Haymaker Tips & Tricks

Mastering the Art of Brewing the Perfect Espresso at Home: A 7-Step Guide

support@haycc.com — Wed, 17 May 2023 14:32:56 -0500

Welcome, coffee enthusiasts, to the wonderful world of espresso! For many, espresso embodies the essence of a strong, bold, and smooth coffee experience. While espresso machines are commonly associated with crafting this delightful elixir, fear not! Today, we embark on an exciting journey of making espresso at home, even without a fancy machine. So grab your favorite espresso beans, roll up your sleeves, and let's dive in!

1 Choose the Beans

The Bean Hunt: The key to a remarkable espresso starts with the perfect bean. Seek out dark-roasted beans labeled specifically for espresso. These beauties are carefully roasted to unlock rich flavors, oils, and a distinct boldness that will shine in your homemade espresso. Haymaker’s Cruiserweight Cuban Roasted Espresso coffee is rich, bold, and full-bodied. Our beans can be ordered pre-ground for convenience, or as whole beans ready to grind just before brewing.

2 Use Your Stovetop

The Moka Pot Magic: If you’ve ever asked, can you make an espresso without a machine? Yes you can, allow us to introduce you to your espresso's new best friend the Moka pot. This elegant stovetop device has been the unsung hero for espresso enthusiasts across the globe. Its simple yet effective design creates pressure channeling hot water through the coffee grounds and producing a rich, concentrated shot. It's almost like having a mini espresso machine in your kitchen!

3 Grind Your Beans

The Perfect Grind: When it comes to making espresso without an espresso machine, getting the grind just right is crucial. Unlike the fine grind needed for traditional espresso machines, the Moka pot requires a slightly coarser grind. Aim for a texture that resembles granulated sugar or table salt. This adjustment ensures proper extraction, preventing over-extraction and the dreaded bitter taste. So, adjust your grinder accordingly.

4 Decide Your Water-to-Coffee Ratio

The Water-Ratio Tango: Ah, the heart and soul of espresso-making—finding the perfect water-to-coffee ratio. A general guideline for an espresso-like result is a ratio of 1:12. Start by filling the lower chamber of your Moka pot with filtered water, ensuring it doesn't exceed the safety valve. Place the funnel-like filter basket on top, filling it with your finely ground coffee. Remember, don't pack it too tightly. Screw on the top chamber securely and place the Moka pot on low to medium heat.

How much espresso is too much? The FDA recommends a max of 6 espresso shots for one day. So go forth, experiment, and unlock the wonders of this magical elixir that brings joy with every sip.

5 Brew Your Coffee

The Ritual: As the water simmers, anticipation builds, and the heavenly aroma of espresso fills the air. Stay close and keep an eye on the magic happening inside the pot. Once you hear a gentle gurgling sound, it's time to remove the Moka pot from the heat. Run the bottom chamber under cold water to halt the brewing process and prevent over-extraction.

6 Pour the Espresso

The Art of Serving: Finally, the moment you've been waiting for. Grab your favorite espresso cup and pour your freshly brewed shot, relishing in the beautiful caramel-colored liquid. Sip slowly, allowing the bold flavors to envelop your palate. For a touch of indulgence, top it off with a dollop of foamed milk or enjoy it straight-up for the purest espresso experience.

7 Make it Iced

Chilled Delights: As the weather warms up, you can explore refreshing iced coffee creations. From iced lattes to shaken espresso drinks, the options are endless. A favorite of ours is the brown sugar oat shaken iced latte (great with a touch of cinnamon) or the white chocolate raspberry iced latte.

Conclusion: Congratulations, my fellow coffee adventurer! You have mastered the art of making espresso at home without an espresso machine. Armed with the right beans, a Moka pot, and a little love, you can revel in the pleasures of a strong, bold, and smooth espresso whenever your heart desires. So go forth, experiment, and unlock the wonders of this magical elixir that brings joy with every sip. Your journey to coffee nirvana starts now!

How to make cold brew step by step + video

support@haycc.com — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 12:50:06 -0500

When it comes to brewing your favorite cup of coffee, there are so many ways it can be done. Cold brew has become a very famous way to brew coffee as it extracts the flavor and caffeine directly from the beans, allowing for a rich, more flavorful and smoother brew.

Why Cold Brew?

Cold brew is simply the bolder and stronger version of iced coffee. If you are looking to step up your coffee game and fall in love with the process and taste, cold brew is for you. Cold Brew offers a better taste than iced coffee as iced coffee tends to become watered down. The process of cold brew eliminates the bitterness as sometimes tasted in regular brewed coffee. This process also eliminates the acidity which can be easier on your body. This guarantees a smoother brew. Below is the Haymakers team process for making our famous Cold Brew.

Make sure you have the right ratio of coffee to water for the best Cold Brew

The ratio of coffee to water is one of the most important parts of brewing cold brew. A good starting point for cold brew is a 1:4 or 1:5 ratio (or even 1:6 if you’re using a full immersion method like French press). You can make it stronger or weaker depending on your taste.

It’s not an exact science and different grind levels will require slightly different ratios, but as long as you have more water than coffee, you’re in business!

Grind your coffee beans to the right size.

The next step in brewing your own cold brew is the size of your grind. The grind size depends on the type of coffee you want to make, which affects how much surface area of the beans ends up in contact with water throughout the extraction process (and therefore how flavorful your finished brew will be). For cold brew, you’ll want a coarse grind.

Use filtered water.

Filtered water is always a better choice than water from the tap.

Brewing Cold Brew

The next step is to add the grounds to a container that is lined with a cheesecloth, coffee filter or fine-mesh strainer. Containers preferably should be airtight with a sealable lid. Add the grounds right to the filter and begin to pour the filtered water on top of the grounds. Seal off the filter so the contents do not get mixed and place in the fridge!

Cold Brew takes time.

Cold brew is known for its smooth taste, but it is also a slow process. The coffee needs anywhere from 12-24 hours to steep. This means that planning ahead is essential—you don't want to start the process at 7 am if you need it by 8 am!

The amount of time your cold brew will take depends on many factors, including how coarse or fine the beans are ground and how much coffee you use. To make a standard concentrate of cold brew (which yields 2 cups), we recommend steeping your coffee grounds in water for 14-18 hours in order to extract as much flavor as possible.

Once the cold brew batch is taken out of the fridge, you've now got your first batch of cold brew! It's ready to be iced or mixed with milk (or even hot water for people who like it slightly warm). Cold brew is also delicious when used in place of water when making cocktails. Enjoy!

Add some extras to your Cold Brew, if you're into that.

Now that you've got the cold brew basics down, you're free to experiment with different flavors. Try adding some of your favorite extras to your morning cup, such as:

Milk (dairy or alternative)
Sugar or sweetener
Honey (especially in the summer)
A spoonful of cocoa powder for a mocha flavor
Whipped cream and mint for a chilly treat
Caramel with half and half are one of our top sellers in our Haymaker coffee truck!

Tips and Tricks for the best Cold Brew

Use high quality beans (aka Haymaker Coffee)
Use ‘drinking water’ instead of spring water for a smoother taste
Experiment brewing with different ratios to find the best ratio for you
You CAN heat up cold brew, it won’t change the acidity or flavor!
Use an airtight container

Why Specialty Coffee Beans Are Better

support@haycc.com — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 16:49:00 -0600

Find out more about specialty coffee and why you should buy it. Haymaker Coffee offers select specialty grade coffee to make the most impact on your day!

The Golden Coffee to Water Ratio for Each Brew Method?

support@haycc.com — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 13:19:00 -0600

When making a kickass cup of coffee at home, water can be just as important as the beans you use. So, what’s the right coffee to water ratio? While there is a standard water ratio to work from, it can change depending on the type of coffee you pick and the brewing method you use. Learn the key to making a perfect cup of joe with these answers to common coffee making questions.

What coffee to water ratio should I use?

It can be easy to mess up a perfectly good cup of coffee if you don’t know how much water to add. Thankfully, coffee experts around the world have figured out a tried-and-true, gold standard ratio: 1:17. It stands for 1 gram of coffee for every 17 grams of water. If you want a “stronger” cup of coffee, adding more coffee beans may not actually help. Instead, opt for a darker roast for more full-bodied flavor. And if you’re looking for more caffeine , consider a light roast blend. But there are exceptions to the golden rule. More on that later.

How many scoops of coffee make one cup? Or twelve?

We realize not everyone is weighing their coffee or water by the gram. Instead, the average Joe uses the scoop method. When considering volume, the ratio ends up more like 1-2 tablespoons of grinded coffee for every six ounces of water in your drip coffee maker (and adjust as needed). For multiple cups, simply multiply the ratio. So, if you want 12 cups of coffee, use 12-24 tablespoons and 72 ounces of water.

How do coffee brewing methods differ?

Here’s where it gets tricky. The golden standard will deliver if you like drip coffee or a manual pour-over. However, other brewing methods require some tweaking. For example, an espresso uses a ratio of 1:2, an Aeropress’ ratio is 1:6, a French Press is best with 1:12, and cold brew is at its prime with a 9:40 ratio. At the end of the day, everyone is different. You still may need to adjust your ratio to taste. Use this handy calculator to find a good starting place.

How does the water I use impact my coffee?

When added to ground coffee beans, water extracts the flavor and caffeine from ground coffee beans. Your coffee may be weak if you use too much water or if the water you use isn’t at the right temperature. The flavor can also be impacted by the type of water you use. While tap water makes your coffee taste its best, it can differ depending on if your area has hard or soft water.

How to make the perfect cup of Haymaker?

Whether you buy our Heavyweight , Middleweight or other Haymaker roast, you’re guaranteed to get coffee packed with flavor. And a little goes a long way, you only need one tablespoon for every eight ounces of water to make a killer cup of Haymaker in your coffee maker. To learn how to brew Haymaker with different methods, check out our simple guide .

How Much Caffeine Is In Coffee?

support@haycc.com — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 11:33:00 -0600

How much caffeine is really in our daily cup of coffee? Read on to learn how different roasts, brew methods, & grind sizes compete in coffee caffeine content

We’re Giving Thanks (And Coffee) to Teachers!

support@haycc.com — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 10:08:00 -0500

We’re Giving Thanks (And Coffee) to Teachers!

We know every day is a hustle, whether you’re making deals in an office or serving meals behind a counter. And no one hustles harder than teachers. Our founders have a big heart for education and those working hard every day to help shape the minds of our kids. This week we had the opportunity to show our support by kicking off our partnership with Jacksonville, FL area schools.

Why Teachers?

Our founders, Eun, Sang and Simon, have the utmost respect for all educators and know the importance and significance of the positive impact teachers can have on a community and its children. They witnessed this firsthand while growing up in the Duval County Public School System in Jacksonville, Florida. There, they received a solid foundation that helped them go on to achieve future successes in their careers – and it was attributed to the dedication and support of their teachers.

“We really wanted to give back to the school system that molded us into the people we are now. We had great teachers and administrators who were the mentors that guided us when we needed it. Donating this coffee provides the extra boost of energy to shape the next group of leaders, who we hope will give back in kind or more in the future,” said Eun Cho, Co-Founder of Haymaker.

Going Back to School

The first five schools to benefit from our partnership are close to our Founders’ hearts: Charger Academy, Chimney Lakes Elementary, Hyde Park Elementary, Westside Middle School, and Westside High School. These are the schools they attended as kids and where they gained the skills they needed to succeed.

Eun, Sang and Simon were honored to make their alma maters the first stops in our journey. Recently, we delivered several bags of Haymaker coffee and K-cup® Pods to these schools to help give teachers the energy they need. We hope it helps them to keep up the hard work as they continue to inspire growth in the lives of their students.

"We were amazed at the reception we received at each of the schools we visited! It was truly an honor to spend time reconnecting with our former elementary, middle, and high schools on the west side of Jacksonville. We could not be more thankful for the partnership with DCPS and we look forward to building upon this foundation of giving back to our community," said Simon Bitar, Co-Founder of Haymaker.

The First Drop Is Not the Last

As part of our ongoing partnership with DCPS, Haymaker will be donating additional bags of coffee and K-cup® Pods over the next several months to schools throughout the district. We plan to contribute thousands of cups of coffee to our local educators to help them power through the day and inspire our country’s future leaders!

Follow us on social media to learn more about our future drop-offs! Want to celebrate the teachers in your life? Consider sending them a bag of Haymaker coffee to keep them swinging for the fences.

Debunking Myths: Light Roast Vs. Dark Roast Caffeine Levels

support@haycc.com — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 12:20:00 -0500

As a coffee drinker, you probably know what type of roast you prefer. Heck, you probably refuse to drink anything else. We get that. That’s why we’ve developed different roast types for different.......

5 Best Ways to Make Coffee at Home: A Step-By-Step Guide

support@haycc.com — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 17:38:00 -0500

A good cup of coffee doesn't have to be complicated. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a fancy brew with all the fixings, but it’s not what you need at the crack of dawn at the start of a busy day.......