JOE likes to think that we know our coffee and we take it pretty seriously, but we defer to the wisdom of Dublin-based roasters Two Spots Coffee on this one
The beverage of coffee originated in Arabia, and while there are plenty of myths about how it was first brewed, the general consensus is that someone saw birds or goats having a chew on a bean that ‘filled them with vitality’, and they experienced a similar sensation when they tried it. Roasting and brewing a beverage from the bean also made it more palatable, and it began to spread to Europe, Asia and the Americas.
In 1773, the British passed a tax on tea that caused quite a stir (sorry), and culminated in the act of defiance that became known as the Boston Tea Party, and we’re not talking about the new fangled political movement in the States.
One other effect that it had was that people started swapping their beloved tea for coffee, which hadn’t been hit by the tax. Later again, during prohibition in the 1930s, the average American had to swap their morning eye-opener of a cocktail to something that didn’t contain as much booze (or, no booze in fact) and coffee fitted the bill nicely.
That helped the popularisation of the drink both in the United States and further abroad, and these days even us Irish are coffee nuts, and we like to think that we have plenty of knowledge about how to make the perfect cup of coffee.
With that in mind, we headed along to meet the lads at Two Spots coffee, who roast some absolutely delicious blends right here in Dublin. We didn’t even know that you could get coffee roasted here in Dublin, but the care these artisan roasters take in making the perfect blend is evident when you get a look at how they make it from scratch.
There are a few different beans that make up a blend, and while everyone knows Arabica, Robusta is another, stronger bean that tastes a bit more bitter, but can be blended in to make a cup that packs a bit more of a punch. That mix is what they have in their Johnny Forty Coats blend, one of their three tasty blends that are all named after famous Dublin characters from back in the day, like Bang Bang Dudley and Skin the Goat. The story behind each name is printed on the back of their distinctive packaging, and makes for an interesting read while your cup of JOE brews.
If you’re not too familiar with the roasting process, they take a bean that won’t look too familiar to those of us who are only familiar with the roasted product, and slowly and carefully bring it to roast, depending on how dark or light they want the final product.
When you hear it pop (it sounds a bit like rice krispies), the beans are then removed from the roasting drum, and sorted to see if there are any imperfections. They’re left to sit so that the flavour really develop, and then they get to making their blends of different origins and beans.
All pretty interesting stuff, but when it comes to making the perfect cup, the guys at Two Spots really know their stuff, so they recommended a few key steps. Firstly, always grind your coffee fresh. If you want the perfect cup, you have to invest a bit of time and love, so having a coffee grinder in the house is ideal.
While you’re grinding the beans and getting everything ready, leave the kettle to boil. You don’t want boiling water when brewing coffee, it should be around 90 degrees, otherwise you’ll burn the coffee and get an unpleasant flavour. So while you’re off grinding beans and getting cups, let the water cool down.
Using a cafetière to brew your cup, put around one heaped tablespoon of coffee in per person, and if you’re feeling adventurous you can add a little sprinkle of cinnamon and mix it through before adding your water. Leave the mixture to brew for about 3-4 minutes before plunging and serving, and then sit back, crack open the paper and relax for the next twenty minutes. Life’s too short, man.
Check out the lads at Twospots on their Twitter or over on their Facebook if you’re interested in getting your hands on some of their delicious brews. They can deliver to you or send you out a few bags, and are more than happy to let you know what the story is with their coffee and what they’re all about. We can’t recommend them highly enough, you’ll definitely taste the difference once you try them.
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