Extraction theory

As you can see, behind each cup of coffee is a world of complexity — meaning that we have a huge responsibility at the moment of the final brew. At Pergamino, we are very proud of our team of baristas, who assume this responsibility with great professionalism. They receive constant training, not only in the preparation of our drinks, but in the entire backstory of our coffees, and how to pass on their unique stories to our customers. But do not worry — with a little discipline and curiosity, you, too, can learn to make excellent coffee at home!

The first thing to know is that the methods of coffee brewing are divided into three main families:

  • Espresso

    Produced through rapid extraction under high pressure, brewing espresso requires a special machine. The result is a dense, concentrated and intense drink. When well-prepared, espresso can be enjoyed on its own (if you have a bit of tolerance for bitterness), but is more commonly consumed in drinks with frothed milk, such as cappuccinos, macchiatos, and lattes. An espresso machine is typically used to froth hot steam into the milk, which is then mixed with the coffee, making it creamy and sweet. We warn you — we do not serve very, very hot lattes in our stores, since overheating milk causes it to burn and lose its creamy sweetness.

    At Pergamino, we use between 18-20 grams of coffee for a 2.5 oz double espresso. We always look for a sweet drink with medium acidity. Our favorite origins for espresso brews typically have marked notes of fruit and chocolate.

  • Filtered coffee

    Less concentrated than espresso, filtered coffee takes between 1-5 minutes to brew, and is commonly called Tinto in Colombia. Extraction varies depending on the method. Some methods work by steeping, and others by drip or gravity. The type of filter also varies by method, and can result in subtle differences, even when the same coffee is used. Filtered coffees allow us to experience an origin’s most delicate notes.

  • Cold Brew

    For both espresso and filtered coffee, extraction is always done in hot water, ideally just below boiling point. In the case of Cold Brew, extraction is done at room-temperature, or even colder, over an extended period of time — typically between 6-16 hours. During this slow extraction, certain aromatic components have more time to steep into the drink, producing an intense and sweet end product, often with notes of molasses. Caffeine also comes through more strongly over time, making Cold Brews more caffeinated than any other method of brewing.

Pergamino tastes about 5,000 lots annually to select the finest coffees produced in the country.

Interesting fact:

In Colombia,we got used to the idea that tinto (traditional Colombian black coffee) is an unpleasant, low-quality coffee— prepared in large batches, left to be burned, and mixed with loads of sugar in order to be passable.

When Pergamino got started, we were told that we shouldn’t sell tinto —that it was considered to be low quality, and is better off replaced by an Americano or other more sophisticated drinks. However, here we are, selling tinto — carefully prepared by expert baristas using fresh, extraordinary beans.

Our tinto is intense, but never bitter or burnt. Rather, it is naturally sweet, and does not require sugar. It can be enjoyed as a simple morning ritual, for digesting a lunch, or even own its own — to be savored for its sensory experience of fruit, chocolate or spices, depending on the origin you choose. In our stores you can order a simple, traditional tinto, or you can specify a specific origin and method of preparation to your liking.

Seguir Leyendo

  •

    01. Introduction

    We are privileged to work in every stage of the coffee process — from farm to cup.

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  • 02. What are specialty coffees?

    We’ll begin by defining specialty coffees — and what differentiates them from lower-quality beans.

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  • 03. Describing coffee

    Coffee is like wine. There’s the gas-station kind that taste like sludge, the critically-acclaimed kind that experts and hipsters alike hail as tasting like bouquets of flowers — and everything in between.

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  • 04. Agronomy

    The process begins with a seed (the coffee bean itself) planted in sand, where it germinates into a small seedling called a “chapola.” After 3 months, the seedling is transplanted into a small bag, and continues to grow until it is strong enough to be planted in the field.

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  • 05. Farm processing

    Remember that the coffee we consume is the roasted seed of a fruit. The fruit begins its process of transformation when it is picked from the tree. Unlike other fruits (such as banana, avocado, mango, etc.), coffee can’t be picked while it is still green. It must be harvested at the perfect point of ripeness, when the cherry has fully matured.

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  • 06. Roasting

    At Pergamino, we are artisanal roasters. is means several things. First, that we roast in small batches under the careful oversight of a master roaster. We analyze each batch of green coffee in depth in order to determine the ideal roasting curve for its density, profile and final destination.

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  • 07. Species of trees

    At Pergamino, we are artisanal roasters. is means several things. First, that we roast in small batches under the careful oversight of a master roaster. We analyze each batch of green coffee in depth in order to determine the ideal roasting curve for its density, profile and final destination.

    See more

  • 08. Extraction theory

    As you can see, behind each cup of coffee is a world of complexity — meaning that we have a huge responsibility at the moment of the final brew. At Pergamino, we are very proud of our team of baristas, who assume this responsibility with great professionalism. They receive constant training, not only in the preparation of our drinks, but in the entire backstory of our coffees, and how to pass on their unique stories to our customers. But do not worry — with a little discipline and curiosity, you, too, can learn to make excellent coffee at home!

    See more

  • 09. Preparation of filtered coffee

    Before going into detail about brewing, we’d like to cover the core principles of coffee extraction. Brewing coffee is always a delicate game — balancing the quantity of coffee, the quantity of water, the type of grind, and the extraction time. Depending on the method, these factors can be varied in order to highlight specific attributes of a coffee.

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  • 10. History

    Coffee’s global voyage began in the lush highlands of Ethiopia, the original motherland of the Coffea Arabica plant. The earliest known writing on the coffee plant, dating to the 10th century, characterizes it as a medicine—prepared as an infusion of coffee cherries in hot water.

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  • 11. The Allied Farmers Project

    Like all small, medium and large producers in Colombia, Pergamino spent many years helplessly riding the roller coaster of international coffee prices. We had to invest in our crops without knowing what they would sell for during their 12-year production cycle.

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  • 12. Dreams of the future

    We dare to share with you a dream that we have for the future. Colombian coffee has changed a lot in the last 80 years, shifting towards more technical, large-scale cultivation — with widespread use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, monoculture, and complete exposure (without shade trees).

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  • 13. Brewing methods

    These are our favorite methods and advices

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