Q & A With Brewklyn Grind

Q. There is a growing number of artisanal coffees on the market, what makes Brewklyn Grind different?

A. There are a few nuances that differentiates us from the pack, but it all ties back to notion of quality.

We are a micro roaster (more accurately a nano-roaster), so the size of our roasts are smaller than our peers. Many of the ‘so-called artisanal roasters’ out there today are really commercial size roasters in disguise (just need to see what their batch size is).

The small size gives us better control of each roast and affords us the ability to quality control (i.e. taste) each coffee. We constantly rotate our offerings, which include a variety of farm-direct relationships (unique given our size).

We only roast to order, which ensures that customers capture the 'optimal' point along the freshness curve, and are able to supply within hours of roasting. All our coffees are hand-packaged, stamped with the roast date and sold within hours.

Q. When tasting coffee, what are some essentials things people should take note of?

A. It’s not dissimilar to wine with respect to the experiences the palate will have...

- Tongue: acidic or bitter

- Mouthful: light, medium or heavy body

- Finish: short or long, smooth or punchy.

Layer in all those flavors we have experienced since childhood, which will invade your senses from the moment the coffee hits your lips to the time you swallow... lemon, orange, dark chocolate, blueberry, cranberry, melon,  molasses, tobacco, smoky, pepper, and the list goes on.

Q. What are the key elements that make some beans great and others mediocre?

A. There are a number of factors that are important to coffee beans, but for simplicity, its altitude (higher is typically better), well-defined climate (rainy and dry seasons), soil, farming technique, storage, roasting and ultimately brewing. If the coffees are off, it's likely because it’s damaged or old, which will result in a very stale tasting coffee. Your palate will be your best judge.

Advice / Tips

Coffee

COFFEE Beans | Storage

The enemy of roasted coffee is oxygen. Ensure that you store your coffee in an airtight container. I like to use old glass mason jars at home. We use the Ball wide-mouth mason jar - we like that it has a wider opening.

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COFFEE | When To Throw Away

Coffee is freshest within 7 to 10 days of roasting. It’s also best to grind just before use. Never throw away old grinds - it makes great fertilizer!

ICED COFFEE | Preferences For Brewing & Enjoying

We prefer cold brewing. Anyone can do this at home with some cheesecloth.

COFFEE | Brewing Methods

We like to keep it simple -- the best methods are definitely:

- French Press -- the brand we use is Bodum. The Chambord model, which I believe is the original design, has a very sturdy stainless steel configuration which we like.

- The Pour-Over -- use either Hario or Chemex.

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COFFEE | What To Drink When

Depends what you are in the mood for, but our first inclination is a nice smooth medium-bodied drip in the morning and a good espresso in the afternoon.

Recommendations

Find...

Coffee Tools | Grinders

The grinder that I use at home is the Hario Skerton hand grinder. The primary reason I like using this grinder is that its conical burrs produce a very uniform particle / grind size. The particle size of the grind affects the extraction time of coffee, therefore having a more consistent grind size will produce the best tasting cup. Another reason why I love this grinder is that it is a manual hand crank grinder and doesn't require the use of electricity!

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Coffee Resources | Websites

The internet is a great source of information regarding coffee. We like www.coffeeresearch.org.

Where To Buy | Amazon & Brooklyn Kitchen

Amazon.com and you can also buy some great stuff at Brooklyn Kitchen in Williamsburg.

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Drink | Coffee

Brooklyn | Ecopolis

We love Ecopolis on Smith Street. Not just because Patty uses our coffee, but because she rotates in a number of smaller 'local' roasters. As a result, the coffee and even food are excellent!

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Manhattan | The Smile

They have a pretty extensive coffee set-up for a restaurant and also showcase a solid local roaster from outside NYC (Ramapo Valley) called Plowshares.

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Drink | Buy Wine

Manhattan | New York Vintners

Another place that we really love for their very unique selection of wine (not coffee I know, but very similar). They offer many public classes/events that serve to educate the participates in all aspects of wine (tasting, processing etc). Many of these events are coupled with a delicious array of foods prepared by their head chef - definitely worth checking out!

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City Guides

- Download the F.E.D. Brooklyn City Guide

- Download the F.E.D. Manhattan City Guide

Recommendations

Details of Brewklyn Grind’s recommendations for coffee products and resources as well as where to drink and shop in Brooklyn and New York.

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