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You can also re-use your coffee grounds by creating a coffee scrub face mask after
For coffee-lovers, there’s probably nothing more comforting than a cup of coffee before the workday starts. Or the urge for caffeine could suddenly hit in the middle of the day after your post-lunch food coma. Usually, we’re surrounded by our favourite cafes and coffee joints; but as most are working from home these days, getting our daily fix might prove slightly more challenging.
We asked Bettr Barista, a coffee academy supported by the DBS Foundation that empowers and employs marginalised women through on-the-job training in coffee brewing, for some best practices and tips.
Making your own cold brew coffee
Here’s what you’ll need:
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PHOTO: Bettr Barista
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A large French press or mason glass jar
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Medium to medium dark roasted coffee (whole beans or pre-ground)
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Coffee grinder (if you’re using whole beans)
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Filtered water or mineral water (room temperature or cold)
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Filter paper or cheesecloth
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Holding vessel for your brew after it’s filtered
Most of these items can be found on Bettr Coffee Co’s website, their retail and experiences arm. You can also find a list of their offerings here.
Alternatively, you can also try sourcing for these items on your favourite e-commerce or specialty coffee sites.
Steps:
1. Determine your brew recipe. (Bettr Barista recommends anything from a coffee to water ratio of 1:8 to 1:10) If you like a stronger coffee strength, use 1:8. The recipe is versatile, you can experiment with less water if you like.
2. Weigh out 80g of coffee beans. (Here, we will use a brew ratio of 1:8)
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PHOTO: Victor Muñoz on Unsplash
3. Grind coffee using a coarse grind setting. The grind size should resemble a coarse cornmeal.
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PHOTO: Bettr Barista
4. Place ground coffee in a French press or Mason jar.
5. Weigh 640g of filtered or mineral water.
6. Pour water into the French press or Mason jar.
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PHOTO: Bettr Barista
7. If you’re using a French press, put the lid on, plunge the filter and let it steep in the refrigerator for 12 - 16 hours. If you’re using a Mason jar, put the lid on and let it steep in the refrigerator for the same amount of time.
8. When the steep time is over, filter the coffee through a cheesecloth or filter paper. Pro tip: Do not pour too much at one time as the fines – the smallest particles created when you grind coffee – will not let the brew pass through the filter easily.
9. Voila! Cold brew is ready when the filtering is complete.
10. Serve on ice or with a dash of cold milk, ideally without any sweetener. Enjoy!
P.S. If these steps seem too complicated for you, you can order already made cold brew from Bettr Barista’s online store.
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PHOTO: Bettr Barista
Using coffee grounds to make a DIY face scrub
After you master the art of brewing your own coffee and making your own cold brew, turn your used coffee grounds into a face scrub for yourself. Say hello to your new self-care routine!
What you’ll need for ~1/2 cup of face scrub:
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PHOTO: Bettr Barista
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2 tbsp coffee grounds (Although fresh grounds are best, but dry used grounds will work too)
Pro tip: Choose finer grounds, as the coarse ones can be too harsh for sensitive or delicate skin.
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2 tbsp cocoa powder
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1 tbsp molasses (If you don’t have molasses, you can use agave syrup or coconut oil)
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1.5 tbsp soy milk (Soy milk is high in vitamin E; don’t use dairy milk which has inflammatory agents and may trigger an allergic reaction)
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1 tsp aloe vera gel
Steps:
1. Mix coffee grounds and cocoa powder together
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PHOTO: Bettr Barista
2. Add the molasses, aloe vera gel, and soy milk
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PHOTO: Bettr Barista
3. Mix until well combined and the consistency is that of waffle batter
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PHOTO: Bettr Barista
4. Gently rub the mixture over your face with a brush – avoid areas around the eyes. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes. You will feel the mask begin to tighten after around 8 minutes.
5. Rinse thoroughly.
All these steps can be done at home and can also prove great fun for the whole family!
Reducing food waste: Recycling coffee grounds
There are also other ways to recycle coffee grounds, thereby reducing food waste. In fact, DBS Foundation Social Enterprise Grant Awardee Eco-Greenergy’s Zero Grounds Coffee Campaign partners with coffee shops and corporations to upcycle used coffee grounds into products like soap and fertiliser.
DBS Sparks Season 2 Episode 3 is inspired by the Eco-Greenergy story.
DBS Foundation provides holistic support to businesses of impact, including the flagship Social Enterprise Grant Programme. Applications for 2021 are open, click here to find out more.