be more domestic machines than commercial.

Lever espresso machines were the first to produce espresso with a crema.

This crema was at first looked upon with mistrust but after trying most people agreed the taste was less and more enjoyable.

Today this crema is recognised as a sign of a good espresso.

Pump Driven

The pump driven espresso machine works on the same priniples as the lever machine, but uses a pump to create the water pressure.

This allows the espresso to be created without any effort from the barista.

Most modern commercial espresso machines work at the touch of a button, sending the correct amount of water, at the right temperature and pressure , through the coffee in the group head.

A Modern Automatic Espresso Machine

Making an espresso

To make an espresso you need to start by grinding 7-10 grams coffee beans finely.
This poured in to a group head which is a metal cup with tiny perforated holes to alow the water through.
The ground coffee should be tamped down with 5 pounds of pressure to form a puck shape.
Water heated to 90 °C (194 °F) is forced through the ground coffee at a minumun of 9 bar pressure, though higher is better 12-14 being ideal.
To make an ideal espresso this extraction time should be between 20-25 secs.

Mazzer grinders and grinder dosers are retailed in over 70 countries world wide and have obtained the prestigious marks VDE, Europe, and ETL, U.S. & Canada important for the safety of the grinders.

Mazzer is a leader in the grinder sector by continued study and development of market trends, while retaining the strength and quality which has made it such a recognized brand in the coffee sector.

Mazzer Logo

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Franke Logo

Franke coffee started out in 1880 as the Augsburger company, in 1984 Augsburger became Franke Coffee Systems.

Franke Coffee Systems is an internationally recognised brand in coffee machines aiming to serve its customers by the use of innovation and technical solutions.
Franke uses a service network across the globe, drawing on close to 100 years of experience.