 |  |  |
|---|
Local
Artisan
Coffee
N2K
About Us
N2K started out of necessity. A love, passion for coffee, and the drive to share something great with our local community. We strive to provide the finest quality, not because it's something that will make us successful, but because it's the right thing to do.
We believe that self-discovery happens through experience, whether it be traveling the world in search of the finest coffees, splitting a mini-donut with your little one or meeting for your first coffee with “the one”. That’s why our mission is to engage people with an immensely satisfying experience.
With a focus on unique and well-crafted food and drinks, outstanding customer engagement and a relentless pursuit of excellence and delight, N2K will soon be recognized as the go-to in Kollam for an immensely satisfying experience.
At N2K, we aim to make your experience a memorable one. Our energy and love for coffee is undeniable from the moment you take your first sip. Along with our excellent coffee, our simple thought-out menu comprises of family favorites with local produce.
Our shop will provide you the perfect answer to “Where will I meet you?”
know.
Truly Great Coffee
Monsooned Coffee.
In the 1600’s coffee made its way to Europe, first through the port of Venice, Italy. By sea it traveled, and traveled, and traveled some more. In the days before FedEx (can that even be imagined), people were eagerly waiting any new shipment and patient with the not-so-great shape some of the items. Monsooned coffee was born out of this unlikely situation.
The coffee beans, in large wooden sailing ships, made their way across the sea, which could take up to 6 months to arrive in Europe from the Indian and other tropical coffee growing regions. In the bottom of a wooden vessel, conditions were dark, damp, and musty. It could become wet and even moldy before it reached its European port.
Since coffee only grows in tropical regions, these people did not have a clue what fresh, clean coffee tastes like. They welcomed the coffee as it was, not knowing any different. In the ship the beans would soak up moisture, swell in size, change color to a pale yellow (fresh, unroasted coffee beans would be green), and, with a great effect on taste, lose much of their acidity. This coffee with a unique earthy, slightly musty taste (okay, just call it mold), coupled with low acidity, quickly became a preferred drink.
As the shipping methods and vessels improved, the taste of the coffee changed. No longer were the coffee beans subject to these “sub-standard” conditions. The coffee arrived fresh, now tasting brighter, spicier, more acidic, and less earthy. They said, “What happened to our coffee?!” All the great, new shipping methods that kept the items nice turned out to be a problem instead of an improvement. The people were upset, wanting again the coffee they had grown to love. The original taste of this coffee was lost, but not forever.
In India now there is a common process, called monsooning, that recreates this taste. After the coffee beans are washed, instead of the normal drying process, they are spread out on a wharehouse floor during the monsoon season. They are not directly rained on, but instead soak up moisture from the humid air blowing through. This process can take up to 16 weeks to complete, recreating the humid, long journey that once brought this beloved bean to Europe. - by Stefanie Spencer
If you would like to take a journey back to the 1600’s, brew a cup of Monsooned Malabar and let your imagination run away, contact us.
Introducing
Pour-over Coffee
taste.
“Pour-over brewing is a simple way to brew a clean, bright cup,” says Patrick Main, the beverage innovator at Peet’s Coffee. “It brings out subtle nuances in coffee, particularly those with bright, sparkling flavors.” Here are Main’s simple, step-by-step instructions for brewing a balanced cup of pour-over coffee at home.
1. Heat fresh water to 200°F. To reach the right temperature without a thermometer, bring water to a boil and then let it stand for 30 seconds.
2. Measure 25 grams of freshly roasted coffee beans. This is about 5 tablespoons or 2.5 standard coffee scoops.
3. Fold down the seam of the paper filter and place it into the pour over cone so it lies flat. Then rinse the filter with hot water. Grind coffee to the coarseness of sand. “Rinsing the filter helps eliminate any paper flavors and preheating cone and carafe can help keep temperature consistent throughout the brewing process,” says Main. “Grind size also affects drip time and extraction. If your brew is too slow, try a slightly coarser grind. If it drips through too quickly, try a little finer.”
4. Discard the hot water and place the pour-over cone and carafe or mug you’re brewing into on your scale. Add ground coffee and then zero out or "tare" the scale. Pour just enough water (50 grams, or twice the weight of the coffee grounds) in a spiral motion to saturate the grounds, then wait 30 seconds. When hot water meets coffee grounds, CO2 escapes and expands, creating a "bloom." Once the off-gassing is complete, the grounds are more receptive to absorbing water, resulting in a better extraction of flavors.
5. At the 30 second mark, resume pouring water over the grounds until your scale reaches 400 grams and your timer reaches 2 minutes. Pour first in a spiral pattern, and then straight down, keeping coffee grounds fully saturated from start to finish.
6. Give the coffee in your carafe a final swirl and enjoy.
But Remember, to make the perfect cup, you need to use the best beans available. Contact us for the best beans available in India.
Why Ethical
Coffee Matters
care.
Transforming green beans into the aromatic coffee we love depends on one vital piece of equipment
– the coffee roaster.
THE CYLINDRICAL COFFEE ROASTER
It’s reported that cylindrical roasters originated in Grand Cairo in the 17th century. These devices enclosed the beans, allowing heat to develop inside the chamber. They also featured hand cranks to move the beans around consistently while the device was held over an open flame.
This design also meant reduced fumes, which made roasting coffee more comfortable. Cylindrical roasters were tweaked and adapted through the years, but the central concept remained the same. The design spread throughout Europe and the Americas as colonialism grew the coffee industry.
Credit: Perfect Daily Grind
