A huge part of specialty coffee is the push for “perfection”. Whether it’s optimising extraction yields or enhancing desirable attributes, we’re constantly pursuing higher and higher quality standards.
There are a myriad of ways to do this, ranging from using advanced distribution techniques for espresso to varying levels of agitation when brewing filter coffee. But a common theme among these practices is that they tend to focus on what happens before and during extraction.
At the 2024 World Barista Championship, however, runner-up Jack Simpson showcased an entirely new concept: “post-extraction espresso improvement”. Essentially, Jack used electromagnetic wave technology to reduce bitterness and highlight sweetness in espresso – characteristics that certainly help competitors receive higher scores.
Specialty coffee shops are fertile ground for innovation in the wider sector, but we’re unlikely to see this type of technology used in them anytime soon. To find out why, I spoke to Jack Simpson, sales representative at Axil Coffee Roasters and two-time Australian Barista Champion.
You may also likeour article on why specialty coffee is obsessed with WDT.
The quest for perfection in specialty coffee
Baristas and roasters do all they can to maintain and improve coffee quality. In addition to controlling variables like dose, yield, time, and temperature (plus many more), coffee professionals employ a range of techniques and methods to optimise extraction and enhance desirable sensory characteristics.
These practices can include:
- Tamping – applying a consistent amount of pressure to compress ground coffee in a portafilter basket to ensure even extraction with minimal channelling
- Distribution – evenly distribute coffee grounds in portafilters baskets using several different methods
- One of the most popular is the Weiss Distribution Technique
- Agitation – increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water when preparing pour over (also known as pulse pouring)
Many specialty coffee shops and roasters (as well as avid home brewers) will take their level of attention to detail even further in the hopes of achieving perfection. Some of these practices include sifting and separating coffee grounds to optimise particle distribution, freezing or chilling portafilters, and serving certain coffees in different-shaped cups.
What does post-extraction improvement mean?
Although many ways of improving coffee quality and changing flavour take place before or during extraction, there seems to be a small but growing number of techniques that are carried out once coffee has been prepared.
One example is aeration, which is also common in the wine industry. This essentially involves exposing wine or brewed coffee to oxygen, which can massively impact flavour and mouthfeel.
Another more recent example, meanwhile, is “post-extraction espresso improvement” – a term coined by 2024 World Barista Championship runner up Jack Simpson during his routine. As the name implies, the practice is done once espresso has been extracted, rather than beforehand or during.
In his routine, Jack used a Waved Tech machine, and explained how the process involves ultra-low frequency and electromagnetic waves (approximately 500 Hz) which energise the water molecules in espresso. By doing so, the polyphenols (including caffeine) in coffee bond together, which results in less perceived bitterness and more sweetness and balance.
“Post-extraction improvement was something I could show to the judges – it’s visual and has an immediate impact,” Jack tells me. “In terms of flavour, larger bonded molecules become less noticeable on our palate as there is less surface area touching our tongue, which also creates a smoother texture.”
Why this new trend is likely to be exclusive to coffee competitions
Coffee competitions will always have huge influence over the wider specialty coffee sector, and often encourage baristas and roasters to also adopt a number of interesting trends.
The most prominent example is the rise in popularity of rare and exclusive varieties, such as Pink Bourbon and Sidra, or even species like Coffea eugenioides.
It seems post-extraction improvement certainly has potential to take off at competitions, as Jack explains.
“The ultra-low frequency magnetic waves helped create more consistent espresso time after time,” he says. “A few competitors reached out to me and enquired about using this technology. It makes coffee better, so I can’t see why people wouldn’t want to try it.”
In fact, more competitors have already started incorporating it into their routines. At the 2024 Singaporean Coffee Championships (which took place at the first-ever SIGEP Asia from 26 to 28 June), two Barista Championship and Brewers Cup participants also showcased the Waved Tech on stage.
As Jack points out, it’s still important to understand how the technology works before using it.
“It didn’t really matter which coffee I used, but rather the TDS level (total dissolved solids, measured in parts per million) of the water,” he says. “The higher the PPM, the more influence the ultra-low frequency waves would have.”
For this reason, Jack only exposed his espresso to the electromagnetic waves for two seconds – but this could vary based on the coffee or water hardness used.
Specialty coffee will always keep an open mind to new trends
With access to this technology still very limited, it will definitely take some time before we see it become more widely available at coffee competitions. As for specialty coffee shops – even more high-end cafés and roasters – it’s likely to take even longer.
Jack, however, remains hopeful.
“Consistency has always been a big factor for me, as well as increasing quality. High-end specialty coffee shops are also looking to improve these tiny details, so this definitely has a place,” he says. “Waved’s technology is also used in other industries, so I foresee that this technology could even be integrated into coffee equipment in the future.
“Embracing and exploring post-extraction improvement only allows us to have more control over coffee quality,” he concludes. “Anything we can do to achieve this should always be encouraged!”
New techniques that improve extraction quality are always welcome in specialty coffee. But some are more likely to remain popular at competitions – including post-extraction improvement.
While this technology has the potential to make waves at the World Barista Championship, for now, coffee shops already have a multitude of other variables to focus on. We will certainly see, however, just how far post-extraction improvement will develop in the coming years.
Enjoyed this? Then readour article on the story of the World Barista Championship.
Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Events
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