Curiosity is the driving force behind all of the progress that the human race has made so far: it’s what took us to the furthest corners of the globe, flew us all the way to the moon, and is now taking us on a search for new types of intelligence powered by supercomputers rather than the human brain. It played a crucial role in the development of modern coffee culture too. From a straightforward cup of regular black coffee to the elaborate creations served up at trendy cafés nowadays, we’ve clearly been curious about the possibilities of coffee—and this curiosity has been satisfied again, and again… and again.
Today, however, our inquisitiveness seems to have moved from coffee shops to our own home kitchens, with an ever-increasing number of us asking how to brew delicious coffee without the help of a professional barista, rather than asking the barista for a cuppa. So, let’s take a look at what happens when we bring our coffee curiosities home, and how modern coffee machines adapt to our insatiable need for new flavours, new challenges, and new brewing experiences.
Growing Curiosity = Growing Coffee Culture
When it comes to curiosity and coffee culture, each of the two seems to spur on the other. After all, we wouldn’t be where we are today if we weren’t so keen on asking questions, and experimenting to get the answers right! What would happen if we applied the principles of fermentation to the processing of coffee? What if we roasted this particular batch of beans for a little bit longer? Would a finer grind size make a difference? What about a firmer tamp? By asking questions, we’ve slowly filled the world of coffee with flavours, recipes, preparation methods, and brewing appliances that would’ve been unimaginable just a few short years ago. Curiosity is truly the mother of all innovation, and it seems like nowhere is it as alive as on our palates.
Conversely, the more delicious mysteries get uncovered, the hungrier we get for fresh discoveries. Consider specialty coffee beans, for example: not so long ago, you would’ve struggled to find anybody familiar with the term “specialty coffee”. Nowadays though, every café worth its salt has specialty beans on offer alongside regular ones. In the U.S., for example, the number of people drinking specialty coffee has skyrocketed so much that it has now overtaken the percentage of those still sticking to traditional brews! The more curious we get, the more we discover; and the more we discover, the more curious we get, be it the flavours of specialty coffee varieties, or the ever-increasing possibilities of home coffee machines—which, by the way, are conquering our hearts even faster than specialty coffee beans are!
Satisfying Curiosities with a Sage Coffee Machine
As a budding coffee connoisseur, you’re likely to start off being curious about flavours. “What does a proper espresso taste like? Or a lungo? What about a flat white?” Diving deeper into the world of coffee though, it’s difficult not to stumble upon the question of how these different flavours are obtained, and how you can replicate them at home using your own two hands. That’s where curiosity starts taking you into the home barista territory, and, once you’re in it, there’s hardly a better choice than a Sage coffee machine to guide you through those first few rough beginner patches.
Although Sage manufactures regular espresso machines, drip coffee makers, and compact Nespresso-compatible appliances as well, what the brand really excels at—and where the curiosities of a budding home barista can get the biggest dose of satiation—is its “assisted espresso” machines. Let’s say you’ve invested in a premium Sage espresso machine with a built-in grinder primarily to make your early weekday mornings easier. Mission accomplished: the machine takes care of dosing and tamping for you when the automatic mode is activated, so all you have to do is press a couple of buttons, move the portafilter from one side to the other, then down a cuppa of café-quality espresso, and be off to work!
As time goes by, however, and the machine stays on your countertop on lazy Saturdays as well as busy Mondays, you start wondering what the manual mode is all about. Perhaps you’d enjoy a bit more fiddling with tampers and portafilter baskets? An assisted Sage coffee machine is suited perfectly for such experiments: some of the brand’s fanciest, and best-selling, models (like “the Barista Touch Impress”) even have a touchscreen to accompany you on your home barista journey, thoroughly explaining every single step involved in pulling a shot of espresso manually. That’s bound to satisfy your curiosity—for the time being, at least. Armed with the basic barista skills obtained with no steep learning curves, you’re now ready to explore further, all thanks to the clever, beginner-friendly concept of an assisted espresso machine!
Be Curious, Be Creative
Whether it’s a Sage coffee machine or any other brewing appliance that ends up occupying that precious space on your kitchen counter, the most important thing is to approach it with a healthy dose of curiosity. What can the machine do? What can you do to make your daily cup of coffee even better? Ultimately, there’s no better brew than the one you’ve lovingly created yourself—and curiosity’s the only thing that can get you there.
