guide
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Posted: December 22, 2021Categories: The Tools
Read more »Just like how every baker needs bakeware and every artisan needs tools, every home barista needs certain accessories to pull that perfect cup of espresso in a smooth, mess-free and stress-free workflow. Whether you’re a budding barista or a coffee enthusiast learning to brew your own cafe-quality espresso at home, here are eight coffee tools that we recommend getting to help you understand the techniques of coffee-making and perfect your skills.
1. Burr Grinder
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Opt for a Burr grinder over a blade grinder for your coffee beans if you're ready to upgrade your coffee-making game. Photo by De’Longhi.[/caption] A burr grinder crushes beans between a moving grinder wheel and a stationary plate. The wheel typically has serrated edges while the plate has jagged edges—both work together to give you a consistent and uniform sized ground coffee. In contrast, a blade grinder looks more like a blender. While they’re cheaper, the grind size is typically not consistent. A coffee connoisseur may be able to spot the inconsistent flavour in your espresso from the different tastes produced by finely and coarsely ground coffee. The De’Longhi Burr Grinder lets you enjoy precise control of your brewing process when you get to choose from 16 grind settings. It comes with a user-friendly soft-touch interface, making grinding almost effortless. Shop the De’Longhi Burr Coffee Grinder at SGD 99 or
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Posted: December 08, 2021Categories: Coffee 101
Read more »You see rich, brown nectar with a white, foamy head kissing the rim of a glass. Bubbles rise through a gradient of deep amber. It’s cold, inviting, and you may be forgiven by thinking that the drink in question is a draft beer.
This is nitro coffee, a popular drink that has created a cult following in both massive coffee chains and independent specialty coffee houses.
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Posted: November 24, 2021Categories: Coffee 101
Read more »If you’re interested in getting into the world of coffee and mastering techniques of brewing better coffee at home, all the terminology and jargon involved can be daunting.
To help you along, we’ve compiled a comprehensive A-Z list of coffee terms that will assist all aspiring home baristas in navigating the world of coffee. We’ve also linked relevant resources that will help give you a better understanding of a particular coffee term and topic.
Looking for a specific term? Simply press two buttons — Command + F (Mac) or Control + F (Windows) to search for the particular word or phrase.
Don’t forget to bookmark this page and share it with your coffee-loving friends!
A-Z List Of Coffee Terms
Arabica — Refers to Arabica coffee beans from the Coffea arabica plant, which originated in Ethiopia. Arabica is the most popular type of coffee in the world. It is most commonly compared with Robusta coffee. Arabica is usually smoother, with a sweeter taste.
Americano — Also known as Caffè Americano, this is a coffee drink made by adding water with Espresso. Its strength will depend on the number of Espresso shots, and the amount of hot water added.
Aroma — The coffee aroma is created by flavourful compounds released by coffee into the air. There are many different types of coffee aroma, such as nutty, s
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Posted: November 17, 2021Categories: The Tools
Read more »With Christmas coming up, it’s time to start your festive shopping. Choosing the right gift doesn’t have to be stressful. Instead of focusing on the “perfect” present, an idea would be to start from what your recipient likes, then think of how your gift can add to that. If you have a coffee lover in mind who can’t get enough of coffee, here are 10 festive gift ideas for coffee lovers with a coffee machine that you can use to put a smile on their faces this Christmas. We’ve arranged our list in ascending order in terms of price. Get ready to spread a merry cheer, but with coffee!
1. Whole Beans from JJ Royal Coffee
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Toraja Coffee is JJ Royal Coffee’s best-selling beans. Bold and full-bodied, Toraja coffee packs a punch of dark cocoa nibs and caramel notes with hints of muted grapefruit. Photo from JJ Coffee Royal.[/caption] Part of the joy of brewing homemade coffee is getting to try out different types of coffee beans. Our partner roaster, JJ Royal Coffee, sources high-quality coffee beans from all over Indonesia. They offer many exciting single-origin beans, starting from SGD 11.50 a pack. Grab your friend or loved one a bag (or more) to try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Shop all Roasted Coffee Beans from JJ Royal Coffee beans today.
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Posted: November 10, 2021Categories: Coffee 101
Read more »Although they might sound similar, instant coffee and espresso powder, also known as instant espresso, are very different.
In Singapore and Malaysia, instant coffee is more common and can be found easily at most convenience and grocery stores.
Espresso powder, on the other hand, is less accessible and pricier than instant coffee.
However, if you have some espresso beans on hand, a coffee machine, a coffee grinder, and an oven, you can also make your espresso powder at home!
In this article, we will find out the difference between espresso powder and instant coffee in terms of taste, how they are made, how much caffeine they have, and in what ways they are used.
This way, you will know how to use and substitute them if you see them in recipes in future!
How Are They Made
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Posted: November 03, 2021Categories: The Bean
Read more »Coffee beans past their expiration will not make you sick; they will just lose their flavour and intensity. If you’ve got more coffee beans than you can brew or are about to throw away those that have expired, repurpose them instead. Old coffee beans can accomplish wonderful things around your house if you give them a chance. Whether you have excess coffee beans you can’t finish or old coffee beans lying around, here are 10 useful hacks to get more value out of your old coffee beans without tossing them. Besides the beans, you can also use old coffee grounds for these tricks to get some extra mileage out of your coffee, reduce waste and save money.
1. Ward Away Pests
Mosquitoes, lizards and cockroaches hate the smell of coffee, so old coffee beans can be ground and used to repel these pests. Place coffee grounds in uncovered bowls or if you’re targeting an outdoor area, sprinkle them around for a natural insect repellent.2. Make Your Plants Happy with Natural Fertilisers
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Nutrient-dense coffee grounds also serve as a natural fertiliser for your plants. Photo from Bonnie Kittle.[/caption] Old coffee grounds contain nitrogen, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and chromium—great minerals for plant growth. Simply sprinkle coffee grounds onto the soil in your garden or in their pots as a natural fertiliser to help your plants thrive. 3. Absorb Unwante
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Posted: September 22, 2021Categories: The Bean
Read more »You may know India as a tea-drinking nation, but you’ll be amazed to find out about the country’s rich history when it comes to coffee. The drink’s origin dates back to 1600 AD when Baba Budan, a legendary merchant and 16th-century Sufi, went to Mecca on a pilgrimage and smuggled seven coffee beans from Yemen into Mysore, India. Upon arriving in Mysore, Baba Budan planted the seeds in Chandragiri – a hilly region located in the Indian state of Karnataka. It seems like a strange tale, but that’s how India’s coffee culture was born.
Where and How It’s Grown
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India’s coffee farms are pretty small; most are less than 10 acres in size. Photo from Rodrigo Flores.[/caption] Today, many aren’t aware that India is one of the world’s largest coffee producers. Ranked sixth internationally, India accounts for more than four per cent of global coffee production. Coffee farms are found in eight regions, mainly in the southern states. Wet-processed or washed specialty coffees are grown in mountainous areas, such as Baba Budan (yes, Chandragiri became known as Baba Budan thanks to the incredible origin story), Nilgiris, and Shevaroys. Robusta is a lot more common than Arabica (it’s 30 per cent v
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Posted: September 15, 2021Categories: Coffee 101
Read more »While visiting your favourite cafe to enjoy that morning cuppa is great, you have to admit there’s something magical about not having to step out of your house for a quality cup of coffee.
Be your own barista and follow these eight amazing tips and hacks for the perfect brew right in the comfort of your own home.
1. Buy Whole Beans, Not Pre-ground
It may not seem like a big thing, but you can really taste the difference between pre-ground coffee and whole-bean coffee.
Having a whole-bean coffee means you’re getting the freshest cup possible. If you think about it, it makes sense, too: from seed to plant, coffee beans go through a long process. Once the bean is ground up, it starts to age at a rapid pace.
Whole-bean coffee is generally fresher, has better flavour, and smells a whole lot more impressive.
2. Stick to the Good Stuff
This tip seems self-explanatory, but it’s important to be selective and choose quality beans.
If you’re unsure where one would go for quality beans, look to specialty coffee shops, which are more likely to have beans that aren’t over-roasted. If you’re shopping for beans online, don’t bulk buy, and check for a ‘roasted on’ date and not a ‘best by’ date.
When looking at the roast date, search for something that’s been roasted anywhere from seven to 21 days from the said roasted date. Any coffee in this time frame will more or less be as fresh as it can possibly be.
3. Arabica vs Robusta, Light Roasts vs Dark Roasts
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Posted: July 14, 2021Categories: The Tools
Read more »Like everything else out there, from cheese to wine and even furniture, there isn’t just one type of coffee. The beans they’re made from vary greatly, and more often than not, with great variation, comes decision fatigue. With an overwhelming amount of choices out there in the market, we get that a seemingly simple decision like choosing a type of bean to use for your machine might turn out to be rather daunting. Where do you begin with your De’Longhi bean-to-cup coffee maker?
Look at the Colour of the Roast
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The colour of a roast is a good indicator of qualities like oiliness, which matters depending on the coffee machine you’re using. Photo from Jakub Kapusnak.[/caption] Roasting coffee beans at a high temperature is a process (well, some say an art) that helps develop and boost aromas. If you don’t get this step right, the beans may lose their aromas and specificity. Here are some general guidelines: if the roast is very dark, the beans will be too bitter. If the roast is not dark enough, the coffee beans may end up tasting a little too acidic. A light roast is mostly best suited for filter coffee extraction. This is also known as a longer extraction aka slow coffee. With this filter method, what you’ll get is a fruitier coffee that’s more acidic. A medium/dark roast is ideal for espresso machines, and not so much bean-to-cup machines, otherwise, you’ll end up with coffee that’s, again, way too
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Posted: June 23, 2021Categories: Coffee 101
Read more »Being on a ketogenic diet doesn’t mean having to give up coffee. By making careful choices on what you add into your coffee, you can continue enjoying your daily brew while keeping to your low-carb, high-fat keto diet.
The biggest tip for coffee lovers on a keto diet is to avoid high-carb additions such regular milk, sweetened creamers, sugar, honey, and standard flavouring syrups.
If it sounds like all is lost, don’t worry! Here are eight easy ways to prepare keto-friendly coffee.
Drink it Black
