Wake up and smell the coffee … You can make barista quality coffee in your kitchen . All you need is the right kit and some expert advice from Dorset ’ s foremost bean guru …
Step 1 :
Step 2 :
kit + knowledge = instant expert
Brewed Awakening
Wake up and smell the coffee … You can make barista quality coffee in your kitchen . All you need is the right kit and some expert advice from Dorset ’ s foremost bean guru …
F
ollowing a career that spanned Whittards and Pret a Manger , Giles Dick-Read founded Reads Coffee in 1998 . Today , he uses a 25-kilo roaster from Probat to roast some of the world ’ s finest beans . At weekends , you ’ ll find him doing the rounds at farmers markets and other local events , producing speciality coffee from the Grey Trailer .
“ I ’ m a great believer in taking your coffee the way you like it ,” says Giles , clarifying his position as a coffee connoisseur , not a coffee snob . “ I don ’ t think there are any great rules .”
That said , it ’ s hard to miss his passion for the noble bean , and his belief that different methods bring out different qualities .
Step 1 :
To bean or not to bean
“ The principle reason is that beans keep brilliantly . They ’ re the closest you can get to the pod , and the coffee keeps much better as a bean . In fact , you can actually freeze beans , whereas you shouldn ’ t even chill ground coffee .” As coffee is very hydroscopic , keeping grounds in a refrigerator makes them damp and likely to absorb other odours . The rule for storing ground coffee is “ cool , dry , dark and airtight ” according to the master .
Step 2 :
Grind your own
The freshest cup of coffee with the most intense aroma will come from freshly ground beans , so investing in a mechanical or electric grinder is essential for entering the major leagues . “ It ’ s one of the critical components of making good coffee ,” says Giles . However , he recommends weighing up precision versus speed . “ If you ’ re making after dinner coffee for 10 ,” he says , “ you ’ ll want an electric grinder . Hand grinders can give you an extremely fine coffee , but you ’ ve got to have the patience of a saint .” As with any purchase , you get what you pay for . But , Giles warns , “ a £ 25 hand grinder will massively outperform a £ 30 electric grinder in its ability to grind a range of grounds .” If you ’ re just grinding coffee for a cafetiere , an electric grinder will do , though .
Kilner Manual Coffee Grinder
Harts Price : £ 29.99
Sage Smart Grinder Pro
Harts Price : £ 179.95
KrupsTwin Blade Grinder Mill
Harts Price : £ 19.95
Giles Dick-Read purchased his first roaster in 1998 and now operates this mighty Probat for his acclaimed Reads coffee
“ For cafetiere coffee , you want a coarse grain of coffee , and a medium-fine grind for filter . For a domestic espresso grind , that ’ s where you benefit from a top-end grinder , like the Sage or KitchenAid . Avoid the cheaper electric ones , which make a lot of noise .”
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