Author: Danielle Rueb

 
The ‘coffee shot’ is taking filter efficiency and volume to a whole new level. It offers an awesome flavour in one minute flat. Time to explore!

Before coming to Sydney I—like many others—was under the impression that filter coffee was created for the American who knew nothing about a good cup of coffee. How wrong I was. Let’s take a short journey into what I’d like to call ‘Coffee Shot’.

It all begun in Melbourne, where St. Ali’s head barista Matt Perger had a coffee filter vision. A few months back I actually had the pleasure of attending one of Perger’s lectures at Mecca Ultimo coffee shop in Sydney. It was all a bit scientific, but my best summary of Perger’s coffee filter vision is this: manual brewing is an awesome way to enjoy filter coffee, but it’s too inefficient for a typical café setting. You’ve got the MoccaMaster, but batch brewing will never-ever match a handmade pour over despite its high volume and consistency.

Introducing the ‘Coffee Shot’

Not long ago I stopped by Sensory Lab at Bondi Beach, where coffee shots are pretty much standard practice these days. The filter roast at Sensory Lab filters is ground in a Mahlkonig EK-43 grinder (a collaboration with Perger), which is essentially is a filter roast grinder. Once ground, they apply a specific tamping technique and then placed into a group handle a La Marzocco GS-3 espresso machine.

If that’s a bit technical for you, no worries. Because it is what came out of the machine that horrified me. This process goes against everything a barista has been taught to not create. Forget the small thick dark sexy caramelley stream of coffee you’re used to. Instead, a shower of blond liquid flows out of the machine.

I sat down to taste it. The boys at Sensory Lab gave me a thick mug filled with the filter coffee. I waited impatiently for it to cool down a bit, and then took a sip. It was…amazing! It was so layered. It reminded me of why filter coffee is supposed to be so good: because the filters are so delicate they allow the less obvious flavours to filter through. The classic sweetness followed by a intense acidity and a lingering fruity mouthful.

The most exciting part of this experience is knowing that there are people out there pushing the boundaries of what we have come to think of ‘correct’ filter coffee. It reminds me of the whole double ristretto versus espresso argument. The double ristretto has become so popular that we’ve forgotten the beauty of a traditional espresso shot.

What makes the coffee shot such a success is the temperature in which it is brewed. To date, only the St. Ali family is using this technique, but I think it is a good beading ground for the entire coffee industry. I will soon be learning the technique of brewing on a Steampunk, a filter machine where you can digitally adjust the brewing methods, dosage, temperatures and times. Steampunks are common in the United States, but these too can be used to create new and exciting filter coffee.

Welcome to the coffee revolution. Bring on the filters!

www.sensorylab.com.au

The ‘coffee shot’ is taking filter efficiency and volume to a whole new level. It offers an awesome flavour in one minute flat. Time to explore!

Before coming to Sydney I—like many others—was under the impression that filter coffee was created for the American who knew nothing about a good cup of coffee. How wrong I was. Let’s take a short journey into what I’d like to call ‘Coffee Shot’.

It all begun in Melbourne, where St. Ali’s head barista Matt Perger had a coffee filter vision. A few months back I actually had the pleasure of attending one of Perger’s lectures at Mecca Ultimo coffee shop in Sydney. It was all a bit scientific, but my best summary of Perger’s coffee filter vision is this: manual brewing is an awesome way to enjoy filter coffee, but it’s too inefficient for a typical café setting. You’ve got the MoccaMaster, but batch brewing will never-ever match a handmade pour over despite its high volume and consistency.

Introducing the ‘Coffee Shot’

Not long ago I stopped by Sensory Lab at Bondi Beach, where coffee shots are pretty much standard practice these days. The filter roast at Sensory Lab filters is ground in a Mahlkonig EK-43 grinder (a collaboration with Perger), which is essentially is a filter roast grinder. Once ground, they apply a specific tamping technique and then placed into a group handle a La Marzocco GS-3 espresso machine.

If that’s a bit technical for you, no worries. Because it is what came out of the machine that horrified me. This process goes against everything a barista has been taught to not create. Forget the small thick dark sexy caramelley stream of coffee you’re used to. Instead, a shower of blond liquid flows out of the machine.

I sat down to taste it. The boys at Sensory Lab gave me a thick mug filled with the filter coffee. I waited impatiently for it to cool down a bit, and then took a sip. It was…amazing! It was so layered. It reminded me of why filter coffee is supposed to be so good: because the filters are so delicate they allow the less obvious flavours to filter through. The classic sweetness followed by a intense acidity and a lingering fruity mouthful.

The most exciting part of this experience is knowing that there are people out there pushing the boundaries of what we have come to think of ‘correct’ filter coffee. It reminds me of the whole double ristretto versus espresso argument. The double ristretto has become so popular that we’ve forgotten the beauty of a traditional espresso shot.

What makes the coffee shot such a success is the temperature in which it is brewed. To date, only the St. Ali family is using this technique, but I think it is a good beading ground for the entire coffee industry. I will soon be learning the technique of brewing on a Steampunk, a filter machine where you can digitally adjust the brewing methods, dosage, temperatures and times. Steampunks are common in the United States, but these too can be used to create new and exciting filter coffee.

Welcome to the coffee revolution. Bring on the filters!

www.sensorylab.com.au