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Humidity and the Bean
Humidity and Espresso.
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Frustrating hindrance to consistent work flow, or a natural aid to beautiful extractions?
Leaving the doors of a cafe open can lead to some issues with grind consistency and production waste due to a constantly changing grind particle size requirement for optimum extraction. On the other hand, a slightly more humid environment can help aid in the fullness and richness of an even extraction.
So, where’s the balance?
Generally, an espresso bar will stay more humid than not, especially in a busy cafe. The constant running of hot water, hot espresso, hot coffee, the steaming of milk, purging the steam wand, flushing the group-head, rinsing the portafilters, and so on will all contribute to a higher than average humidity level in the area around the espresso bar. The downside to this, is that this can have a tendency to lead to a rather warm working environment. The espresso machine is already emitting quite a bit of heat, even before the introduction of all of this moisture to the ambient air. Grinders are no slouches either when it comes to heat production. This is not necessarily a good thing, and in fact, can be quite detrimental to the quality of your espresso. (has anyone else ever had issues with an overheating grinder? You can never seem to grind fine enough for a good extraction when this happens.)
Battling these humidity factors is the Texas cafe’s beloved air conditioning unit. Cooler air makes the room more comfortable, and more often than not, will cause the customers to freeze when the barista is comfortable. What it also does it condense some of the moisture in the air a bit, so the heavier humid air will sink towards the floor.
Are there any tricks to maintaining a constant humidity around the espresso station? Well, no, but preventative maintenance does help. Keeping all doors and windows that lead to the outdoors will help to at least equalize the humidity level so that the adjustment necessary is minimal, and the shot extraction is as consistent as possible. Keeping a consistent air conditioner temperature, and situating vents to NOT point directly towards the espresso station during build-out, or situating the espresso station so that it is not being directly hit by an air vent if the HVAC is already existing beforehand.
How much of a difference does this really make? I challenge you to leave your front doors open for an entire shift, and watch the extractions like a hawk. I would be very surprised if you avoided the frustrations of constant grind adjustment and the unnecessary number of sink shots (read: money) that go down the drain as a result of something that is easy to harbor some control over.
The bigger question in mind is whether or not we have the capabilities to control ambient interior humidity so precisely, that we can actually chalk it up as another controllable parameter for espresso extraction profiling. Tobacco retailers have been doing just that for years with their walk-in humidors. The trick, however, is that these humidors are closely guarded. The door is never left open for more than about three seconds at a time.
Another aspect to consider is cost. What is the average mark-up for such a retail situation when compared to specialty coffee? I personally believe that we are in a position where we are undercharging as it is. It’s sad when a CoE coffee can be sold for $10/lb. green, and this is considered expensive! Sure, there are some great bargains to be had.. just like wine. But those of us who are absolutely adamant about quality are willing to pay more.. much more. It has been said that “people will pay a premium price for a premium product”, but how much truth is there really in that? What is a “premium price”? It’s all subjective, and this may mean that the operating costs necessary for running a commercial humidifier and hygrometer might just be out of our reach. It would be interesting to see happen, though.
In short, Humidity has an enormous impact on the quality and nature of your espresso’s extraction, and should be considered through all phases of production, from build-out, to a/c control, to weatherstripping and insulation. I’d like to see a measurable graph correlating a hygrometer reading and taste scoring for a specific dose weight and extraction time, with the only change being the humidity and grind particle size to compensate for it. Any takers?
Any comments or thoughts should be posted in the forums here:
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YES!!! Thank you Jason for another wonderful write up on a heavily glossed over factor which has a huge affect on our work.
Anyone further interested in this topic please go over to the forums, we have a thread running on this with continual input. Please share your own input with us.