Batch Perfect
Modern filter coffee that’s bloody good!
By JORDAN CHAN
What is a batch brew?
You’ve seen the classic American filter coffee in films and TV, the one that looks half way between flat coke and molasses that’s served in the iconic American diners. In many ways that was the origin of the modern batch brew. Those pots of dark syrupy coffee were made using the same basic process, and same basic machines, as current batch brews.
But now the coffee is good.
The modern batch brew has benefited from decades of refinement and a deeper understanding of the science behind coffee, allowing us to know and avoid many of the pitfalls that befell the filter coffee of the past. At Love Beans we’re using a specially designed machine that allows us to make the most minor of adjustments to each batch. By adjusting the temperature by individual degrees, and shifting the grind and how much coffee we have in our filter, we can control which flavours become most prominent in our batches. So we end up with light, fruity blueberry flavours in our Nicaraguan batch brews, and rich dark chocolate and caramel flavours in our Tanzanian.
If you feel like you’ve been promised flavours like these in coffees before, only to get a black coffee that’s just as bitter and nasty as every one you have ever tried, then you should definitely give batch brews a go. It’s a coffee that will surprise the milk coffee drinker, delight the black coffee drinker, and convert the non-coffee drinker.
“The modern batch brew has benefited from decades of refinement and a deeper understanding of the science behind coffee, allowing us to know and avoid many of the pitfalls that befell the filter coffee of the past.”
What are the benefits of choosing batch brews?
Speed. Batch Brews are prepared ahead of time and stay fresh for hours in our thermal carafes. So when you come in and order one tomorrow, it’s a simple case of our barista picking up the carafe and pouring you a cup. No messing around with grinders, no waiting for the machine to run shots, no waiting for milk to be steamed.
Consistency. Have you found yourself avoiding a cafe on a particular day because you know THAT barista is there, the one who is lovely and super friendly but just does not know how to make your coffee right? Coffee is nuanced and complicated, and there are so many factors that impact the quality of the result. The beauty of the batch brew is that all the fine tuning and testing has been done long before your coffee is made. The machines are calibrated and the recipes are refined and trimmed to a very simple and repeatable process, ensuring that every barista will make batches of coffee that taste exactly alike. So if you like knowing exactly which coffee you’re going to get, a batch brew is for you.
They’re delicious. Batch brews are smooth and flavourful. A good batch of coffee brings out some of the best flavours from the beans while remaining consistent and reliable.
What are the drawbacks of a batch brew?
Temperature. Carafes keep the coffee piping hot for 2-3 hours, but at the end of those 3 hours the coffee is still hot, but not scorching, so if you like to taste the raging fires of hell on your tongue, you may be disappointed with a batch brew that is at the end of its lifespan.
Production time. While a batch brew takes moments to serve, it does take around 5 minutes to brew a new pot, so if you come in hoping for a specific batch right as we put that batch on, you may have to settle for a different batch or wait a few minutes.
Milk. If you enjoy the creaminess of milk or the nuttiness of almond milk in your coffee then you would be best to order your usual flat white or latte. A batch brew loses a lot of its best qualities once we add milk.
Who should try a batch brew?
You! Especially if:
- you like tasting aromatics and all the fancy flavours in coffee, or you are interested in starting to experience them. Batch brews offer an easy way to begin discovering some of the nuances in different beans.
- you’re considering drinking black coffee, you recoil when you try instant coffee black (who doesn’t?), or a long black just hits you too hard, then a batch brewed coffee is likely what you’re looking for.
- you’ve just found out you’re lactose intolerant and milk substitutes don’t appeal to you, or cutting milk from your daily coffee seems like a reasonable place to start your new diet, then a batch brew is a gentle but fun way to explore the wonderful world of black coffee.
- you’re in such a rush for coffee that you just can’t wait the extra couple of minutes for a long black. You come in, you order, we pour you a cup directly from our ready-to-go carafes, and in less than a minute your delicious black batch brew is in your hands.