If you are a coffee fanatic, you can attest to the myriad of taste varieties and characteristics this drink exhibits. Some come with earthy tones and sweet fruity aromas while others have floral and tea-like flavors. This spurs curiosity as to what really brings about this broad spectrum of savory experiences with the beverage. Besides, it would be interesting to find out how to bring your desired flavor profile into your home-made brew. So, what makes a great cup of coffee?
There are different factors that determine the taste of coffee in your cup. Though the origin and processing of the coffee bean contribute to its taste by large, the preparation method and handling while at home affects the outcome as well. Here are some of the ways you can ensure a great cup of coffee:
Use the Recommended Ratio of Coffee to Water
You may want to justify measuring less coffee for your brew, perhaps to attain some savings or so. If you put a few grounds, your tactic would be to over-extract to attain the desired body of your brew. The downside of this practice is that you end up with a bitter brew. Poor measurements could also mean putting in more coffee. This mistake will give you under-extracted coffee that does not exhibit full flavor. Good news is that coffee to water ratio is the easiest mistake you can rectify to attain a great cup. The recommended measurement is 10 grams of crushed coffee for every 180 milliliters of water.
Choose the Right Grind for the Method of Brew
Every brewing method has the recommended grind that will give the best results. For instance, a French press will require a coarse grind to give out that thick, rich and tasty blend. If you make the mistake of using a very fine grind, the coffee will soak in water and produce a bitter brew with an unpleasant taste. If you use a coarse grind with a brewing method that requires a fine one, the outcome is a very weak brew that lacks the characteristic flavors. However, should you find yourself on the wrong side, please lean on the coarse grind, since an over-extracted coffee isn’t something you want to experience; it is such bad in taste!
The Quality of Water
We hardly think about the quality of water when cooking. Our basic demand is that the water is clean. Surprisingly, the trend is different with coffee brewing. Your choice of water plays a significant role in the quality of coffee you get. For a great cup, you need to brew with clean, fresh water that does not have impurities. Imagine using water that contains some traces of chemicals such as chlorine and others? This doesn’t taste good for drinking, what about in your coffee?
Generally, the ideal choice for a perfect brew is spring or filtered water heated to between 90oC and 96oC. With this choice, you are likely to extract the entire range of flavor profiles found in your type of coffee. Avoid water temperatures lower than the recommended as it blurs the flavor of your coffee and tones down its aroma.
Use Fresh Coffee
Coffee deteriorates in quality if exposed to oxygen and moisture. This makes it necessary to store it prudently if you are to enjoy its full taste profile. Keep it in an airtight container. It is better to store coffee at room temperature than freezing or refrigerating, especially if you intend to use it daily. This is because it can absorb some moisture during the process of condensation. Put in the freezer wrapped in an airtight container only if you want to use after two weeks or more.
Coffee beans are fresher if used within the time they are roasted. If possible, consider purchasing from a local roaster as this will increase chances of getting a fresh cup. In this case, you will get an amount suitable for a week at a time. Grind only when you are using to avoid exposure to oxygen. After brewing, store your coffee in a thermal carafe. Do not reheat or leave it on the burner.
Rudy Caretti has more than 15 years of experience in the coffee industry, a passion that started in Italy within the family business and brought him to found Gimoka Coffee UK with a group of friends, who share the same passion.
Since he roasted his first batch of coffee seeds as a teenager, he was fascinated by the many ways it can be processed to get the many different distinctive flavors we all love.
As a coffee connoisseur, Rudy has always been aware of the vital role played by coffee in most people’s social life and he is especially active through the company’s social media and blog. He loves sharing his knowledge with readers around the world, writing and posting articles that range from the coffee brewing techniques to raising awareness of the importance of responsible production to help protect the rights of farmers and protect the environment.
Find them at Facebook | Twitter | Google+
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