Se esta colando el cafe y su aroma se desparrama...el gallo canta en la rama. Boombaaa!

Don’t just make any coffee, make the absolute best one.

Make Café Colao

A cup of Puerto Rican Café Colao is the best way to sharpen your senses

Unsurprisingly, the day begins with a café colao for most boricuas. However, what is surprising is that this is usually their only sustenance before running out the door in the morning. I remember being about 5 years old when I really took notice that my parents brewed Café Colao when the rooster sing, then dropped me and my brother off to my maternal grandmother to take care of us. My grandmother already had another cup of coffee ready for my father. Then, after my father had his cup of black coffee, the rest of the coffee would be poured and mixed with hot milk for me and my brother. "Café con leche pa los nenes” popular Spanish phrase (Coffee with milk for the kids) that my grandmother used to say. It was like a Sacred Morning Ritual. The amazing thing about this ritual was that aside from the rooster continuously singing as if he could smell the wonderful aroma of fresh coffee – My grandmother would make her own butter with the milk fat that floated on the top!. it would be spread on a fresh baked slice bread. Then I would take the slice of warm bread with homemade butter and dunk it in my “cafe con leche.” The explosion of flavors in my mouth was something I haven’t forgotten to this day.

Cafè Colao Puertorrican Tradition 

If you come from “El Campo” of Puerto Rico, (the countryside of P.R.) you definitely know the term “Café Colao. or Café Pasao Por La Media”. It is like the Pour Over Coffee method here in America. The process itself isn’t that difficult (as you’ll learn) but it does require focus.

The word  Café Colao comes from the Spanish verb, (strained coffee). Referring to the pouring of hot water over coffee grounds.

Café Colao takes its name from slow extraction through a fine and delicate cotton flannel device widely used in Puerto Rico, called "La Media"(sock filter) a word that in Spanish corresponds to the Colador (Strainer), which also indicates the way in which extraction is done. When using this old method it produces an espresso-like kind of coffee. Nowadays it’s not used as much as it used to be 40 or 50 years ago. Back then there was no “Coffee Makers.” You had to get out there and find a way to make it yourself. 

So with many quicker, more modern options to brew your coffee why use a colador? The short answer is that  you'll notice the taste difference from those grounded beans. The natural simplicity is that you'll notice the difference of these devices are better for the environment and once you get a taste you won’t want to go back to more conventional methods.

¡You'll Love Café Colao con el "Colador"!

Making coffee with a coffee machine is a lot faster and easier. But when made with a colador there’s a noticeable taste difference between the two methods. Casual coffee drinkers probably won't taste the difference when they drink coffee that was brewed with a coffee machine versus el colador, but those who really care about their coffee's flavor will be able to discern a better cup of coffee. 

Café Colao brings out the delicate and flavorful notes without the bitter aftertaste. 

We recommend getting a colador if you're a true coffee aficionado or if you're trying to turn into one. Also, if you've already invested in all the other brewing essentials, a colador would make a worthwhile purchase. With a colador, you might finally get a coffee that nails all the flavor descriptors on the bag of beans. 

So. how to make coffee with the help of a colador?

Depending on the coffee brand you get, the ratio of coffee to water, grind size, brew time, brew temperature, and agitation is the taste you'll get from aguao(watery no bueno) or fuerte( more rich, flavorful, smooth. muy bueno).

Before going into the matter of making cafè, colao the grinding and its influence on the flavor of coffee, insist on the importance of having freshly ground coffee to prepare a quality cup of coffee. Coffee that has been ground for several days oxidizes and loses aromatic intensity, while coffee beans will be fresh for at least a couple of months.

Cafè Colao: Water Ratio and Grind Size

A general guideline is called the "Golden Ratio" -  2  to 3 tablespoons of medium grind coffee for every six ounces of 195/deg/F water (about 1 cup).

Using this method, including the time to weigh and grind the beans, it takes about 8 minutes, including time to heat the water to the right temperature (195 deg/F. to 205 deg/F.) It also includes the 3 minutes needed to strain the coffee thru the Colador for best possible taste.

1. Prepare: Get the necessary items; a good coffee (hopefully beans), a Coffee Burr Grinder, a digital scale or a measuring spoon, a kettle for the hot water, a timer and of course, your colador.
2. Preheat: It is necessary to preheat the colador with hot water. This serves to clean the colador of any impurities that may remain and to temper it, the more constant the temperature, the better. How? Just place the colador in hot water and set it aside. 

3. Measure: To always achieve the same good cup of rich, roasty coffee, it is necessary to measure. Here comes the scale (to weigh the coffee and water). If you don't have one, at least use a measuring spoon. Grinding is also measured, which for the colador is Medium-Fine Grind Size (the most common).               

   "Perfect Grounds Equals Great Coffee" 

   The grind size impacts the flow rate of water during brewing, also known as resistance. Finely ground coffee leaves less space between the coffee grounds for water to move through. The water will be in contact with the grounds for longer and lead to longer extraction of coffee flavor. An easy rule of thumb for determining the best grind is, the shorter the contact time, the finer the grind. For example, cold brew coffee can take up to 24 hours to brew, requiring coarse coffee grounds. Fine grind is ideal for professional espresso machines for perfect extraction.

4. Time is measured; when we start to brew, we set the timer. The brewing time should be around 3 minutes. Café Colao takes 3 minutes to brew. Use a timer (or your phone) to be precise.  The brew time can extend to five minutes depending on the temperature of your water, whereas cooler water will take longer.
5. Pre-infusion: Once the coffee has been measured, ground and placed in the colador, it must be moistened with a gentle trickle of water. PLEASE NOTE: The water cannot be boiling but a little below the degree of boiling. It is pre-infused to release and to activate the flavor of the coffee. Give the coffee a gentle stir so that all the grounds are saturated. Only stir his time! Wait 30 seconds before moving to the next pour. This must be done slowly, hopefully in 2 points. Never fill the colador to the top. We do this with patience and care, thinking of all the hard work that the producer who work every day to bring us the best coffee.

6. Boil water in a non-aluminum saucepan over low heat until the temperature reach to 195℉. Water is responsible for extracting the flavors from coffee grounds. Water temperature plays a big role in this extraction process, so it’s important to know how much heat you’ve got going on in your kettle. If your water is too hot, it can lead to over-extraction that can make your coffee bitter. If it’s not warm enough, it won’t extract the full consistency of the beans. Which is why when making cafe colao at home, it’s important that you keep the water within the ideal temperature range. If you boil the water, let it cool for 30-60 seconds before starting the pour.                                                                      Water also matter It is best to go for filtered water, as water with too much minerals or chlorine can adversely affect the taste. You can use tap water, as long as it is clean, tastes good, and its mineral content is not too high. The best way to determine if water is good for brewing coffee is to drink it. If it doesn’t taste good, coffee will not make its taste any better. After the water has reached to its temperature pour it over the kettle

7. Use a burr grinder to grind the coffee beans as the water heats up. Add coffee to the colador. For one cup;  2 tablespoond (for light coffee) - 3 tablespoons (for strong coffee) Adjust accordingly to how strong you want your coffee to be.
8. Gently place your cup or pot underneath the colador.
9. Then pour the hot water to the colador.  Add enough hot water to submerge the grounds. Slowly and constantly stir the mixture as it filters through the colador. This keeps the grounds from getting stuck to the sides of the colador. Pour enough water so the coffee grounds rise an inch. Keep pouring in concentric circles and keep the spout close to the water to avoid agitating the grounds. As the water level falls below the top of the grounds, do another pour. It should take three or four pours to use all the water.
10. Patiently, wait for the coffee to finish dripping through the colador so that you can enjoy every cafecito! This method is just pure happiness, the extra work is really worth it :)

Colador's Quality

Our Coaldor's bag is made of 100% Cotton with Genuine Solid Stainless Steel Handle with wood handle for a comfortable grip hanging loop for easy storage.

Circular Opening Measures 4 inches in Diameter - Wood Handle Measures 3.5 Inches Long - Cotton Bag Measures 8 Inches Long

Organically grown in Thailand, white cotton bag is hand woven and somewhat different from western style muslin cotton, which may not be food safe.

Our Colador with Wood Handle is perfect when making latin coffee. It is light which can be used when traveling and is ideal for coffee or tea.

How long do the Colador last?