the neat coffee manual (v.1)

8/17/2019 The NEAT Coffee Manual (v.1)

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T h e C o f f e e M a n u a l


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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 3 - About NEAT

4 - Vocabulary

6 - A Short History of Co ff ee Cultivation

8 - Production and Processing

19 - Country Profiles

22 - Cupping

24 - Extraction

27 - Other Factors in Co ff ee Preparation

30 - Brewing Methods

34 - Co ff ee Recipes

42 - Milk, Milk Drink Recipes and Latte Art


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ABOUT NEAT NEAT Co ff ee opened its first location on August 31st, 2009 in Darien,

CT. It was among the first specialty co ff ees shops in Connecticut to o ff er

co ff ee brewed by the cup and espresso prepared with careful measurement. Moreover, there was always a strong concern with the provenance of each of

the menu o ff erings. For the first several years of operation NEAT only

purchased and served lightly-roasted co ff ee from some of the world’s best

roasters whose focus was careful roasting of top-quality green co ff ee.

In early 2012, though, it was decided that NEAT could better control

the quality of the final products by sourcing and roasting their own co ff ee.

Shortly thereafter, they began taking steps in that direction by seeking

training and advice from Tim Wendelboe, a premier co ff ee buyer and

roaster based in Oslo, Norway. Tim is widely-known for his ability to

source some of the world’s highest quality raw products as well as roast

them very lightly in order to highlight each co ff ees inherent and unique

characteristics.

Finally, in December 2013, NEAT finally roasted it’s very first

production batches of espresso, a single bag of a washed Ethiopian co ff ee, at

the Pulley Collective in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The Pulley Collective is a

shared roasting facility out of which many of the tri-state area’s best

roasters operate. After a slow start, NEAT finally managed to start roastingall of their own co ff ees in April 2014 with a large focus on seasonally fresh

co ff ees roasted well enough to be considered world-class.

As the roasting business was finding it’s feet, it became clear that in

order to have the highest quality final products, it was necessary that direct

relationships with growers in origin countries be established. Honduras

and Colombia were very quickly targeted as the two countries in which

NEAT wanted to be working right o ff the bat. Marysabel Caballero and her

husband, Moises Herrera, in Marcala, Honduras were the first producers to

sell their co ff ee directly to NEAT. Marysabel and Moises were quickly

followed by Jose Jadir Losada Vargas at Finca el Mirador in Suaza,

Colombia.

NEAT will always seek to be at the cutting edge of the specialty co ff ee

industry by sourcing and roasting co ff ee of the highest quality and, of

course, served with precision…and a smile.


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VOCABULARY In order to fully grasp the width and breadth of the concepts here

within this manual, it is first necessary to understand several terms with

regard to green co ff ee, flavor profiles and the industry at large.

ACIDITY - as a flavor component it falls under the category of sourness,one the five basic tastes. This is not to be confused with the

sourness that is discussed with reference to under-extraction

but rather it is the degree to which a beverage possesses

brightness as a result of the acids present (e.g. citric, malic,

tartaric, phosphoric, etc.). This is a highly desired trait in

specialty co ff ee.

AFTERTASTE - the taste left in one’s mouth after the beverage is eitherswallowed or spit out. Both it’s intensity and longevity must be

considered (qualitative and quantitative).

BODY/MOUTHFEEL - the tactile sensations perceived on the tongue andmouth. Commonly, the way in which one would judge the body

and mouthfeel is similar to the way in which one would judge

the textures of milks with di ff ering fat contents. Skim milk is

rather watery and does not tend to stick to one’s mouth whereas

whole milk is often very mouth-coating.

CLEANLINESS - the degree to which the beverage possesses transparencyor a lack of “o ff ” flavors such as phenols, ferment or mold as a

result of processing errors at the co ff ee’s origin.

FLAVOR - the combination of the sensorial characteristics of the tasteand aroma of the beverage.


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FRAGRANCE/AROMA/NOSE - the smell of the ground co ff ee prior to theaddition of water, the smell of the beverage after brewing is

complete, the vapors perceived through retronasal olfaction

after the beverage is swallowed or spit out.

SWEETNESS - the perception of sugars, primarily sucrose, in the finalbeverage. It is both a quantitative and qualitative assessment.

TERROIR - the characteristic flavors that are imparted to a co ff ee by it’senvironment (soil composition, topography, climate).

Finca el Mirador (Picuma, Suaza, Huila, Colombia)


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A SHORT HISTORY OF COFFEE CULTIVATIONCo ff ee originates from southwest Ethiopia. Among the most popular

stories of it’s discovery as a culinary product is the legend of Kaldi’s dancing

goats. It is said that around 800 A.D. an Ethiopian goat-herder, named Kaldi, noticed that his goats did not come home to the stable one night. He

went out to search for them and discovered that they had started to eat the

red cherries of an unfamiliar plant with shiny leaves. The cherries caused

his goats to be quite energetic and they were said to be “dancing.” These

cherries, of course, were the fruit of the co ff ee plant and the energizing

component of these cherries; ca ff eine.

Regardless, of the mythology surrounding co ff ee, certain things

remain historical fact. We know that by the 15th century co ff ee cultivation

spread to Yemen via the port of Al Mokah. In large part, this is the origin of

the trade term “Mocha,” “Moka,” “Mokka,” etc. As co ff ee consumption and

trade increased, it became clear that cultivation needed to follow suit.

Sometime around the year 1670, a man named Baba Budan, a Sufi

Muslim, famously risked his life and smuggled “seven seeds” from Yemen

into India. Thus, co ff ee cultivation spread to the far east. A few years later,

the Dutch, who controlled much of what is now Indonesia, did the same.

However, the Dutch also made another seemingly small contribution to

co ff ee cultivation which ultimately had enormous ramifications. It is said that during the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the Dutch gifted a

single co ff ee tree to the French, who subsequently planted the tree in the

garden of Versailles. This single plant came to be known as the “Noble Tree.”

Sometime in the 1720’s the explorer, Gabriel de Clieu, brought

o ff spring of this plant to the island of Martinique in the Caribbean. de

Clieu’s accounts of the rough journey from France to the New World lead us

to believe that he shared his own water ration with the co ff ee seedlings he

hoped to plant once he landed. Ultimately, since many of the seedlings

arrived safely to Martinique, they became the ancestors of most of the co ff ee

grown in Latin America.

Some years later, from the same “Noble Tree” at Versailles, the French

brought other seedlings to the island of Reunion, then known as Bourbon

(now the name of an heirloom co ff ee variety), about 100 miles east of the

coast of Madagascar.


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Interestingly enough, African countries were among the last to

cultivate co ff ee as a commercial product despite having its origins in

Ethiopia. Though there is still co ff ee that grows in the wild in Ethiopia,

much of the cultivated crops of Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi as well as others,

are descendants of the Noble Tree as a result of the spread of cultivation from the island of Bourbon.


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PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING

BOTANY The genus Co ff ea belongs to the Rubicae family. Because of this, co ff eeis actually in some ways related to many other plants including Cinchona, a

small evergreen tree native to the Andes mountains from which quinine (a

primary ingredient in tonic water) is derived. It is also related to

ornamental plants such as the common gardenia. Within the genus Co ff ea

there are actually dozens of species of co ff ee plant including C. Eugenioides

and C. Liberica. However, the only two species that are cultivated in a

meaningful commercial way are Canephora (or Robusta) which accounts for 25-30% of the world’s production and Arabica which accounts for

70-75% of all the world’s co ff ee. While C. Canephora is widely used for

instant (dehydrated) co ff ee, C. Arabica is the only species that has thus far

been identified for delivering high cup quality as well as commercial

viability. Ongoing research may soon identify potential in other species but

for now, Arabica is king. Interestingly enough, it has been discovered that

the Arabica species is the descendant of both C. Canephora and C.

Eugenioides.

Within the species C. Arabica, there are literally thousands of named

(and un-named) varieties, much in the same way as there are di ff erent wine

grape varieties (Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, etc) and apples

(Granny Smith, Macintosh, Golden Delicious, etc). Many co ff ee varieties

are selections of spontaneous mutations isolated for positive attributes,

some are isolated with selective breeding and some are hybrids of one or

more varieties constructed in laboratories.

Below is a list of well-known or important varieties:

BOURBON - named after the island of Bourbon (now Réunion), it is avariety with direct lineage from the Noble Tree. A highly sought-after

variety because of impeccable cup quality though it is low-yielding and not

resistant to disease.


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CATUAI - a hybrid of Mundo Novo (Typica and Bourbon) and Caturra(dwarf Bourbon) bred in Brazil the the 1940’s.

CASTILLO - a hybrid of Caturra and Timor Hybrid (Robusta and Arabicainputs) that was released in 2005 by the Federación Nacional de Cafeterosin Colombia in response to the leaf rust epidemic. Though it was originally

condemned for relatively low quality, new trials are demonstrating that cup

quality is likely on par with Caturra. Because of this potential as well as its

potential for disease resistance, it is becoming an increasingly important

variety in Colombia.

CATURRA - a higher yielding dwarf selection of Bourbon, identified in Brazil in the 1930’s. Because of it’s smaller size and generally high cup

quality, it is a very popular variety in Colombia.

GESHA/GEISHA - originally from the village of the same name in Ethiopia,this variety was gifted to a Costa Rican research center in the 1950’s as part

of a search for disease resistant and high-yielding varieties. As the Gesha

variety possesses neither of these qualities, it was discarded. It resurfaced

in 2004 at the Best of Panama competition. The Peterson family of

Hacienda la Esmeralda in Boquete won the competition that year and the

variety continues to demand staggeringly high prices.

MOCHA - a descendant of Bourbon. In Yemen, it became the first varietyto be widely cultivated.

SL-28 - a selection made by Scotts Laboratories in the 1930’s with Bourbon and Mocha heritage. It is low-yielding but well-known for

extraordinary quality and drought resistance. SL types account for 90% of

the co ff ee grown in Kenya.


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SL-34 - a selection made by Scotts Laboratories in the 1930’s with French Mission Bourbon heritage. It has higher yields than SL-28 and it

commonly grown at slightly lower altitudes.

TYPICA - an heirloom variety of Yemeni stock. It is low-yielding andnon-resistant but cup quality is generally excellent. It is now a parent to

many new varieties.

Mature Catuai trees at Finca JR

(Chinacla, La Paz, Marcala, Honduras)


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AGRICULTURE

Co ff ee trees are self-pollinating and perennial. Trees are primarily

cultivated in the tropics between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of

Capricorn (23°26 " 14.1# N and 23°26 " 14.1# S, respectively). Co ff ee trees

cannot survive frost and thus have not been widely cultivated either north

or south of these lines of latitude.

The elevation at which trees are planted plays a big role in the final

cup quality. Most specialty co ff ee is being grown between 900 and 2,200

meters above sea level (masl). The reason high elevation is important is

because the cooler temperatures force the plants to struggle for survival as

their roots must dig deeper for nutrients. Conversely, at lower altitudes,

nutrients are more readily available and root systems are smaller as theydo not have to work as hard. This e ff ects cup quality because as the plants

struggle they push nutrients to the fruit (or o ff spring, if you will) as a self-

protective measure. Often shade trees are planted in the midst of a co ff ee

farm because the shade that the trees provide replicate the e ff ects of higher

elevation by further cooling down the plant. Shade trees also serve as a

windbreak and thus, keep trees from being damaged.

QUICK FACTS• Co ff ee plants take 3-4 years to mature. It will not typically bear any fruit until year 3.

• Co ff ee plants will continue to produce fruit for many years, however, a

trees yield decreases over time and in most cases is not commercially

viable after 20 years.

• If unpruned, a tree can grow up to 12 meters high. This is not typical as

hand-picking would become impossible. Most trees are pruned to stay at

about 2 meters high.

• Harvesting by hand is absolutely necessary in order to maintain quality. In reality, harvesting by machine is only possible in Brazil where a lot of

co ff ee grows on a plateau. That said, quality is often quite low.

• Farmers face many challenges with regard to diseases and pests. Among

the most common are leaf rust (or Roya, a fungus), Co ff ee Borer Beetle

(or Broca, pest), Antestia (“potato defect,” pest), Ojo de Gallo (fungus)


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BEAN ANATOMY

1. Center cut

2. Bean

3. Silver skin

4. Parchment

5. Mucilage

6. Pulp

7. Outer skin

A NOTE ON ORGANIC COFFEE In the best case scenario, producing organic co ff ee (free from the use

inorganic fertilizers) presents many challenges. For most small producers,

purchasing the certification as well as the increased cost of production

makes the conversion to organic nearly impossible. However, for those that

do get certified, the presence of an organic label does not necessarily equate

to high-quality. In addition to the expenses incurred for general organic

production, it is even more expensive to harvest, sort and dry the co ff ee well. For many producers, this is just not possible. As it stands, the market price

for co ff ee is quite volatile and often dips below the cost of production. If a

buyer purchases organic co ff ee under a Fair Trade contract, the selling co-

op will receive a premium of $0.15/lb (often no direct or traceable impact on

the grower). If the co ff ee is purchased outside of a Fair Trade contract, the

grower may only use an organic certification as leverage in negotiations,

which often times still fails to yield meaningful revenue.

Furthermore, the health benefits of drinking organic co ff ee (one of the

primary reasons people buy it in the first place) seem to be ratherundocumented. What information is available seems to make exaggerated

generalizations about how co ff ee producers use “tons” of pesticides and

“soak” co ff ee in chemicals. In general, it seems that producers of top quality

co ff ee use as little chemicals as they can because, on principal alone, it

would seem that pesticides and other chemicals could interfere with flavor


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profiles. At the same time, producers need to make a living wage and

usually cannot a ff ord to produce co ff ee without using any pesticides.

NEAT, on the other hand, has decided to pay massive premiums for

co ff ee purchased directly from partner growers regardless of certifications.

It would be ideal to partner with a grower who wanted to convert to organic production but it is a big ask of any grower and NEAT is just not in the

position to make big requests like that of a grower in an already precarious

financial situation.

A flowering Mocha tree; Finca Matilde

(Chinacla, La Paz, Marcala, Honduras)

8 month old Java (Tupica-type) cultivar

(unnamed farm in Marcala, Honduras)


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HARVESTING AND PROCESSING

PICKING

The yearly cycle of a co ff ee tree begins with the flowering. Followingevery harvest regardless of location, there is often a period of rain.

Following this rainy season, trees produce beautiful and fragrant white

flowers. If all of a farmer’s trees flower at the same time, it is a good

indication that the harvest will be just as even. After the tree drops it’s

flowers, cherries begin to form. It takes about nine months for a cherry to

fully mature. In most cases a bud turns into a small, hard, green cherry. As

it matures it turns red. During the harvest, it is of the utmost importance to

pick only ripe cherries as picking green, immature fruit will result in a poor

final cup. In order to execute this properly, pickers must be incentivizedwith high wages as they are paid by the number of kilograms they deliver,

regardless of quality.

PROCESSING

There is quite a large spectrum of ways to process co ff ee. Here is a

breakdown of the three most common ways of processing cherries and

parchment (the thick hard layer surrounding the green bean):

• Dry or Natural Processing is the oldest way of processing co ff ee cherries.

It often involves very little water. Cherries are simply left out on a patio

or raised screen bed to dry with the beans still inside the fruit. Once the

cherries are dry, the skin and remaining fruit can be removed by

machine. Commonly, cup quality is low because drying is often uneven.

Even in the best case, the wet mucilage imparts a homogenous flavor to

the beans; a thick sweetness that clouds the cleanliness of the final cup.This method still has popularity in Brazil and Ethiopia and to a lesser

degree in Nicaragua and Ecuador.

• Washed Processing is the most common way of processing co ff ee. In

general, cherries are pulped (skin and fruit removed) as soon as they are


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delivered to the wet mill (or factory). The parchment is then submerged

in water for a period of time in order to loosen the sticky mucilage that

remains on the surface. This is referred to as fermentation. Once the

mucilage has been loosed the parchment is ready to be dried. This can be

done on a cement patio, raised screen bed or in a machine. Commonly,washing co ff ees produces the highest quality. Most of the world’s Arabica

is processed this way and there are infinite variations on this process (e.g.

anaerobic fermentation, dry fermentation, varying fermentation times,

etc.)

• Pulped Natural Processing seeks to address some of the quality issues

that are apparent in Natural Processing. Instead of drying parchment

inside the cherry, cherries are pulped and then the beans are allowed to

dry in the mucilage. The potential is still there for quality to be low but,

generally speaking, this can also produce slightly higher clarity. There

are also an infinite number of variations on this method. Costa Rica is

famous for making “honey” processing popular. Honey Processing refers

to a wide spectrum of processes wherein varying amounts of mucilage are

left on the parchment to dry. Everyone has di ff erent definitions but

generally speaking white honeys have 100% of the mucilage removed

without washing, black honeys have 0% of the mucilage removed with

Golden (75%), Yellow (50%) and Red (25%) in between. All yield di ff erentcup characteristics.

Traditional depulper and fermentation tank

(Finca el Mirador, Picuma, Suaza, Huila, Colombia)


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DRYING

Regardless of the many ways there are to dry parchment co ff ee, one

thing remains common, most countries require that all co ff ee be dried to

about 10-13% moisture content before export. Outlined below are the threemost common ways of drying parchment:

• Concrete patios are far and away the most common way to dry co ff ee.

Throughout a given day the concrete is heated by the sun, the heat coming

o ff of the concrete dries the parchment very quickly. In dry conditions

with lots of sun, parchment can dry in 7-10 days. Throughout the day

workers must turn the parchment so it dries evenly. Despite the fact that

this is a moderately inexpensive way of drying co ff ee, it is the worst for

quality. Parchment needs to dry slowly in order to maintain thestructural integrity of the parchment. If it dries too quickly it can crack,

leaving the bean inside open to infection and defect.

• There are several types of machines that dry parchment co ff ee. Despite

the up-front cost of purchasing one of these machines, they are relatively

inexpensive to operate and are thus, more economical than any other way

of drying. Most machines can be considered a pre-roaster of sorts.

Usually the parchment co ff ee is loaded into a rotating drum with hot airbeing directed at the bean mass. Drying can be complete in as little as

three days (72 hours of continuous drying). Quality can be high as long

as consistent, low temperatures are maintained.

• Raised beds (or African beds) were made popular in places like Kenya and

Ethiopia. Parchment is loaded onto raised wooden or metal-framed

structures wherein screen or netting of some sort has been installed to

hold the beans. This allows for increased circulation and slow, even

drying especially when shade netting has been installed to shield thebeans from the heat of the sun. Drying times are often close to 20 days.

This is a very expensive way of drying co ff ee but the quality is typically

second to none.


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DRY MILL AND EXPORT

Once the co ff ee is dried to the proper moisture content, it must go

through a period of rest; no more than a few weeks are necessary. After this

period of rest, the co ff ee will be transported to a dry mill. It is here that the parchment surrounding the green bean is finally removed. Following the

removal of the parchment, the green co ff ee goes through a series of sorting

procedures to maximize cup quality. The co ff ee must go through a density

sorter to remove rocks, sticks and other debris and also to remove broken,

chipped and defective beans. It will also go through color sorting to further

remove less-than-perfect beans. Finally, beans will be separated and

organized according to size. There is no direct correlation between bean size

and cup quality although there are benefits to having uniformly sized beans

when roasting. More often than not, co ff ee is exported via ocean liner in a standard

40-foot shipping container, capable of holding ~37,500 lbs of co ff ee (or ~250

bags). Air shipments are uncommon due to the cost but it is without doubt

the fastest way to ship and receive co ff ee. Some importers will utilize planes

for very small, very special lots that they would like to receive quickly.

ROASTING

Despite the enormous amount of work that has thus far gone into

producing the co ff ee, it is still not yet ready for consumption. The roasting

process just as detailed of a process as

everything else leading up to it.

Co ff ee roasting machines come

in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The

roaster in which NEAT roasts most of

it’s co ff ee has a capacity of 35

kilograms or 77 pounds. Co ff ee isloaded into a rotating drum through

which hot air is forced in order to turn

the green beans brown. Pictured to the

right is the roasting machine that

NEAT uses.


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Very simply, roasting co ff ee is a lot like baking. It is necessary to pay

close attention to both time and temperature. Roast times can vary greatly

depending on the co ff ee being roasted. Generally speaking, roast times are

between 7 and 10 minutes. During that time, the temperature of the bean

mass can change by as much as 275 degrees Fahrenheit to a finaltemperature of above 400 degrees.

All roast profiles (the curve of the line of the data set with

“Temperature” as the x axis and “Time” as the y axis) are recorded with

software connected directly to the roaster. Below is a screenshot of exactly

what a roastmaster is looking at when roasting:

As one can see, when the room-temperature beans are loaded into the

hot roaster, the reading on the temperature probe drops from around 375

degrees to around 150 degrees. At around the 45 second mark the readout of

the temperature probe begins to rise (this is called the “turning point”). It

should continue to rise (and never drop) throughout the entirety of the

roast.This screenshot is from a roast of a moderately-highly grown Central

American co ff ee. For higher grown co ff ees from di ff erent origins, it is likely

that a faster roast would be used because of the beans higher density. This is

simply done by turning up the gas pressure earlier on in the roasting

process.


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COUNTRY PROFILES Below is a list a countries from which NEAT commonly sources co ff ee.

This list is subject to change as both NEAT and the world of specialty co ff ee

grows.

COLOMBIAColombia is the second largest producer of Arabica co ff ee in the world,

producing around 10,000,000 bags yearly. Prime growing areas stretch

from 1200 MASL to well over 2000 meters. The regions that are most well

known for high quality are Cauca, Valle de Cauca, Tolima, Huila and

Nariño. The most common varieties grown are Caturra, Variedad

Colombia and Castillo with some old-stock Bourbon and Typica mixed in. Harvest times are in October/November/December (for most, la cosecha

principal) and June/July (fly crop or mitaca). NEAT has been working on

the ground in Huila since the autumn of 2014.

COSTA RICA Producing just shy of 1.5 million bags per year, Costa Rica is the third

largest producer of co ff ee in Central America behind Guatemala and

Honduras. The most well known growing areas are Tarrazu along with theCentral and West Valleys. Altitudes range from as low as 700 MASL to

1,900 MASL. Among the most commonly grown varieties are Catuai,

Caturra and the indigenous Villa Sarchi (a selection of dwarf Bourbon,

similar to Caturra) and Villalobos (a dwarf selection of Typica). Harvest

time begins late in the fourth quarter and ends in February/March. Costa

Rican producers are credited with bringing the micro mill into vogue. Prior

to this trend, most co ff ees, as they are in most parts of the world, were

blended at a regional facility and sold with little traceability. Because of

this shift, more and more, end consumers can know the names of the farms from where their co ff ee comes.

ECUADOR Ecuador may not have a sterling reputation for high quality and may

only produce just over 600,000 bags annually but there is massive potential


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in higher altitude growing regions to produce exceptional quality. The

growing areas with the most potential are Loja and Zamora Chinchipe that

have elevations reaching as high as 2100 MASL. Harvest seasons range

from June to September making them available in the states come winter

time. The primary varieties grown are Typica, Bourbon and Caturra.

ETHIOPIA As the birthplace of co ff ee, Ethiopia still remains one of the most

interesting co ff ee growing countries. First o ff , there is still a lot of co ff ee

growing in the wild. There is incredible biodiversity in Ethiopia and while

the trend is changing, many of the varieties grown there are either unnamed

or undiscovered as distinct varieties. Harvest times span the winter

months here in North America which means by late spring/early summer, NEAT customers can enjoy fresh crop Ethiopians. In recent years the

Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) has worked to create an e fficient

trading system that helped both buyers and sellers. Co ff ees are delivered,

given a numerical denomination of general region, graded and then sold at

auction. While farmers are able to see money sooner, this system of trading

has obscured co ff ees and made them relatively untraceable to their sources.

It is almost unheard of to by co ff ee from a single Ethiopian farmer or estate.

Yearly production hovers around 6.5 million bags. Sidamo and Yirgache ff e

rain supreme as some of the most well known co ff ee growing regions in the

world. Other major players within Ethiopia are Limu, Guji and Jimma.

Depending on the region, altitudes can often reach well over 2000 MASL.

GUATEMALA At over 3 million bags, Guatemala outpaces the rest of Central

America in terms of yearly output except for Honduras. Because of

generally high altitudes (1300-2000 MASL), Guatemala has potential to

produce amazingly clean and sweet co ff ees. The most well known growingregions are Huehuetenango, Antigua and Atitlan followed by Acatenango

and Coban.

Bourbon, Caturra and Catuai are the most widely grown cultivars and

harvest times are from December to March.


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HONDURAS Honduras is the largest producer of co ff ee in all of Central America;

4.2 million bags yearly. Though Honduras has had a reputation for poor

quality, in recent years many growers have set their sights on the specialty

market. NEAT has been working with one of the most reputed family of

growers in Honduras and maybe the world since 2014. Moises Herrera and

his wife, Marysabel Caballero have been an example to growers the world

over as to just how long-term, direct trade relationships can make all the

di ff erence. Santa Barbara in the northern part of the country is home to

some of the best co ff ees in the country. After that, Comayagua, Marcala, el

Paraiso, and Copan are also known. It is hard to find growing areas above

1600 MASL. Similar to a lot of regions in Central America, Catuai is kingwith some heirloom varieties, Pacas and Caturra mixed in. Harvest times

are between December and April.

KENYA They say that while Ethiopia is the queen, Kenya is the king. Kenyan

co ff ee is defined by its unique acidity and overwhelming sweetness and

clarity. Bordered by other co ff ee growing countries of Uganda, Ethiopia and

Tanzania, Kenya has an extraordinarily streamlined trading systemwherein growers, on average, are paid very well and traceability is fair. Like

Ethiopia, much of the countries 850,000 bags are sold at auction, though it

is possible to negotiate pricing and quality directly with cooperatives,

factories and washing stations. Similar to Ethiopia, it is most common to

buy lots that are blends of several farmers contributions. However, single

estates are slightly more prominent in Kenya than they are in Ethiopia.

Nyeri, Murang’a and Kirinyaga are the most well known growing regions

with elevations as high as 2300 MASL. Without doubt, SL-28 and SL-34

are the most prominent cultivars grown though it’s possible to find some Ruiru, Batian and K7 as well. Similar to other places like Colombia, parts

of Kenya have two harvest with the main crop stretching from October to

December and the fly crop from June - August.


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TRADE TERMS Many co ff ees (green as well as roasted) are often marked with certain

trade terms that, for the novice, require some explanation.

The terms “Supremo,” “Excelso,” “AA,” “AB,” “PB” all refer to the

general size of the bean. Before beans are exported from their country of

origin that are sorted by screen size and often times separated. These

terms have no bearing whatsoever on quality.

The terms “SHG,” “HG,” “SHB,” HB,” refer to the elevation at which

those particular lots were grown. Additionally, these terms have no bearing

on quality.

In many cases, these trade terms are a bit dated and are not often used

on roasted co ff ees served by NEAT.

CUPPINGOnce co ff ee is roasted the beans must “rest.” Freshly roasted co ff ee

tends to have quite a bit of Carbon Dioxide pent up inside each bean as a

result of the roasting process. When a cup is made from co ff ee that has not

been allowed to rest, the ground co ff ee will appear to bubble up or “bloom”

when hot water is poured over top. If not properly managed the turbulence

caused by the bloom will interfere with the extraction process and could lead

to poor cup quality.

That said, once co ff ee has been allowed to properly rest it is ready to

taste! The traditional way of evaluating co ff ee is through a process called

“cupping.” Cupping is the process by which green co ff ee buyers, roasters and

baristas evaluate green co ff ee quality and roast quality.

In general, there are three types of cuppings. The first is referred to as

“single blind” cupping wherein the cuppers know, generally speaking, what

is on the table but do not know specifically which is which. For example,they may know that the co ff ees on the table are all Colombian but don’t know

the farms from which they come or what order they are in on the table....or,

they know that there are two Ethiopians, a Kenyan, and a Rwandan but

don’t know the roaster or, again, what order they are in.


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Below is a portion of the SCAA cupping form. This is the worldwide

standard for evaluating and scoring co ff ees. Specialty co ff ees usually have a

cumulative score above 85. Co ff ees that score above 90 are considered

exceptional.

EXTRACTIONThere are a number of di ff erent variables that need to be considered

when brewing that dictate the quality of the extraction. Extraction is the

act of pouring water over dry grounds thereby dissolving a portion of the

grounds which end up in the final liquor.

Co ff ee is about 32% soluble in water which means that there is potential for 32% of the dry mass of co ff ee to be extracted by the brew water.

However, it is not preferable to extract that much nor is it good to extract too

little. Co ff ee tastes best between an 18 and 23% extraction. In this range,

the final beverage possesses the greatest balance.

When the extraction percentage deviates outside of the 18-23%

window it is referred to as either Over Extraction or Under Extraction.

Over extraction occurs when the extraction percentage goes above 23%.

Extreme bitterness is commonly associated with over extraction. On theother hand, under extraction occurs when the extraction percentage is

below 18%. Sourness is typical of this error in preparation.

There are five major factors that the barista must have under his or

her control in that dictate the final extraction percentage.


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1. The ratio of the amount of co ff ee to the amount of water (strength)

2. Grind size (the size of the co ff ee particles)

3. Water Temperature

4. Contact time (the amount of time the water and co ff ee are in contact with

one another)5. Agitation

Before tackling each of these factors and trying to understand how

they a ff ect the extraction percentage, it must be understood that no one

factor has the final say. No matter what, all of these factors operate together

and cannot be isolated.

MAJOR FACTORS IN THE EXTRACTION PROCESS 1) Ratio of Co ff ee to Water

The ideal ratio is said to be 60 grams of co ff ee to 1 liter of water. We

use almost this same ratio at NEAT for all of our hot co ff ee brewing

methods. Typically, the higher the ratio of co ff ee to water, the stronger your

co ff ee will be. However, there are common misconceptions regarding

strength. Just because a co ff ee is stronger does not make it better. In fact, if

I were to use, for example, 26 grams of co ff ee per 12 ounces of water asopposed to 21 grams, my co ff ee could be stronger however, under-extracted

and likely, quite sour. Very technically speaking, the strength of a co ff ee

refers specifically to the percentage of Total Dissolved Solids in the final cup.

The TDS is the percentage of the total finished beverage that is anything

other than water; the percentage of the final brew that is the dissolved co ff ee

material. Typically, a filtered co ff ee is around 1.15-1.35% TDS. This means

that the beverage is slightly less than 99% water and just over 1% dissolved

co ff ee material. A beverage with a TDS above 1.4% would be considered very

strong, and to a degree, it is based on preference but once the TDSapproaches 2% it is generally considered undesirable.

To understand how the ration of co ff ee to water e ff ects extraction

percentage one must think of water like a sponge. As the water dissolves the

solid co ff ee, it soaks it up. If the ratio of co ff ee to water is too high, it just

means that water has not soaked up all that it can because it has become


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super-saturated. Water can, also, however, not be saturated enough with

co ff ee. This happens when the ratio is too low (e.g. 15g/12oz H20) and it is

at this point that we call it over-extracted. It is over-extracted because once

an extraction percentage of 18-23% is attained, the water still has the

capacity to take more away from the co ff ee. At this stage, the extraction percentage will rise over 23%.

2) Grind Size

Grind size is important because of the amount of surface area that is

exposed to the brew-water. Coarser grind settings (e.g. french press, Toddy

or Filtron) allow for less overall surface area of the bean to be exposed to the

brew water, therefore limiting the rate of the solubility of the particles. If

the grind setting is finer (e.g. espresso) the surface area is augmented thus

increasing the rate of solubility.

The other factors must obviously be considered but, in general, a co ff ee

that is ground too fine, for a given brew method and set of parameters, will

be over-extracted while a co ff ee that is ground too coarse will be under-

extracted.

Theoretically, if it were possible to have identically sized particles, it

might be possible to extract well above 23% and still possess clarity and

sweetness with no bitterness. While attempts have been made atmanufacturing grinders that have a more even grind profile, no one

machine is perfect and therefore baristas will always have to deal with a

somewhat uneven spread of particle sizes.

3) Water Temperature

As the temperature of water increases so does its potential as a

solvent. Cooler water will lower the rate of extraction while water at or near

the boiling point will increase the rate of extraction.

The ideal temperature range is between 195 and 205°f. However,

there are exceptions to this rule such as cold-brewed co ff ee, in which the

decreased temperature of the brew-water is compensated for by an extended

steep time and coarse grind size.


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4) Contact Time

Contact time is an extremely important factor in extraction. Ratherintuitively, the longer time the brew water is in contact with the co ff ee

grounds, the greater the percentage of extraction. Conversely, the shorter

the amount of time, the less the percentage of extraction.

The desired contact time is all dependent on the method of extraction.

With espresso, it is a very small amount of time and therefore, we must

change other factors (e.g. very fine grind) to avoid under-extraction. When

you cold-brew co ff ee overnight (12-14 hrs.), you must compensate with a

much coarser grind.

5) Agitation

In some single cup brewing methods the barista has the ability to

agitate the grounds. This, done properly, can help increase the rate of

extraction. Often times this is done by simply stirring the bed of co ff ee with

a spoon or spatula.

Though it is not possible to stir the bed of co ff ee as it is being prepared

in an espresso machine, for all intents and purposes the pressure required tomake espresso (~130.5 psi) behaves similarly to agitation.

OTHER FACTORS IN COFFEE PREPARATION 1) Filtration Media

The method used to separate the brewed co ff ee from the spent grounds

is hugely important, not so much in terms of the extraction percentage but

rather the mouthfeel and body of the final beverage. Here are the three most

popular methods:

a) Paper - Paper filters do a great job of filtering a good amount

of the insoluble material and the fats and oils. They often produce the most

clean and articulate cups. Cleanup is also very easy because the filters are

disposable.


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b) Cloth - Cloth filters allow a bit more of the insoluble material

to pass through the filter thus creating a heavier perceived body and thicker

mouthfeel. Cleanup is quite labor intensive as the cloth filters are reusable.

It is necessary that they are stored in a refrigerator and kept from drying

out as they will impart o ff flavors.c) Metal - Metal filters are the most permeable of these three

types of filters and allow the most insoluble material to pass through the

filter. This can lead to a heavier perceived mouthfeel but can also wind up

lacking cleanliness. Metal filters rarely need to be replaced and cleanup is

often quite easy.

2) Pressure

The use of pressure in co ff ee preparation is not all that common

except in a few methods such as Aeropresses and espresso machines. It is

di fficult to tell exactly how pressure has an e ff ect on the extraction

percentage. There seems to be no way, at the moment, to have a controlled

experiment wherein two co ff ees are prepared in the same brewing device

with the only di ff erence being the use of pressure in one and not in the other.

3) Bloom

The bloom is the period of time wherein the dose of dry co ff ee is pre-

wet with water that is twice the weight of the dose of co ff ee. This is most

important in each bean of a freshly roasted batch of co ff ee there is lots of

pent up Carbon Dioxide. The CO2 needs to be released in order to get a

proper extraction. The bloom allows for the co ff ee to de-gas a bit before the

extraction begins. The bloom becomes less crucial as the co ff ee ages as it has

had time to burn o ff .

4) Water Quality

As water makes up over 98% of a filtered co ff ee and over 90% of an

espresso, it is no wonder that poor water quality quickly leads to poor co ff ee

quality. It is important to note that water with a TDS above 300 ppm will


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begin to impart o ff flavors into the brewed co ff ee. It is also important that

water not be too acidic or too alkaline; a pH as close to 7.0 as possible is best.

5) Rinse Filters

Whether it’s paper, cloth or metal, all filters should be rinsed prior to

usage; the latter two in order to ensure cleanliness and the former, to rinse it

free of any loose paper fibers. This is all done to prevent any o ff flavors.

6) Preheat Brewing Devices

As was previously discussed, water temperature is vitally important

to the extraction of co ff ee. When using hot water in any given brewing

device, it is important to heat the device prior to usage with a bit of hot

water. This is done to prevent the temperature of the brew water from

dropping and thus leading to under-extraction.

7) Clean Brewing Devices

Unclean brewing devices will often lead to o ff flavors being imparted

into the brewed co ff ee. There are a variety of very e ff ective cleaners on the

market.

8) Grind Immediately Before Brewing

This is perhaps one of the most important things to remember when

preparing co ff ee. Co ff ee is made up of around 1,000 volatile aromatic

compounds. After roasted co ff ee is ground, 45% of those compounds

dissipate within the first five minutes. To put it simply, the resulting

beverage will be about 45% less complex and interesting. Grinding should

be the very last step prior to adding water.

9) Roast Date

The best roasters that are sourcing and roasting the highest quality

co ff ees are sure to mark each bag that is distributed to retailers with the


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date on which the co ff ee was roasted. Co ff ees are that more than two or three

weeks old are quite likely to be stale and lack the sparkle they once had three

or four days o ff the roast.

There is a good chance that co ff ees with a “Fresh Until...” date are not

fresh at all by the time they are purchased. These co ff ees are by no meansdangerous to consume but probably not all that tasty.

10) Roast Color

The degree to which co ff ee is roasted has a dramatic e ff ect on its flavor.

The same co ff ee roasted two di ff erent ways can taste completely di ff erent.

Generally speaking, co ff ees roasted by NEAT are roasted very lightly. The

darker that co ff ees are roasted the more homogenous they become because,

essentially, the beans are turning into charcoal. In roasting lightly, the

inherent flavor of each co ff ee is allowed to shine. There is less interference

with each co ff ee’s terroir.

BREWING METHODS At this time there are so many di ff erent brewing devices available to

the consumer, so many that it can be overwhelming and confusing for

someone not in the know. To understand all these di ff erent devices it wouldbe beneficial to first break them up into larger categories which we will refer

to as the di ff erent “methods.”

The Specialty Co ff ee Association of America says that there are six

di ff erent methods for preparing co ff ee. 1

1) Steeping

Also referred to as “full-immersion brewing” and is perhaps the most

traditional method of co ff ee preparation wherein co ff ee is placed in a

container of hot water for a predetermined length of time based on the

balance of all the factors in determining extraction percentages.

Lingle, Ted R. "Chapter 1 Essentials of Good Brewing." The Co ff ee Brewing Handbook: A Systematic Guide to1

Co ff ee Preparation. Long Beach, CA: Specialty Co ff ee Association of America, 1996. N. pag. Print.


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the conclusion of that period of time the heat source is removed and the brew

water allowed to cool. As it cools, it flows back down into the lower chamber.

However, a metal or cloth filter does not allow the spent grounds to pass.

In order to make extractions replicable, the heat applied to the water needs

to be quantifiably repeatable. Butane burners are often used but the flame’sintensity is often di fficult to repeat. Halogen bulbs are significantly more

consistent but also much more expensive.

6) Pressurized Infusion

Water is forced through the bed of co ff ee with the use of pressure. The

most common device that employs pressure is an espresso machine. In the

preparation of espresso, water is pushed through the co ff ee at about 130.5

pounds per square inch or 9 bars of pressure. With the use of pressure

(espresso or otherwise), rapid extraction times and very fine grind settings

are necessary.

BREWING DEVICES

*Aerobie Aeropresses employ both a steep time and a minimal amount of pressure which is why they can fall under

either category

STEEPING DECOCTION PERCOLATION DRIP

FILTRATION

VACCUUM

FILTRATION

PRESSURIZED

INFUSION

CleverCoffee

Dripper

Ibrik (TurkishCoffee)

A large numberof machines

referred to as“Percolators”

Electric Pot Siphon Pots EspressoMachines

FrenchPress

Coffee boiled ina pot or pan

Hario v60 AerobieAeropress*

Eva Solo Fetco BatchBrewers

Aerobie

Aeropress*

Chemex


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A QUICK NOTE ON GRINDERS A good grinder may be the single most important piece of equipment

to make good co ff ee. There many di ff erent types of grinders; blade grinders,

burr grinders, horizontal positioning with diagonal burr sets, vertical

positioning with flat burr sets, etc.

The single most important thing about a grinder is uniformity in

particle size, not necessarily the size itself. While no grinder is perfect, burr

grinders are the standard for baseline quality. Simple blade grinders (or

nut choppers , as they have been referred to as) have no way controlling

particle size let alone uniformity from particle to particle. Research tells us

that flat burrs have the greatest capability to produce a relatively smallspread of particle sizes.

DIALING IN ON A BREW RECIPE Here are some guidelines on how to dial in on a brew recipe regardless

of the device being used.

1) Decide on the amount of co ff ee and water

A good place to start is 60 grams of co ff ee for every liter of water orabout 16 grams of water for every gram of co ff ee. Choosing the overall

weights of both the co ff ee and water should be dependent on the brewing

device being used. For example, an 8-cup Chemex Co ff ee Maker will take

around 40 grams of co ff ee and over 600 grams of water but the same

amounts would not fit into an Aeropress or other, smaller device.

2) Choosing a Grind Setting

Choosing a grind setting is largely based on taste. Shorter extraction

times usually require finer grinds and longer extraction times usuallyrequire coarser grinds. Sometimes it may be necessary to make a couple

di ff erent brews in order to find the correct grind setting. Generally

speaking, if a co ff ee tastes bitter then a coarser grind may be necessary and

if it tastes sour then the grind may need to be finer.


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3) Steep Time (as needed)

In the case of a full immersion brewer, it is necessary to determine asteep time in advance. Once again, it may take a few attempts to get it right.

If the cup is bitter, it is likely that a shorter steep time needs to be used. If

the cup is sour, it is likely that a longer steep time is necessary.

COFFEE RECIPES Listed below are the recipes and guidelines for just about any and all

basic co ff ee drinks that are made at NEAT. Many recipes are listed in terms

of weight, not volume. Measuring by weight for small er drinks is crucial as

it is more accurate. This manual will cover:

1) Hario v60

2) Fetco batch brewer

3) Espresso

4) Featured Espresso

5) Cold brew (Toddy)

6) Cold brew (Filtron)

7) Iced Co ff ee and Not-So-NEAT8) Bkon Craft Brewer

All of these recipes are subject to change.

HARIO v60 1) Dose 21 grams of co ff ee

2) Grind on medium-fine setting (specific settings are determined by

each individual co ff ee and grinder being used)

3) Pre-wet paper filter in the v60 with hot water


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4) Start timer and pour 87 grams of water over top the co ff ee, taking

care to soak all grounds

5) Stir the bed of co ff ee with a spoon

6) At 0:45, moving in a circular motion and starting at the center,

pour another 88 grams of water (175 grams total)

7) At 1:30, with the same motion, pour another 175 grams (350 grams

total). Pouring slowly enough so as to finish at 2:00.

8) Depending on the co ff ee, at 2:30 - 3:00, gently pick up the v60 and

give it a tap on the pitcher or the cup in which it is draining

9) Co ff ee should finish draining somewhere between 3:15 and 4:30

FETCO BATCH BREWER 1) Batch brewers at NEAT are programmed for 4 and 8 cup batches as

well as 10 cup to-go boxes

2) For each of those batches, here are the respective doses of co ff ee:

94 grams, 188 grams and 225 grams

3) Grind on medium setting (specific settings are determined by each

individual co ff ee and grinder being used)

4) Pre-wet paper filter in the metal brew basket with hot water

5) Make sure to push the start button that is properly programmed for

the amount of co ff ee being used

6) Batch is finished when the start button stops blinking. Co ff ee

cannot be taken from urn until the batch is finished.

7) Brewed co ff ee must not be held longer than 60 minutes.


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8) A new batch must be started 10 minutes prior to the expiration of

the previous batch so as no customer has to wait for co ff ee

ESPRESSO 1) Here within are the instructions for dialing in espresso

2) Espresso requires constant tweaking as minor changes in both

ambient temperature and humidity as well as the temperature of

the equipment being used translate to changes in how the co ff ee

behaves both in the grinder as well as the espresso machine

3) Remove the portafilter handle from the espresso machine and wipeclean. Make sure it is dry as the oil from the co ff ee and will be

repelled by any residual water thus making it more di fficult to pull a

good shot.

4) Weigh the portafilter handle and tare out the scale

5) Push the button on the grinder and allow the dose of co ff ee to fall

into the portafilter basket. As it falls, be sure to move the basket

around allowing the co ff ee to hit the lowest point in the bed. This

will make distribution easier.

6) Place the portafilter handle back on the scale, making sure to place

it in the exact same position as before. The scales are extremely

sensitive so it is necessary to change as little as possible in order to

avoid any possible disparity in measurements. NEAT uses a fixed

18 gram dose with a lenience of .2 grams above or below.

7) If the dose is good, move to Step 8. If the dose is low, add a little bit

of co ff ee. If the dose is high, carefully remove a few grounds.

8) There are two primary ways of distributing the co ff ee.


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a) North, South, East, West: NSEW involves holding your

pointer finger perpendicular to the handle of the portafilter

and moving across the bed of co ff ee away from your body and

then back towards your body (North and South). Second,

moving left to right and vice versa (East and West). Distribute the co ff ee evenly throughout the portafilter. This

allows for easier tamping and, ultimately, results in a better,

more evenly extracted shot of espresso.

b) Stockfleth’s Move: Stockfleth’s Move involves distributing the

co ff ee into an even bed in one, smooth motion. A right-handed

person will hold the portafilter in their left hand while forming

a “hook” with their right index finger with the other three

fingers following suit. Bring the portafilter close to your chest

with your right “hooked” hand cupping the undistributed bed

of co ff ee and your elbows out. Move the portafilter away from

your chest while slightly rotating the portafilter counter-

clockwise and your right hand clockwise. All the while, drag

your right index over the bed of co ff ee creating an even surface

on which to tamp.

9) Place the tamper in the portafilter and press down. Only about 30

lbs. of pressure is necessary for a proper tamp. More importantthan the amount of pressure, though, is making sure the tamp is

even. A crooked tamp will allow water to pool in one part of the

portafilter basket thus creating an uneven extraction.

10) Clear the portafilter of any loose grounds.

11) Place a cup on a small scale, tare out the scale.

12) Purge the group head for two seconds and place the portafilter in

the group head and start the shot. Take care to place the cup and

scale underneatht the portafilter as quickly as possible.

13) Pull the shot into the cup as it sits on the scale. When the weight

gets close to your “ideal” weight (35-40g), stop the extraction. Note:


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There is a lag time between when the beverage reaches the ideal

weight and when the scale finally reads that weight so it is suggested

to stop the extraction when the scale is still reading a few grams shy

of the ideal weight.

14) If the shot was extracted in a reasonable time, it is then necessary

to taste. If the shot is tastes good, then no adjustments are

necessary. If the shot was extracted either too quickly (40 secs) then it is advisable to NOT taste the

shot as it is likely (although not definite) that adjustments will need

to be made. Tasting lots of espresso tends to cause palate fatigue in a

very short amount of time. These procedures are designed to taste

as little as possible in order to save your palate but still quickly and

e fficiently dial in.

15) If the shot does not taste good make adjustments given what you

already know about the factors involved in extraction, e.g. if the shot

tastes bitter you might consider making the grind coarser.

FEATURED ESPRESSO

1) Here within are the instructions for preparing an espresso with a Mahlkonig EK43 grinder.

2) Dose out 21 grams of the desired co ff ee.

3) Grind on a very fine setting (1.5-2).

4) Carefully place the grounds in a clean and dry portafilter taking

care not spill any of the co ff ee.

5) Distribute grounds evenly.

6) Tamp with 30 lbs of pressure with the key di ff erence of using a

nutating style of tamping.


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7) Clear portafilter of loose grounds.

8) Place an adequate cup on a scale and tare.

9) Purge grouphead for 2 seconds. 10) Pull the shot into the cup as it sits on the scale. When the weight

gets close to your “ideal” weight (60g), stop the extraction.

Note: There is a lag time between when the beverage reaches the

ideal weight and when the scale finally reads that weight so it is

suggested to stop the extraction when the scale is still reading 5-6

grams shy of the ideal weight. Shots will fall very quickly (~14-17

secs). Take care to pay adequate attention throughout the entirety

of the shot.

COLD BREW (TODDY)

1) NEAT uses cold-brewed co ff ee for our iced co ff ee, Not-So- NEAT

and draft co ff ee beverages.

2) Toddy systems are designed to make small amounts of cold brew.

NEAT usually utilizes them specifically for decaf cold-brew.

3) Place the rubber stopper in the bottom of the Toddy taking care that

the larger side is facing downwards. Place the felt pad on the bottom

of the inside of the Toddy, over top of the rubber stopper.

4) Fill with two cups of room temperature filtered water.

5) Place 8 ounces of coarsely ground co ff ee over top the water.

6) Fill with five more cups of room temperature filtered water.

7) Place another eight ounces of coarsely ground co ff ee over top the

water and other co ff ee.

8) Fill with a final two cups of water.


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9) Let it stand for five minutes and then break the top crust as you

would with a spoon during a cupping.

10) Label the batch with co ff ee type and date. 11) Drain into plastic container 12-14 hours after the extraction

began.

COLD BREW (FILTRON)

1) Filtron systems are designed to make large amounts of cold-brewed

co ff ee.

2) Start by making sure bottom valve is closed.

3) Place felt pad at the bottom of the system.

4) Place either a paper filter (5lbs of co ff ee or less) or a cloth bag filter

(>5lbs of co ff ee) over top the felt pad.

5) Place coarsely ground co ff ee in the bottom of the correct filter.

6) Place plastic grounds guard over top the co ff ee but inside the filter.

7) Apply the lid, albeit upside down.

8) Pour in the correct amount of water. 3 gallons of water for every 5

lbs of co ff ee or 6 gallons for 10 lbs or .6 gallons for every pound of

co ff ee.

9) Label the batch with co ff ee type and date.

10) Drain into plastic container 12-14 hours after the extraction

began.


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ICED COFFEE AND NOT-SO-NEAT

1) Iced Co ff ee (IC) and Not-So-NEAT (NSN) are simply drinks to

prepare and are generally made with the same ratios. Both drinks

are made with our seasonally-fresh cold-brewed concentrate. For IC, addwater. For NSN, add milk (whole, 1% or almond).

2) To make a standard IC or NSN measure out 4oz of concentrate.

3) Add 8oz of either water (for IC) or customers choice of milk (for

NSN).

4) Add ice.

5) To make larger batches of either IC or NSN, the ratio is simply 1:2,

concentrate:water/milk.

BKON CRAFT BREWER

1) The Bkon Craft Brewer is a uniquely designed single cup co ff ee and

tea brewer. The Bkon uses vacuum technology to gain greater

access to the interior of the co ff ee bean particles in order to have a

complete extraction in a very short period of time. With the Bkon,

we have acute control over water temperature, steep time, vacuum

pressure and time as well as purge pressure.

2) For co ff ee, we use a standard 25 gram dose.

3) Recipes for each co ff ee and tea are pre-programmed.


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LATTE ART Latte art is one of the most immediately recognizable trademarks of

excellence in the barista trade. While it catches the eye, it is often mistaken for being indicative of the overall quality of the drink. It is a vitally

important aspect of the drink, but it is still only the “cherry on top.”

That said, if the barista is steaming milk properly, it should not be too

di fficult (after some practice) to perform all sorts of latte art. The three

most important things to be conscious of when pouring latte art are how

fast one is pouring the milk, how close the pitcher is to the cup and where, in

the cup, the milk is being poured.

THE HEART: 1) Start by holding the cup in your left hand, tipped at a 45º angle.

The steaming pitcher must be in your right hand and both arms

must be bent out in front of the body such that where the hands meet

forms a 90º angle. The wall of the steaming pitcher should be

parallel to the rim of the cup and about 2” above it.

2) Start pouring in the very center of where the espresso pools (where

the bottom and the wall of the cup meet). This is the deepest point

and pouring in this exact spot is necessary for maintaining the

surface tension of the crema.

3) Pour slowly as a fast pour is harder to control and will likely break

the surface tension of the crema. This is detrimental to the drink

because if the surface tension breaks then the espresso will be

washed out. The drink will lack a nice visual contrast between the

espresso and milk.

4) As the cup fills up, you’ll need to return the cup to an upright

position so that the bottom is parallel to the ground. In concert with

this motion, you will need to tip the steaming pitching so that it


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remains parallel with the rim of the cup. This will speed up the rate

of your pour and will release some of the microfoam.

5) A white spot of microfoam will form in the center. When the milk is

about%” from the top, move the pitcher another 1-2” away from thecup. This will make the stream of milk coming from the pitcher

much thinner. At the same time, move the pitcher perpendicularly

across the face of the cup, allowing the thin stream of milk to “cut”

the white spot of microfoam. The stream of milk will fold the closest

edge of the milk into the spot and stretch the far edge into a point,

making it look like a heart!

THE TULIP: 1) See steps 1-4 from “The Heart”

2) A small white spot of microfoam will form in the center. When the

milk is about&” from the top, stop pouring and move the pitcher

back about'” and start pouring again. A second spot will form and

when the milk is about%” from the top, pull the pitcher up and “cut”

both spots with the thin stream of milk.

THE ROSETTA 1) See steps 1-4 from “The Heart”

2) As a small white spot of microfoam forms in the center, you will

need to start slowly moving the pitcher from side to side. This will

allow the textured milk to be released from the pitcher in a zig zag

pattern. As you move the pitcher side to side, be sure to have the

pitcher moving backwards at the same time.

3) When the milk is about%” from the top, move the pitcher another

1-2” away from the cup. At the same time, move the pitcher

perpendicularly across the face of the cup, allowing the thin stream

the neat coffee manual (v.1)

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