A study conducted by the University of Oregon investigated whether the wellknown technique of moistening coffee beans before grinding results in a tastier drink. The answer was positive: the method is effective!
The research results were published in the specialist journal Matter.
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Why does soaking coffee beans improve the taste of the drink?
- Improving the taste of coffee with moistened beans is associated with static electricity.
- The friction between the grains during crushing is responsible for the creation of this form of energy.
- By moistening the grains with a little water it is possible to reduce this static electricity.
- This prevents the beans from sticking together or escaping the grinder.
- In addition, water can extract more flavor from the wet powder and thus enhance the taste.
- According to the researchers, this approach slows down the grinding process but results in a consistent and tasty drink.
Image: matter
Types of cereals
The research team conducted the study using different types of coffee beans, both commercially available and those roasted in the laboratory. They differed in origin, roasting time and moisture content.
Read more:
Experiments found that drier, darker coffee beans were more likely to clump together when ground than lighter beans. Researchers believe this is because dark beans break more easily, while lightly roasted beans retain more moisture, which doesn't have the same effect.
What is the ideal amount of water for a good coffee?
Christopher Hendon, a materials chemist at the University of Oregon and one of the study's authors, told New Scientist that adding about 20 microliters of water per gram of coffee is ideal to improve the taste.
Although more testing needs to be done to understand the effects of water on different types of grinders and preparation methods, the conclusion is the same:
A few simple jets of water solve the problems of clumping, clogging and poor extraction while helping to find the best espresso.
Christopher Hendon for New Scientist
Scientists believe these discoveries could be useful for other geophysical studies and could serve as a basis for studying everything from landslides to volcanic eruptions to the process of water infiltration into the ground.