Popular Science - USA (2020 - Spring)

hallowed

THE WORLD’S PRICIEST COFFEE BEANS MAKE A LONG

TRIP FROM PANAMA’S MOUNTAINS TO YOUR MUG. TREAT

THEM—OR YOUR REGULAR DAILY BLEND—WITH RESPECT BYROB VERGER

OVERKILL

Beans

Klatch Coffee’s Elida Geisha Natural 1029 is grown on a

reserve near the Barú volcano in Panama, where the cold

air causes trees to grow two to three times more slowly,

limiting harvests. You pay $100 for 18 grams, enough to

brew an 8-ounce cup of fruity goodness.

Grinder

Cheap, blade-based machines chop your beans into

inconsistent chunks, but the Baratza Virtuoso+ uses two

carbon-steel burrs to crush them into a uniform powder,

while extracting more oil for enhanced flavor. Choose from

40 levels of coarseness to match your brew.

Brewer

The key to the Six-Cup Classic Chemex is its beaker-riffed

design. Pour the water (heated to 204 degrees Fahrenheit)

over your precious grounds, then watch them bubble up—

or “bloom”—as they release CO2. The borosilicate glass

won’t absorb aromas, so every batch tastes fresh.