In today’s interview I get to speak with creator and founder of F.R.E.A.K Coffee, Asher Yaron.
We talk about how to drink the best coffee by learning more about the brewing process and, especially, the benefits of cold brewing.
In part one of the interview with Asher, we talked about the importance of using freshly roasted 100% Arabica coffee beans.
If you missed that episode I highly recommend listening to what Asher had to share on why drinking freshly roasted coffee is so good for our health.
The last episode was full of useful tips about choosing the best quality beans and information about why freshly roasting the beans is so important.
But while this first step is essential, how we approach the next steps in the process will also impact on the final result of the coffee.
If you know someone who is interested in learning more about:
- What are the benefits of using freshly roasted coffee
- How to brew the best tasting coffee
- What is the difference between the different ways to make coffee
- How to get the best results using the cold brew method
Then this interview is for them.
I enjoyed this interview as after talking to Asher I learnt so much about how grinding the bean and selecting the brewing method affects the outcome of how coffee tastes.
I am looking forward to taking all this information and experimenting at home to get a fully customized cup of coffee.
Special thanks to Asher for joining me on the show.
Enjoy the episode!
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Speaker Links
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Show Notes with Timestamp Links
Find summarised highlights of what we talk about during the interview.
Use the clickable timestamp links to jump direct to those points in the audio file below:
[00:19] – On today’s episode we carry on our conversation with Asher Yaron from last week’s episode where we talked about the health benefits of drinking fresh coffee, so if you haven’t already, make sure you catch up on the previous episode.
[01:38] – Before the brewing process we first need to grind our freshly roasted bean. Getting a good grind is an important part of the process and there are two types of grinders that are typical used; the blade grinder which gives a fairly inconsistent result and the burr grinder which pushes the beans through gears and gives a more consistent result. Asher explains that the brand name of the grinder makes no difference. Instead, he recommends people choose a burr grinder for best results.
[05:00] – In terms are brewing the coffee there are many different methods that could be used and whichever one you prefer can depend on your preferences in how strong you like your coffee. Asher describes how to use the fresh press method (gives a weak coffee), drip coffee brewer (good tip is to stir the coffee to ensure all the coffee grounds are coming in contact with water), and the mocha pot or the stovetop espresso (gives a very strong coffee).
[14:44] – Asher explained how he learned about cold brew coffee. This method uses cold water to brew the coffee and takes anywhere from 12 to 24 hours to seep resulting in different strength of coffee. Other factors, such as coarseness of grind, give different results and Asher explains how through experimentation he found that the best cold brew takes 24 hours to seep and uses a coarser grind.
[19:45] – One benefit of using the cold brew method is it results in less acidic coffee. In fact, studies showed that it had 70% less acid.
[20:39] – Another thing Asher found while experimenting with taste of cold brew is that brewing coffee straight after roasting (which is something he recommends if brewing hot coffee) made the coffee too sour due to the antioxidants released from the freshly roasted beans. By testing this further he found the best cold brew was made using coffee beans roasted 3 days prior to brewing.
[22:25] – Bottled cold brew lasts for a minimum of three weeks in the fridge without deterioration and if you prefer your coffee hot, you can always heat it up before drinking. This can allow people to batch cook their coffee to save time in the mornings.
[26:42] – Cold brews are becoming more popular and you can ask your coffee shops to heat up your cold brewed coffees for you with the steam wand if desired.
[27:56] – Commercial cold brew is often a completely different product due to the beans and method used in preparation. Are the beans used 100% Arabica? Where were the coffee beans sourced from? When were the beans roasted? What was the brewing process? The answer to these questions all impact on the final result and quality of the coffee. A good tip for people who don’t like their brew too strong is to dilute it with some water.
[29:49] – Toddy is a brewer for making cold brew coffee at home that has been on the market since 1970, however, it contains a lot of plastic. Asher is in the process of creating his own version made with stainless steel that will become available on his Powerroaster site. He believes people should have affordable products that last and are made with quality ingredients.
[32:40] – There is a wide scale of how much interest people take in coffee and the process that goes into making it. Many people who experience the difference in quality it can make to do it right at home according to personal preferences tend to really appreciate it and take to it more.
[34:30] – We discuss other popular brewing methods such as the AeroPress and the Rite Press, which is similar to the French press but is easier to clean because of a removable bottom. Asher explains that these methods won’t make a significance difference in improving the coffee, they will just make the process more convenient – the single most important factor in improving the coffee is fresh roasting the coffee yourself.
[36:55] – What is the biggest difference, from the taste perspective, in using freshly roasted coffee beans? It’s not bitter. There are a lot of other elements and tastes such as sweetness and sourness (from the antioxidants) which overpower the bitter aspect of coffee. As time goes by and the coffee degrades all these elements are lost and what’s left is only the bitterness.
[40:13] – Letting your espresso sit for a period of time results in a similar degradation. A top tip is to shoot your espresso right away like they do in Italy. Other tips for going into coffee shops include asking when beans were roasted and whether they are using 100% Arabica beans.
[44:21] – Currently not a lot of baristas know the importance of this aspect of brewing coffee as they have been taught different things. Asher believes a decade from now we will be able to have these types of conversations but right now it’s somewhat difficult.
[46:10] – To find out more about the home roaster and other upcoming products visit Powerroaster.com for updates. On this website you can also find more information on green coffee, grinders and brewers.
You can also visit Coffeetruther.com to find all Asher’s videos from Coffee University his YouTube channel, as well as his other videos and articles where he talks about debunks myths and other claims made by the coffee industry. Here you will also be able to find links to his new book called Coffee – The Fourth Wave: A fresh roasting revolution which will be available to buy in 4 to 6 week and will be offered at 40% discount through the site.
Asher also recommends joining the Home Coffee Roasters Facebook where people are sharing a lot of information and it’s a great place to learn more about this.