What kind of coffee trends are there in 2021?

Coffee is a familiar mental agility booster and a morning pick-me-up but what else is it? In 2021, the trends of coffee consumption go all the way from having it as a hobby to expressing oneself, whilst new kinds of coffee recipes pop up all the time. From this article you can find new inspiration to your methods of making coffee as well as new coffee recipes that are worth trying out!

The trends of coffee world often drift towards Europe from the US and Australia. The selections have started getting wider in the Cafés, the popularity of cold coffee drinks is rising in grocery stores and posting flashy and beautiful coffee pictures in social media has become more common. Nowadays, thanks to the influence of social media, the trends are spreading amongst coffee lovers faster than ever before. A good example of this is last Dalgona coffee that became a viral hit on TikTok last spring. 

Coffee as a hobby

Coffee and the making of it has become a hobby for many people. This hobby's popularity is continuously growing in Finland and coffee is not anymore just a drink that you pour into your mouth as quickly as possible in the morning, in the hopes of feeling refreshed, but instead, people focus on the enjoyment and experience you get from the coffee moment. Therefore, different coffee accessories and bean grinders are not that rare at home kitchens, but more like equipment that is in daily use and with which you can practice your coffee hobby. Others focus on different extraction methods, others on recipes. 

Ecologicality and responsibility

Nowadays people are also more and more interested in the ecologicality of coffee. People are curious about the journey all the way from the bean to a cup and they want to search for the information about the coffee's origin. Along with the increasing level of interest, the selections of grocery stores have gotten the opportunity to grow. One can find from the shelves more and more coffee products with which the consideration of ecologicality and responsibility has clearly been noticed. 

An ecological coffee producer can be recognized from the packages or the manufacturer's website, and you should specifically observe the awarded certificates and packaging information. You can also ask about the origins of your coffee straight from your roastery!

Techniques for making coffee

Many different styles have increased their popularity along with the normal way of making coffee. The trendiest methods are for example the pan coffee, french press and a pour over! Pay attention to the correct way of making it, the most common mistake to ruin a good coffee is to over-portion a couple of scoops "just in case". Also make sure that the coffee you use is optimal considering your method of making it. Here's a couple of popular techniques for making coffee.

Pan coffee

A pan coffee is a continuous favourite in Finland and the most popular filtration method for coffee, where the coffee grind is mixed straight into the hot water in the pot and let extract. You can also make this type of coffee outdoors by a camping fire by using a camping coffee pot. You need to use a coarse grind when making a pan coffee, because the filtration time in the pot is long. Light and medium roast work the best when making a pan coffee, because the long extraction time makes the bitter flavours of dark roast surface. The unfortunate side of pan coffee is that the extraction happens in the pot continuously. Therefore, it's a good idea to pour the coffee into a separate thermal jug or into a mug. 

Press pot

With a press pot a.k.a French press you can extract a rich and aromatic coffee as the natural fats of the coffee are filtered in with the coffee. The use of a press pot originates from France and has spread all over the world from there. Press pot coffee is a perfect choice for brunches, for example!

The rich flavour of a press pot coffee is based on the coffee's natural fat, which is not filtered out by using filtering paper, but instead the aromas can spin in the pan freely. It's good to use the grind that is specifically ground for press pots.

Pour over a.k.a hand drip coffee

Hand drip coffee is a name for different methods of making coffee, like Chemex and Hario V60. With hand dripping you can make the coffee rich and strong. The flavour of the coffee is impacted by the water temperature, type of coffee grind, mixing and the method used when pouring the water on the coffee. This means that you can easily alter the flavour of the coffee with pour over. The good side is also that with these methods in question it's easy to make even a single cup of coffee. 

For example for making the coffee with Hario V60 -method, you need a narrow spout coffee pot, a V60 coffee filter funnel and a glass jug. With a narrow spout coffee pot, the pouring of the water can be as precise as possible. The filtering paper is rinsed and placed in the filter funnel ready for the coffee grind. The coffee grind is portioned into the funnel and the pouring of water can commence. First you wet the coffee layer and wait for 30 to 45 seconds, so that the carbon dioxide goes away. After that you pour the rest of the water with round movements into to the filter funnel and let the coffee drip.

The trendiest coffee recipes

Cold coffee drinks, coffee mocktails and cocktails are flaunting at the peak of the trendiest coffee recipes of the coffee world right now.

Espresso Tonic

Espresso Tonic originates from a Swedish Café-Roastery Kop. This bubbly summer coffee drink is made out of strong espresso, tonic water and ice.

Espresso Tonic

Ingredients:

2 shots (50 to 60 mls) of espresso

1,5 dls of tonic water

1 block of lime

Ice

• Prepare the double espresso and let it cool.
• Fill the glass (200 mls) with ice cubes.

• Squeeze the lime juice over the ice cubes.
• Pour first the tonic water into the glass and then carefully pour the cooled espresso.

Cold Brew

Cold Brew stands for a coffee that has been extracted in a cold water for at least 8 hours. The result of the extraction is a smooth, low-acidic and naturally sweet coffee. You can enjoy the coffee either as it is or add a flavoured syrup into the mix. So, a real Cold Brew is made out of cold water whereas the iced coffee you order at cafés is made out of a hot coffee that has been cooled down by using ice.

Cold Brew coffee

You need:

Press pot

110 to 120 grams of dark roasted coffee

1 litre of cold water

• Measure the coffee into the press pot.
• Add water and stir.

• Put the press pot's lid in its place and press the plunger down by just a few centimeters.
• Let the coffee extract in a cold place for at least 8 hours.
• Press the plunger fully down.
• Serve as you please.

Blueberry soda Cold Brew

Ingredients:

1 dls of Cold Brew coffee

1,5 dls of soda water

2 cls of caramel flavoured syrup

Ice

Half of a lime

Blueberries

• Crush some blueberries in a glass.
• Squeeze the lime half over the blueberries and add the flavoured syrup.
• Fill the glass half way with ice and add the cold brew and the soda water
• Serve with lime blocks.

Frappe

A frappe is an easily and quickly made coffee drink that originates from Greece. All the ingredients that go into the frappe are just mixed together in a blender and the drink is ready to be served. The airy consistency comes from crushed ice and milk foam. You can also spice up the drink by using for example a vanilla or caramel syrup.

Frappe

Ingredients:

5 pcs of ice cubes

3 dls of cold brew coffee (or a slightly cooled filter coffee)

2 tbs of condensed milk

• Make the coffee.
• Mix all of the ingredients in a blender into an even liquid.
• Pour the drink into a glass and enjoy with a straw.

Dalgona Coffee

Many people know Dalgona coffee from the internet, it joins a fluffy whipped coffee foam and a fresh milk. Dalgona coffee originated from South Korea, from where it spread in the social media like wildfire throughout the whole world last spring. The coffee is also known as "quarantine coffee".

Dalgona Coffee

Ingredients:

2 tbs of instant coffee 

2 tbs of sugar

2 tbs of boiling water

2 to 3 dls of milk

• Measure the instant coffee, sugar and water into a bowl. Lather with an electric mixer until the mix is fluffy foam.
• Pour the milk into the glass and use a spoon to place the coffee foam into the surface.
• You can serve the drink either with cold or hot milk.