The Next 3 Things To Immediately Do About BETTER CUP OF COFFEE
If you are like most coffee drinkers, you almost certainly think you're already getting an awesome sit down elsewhere. However odds are that you can probably still improve the quality by following these eleven steps:
Use Quality Coffee Beans
Stay out of the grocery stores! OK that is a serious statement, but seriously do not buy coffee beans at the grocery store. No-one knows when it was roasted and that is a crucial, 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 just how long the beans have been in the bins or bags. Purchase your coffee from a location independent coffee shop or artisan coffee roaster that may verify the roasting date. Here is the only way to know you are buying freshly roasted coffee beans of gourmet quality. Their reputation is at risk so they strive for the very best quality coffee freshly roasted.
Store Properly Remove your beans from the original bag and devote an airtight container like Tupperware or Glad Ware. The more opaque the container, the higher to keep harmful light out. Extreme light like keeping coffee in a glass jar on the sink can cause deterioration of one's beans, allowing your final sit down elsewhere to taste flat or stale.
Do not store in the freezer or refrigerator. Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place like a cupboard or pantry. Refrigerators harbor many odors and coffee is very porous. It will become a sponge to odors be it ground or whole bean. Freezers could cause freezer burn, and the flavor oils to crack and lose flavor. These oils are where in fact the flavor is. Storing in the freezer freezes the top condensation every time the coffee is taken out of the freezer.
Excess moisture will cause your beans to stale faster and shorten the life span of your coffee so an awesome, dry and dark stick it recommended for storage.
Proper Grind and Grind RIGHT BEFORE Using
The grind of the coffee matters. Your coffee should be ground for the type of brewing method you are using. Coarse for French press and single serve, fine for espresso. The in between 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 like somewhere within sugar and powdered sugar. Also, with a burr grinder your coffee will receive less friction when compared to a typical blade grinder giving your grinds less possiblity to get scorched during grinding.
Coffee is very porous and will absorb odors and air (oxygen) very fast. Oxygen will make your coffee taste really bad! So, the longer your coffee is ground rather than used the longer it must stale and create a bad cup.
Measure Properly
Weigh your coffee before you grind it. To make a good, well-rounded sit down elsewhere you should use approximately.75oz (22g) of coffees to every 8oz of cool water. It is possible to +/- to taste but this can be a good starting point.
Purified Water at Precise Temperature
Fresh, clean plain tap water (purified is best) or quality spring water is preferred. Do not use mineral water, distilled water or tap water with any kind of odor. It'll make your coffee taste bad. The water ought to 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. This 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 method for more information.
Brew Just Enough to Drink
Letting your brewed coffee sit waiting isn't a good idea. And much more so please don't let it take a seat on the hot plate! This is a good way to cook your coffee. Constant 'keep warm' mode such as this can make it taste bitter. If you have to brew more than one cup and are not going to finish is immediately, get an airpot of air tight hot container to help keep it in.
Hygge Still drink it in a hour or so but it will buy your additional time.