Coffee at Home

Dedica EC685 specifics

• The Dedica has a pressurized portafilter by default — it's forgiving but limits grind precision. If you use a bottomless or non-pressurized basket, grind consistency matters much more.
• Target extraction time: 25–30 seconds from first drop to end of pour.
• Water temp is fixed at ~93 °C — let the machine warm up fully (≥ 15 min) before pulling a shot for the best result.
• Descale every 2–3 months with EcoDecalk — Paris hard water speeds up scaling. The descale light is your friend but don't wait for it.
• For a lungo/americano, pull your double shot then top up with hot water — don't just let it run longer through the puck (over-extraction).

Grind & beans

• Fine grind, similar to table salt. Too coarse → watery and sour. Too fine → bitter and slow.
• Espresso roast (dark) works well with the EC685's pressurized basket. Medium roasts are great if you swap to a non-pressurized basket.
• Freshly ground is always best — pre-ground espresso degasses quickly.

Pour technique

1. Rinse the paper filter with hot water — removes papery taste and preheats the vessel. Discard rinse water.
2. Add your ground coffee (medium grind, coarser than espresso, like coarse sand). Give the dripper a gentle shake to level.
3. Bloom: Pour 2× the coffee weight in water (e.g. 30 g water for 15 g dose, or 60 g water for 30 g dose) in slow spirals from center outward. Start your timer. Wait 30–45 seconds. This degasses CO₂ for even extraction.
4. First pour: At 0:45, pour up to ~50% of your target total. Slow, steady spirals — don't pour directly on the filter edges.
5. Second pour: At ~1:30, pour up to your target total. Same slow spiral motion.
6. Total draw-down should finish around 3:00–3:30. If it's faster, grind finer. Slower, go coarser.

Your coffee scale tip

• Place the V60 on the scale from the start — weigh your coffee in AND use the timer simultaneously. You no longer need to guess pours by eye.
• Target weight in the cup is a better measure than water volume — accounts for evaporation and absorption. Aim for ~210 g in cup per 15 g dose (~420 g for the 2-person 30 g dose).
• The bloom is much easier with a scale: pour exactly 2× dose, then stop and wait. No guessing.

Beans & origins

• Ethiopia (Yirgacheffe, Sidamo): Bright, floral, blueberry notes — spectacular in V60. Light to medium roast.
• Colombia / Guatemala: Balanced, caramel, mild acidity. Great everyday cup.
• Kenya: Tomato, black currant, winey — bold and complex. A crowd-pleaser at brunch.
• V60 really shines with light to medium roasts — the clarity of the brew lets origin flavors come through that espresso would mask.
• Buy whole beans and grind fresh. V60 is one of the methods where this makes the biggest difference.

Brew process

1. Preheat the French press with a splash of hot water, swirl and discard.
2. Add coarsely ground coffee (like breadcrumbs — much coarser than V60).
3. Start your timer. Pour all the hot water (93–96 °C) at once, saturating all grounds.
4. Give it a gentle stir to ensure full saturation. Place the lid on (plunger up) but don't press yet.
5. Steep for 4 minutes. For a stronger, more intense cup: up to 5 minutes.
6. Press the plunger down slowly and steadily — 20–30 seconds. Don't force it.
7. Pour immediately — don't let it sit on the grounds or it'll over-extract and turn bitter.

Tips

• French Press produces a fuller, heavier body than V60 because fine particles and oils stay in the cup. It's more forgiving but less "clean."
• Medium to dark roasts work especially well — they complement the rich, oily texture.
• If you see a thick crust of grounds floating, break it gently after 3 min with a spoon — this helps sediment sink before you plunge.

How to brew

1. Grind your coffee coarsely — similar to French Press or slightly coarser. Cold water extracts slowly so fine grinds over-extract and turn bitter.
2. Add grounds to the Hario bottle's inner strainer/filter compartment.
3. Pour cold (or room-temp) water slowly over the grounds. Fill to the shoulder of the bottle.
4. Seal and place in the fridge. Steep for 12 hours minimum — up to 24 hours for a stronger concentrate.
5. Remove the strainer insert and discard grounds. The concentrate keeps in the bottle for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Serving

• Cold brew straight from the bottle is a concentrate — dilute 1:1 with water or milk over ice for a regular-strength cup.
• Prefer it stronger? Go 2:1 (2 parts cold brew, 1 part water) or drink it undiluted over lots of ice as it melts.
• Over ice with a splash of oat milk and a little simple syrup — summer perfection.

Standard recipe (inverted method)

1. Flip the Aeropress upside down (plunger in first). Insert the plunger to the 4 mark.
2. Add 15–17 g of medium-fine ground coffee (between V60 and espresso).
3. Pour ~30 g water and swirl — bloom for 30 seconds.
4. Add remaining water to ~200 ml total. Stir 3–4 times.
5. Attach the filter cap (with wetted paper filter). Steep for 1 min total from first pour.
6. Carefully flip onto your cup. Press slowly and steadily for 20–30 seconds. Stop just before you hear the hiss — don't press the air through.

Tips & variations

• Lower water temp (85–90 °C instead of 93 °C) gives a smoother, less bitter cup — especially with lighter roasts.
• The Aeropress is incredibly forgiving — adjust grind, dose, time, and temp freely. It's the best method for experimenting.
• For an espresso-style concentrate: use 20 g coffee, only 60 ml water, press for a concentrated shot then dilute or use as a latte base.
• Metal filter vs paper filter: metal gives more body and oils (like French Press). Paper gives clarity (like V60). Both are worth trying.
• The Aeropress is great for travel — lightweight, indestructible, and TSA-friendly.

V60 technique

• Use the same pour-over technique as coffee. Chicory is very soluble — don't over-extract (keep total brew time under 3 min or it gets very bitter).
• You can do a quick bloom (15–20 sec is enough) — chicory doesn't degas like coffee.
• Slightly coarser grind than coffee V60 to avoid over-extraction.

French Press technique

• Same coarse grind as coffee French Press. Pour all water, stir, steep 4 minutes — identical process.
• Chicory will leave more fine sediment than coffee. Let it settle 30 seconds before pouring after you plunge.

Blending with coffee

• Classic ratio: 70–80% coffee + 20–30% chicory by weight. Adds depth and cuts caffeine without masking coffee flavor.
• New Orleans style cold brew: add chicory to your cold brew dose at 20–25% of total weight. Pairs beautifully with milk.
• In French Press it blends seamlessly — just mix the grounds before brewing.