For many people, a great start to the day means starting with a great cup of coffee. While this might be within reach at your favorite coffee shop, you might be one of those people who have opted to brew their own coffee at home. Brewing your coffee at home means that you are completely in control of your cup of coffee, which is surprisingly less difficult than it sounds.
Whether you are just getting started or an avid coffee brewer, here are 7 useful tips which can really change your coffee brewing game at home.
1. It is All About the Beans
At the core of a quality cup of coffee is the quality of the beans from which it was made. The delicious and delightful taste of coffee comes from aromatic compounds found in roasted coffee beans. From the moment coffee beans are roasted, these compounds begin to escape, causing the coffee beans to lose their magic, and grinding the coffee makes this process happen even faster. This is why you must use fresh, whole bean coffee in your brewing. This might mean putting in a little bit more effort into finding a suitable source for your coffee beans, but it will definitely be worth the trouble.
2. Preserve Coffee Bean Flavor
Buying coffee beans in small, frequent batches might not be ideal for you. Even then, you still want to preserve the freshness and flavor of that small batch for maximum flavor. To achieve that, start storing your coffee beans properly. While a Mason jar might do the job, you might want to go the extra mile and buy yourself a vacuum-sealed container to ensure that aromatic coffee flavor has no chance of escaping. Equally important to preserving the flavor of your coffee beans, is when you grind the beans. Since grinding the coffee makes beans lose their flavor faster, you will want to grind in batches t, just enough for the pot you are about to brew.
3. Use the Right Amount
If you want to take your coffee brewing game to the next level, then you need to be precise with the amount of coffee you are using. Different coffee beans and blends can have different densities, meaning that a tablespoon of different coffees does not weigh the same. For this purpose, you will need to start using a scale to have better control over just how much coffee is going into your pot. Being aware of how much coffee is going into your pot will also help you determine how much water your pot needs and accordingly how strong or weak your cup of coffee is going to be.
4. Pay Attention to the Grind Size
A major factor contributing to the taste of your coffee is the grind size. The folks at pageonecoffee.com discuss how the type of grind can dramatically change how much flavor is released into your coffee. If your cup of coffee tastes too bitter, that probably means the grind was too fine, but if it tastes too sour, then the grind was too coarse. Grind size consistency also matters to ensure that all your coffee brews at the same rate. Different brewing methods require different grind sizes and adjusting your grind setting accordingly will guarantee you better-tasting coffee at home. To serve this purpose, you might consider investing in a great grinder.
5. It is Also About the Water
Since the majority of a cup of coffee is made up of water, the quality of water plays a significant role. For this reason, you will want to use purified or filtered water when brewing your coffee. Temperature is also important, where water is concerned. The water in your cup of coffee is what extracts the flavor from the coffee beans, and the degree by which the flavor is extracted is determined by the temperature of the water. A temperature somewhere between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit will ensure maximum flavor.
6. Bloom the Coffee
When water is first poured into coffee grounds, it starts to bubble up. These bubbles are CO2 being released from the coffee beans. This release of CO2, or the bloom, is crucial as it can get in the way of your brewing and minimize flavor extraction from your coffee. As such, you will want to start by adding a small amount of water to your coffee grounds and let it bloom for about 30 seconds before adding any more water.
7. Trial and Error
Although brewing coffee can be a meticulous process, that does not mean it cannot be fun. A big part of mastering the best cup of coffee is trial and error. Consider trying different brewing methods or different coffee blends. What about adding more coffee to your cup? With experimentation, you will gain more insight into what works best for you. You are your own connoisseur after all.
Brewing coffee at home is not necessarily as difficult as it seems, but as you see, it does require paying attention to a few details. By following these 7 simple tips, you can guarantee that you are on your way to brewing better coffee at home and rewarding yourself with the cup of coffee you deserve.