Coffee has been among worldwide favorite beverages since ancient times. A 9th century goat-herder of Ethiopia discovered coffee beans in a quite dramatic way and since then it’s been an important part of our lives.
If you are among the majority who really look forward to begin their day with coffee and then continue to fill up with more doses throughout the day, then you are probably passionate about how it tastes, feels and smells. While some people don’t really care about how it turns out to be, others can’t seem to compromise on its quality.
As simple and effortless as it may seem, a few little things while preparing coffee are capable of making a huge difference to your daily dose. Once you start incorporating some basic steps when making your coffee, you will never want to look back ever. That’s the incredible amount of difference it makes!
Going to a barista everyday for a good cup of coffee can get pricey and too much of an inconvenience. With some simple tips and tricks you won’t need to go a cafe everyday while heading for work in the morning or throughout the day. Here are 5 tips for brewing that perfect cup of coffee:
The Beans!
If you want your coffee to take you to happy places, you can’t just do it with any coffee. You need good beans to begin with. Using old and outdated coffee beans end up with a bitter and tasteless cup of coffee, as the oils and gases that makeup flavor, have already escaped. Always always go for fresh, whole beans, instead of pre-ground coffee available that has probably been at the grocery store for months.
The beans essential oils bring all of the coffee’s natural flavors, and once the coffee is ground, these oils start to evaporate quickly. To keep the flavour intact, it’s important that you keep it fresh. Oxygen and bright light can seriously damage the flavour of roasted beans. Buy your coffee from a store that is conscientious about selling fresh coffee because coffee beans packaged by quality-conscious roasters, that are stored in sturdy, vacuum-sealed bags make a huge difference in taste.
Say goodbye to those grocery store pre-grounds and welcome whole beans for better, fresher flavour and aroma.
Grinding
If you’ve never tasted freshly ground coffee, you’ll never know the kind of difference it makes. Whole beans, when ground instantly before brewing up a pot of coffee, produce flavor that is stronger and subtly different according to the bean.
If you are a coffee aficionado, setup a home brewing station and invest in a conical burr grinder, you will never regret it. Burr grinders are better than blade grinders in many ways, one of which includes a burr grinder’s consistency and adjustability. A blade grinder can’t adjust its grind from espresso (very fine) to French press (very coarse), whereas a burr grinder lets you grind according to your brew method. Get affordable kitchen equipment in UAE from UAE Ekuep.
A manual hand mill also gives you a good ground and is a very affordable way to achieve a nice, consistent grind, although you may need to do some manual labor.
Always remember to grind your beans immediately before brewing for maximum flavor, and grind only what you’ll need. Never grind all your beans at once because coffee starts to lose its flavor within 30 minutes of being ground. Keep your coffee as fresh as possible by grinding on spot, just before brewing a pot.
Storage
To keep coffee fresh for longer, you need to store it right. Do you keep coffee in the fridge? If yes, never do that again! Coffee should be stored in an opaque, airtight glass or ceramic container and placed in a dark, cool location.
Roasted coffee beans can instantly take up moisture and food odors, so experts strongly advise against freezing coffee, especially dark roasts. Storing in the fridge or freezer also creates a continuous freeze/thaw cycle when you remove your coffee and put it back, causing moisture buildup that adversely affects its taste and consistency.
Consider buying a 5 to 7 day supply of fresh beans at once and store them in a ceramic jar with an airtight lid on your kitchen counter or in a cabinet.
The Right Ratio
Measuring each and everything precisely using scoops and measuring spoons may seem extra but if you want that perfect cup that is reliable and repeatedly a brilliant one, measuring the weight of coffee accurately would be best.
Consider measuring your coffee by weight instead of volume. Invest in a scale so that you can properly measure coffee per unit of water every time you brew. It takes just a second and always gives you the right coffee to water ratio.
A ratio of 1:20 (i.e one part coffee and 20 parts water, or about 7.5g of coffee to 150mL of water) is best recommended by baristas for a strong cup of coffee. If you like it stronger then go for 1:14 or if you prefer light, take a 1:30 ratio. Using a scale keeps you away from guesswork when calculating those ratios, making it all so much easier.
Brewing
Learn the brewing method that suits your taste buds. Buy coffee makers according to your need, for instance, automatic drip coffee makers usually brew a mild pot of coffee while a French Press offers a bolder, stronger flavor.
The ideal brewing temperature for coffee is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit and sadly, most automatic drip machines never reach the optimal brewing temperature. Measure if your coffee maker reaches the optimum temperature during the brewing process, as the water temperature will drop when it passes through the hopper and in the carafe.
Go for high-end models as they usually offer a manual temperature adjustment or try pre-boiling your water in a kettle. Make sure you do not exceed 205 degrees, as it can burn the coffee.
Another underestimated ingredient in a good cup of coffee is the kind of water used for brewing. A genuinely extracted cup of coffee will have 98 percent water, so if you’re water is not right, you’re brewing won’t be good either and your coffee will taste awful. Tap water tends to have odors or tastes of chlorine. And if there is a hint of lime or rust, it will add to the flavour of your coffee too. Use purified or filtered water, but not distilled water, as your coffee will taste bland without any minerals.
