If you are like most coffee drinkers, you almost certainly think you are already getting an awesome sit down elsewhere. However odds are you can probably still improve the quality by following these eleven steps:
Use Quality Coffee Beans
Stay out of the food markets! OK that is clearly a serious statement, but seriously do not buy coffees at the grocery store. No one knows when it had been roasted and that is a critical, key point in coffee freshness. These beans are known for being stale, whether they are in the gravity bins (especially stale!) or bagged (usually stale!). No one really knows how long the beans have been in the bins or bags. Buy your coffee from a location independent coffee shop or artisan coffee roaster that can verify the roasting date. This is the only way to know you are buying freshly roasted coffees of gourmet quality. Their reputation is on the line so they strive for the very best quality coffee freshly roasted.
Store Properly Remove your beans from the initial bag and put in an airtight container like Tupperware or Glad Ware. The more opaque the container, the higher to help keep harmful light out. Extreme light like keeping coffee in a glass jar on the sink can cause deterioration of your beans, allowing your final cup of coffee to taste flat or stale.
Usually do not store in the freezer or refrigerator. Keep them within an airtight container in an awesome, dry and dark place just like a cupboard or pantry. Refrigerators harbor many odors and coffee is very porous. It will become a sponge to odors whether it’s ground or whole bean. Freezers can cause freezer burn, and the flavor oils to crack and lose flavor. These oils are where the flavor is. Storing in the freezer freezes the surface condensation each time the coffee is taken out of the freezer.
Excess moisture will cause your beans to stale faster and shorten living of your coffee so a cool, dry and dark place it recommended for storage.
Proper Grind and Grind RIGHT BEFORE Using
The grind of the coffee matters. Your coffee should be ground for the sort of brewing method you are using. Coarse for French press and single serve, fine for espresso. The among matter but also for most auto-drip makers your grind should be just finer than coarse and therefore when you rub it between your fingers the grinds should feel similar to typical bread crumbs. Espresso grinds should feel just like somewhere within sugar and powdered sugar. Also, by using a burr grinder your coffee will receive less friction than a typical blade grinder giving your grinds less chance to get scorched during grinding.
Coffee is very porous and can absorb odors and air (oxygen) extremely fast. Oxygen can make your coffee taste really bad! So, the longer your coffee is ground rather than used the longer it has to stale and make a bad cup.
Measure Properly
Weigh your coffee before you grind it. To generate a good, well-rounded cup of coffee you should use approximately.75oz (22g) of coffees to every 8oz of cold water. It is possible to +/- to taste but this is a good starting point.
Purified Water at Precise Temperature
Fresh, clean plain tap water (purified is best) or quality spring water is preferred. Usually do not use mineral water, distilled water or tap water with any type of odor. It will make your coffee taste bad. The water should be between 195-205 degrees when prepared to brew. As of this temperature, the coffee will get proper extraction to optimize the flavor oils and caramelized sugars in the coffee bean. That is hard to perform with most home brewers as the heating elements are not heat adjustable nor are they reliable to heat to the correct temperature at all. Good home coffee brewers will definitely cost about $200 but are well worth it and last considerably longer. If you can, try the single cup pour over methods available or other brewing methods such as for example French press or siphon. The taste difference is remarkable. Google search each way for more information.
Brew SUFFICIENT to Drink
Letting your brewed coffee sit waiting isn’t a good idea. And much more so please do not let it take a seat on the hot plate! This is a good way to cook your coffee. Constant ‘keep warm’ mode like this will make it taste bitter. If you have to brew several cup and are not likely to finish is immediately, get an airpot of air tight hot container to help keep it in. Still drink melina coffee syrup within an hour or so nonetheless it will buy your more time.