t is undeniable that among coffee lovers there are two factions: the #mokalovers and the #espressolovers. If you belong to the second category and dream of drinking a coffee at home like the one in the bar, by pressing just a button without making any effort, a super-automatic coffee machine is what you need.
For those who still don’t know what we are talking about, here is a brief explanation: what is a super-automatic coffee machine.
The “super-automatic or bean-to-cup” coffee machine is a compact “all-in-one” that grinds the coffee beans and extracts the drink directly by simply pressing a button.
Today we find many variations of these machines on the market, from the simplest, which extract a standard coffee without too many adjustments, to super technological machines that offer the possibility of changing parameters of all kinds and being managed via an app.
In short, the quality is high and the coffee undeniably fresh, but there is always something more to know. For this reason we asked some questions to Mauro de Giusti, owner of the family business Manuel Caffè.
Let’s start by understanding what you think of the new “bean to cup” machines. Are they really able to reproduce the espresso at home like at the bar?
“No, and let me explain. The espresso at the bar remains the espresso at the bar, because a professional espresso machine works on different pressure and temperature parameters. Personally, however, I believe that with a high-level super-automatic, therefore with the possibility of adjusting the temperature, weight, etc., and obviously a quality raw material, we can obtain a drink very similar to our beloved espresso. The absolute plus, not negligible, of these machines is their eco-sustainability as they are an excellent alternative to capsules with the use of fresh coffee.”
Does using the bean, rather than the ground, guarantee more aroma?
“Using coffee beans, ground on the spot, is certainly not even remotely comparable to using a ready-made blend, because we know that coffee usually loses more than 60% of its aromas after 15 minutes of being ground. So the advice is: coffee beans, ground on the spot and above all in the right dose!”
How to best preserve coffee beans?
“Preserving beans is easier than preserving ground beans, because whole beans deteriorate less easily and oxidize more slowly. I would suggest putting them in an airtight glass jar in the fridge. The cold temperature slows down the degassing process – the release of carbon dioxide from the cells of the bean – and therefore the organoleptic deterioration consequently slows down. After roasting, the cells of the bean are full of gas and aromas; the more we manage to keep the gas inside the bean, the fuller it will be of organoleptic properties when grinding. And here a chapter opens up in itself, an in-depth educational study that we develop in the Barista Skills courses at the @saperecoffeeacademy.”
Which Manuel coffee is recommended?
“In my opinion, there is no ideal coffee blend for the super-automatic machine, for the moka pot or for the espresso in organoleptic terms. What is fundamental, however, is the bean cooking process which requires different characteristics for each extraction method. At Manuel Caffè, after careful market research on the taste/preference trends of consumers who use these machines at home, we have created two blends suitable for super-automatic machines: Nobile and Puro, different percentages of Arabica and Robusta, roasted in beans and of great aromatic quality. Nobile is a full-bodied coffee, with an intense aroma and notes of cocoa and dried fruit with a soft aftertaste on the palate; Puro has a more decisive profile for lovers of strong flavours with hints of caramel, cocoa and spices.”
And for the future, should we expect a Manuel Caffè Superautomatic?
“We are a family that loves to move forward and that has always built on the basis of tradition, we could define ourselves as “innovators by family tradition”! So, what can I tell you except that we are working on it. It is an advanced project and we are confident that it will materialize soon.”
See you soon with the next Manuel Caffè superautomatic: today it is a project, tomorrow an additional opportunity to guarantee the quality of the coffee.
