Forget the debate about which city makes the best coffee, because we first need to understand which coffee brewing methods are the go-to brew in the office. As our tastes expand and the artform becomes more intricate, coffee culture is undeniably in its peak with the office becoming ground zero for the best brews. Some coffee brewing methods are going to make more sense for office life, that’s inevitable when you have an office full of people and only a short amount of time to make your morning brew.
With that said, it’s also easy to get stuck in your habits and therefore, fail to try new options that may be more appealing to your style and preference. Before you make another flat white before heading to your desk, why not try some of these coffee brewing methods with your coffee machine?
Cold Brew – 12-24 hours steep time
A cold brew coffee is a popular option on any cafe menu, and yet so few actually try and recreate it at the office. All you will need is a large container (glass preferably), freshly brewed coffee and a filter. You will want to go for a coarser coffee grind for a cold brew, and add coffee and hot water together (1:4 ratio) and leave it to steep for 12-24 hours. Once steeped the preparation time won’t take long at all, so when you return to work the next day, you simply let it filter through any contraption you like (filter, coffee drip carafe, etc.) and add milk or drink it straight. It can also be beautiful with cold coconut water added.
Feel free to make a big batch of cold brew as it can sit in the fridge for up to two weeks. They can look quite smart in mason jars, and you might find that there are a few more cold brew drinkers than you think in the office, which might be a more chic alternative to offering clients the standard coffee offering. When it comes to the coffee beans, most prefer a lighter roast for a cold brew as a darker roast is quite bitter.
Espresso – 30 seconds for extraction
Well if the cold brew steeping time didn’t have you converted, then the classic espresso might be more your speed. The espresso is a curious cup of coffee, as many believe it is as simple as hitting the button and letting the extraction do the rest, but there are a couple more tricks you can perform to get that perfect brew that will hit the spot every time. First, you want to give a good clean to your portafilter on your coffee machine as this is going to determine how much crema comes through and you also want to make sure your ground coffee sits level on that portafilter, so the extraction is even and rich. We don’t often pay attention to these levels and clean portafilters when making other coffees as milk can hide a multitude of sins. Yield and brew time are also crucial, as under or over-extracted coffee might not hit that sweet spot.
If your busy office is relying on one or a few coffee machines, the espresso might be the preferred coffee brewing methods as many can enjoy one without causing a bottleneck due to the time it takes to steam the milk. It might also suit an office where team members come and go, so be sure to get some funky espresso cups to encourage this coffee brewing method.
French Press – 4 minutes
If your morning is missing a Parisian twist, then you might want to try a french press to mix up your coffee brewing methods. The best part is that your French press is quick to make, and it frees up the coffee machine as all you need is hot water and ground coffee from your machine. Simply add a heaped tablespoon of ground coffee (start with a coarse grind) per 200ml of hot water and stir. Then slowly insert the plunger but don’t insert it into the water just yet. After 3-4 minutes, press the plunger down until it can go further no down. Now you will have a filtered coffee ready to be poured, with milk added if you prefer.
We find that the French press makes an appearance at board meetings and captured audiences, as it can easily be passed around and shared. If your office starts the day with a morning meeting, set out some French presses in case those latecomers don’t have a chance to get to the coffee machine before the meeting starts.
Don’t suffer another predictable coffee, and bring some variety to your 9-5 with some different coffee brewing methods. If you’re looking for more inspiration, contact our team of a coffee connoisseur to find out what’s possible with our coffee machines.
