Updated for 2021
With the holidays drawing to a close and a fresh set of 365 days ahead of us, the possibilities for the new year are limitless. New Year's resolutions are a great way to achieve our goals, explore different interests, and better ourselves. With coffee lovers, a new year’s resolution could mean traveling to a distant espresso utopia like Italy for a quick sip, or be as simple as walking to that new coffee shop around the corner for a cappuccino. Whatever it is, Whole Latte Love wants to make 2019 your best brewing year yet with these five simple tasks to try!
Try a New Bean
Easy, right?
Maybe.
Coffee beans vary so widely between different roasting styles, delicious aromas, and plentiful flavor notes that trying a new coffee can be equal parts exciting and intimidating. If you know what kind of roast you like: light, medium, or dark, picking a new flavor within that same bracket might help you explore new flavors without straying too far from your favorite mug.
Create Beautiful Latte Art
One of the most pleasant sights in all of espresso is a frothy cappuccino or creamy latte topped with gorgeous art. The quality of your latte art all varies depending on your experience level, the type of milk you use, how you froth said milk, and which wand you use for this caffeine wizardry.
Whether you’re still learning with the help of a pannarello art wand or are stepping up to the big league baristas with a manual wand on your machine, making impressive latte art will add a personalized flair to your drink and impress all of your guests.
Spread the Love
I think we all have that friend who swears their allegiance to anti-coffee. Maybe they prefer tea or a strong energy drink. Though, chances are they just haven’t had a good cup of coffee. Everyone has sipped a cup o’joe or two that has been bitter, cold, or worse: both.
This year, take the time to sit down with non-coffee drinker and drink some coffee with them. A cappuccino, latte, or flavored coffee can be a great starting point to cut the intensity of coffee and espresso flavors. Even better, invite them over to try that new bean you just bought and try it together.
Make Manual Coffee
Coffee has long been associated with our favorite drip makers and shiny espresso machines. If you’re a coffee lover who wants to explore the depth, body, and flavors often lost in the industrial process of brewing, it might be time to try something new.
Manual coffee brewing, such as french press or vacuum siphon, is an inexpensive and often crafty coffee brewing experience that can reap the same rewards as slow roasting your favorite cut of meat or cooking a homemade sauce. You get a quality, delicious product made with your own hands, which makes it all the tastier and all the more fun to share.
Manual coffee can be made into small, carefully brewed batches of flavorful and full-bodied drinks, making it a great testing opportunity for your choice of micro-roasted beans. In short, a micro-roast is simply a batch of curated coffee beans that are roasted in small batches to enhance their flavor and quality. Micro-roasts are often noted for their freshness and can help you make an ideal cup of artisanal coffee.
Espresso 101
Did you know the coffee bean actually comes from a fruit?
Or how about that drinking from your favorite mug has been scientifically proven to make your coffee taste better?
Coffee is a fascinating subject that has its own history and lessons deeply set within a multitude of cultures across the world. Whether you’ve been enjoying crema-rich espresso for decades or are just starting to visit cafes around town, take the time to learn about coffee.
Between all of videos, blogs, and content that we have on Whole Latte Love, your first stop might just be a few clicks away.
Check out our huge support wiki to read about our machines, or head over to our Video Guides Page to see our extensive playlists to learn about everything from frothing milk to pulling the perfect shot!
