If you’ve ever made a pour over or watched a brewing tutorial, you’ve seen how bubbles form around the coffee grounds. If you’re reading the breakdown of pour over instructions, you’ve seen 30-45 seconds designated for the “bloom” or “steep”. But what is a coffee bloom?
It’s the C02
In short, this is the bubbling up of carbon dioxide that’s released when water is poured over fresh coffee grounds.
(This is also a good way to know if your beans are fresh. When making a pour over, you’ll want to pre-wet the filter, and then pre-wet the grounds or let them “bloom” for 30 seconds. If there’s no bloom, the beans are likely old.) Giving your coffee time to bloom will bring out the flavors that are “locked” in the bean.
When coffee is roasted, the heat causes carbon dioxide to become trapped in the bean. After roasting, the beans slowly release these gasses a little at a time in what’s known as “degassing”. When brewing your coffee, you want to leave time for the carbon dioxide to escape, kind of like letting your coffee exhale.
Why? For one, carbon dioxide has a sour taste. So if you start your full pour without a break, there’s a good chance your coffee will be sour, even if your other even extraction measures (like proper grind size and using a gooseneck kettle to pour) are in place.
Letting your coffee bloom allows for full enjoyment of your favorite Klatch.
Buy Freshly Roasted, Whole Bean Coffee
This is also why we recommend buying whole bean or freshly ground coffee. If you have a burr grinder that you like at home, grinding your coffee at home means fresh coffee every time you make a cup. You’ll have more flexibility in experimenting with brewing methods and grind size as well. However, learning the ins and outs of pour over methods takes time.
Here at Klatch, we roast to order, ensuring that you get to enjoy the peak of flavor that we’re known for. Check out our blog on why it matters.
Ensure Freshness: Subscribe Today
The best way to ensure you have fresh-roasted coffee at home is to subscribe. You can set the delivery frequency to match your needs, and you can choose from a single origin, blend, or espresso subscription.
For our single origin and blend subscriptions, we also give the option of freshly ground coffee, so that whether you’re brewing with a french press, auto drip, cone filter (V60 style), or Chemex, you can enjoy the ease of simply measuring out ground coffee and leave the coffee science to your favorite Klatch baristas.
When it comes to espresso, fresh is best, which is why we recommend a home espresso machine and burr grinder so that you can enjoy the cafe experience even when you’re away from your local Klatch.
Let it Bloom
- In sum, let your Chemex coffee bloom for 30 seconds. This is key especially if you’re making any kind of pour over, and even if you’re keeping it simple with a French Press. If you’re using a Breville Precision Brewer Thermal, it will take care of the bloom for you.
- Make sure you’re buying freshly roasted coffee (always a given with Klatch!) and buy whole bean if you can, or at least freshly ground coffee.
- Sign-up for a Klatch Club Subscription if you’re looking to try a new coffee each month.
- Check out our newest brewing tutorial on our Youtube Channel, brewing our Organic Mexico Oaxaca Mixteca Guadalupe with Pourx UFO.