Everyone has their habits and passions.
If one of the things you love most in the world is coffee, you are in the right place. Today we will reveal one of the secrets to making a really good espresso: what coffee pre-brewing is and what it is used for.
We at Pontevecchio have been manufacturers of manual coffee machines for almost 50 years, so we know well that to extract an excellent coffee you need to take a lot of small precautions. Our mission is to allow everyone to savor the taste of coffee in all its nuances. We do this through the choice of materials and the care with which we make our equipment.
However, in addition to the choice of the coffee machine, you need to know how to make an espresso for true connoisseurs.
The selection of the coffee blend is essential, as is the correct storage. But not even a small step should be overlooked in the percolation process.
The machine must be set according to precise parameters and the grinding must take place immediately before extracting the coffee.
These are preliminary operations that are part of a sort of ritual. Only in this way can the coffee be creamy at the right point, have a perfect aroma without hints of burning or a bitter taste.
One of the fundamental steps for quality coffee is pre-infusion, a process that frees the coffee beans from carbon dioxide to make room for water.
Let’s see what it is and how it works.
What is pre-brewing
Pre-brewing is a process that takes place just before the coffee is brewed. It is used to increase the moment of contact between water and coffee powder.
It is a very delicate step and it is important to eliminate carbon dioxide from the coffee cells. This is to facilitate the passage of water and maintain the purity of the coffee.
Pre-brewing coffee can be done with a professional coffee machine and it is a secret that only the most experienced baristas know.
To activate the process, you need to know how to adjust the coffee machine. Just move the lever a little, giving a very small pressure. Then you have to wait a few seconds before proceeding with the actual extraction. For percolation, the lever must be brought to the end of its stroke, while for pre-infusion it moves only slightly.
If you are wondering how long the pre-brewing should last, there is no precise rule. The pre-brewing time is a parameter that varies according to the type of drink to be prepared.
For an espresso coffee, you can give a pre-infusion ranging from 3 to 5 seconds. While in more elaborate coffees such as filter coffees, the pre-brewing time can range from 30 to 40 seconds.
Two of the variables you need to take into account when deciding the duration of pre-brewing are the time that has elapsed since roasting and the type of blend you use. These factors determine the amount of CO2 present in the coffee beans.
Why it is important not to underestimate the pre-infusion
Pre-brewing is a fundamental process for having a coffee of the highest quality. Thanks to this step it is possible to obtain an aromatic, healthy drink that best expresses the characteristics of the beans.
Its function is to release the carbon dioxide present inside the cells. CO2 must be eliminated to facilitate the passage of water inside the powder.
Water is the solvent that activates the percolation process. Its transit inside the cells that form the coffee powder serves to dissolve the characteristic elements of coffee.
This way you get the quality and flavorful coffee you love to enjoy at any time of the day.
Summary
This way you get the quality and flavorful coffee you love to enjoy at any time of the day.
You need to choose a quality blend, make sure that it is stored correctly, pay attention to when grinding and evaluate when the beans have been roasted, set the coffee machine correctly.
One of the fundamental steps is pre-infusion, the process used to extend the contact time between water and ground coffee. Its function is to eliminate the CO2 present in the coffee cells and make room for the water so that it captures all the particles. It must be performed before the actual extraction, by moving the lever a little, to have a coffee rich in aroma.
No rule establishes the duration of the pre-infusion. It is a parameter that varies according to tastes, the type of drink to be extracted, and the characteristics of the powder used.
If you are a coffee lover, now you know one more secret to making good coffee. But if you want to achieve perfection in terms of espresso coffee, discover the Pontevecchio lever coffee machines. You will find that you have never drink a better coffee!
