Ready to fool your guests into believing you have an at-home barista? It is much easier than you think! Regardless of the brew method or beans chosen, adhering to these coffee making musts will ensure you always have a great cup.
Find the right beans for you. Each coffee, coffee-growing country, and region has a distinct coffee profile and while not every coffee produced in the country / region will demonstrate every character aspect of the profile, most will exhibit the dominant characteristics. Sumatrans, for example, are generally heavy-bodied with a thick, creamy mouthfeel and some spice notes. Africans, on the other hand, tend to be brighter with moderate mouthfeel and berry and wine notes. To learn more about beans or coffee regional characteristics, click here.
Grind your beans for your brew method. Different grinds work best with different brew methods as each brew method has a unique way of extracting coffee from the grounds. Beans ground too fine for a particular brew method will produce grainy, muddy coffee. Beans ground too coarsely will taste sour and under-extracted when brewed. To learn how to match your grind to your brew method, click here.
Watch the grounds to water ratio. While each individual’s optimal ratio comes down to personal taste, as a general rule, we recommend two heaping tablespoons of grounds per six-ounces of water, or a ratio between 1 gram coffee to 16 -18 grams of water.
Filter your water, especially if you have hard water. Coffee is 99% water and any additional minerals or tastes present in your water will be magnified in your coffee.
Use high-quality filter paper. Filter paper contains fibers that can seep into your coffee during brewing. To keep your coffee pure, either use high-quality, natural-paper filters and / or pre-rinse your filter prior to brewing.
Brew at the correct water temperature. For optimal extraction, heat your water between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Water heated higher than 205 degrees can burn coffee. Leaving brewed coffee on a hot burner after it has finished brewing can also burn coffee.
Know your brew technique. You can make a delicious cup of coffee using any brew method — applying the best practices for your chosen brew method will elevate the quality of your cup.
Preheat your cup and carafe. Coffee stales as it cools. Pouring hot water into a cold kettle or carafe, or pouring freshly brewed coffee into a cold mug facilitates the staling of your cup. Preheating prolongs the freshness of your cup.
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Thanks so much for posting this. I never thought to warm up my coffee mug before pouring it in. It’s amazing how much science goes into preserving the flavor of the brew.
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Hi Ashe, happy new year! Thank you for the feedback! Very happy to hear this blog was helpful to you!
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