We’d argue that coffee is more than just a drink. It’s a ritual, a comfort, the kind of unbeatable pick-me-up that can turn even the toughest day around. It’s a companion on long nights, a friend during early mornings… really, it’s with us during all our highs and lows.
For such an important beverage, many of us never consider how the method we’ve chosen to brew our coffee might be impacting its flavour. Different extraction methods can drastically change how coffee tastes and how much caffeine it holds onto through the brewing process.
Wondering how to make a flat white with a coffee machine taste absolutely perfect? Sharpening your extraction skills? No matter what your goal is, you’re in the right place. Today, we’ll be focusing on coffee machines in relation to coffee flavour There are five basic parameters we’ll zoom in on, including temperature, flow, time, grind, and pressure. We clearly have a lot to get through, so let’s get started!
But First, Where Does Coffee ‘Flavour’ Come From?
To understand how different machines can affect your brew, we first have to think about where these flavours come from. Coffee is grown and dried in a variety of places around the world, and the differing conditions – as well as the varieties of beans – produce unique flavours. From there, the beans can be light, medium, or dark roasted to put another layer of flavour into the mix.
The coffee’s oils and other acidic compounds combine to create the top and low notes of each individual varietal, which is what gets coffee enthusiasts so excited!
To get to those flavours, we have to somehow release the coffee’s chemical compounds as part of the brewing process. For example, the process for how to make a flat white with a coffee machine includes grinding the beans beforehand, using pressure and hot water to extract the shot, and adding steamed milk to create the iconic mellow flavour profile with notes of the espresso.
If you brew the same bean in different ways, the cups of coffee produced will taste quite different (if you know what you’re looking for). That’s where our five factors come in.
The Five Factors Determining Your Coffee’s Flavour
Water Temperature
Finding the right water temperature to brew the perfect cup is generally a balancing act. While changes in temperature across the extraction process can have an impact, the biggest effect on your coffee’s flavour happens right as the water meets the coffee grounds.
If the water is too hot, it can create too much bitterness, whereas water that’s too cold might under-extract your coffee (although this can be appealing for cold brew coffee).
Flow Rate
Similarly, the ‘flow rate’ of your water might change how your coffee is extracted and, therefore, how it tastes. Espresso extracted too quickly can taste too mellow, while espresso that is extracted too slowly can deliver an uneven flavour profile or might even just taste bitter. This is that quintessential burnt, ‘bad coffee’ taste that you want to avoid.
Outside of espresso machines, there are methods like drip coffee makers that rely on slow extraction but tone down the heat and pressure to make sure the coffee doesn’t come out tasting bitter.
Brew Time
This one is fairly intuitive! The longer your coffee brews, the stronger and more robust it’s likely to taste. If you over-brew your grind in hot water, you’ll probably be choking down a seriously bitter cup, which is why we recommend no more than three minutes in a French press.
Espresso machines and drip coffee makers may have a setting that allows you to dictate the length of the extraction, but this is also affected naturally by the grind size you’re using.
For example, if you’re wondering how to make a flat white with a coffee machine, you’ll likely need a finer grind size to allow for quick extraction, but you’ll need something coarser if you’re making do with a French press.
Grind Size
Your coffee’s grind size will dictate to some degree how much flavour is available to be extracted. The smaller the grind setting on your coffee grinder and the tighter the pack in your basket, the slower the extraction will be; it’s a delicate balance!
Espresso machines require a finely tuned grind as the extraction happens quickly. Too coarse, and you’ll barely taste the coffee at all, too fine the water won’t move through fast enough, causing your coffee to become burnt and bitter.
Pressure
Finally, we have pressure. The pressure is a big piece of the equation, usually dictating how quickly or slowly your coffee is extracted. High-pressure results in a quick extraction – like you’ll see with espresso machines – whereas low-pressure results in slow extraction – like a French press or drip coffee.
Across all five of these dimensions, the goal for avid coffee makers is to find the ‘Goldilocks zone’. In other words, you want to find the zone where all of these factors balance to create conditions that are just right for your method of coffee extraction. This will help you extract the flavours you’re seeking from your coffee using the method you have on hand, so it pays to do some specific research.
So, What’s the Verdict?
At the end of the day, as with most things relating to coffee, it all comes down to taste.
If you’re looking to make a flat white with a coffee machine that preserves the more delicate flavours hiding within the coffee, paying careful attention to the grind size and pressure will allow you to extract richer, more delicate or more robust flavours.
Well, we’ve got the perfect machine for that.
Whether you’re learning how to make a flat white with a coffee machine at work or you are ready to set up your countertop espresso machine at home, the team at Segafredo has what you need. Not only do we have an extensive range of coffee machines, but we also supply high-quality coffee beans to commercial and domestic customers.
Explore our coffee machine range today, or get in touch with the team for more information.
