Alvaro Aguirre
Coffee and Cafés
One of my biggest passions is specialty coffee. I frequently spend hours in coffee shops reading, and a few years ago I started talking to the baristas and owners trying to learn more about the coffee I was served. Where it came from, what process did the beans go through, how was it brewed. I discovered it was a fantastically complex world. During my masters degree, I explored this passion further by joining the Coffee Society of my College, participating in tastings, visits to cafés, and learning lots. Brewing coffee is an important part of my days, a very slow and relaxing time for myself.
My Café Map
I have created a Café Map, with my favorite coffeeshops in different parts of the world. Check it out here:
AeroPress Recipe Generator
In order to experiment more with my AeroPress (and practice some basic web skills), I created an AeroPress Recipe Generator. You can check it out here: AeroPress Recipe Generator
Beans
I collect the bags of coffee I drink. This picture shows most of the beans that accompanied me during my time at the LSE:
My prefered flavour profile is floral/fruity, with remarked acidity and medium sweetness.
Some of the beans I enjoyed brewing the most were:
- La Fila by The Barn Coffee Roasters - Sweet Honduras Washed with Plum Jam notes
- Sweet Valley - Granja La Esperanza by Red Bank Coffee - A nice Colombian Natural with a strong Riesling finish
- Tsebel by Origin Coffee - Complex Ethiopia Natural with Strawberry and Dark Chocolate notes.
How do I brew?
At the moment, I grind my beans using a Comandante C40 MKIII Nitro Blade - Bamboo. I use a plastic V60 01 and 02 with traditional Hario paper filters, and an Aeropress. I use a Fellow EKG.
Recipes
V60
Medium grind - 22 clicks Comandante
15gr coffee
Bloom with 40ml water at 93ºC for 45 seconds
Pour until reaching 175ml by 1:15min
Wait 15 seconds
Second pour until a total of 250ml by 1:45min
Let draw down. Total time around 2:45min
Aeropress
Medium coarse grind - 26 clicks Comandante
16gr coffee
Aeropress in inverted position
Pour 50ml of water at 82ºC
Stir three times and let rest for 20 seconds
Pour water until reaching 240ml
Stir in slow circles three times
Place cap with pre-wet filter
At 2:15min invert Aeropress and press slowly, aim to finish by 2:40min total
AeroEspresso
Fine grind - 13 clicks Comandante
17gr coffee
Aeropress in inverted position
Fill with 55ml of water at 95ºC
Stir vigorously for 15 seconds
Place cap with two paper filters
Inverted Aeropress and press. Aim to finish by 30 seconds total
