Have you ever been next in line to get your long awaited kopi fix, only to realise that they ran out of kopi and you got to wait for the new batch to be brewed? These were always bittersweet memories for us - bitter because who likes to wait?? But at the same time, sweet because we're always fascinated by the mini kopi-brewing show put up by the kopitiam uncle; that nimbleness he displayed while handling these huge tin equipment, and that coffee aroma that hits you when he 'tariks' his kopi.
But this also sets us wondering... do we really need to use all these huge tin apparatus before we can achieve that rich, chocolatey cup of kopitiam kopi? How did people brew their kopi before these equipment were invented?
Well, we're here to tell you now that NOPE, all you really need to brew a cup of good kopi is just 2 cups, and a sock. (And of course good kopi powder!)
These traditional kopi equipment were invented and manufactured widely when kopi stalls started evolving their brewing methods to deal with the growing morning crowd of yet-to-be caffeinated zombies. By using bigger pots and jugs, they could reduce the waiting time by making more servings of kopi at one go, while ensuring that each cup of kopi is consistent from the first to the last. Today, we will discuss how we arrived at Soot Kopi Brewing Method by streamlining existing brewing processes to achieve the same quality of kopi from the comforts of your home.
Let's begin by going through the brewing equipment that you often see at most of the kopi stalls in Singapore. In our previous post, we mentioned briefly about some of these equipment, click here to see what you have missed!
Photo credits: KGG Coffee
1) Brewing Pot: Scoop kopi powder into this pot and allow the kopi to steep in hot boiling water. This allows the essence of the the kopi powder to be extracted into the hot water to give you that thick and aromatic base brew.
2) Stirring Stick: Wooden stick to stir the kopi mix in the brewing pot.
3) Sock: Acts as a filter to separate the kopi powder from the base brew.
4) Holding Pots: Stores the base brew with a sock left in the holding pots, allowing the kopi powder to continue steeping in the pot.
5) Stove: Keep the base brew warm at about 70-80 degrees celsius, since each pot can provide up to 10 servings of kopi.
#Finding Number 1: Looking at point 4) Holding Pots, some of you may wonder, "Wouldn't steeping the kopi powder in the holding pots cause a difference in taste between the first and last cup of the 10 servings of kopi in each batch?"
Pro tip for you: There is definitely going to be a slight difference between the 1st and last cup, so we figured the best cups of kopi are somewhere between the 4th to 6th cup for each batch of brew. However, we also found out that these holding pots can be left on the stove for up to 45 mins before our kopi baristas decide that the kopi has turned stale and decide to throw them away. 45 minutes seems like a really long time, could it mean that the steeping time does not really matter?
#Finding Number 2: When the kopi brew is poured from the brewing into the holding pot, do you realise that most kopi baristas like to 'tarik' by 'pulling' the kopi. The action of 'pulling' helps to aerate the brew by allowing the beans to oxidise, further enhancing the kopi taste and aroma.
However, fellow Soot Kopi lovers who have tried our kopi will also realise that this was not included in the instructions of our base brew recipe.
Pro tip: We have tried both methods and realised there is not much noticeable difference between 'tarik-ing', or not. If you are not confident in 'pulling' your kopi and risk a mini kitchen disaster, fret not! You will still get your delicious cup of kopi without this step!
Moving on to our Soot Kopi Brewing Method! We started Soot Kopi because we wanted to make kopi brewing easy, convenient, and accessible to the mass by sharing with you everything we know to guide you through making that best, and only cup of kopi you will ever need. Click here to refer to our recipe!
You will need:
1) 2 Cups
2) Sock & Scoop (provided in our starter pack)
3) Kettle to boil water
Yes, it's that simple! We have also cut down the entire brewing time considerably, and you now only need 5 mins of brewing time! For the first cup of kopi, we strongly encourage you to follow closely to our base brew recipe. After which, you can adjust accordingly with addition of water, sugar, and/or milk to give you the best kopi suited to your tastebuds.
Rest assured, Soot Kopi is not just stopping here with our ultimate base brew recipe. We are aware that many of you are looking for even more convenient and alternative ways to brew yourself a good cup of kopi and yes, WE HEAR YOU!
Stay tuned, because something new is Soot-ing next week! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to find out more.
Till then, stay safe and happy Soot-ing! :)