How Many Hands It Takes To Make A Perfect Cup Of Coffee: Brandon Bir of Crimson Cup

I love, you love, we all love coffee. The word itself slices in: coffee. Say it once and there you are transported sensorarily to morning, steam wafting and twirling up with all that wonderful aroma into the still nipping air. It seems easy, almost automatic really, that chocolaty, deep, complicated scent and flavor. It isn’t. At all. Just listen to Brandon Bir, director of sustainability at Crimson Cup coffee in Columbus, Ohio, describe why.

He grew up in the lovely green fields and deciduous forests of rural Indiana. You know - seeing things planted that then sprout and grow, the real work by the people involved, the changing scents as seasons pass. Fewer lights but sweeter nights, you could say. It, too, planted in him a deep appreciation for farming that sprouted into a passion for community, sustainability and quality of production.

Brandon brings that passion to the work he does at Crimson Cup. After studying culinary arts he worked a spell first as a barrista, then coffee roaster and educator. Today, Brandon develops networks of farmers and producers for Crimson Cup that promotes high quality coffee and fair trade. He also actively collaborates with researchers at the Ohio State University (including professor Chris Simons, who generously allowed us to badger him with questions in an earlier interview.)

There are many hands involved in the production of even one cup of coffee, from the farming of the coffee cherries through to the brewed beverage. We discuss the engineering process starting with the soil, the agronomy then through the fermentation process, roasting and the brewing. Engineering and science is involved with all aspects of coffee and knowing it can help impart rich flavors in the served cup. Maybe after listening you’ll be tempted to go out or search on-line for a high quality, fair-practice pound of coffee. Give in to that temptation - it’s a new year. Start it right.

Dump your ground coffee into one of the glass servers. Place on the scale and tare. Add 400 grams of hot water (start a timer). At 1:45, stir 10 times to make sure the extraction is even. At 2:15, dump the solution through the filter/V60 over your second glass server. Allow the liquid to drip through and serve immediately.