For some, coffee is everything. A great cup of java can make the day that much better. Yet, how does one achieve this feat at home? Below are ten tips that will help make your homebrew as good as a coffee shop one.
Purchase Whole Bean coffee not pre-ground
Ground coffee beans tend to sit for a long time, possibly months. They tend to not have freshness dates on them. This can ruin the flavour of the coffee. For a better tasting brew, freshly ground coffee beans are best. You can find them in local cafes or a local grinder. Alternatively, you can grind whole beans yourself at home.
Grind only the amount you need
Coffee will lose its flavour if you let it sit, ground up, for days. It’s a good idea therefore to invest in a measuring scale and only measure the number of beans you plan on using. Accurately measuring out the amount of beans ensures that you are getting the best tasting brew. For a 6-cup automatic drip coffee maker, it is recommended that you use 90 grams of freshly ground up coffee beans for a yummy tasting mug of coffee.
Store your beans properly
Not all coffee beans need and should be stored in the freezer. This can cause moisture to enter the coffee, changing its flavour. Storing beans and ground coffee properly is important. It should be stored in an airtight ceramic jar or glass with a lid that blocks it from the sunlight. This will help keep the coffee beans fresh and your brew tasting fresh and great.
Using a drip coffee maker? Run your water once through first
Drip coffee makers take a long time to heat up and get to the proper coffee-flavour-releasing temperatures. “If you can spare the time in the morning, run the clean, filtered water through the machine first, then add the coffee to the filter, and use the same water to make the coffee. This will ensure that your coffee is being heated closer to the right temperature” says Philip Stewart, a coffee expert at Lia Help and Paper Fellows. By following this tip, you will have a better-tasting cup of coffee.
Use fresh filtered water
“If you want great tasting coffee, then you must have good quality and not over-filtered water” explains Basil Board, a lifestyle blogger at OXEssays and Boomessays. If you live in an area where the water is hard, the high mineral content can weaken the flavour of your coffee or change it altogether, making it unpleasant and weak. Limescale can also build up in your coffee machine, making the need to clean it often a must.
Clean your coffee maker often
Is your coffee tasting burned? Coffee beans have oil and every time you brew, some of that oil stays behind in the coffee maker, which is why your coffee starts to taste burned. Cleaning it regularly will help keep it running well and your coffee tasting like it should.
Use a French Press
Using this method of coffee brewing makes for a nice cup of coffee. The reason why is that when you press the coffee, more of the oil is being squeezed out and going in your cup, making the flavours stand out. Extra bonus, if you keep it super clean it can double as a loose-leaf tea infuser.
Cold Brew
If you like Iced lattes and coffee, adding cold brewing to your repertoire is a must. There are machines you can buy that do this or you can use just a mason jar. This method eliminates the acids that the coffee produces and allows for different flavors to be released.
Steam your milk
If you like lattes and fancy cappuccinos but want to cut down on buying pricey drinks in a coffee shop, then consider steaming your milk at home. You can buy an electric milk frother, and with a little practice, make your own lattes.
A great cup of coffee makes your days happier and brighter and these tips are sure to help achieve this goal. If you love coffee, then why not give a few of them a try today.
Katherine Rundell is a content marketer and editor at Essay Writing Services and Academic Writing Services, as well as a writer for State Of Writing.