Mastering the Art of Coffee Extraction: Unveiling the Secrets Behind the Perfect Cup

Coffee extraction is the most crucial stage in preparing a perfect cup of coffee. During this process, professional baristas showcase their skills, and there are no shortcuts to a perfect espresso or filter coffee unless you are using an automatic coffee machine such as Coffetek’s.

A good coffee extraction requires the right amount of ground coffee, a specific grind size, proper tamping, an appropriate volume of hot water, precise pressure, and the right brewing time to obtain your golden cup.

But what’s the difference between the extraction of filter coffee and espresso coffee?

• • Filter coffee needs to be prepared with coarse ground coffee, allowing for prolonged contact between water and ground coffee at low pressure. This results in a smoother and more balanced coffee.

• • Espresso coffee extraction, extraction requires a finer grind size, consistent high pressure, and an adequate volume of hot water to extract the richness of the coffee beans within a shorter time.

When all the variables affecting coffee extraction are balanced, we achieve what is known as the “Sweet Spot” or the “Golden Cup”. This means a clear flavor without interference, balanced and complex acidity, sweetness, and an almost endless aftertaste. Any deviation in the variables within the brewing process may result in two undesirable outcomes:

• • Under-extraction of coffee occurs when not enough components are extracted from the ground coffee, resulting in a cup with an acidic, salty taste and lacking sweetness. This happens because acids and salts are more soluble than sugars, and they haven’t had enough time or opportunity to dissolve completely. An under-extracted espresso can be easily recognized when the crema is very thin and disappears quickly.

• • Over-extraction of coffee happens when too many soluble components are extracted from the coffee. This level of extraction leads to unpleasant, bitter, dry, and astringent flavors. Over-extraction is identified when a white stain appears in the espresso crema.

How can you prepare an Espresso or Filter coffee without worry ?

Good raw materials and proper water treatment, along with extensive coffee knowledge and skills held by a barista, or the use of an automatic coffee machine such as Coffetek’s, which, once set and calibrated, repeats the defined process within the specified parameters consistently and without variations.

Our latest development allow our machines with Azk V30 and Dual Bean technology such as Vitro X1 Double Bean MIA  & Vitro X5 the flexibility to provide either filter coffee &/or espresso coffee with perfection within the range of 7-14g of coffee dosage. Our ACME technology,  our “barista brain”, coordinates all the components to obtain the extraction parameters needed to achieve optimal espresso or filter coffee within the set recipe and variables – over and over again.

Coffetek Vitro  range offers a wide selection of recipes similar to what a barista could offer, with the benefit of knowing that every recipe will be consistently prepared every time, achieving the coffee “Sweet Spot” with a single selection.

This results in happy customers, an easy life, and an enjoyable coffee experience.