Coffee is loved as a beverage all around the world. No matter what kind of region it is, what kind of weather of the place or what kind of people live there, coffee is appreciated everywhere. Nothing beats the power of a perfect cup of coffee to give you the necessary boost you need to start off your day on a powerful note. There is no greater friend for you than a steaming hot cup of joe to keep you going when you feel drowsy and need to stay productive. And if you are a true appreciator of coffee, then you would know that brewing it is an art in itself. The process of it involves a lot more than pouring some instant coffee powder into a cup of milk and calling it a day. And for drinking a quality cup of coffee, you don't necessarily need to always visit a cafe. You can easily make it on your own in your home if you have the necessary things and are mindful of a few things. So here we are with various tidbits related to coffee making which you may or may not know before. Let's learn what it takes to make a perfect cup of coffee at home without depending on the help of a professional barista.
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Choose your coffee beans carefully- There are a variety of coffee beans available in the market. So choose carefully what kind of beans you want to purchase because it makes a lot of difference in terms of the quality of the coffee you are going to make. The most popular among these are Arabica and robusta beans. Arabica beans are considered more superior and expensive than other alternatives. So naturally, they offer a richer taste and aroma. On the other hand, robusta is a cheaper and common choice that contains more caffeine and is more bitter in taste. There are lots of other kinds of locally produced beans available too for your consideration.
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Buy your coffee beans fresh- When you want to make a good cup of coffee, the coffee beans should be as fresh as possible. Because coffee beans start to lose their quality really quickly after being roasted. Either purchase your beans from a local roaster or you can also roast the beans yourself. If these options are not feasible for you, then buy your beans which come in airtight containers. Don't buy a large quantity at once and only bring enough for one week.
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Don't refrigerate- It's better to not refrigerate the roasted beans at home and keep them at room temperature in airtight bags or boxes to keep them in their best condition.
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Carefully grind the beans- Pay extra attention to the grinding of the beans. To get the best result, grind them just before brewing. You can use burr mills for this purpose which can be a bit pricey. Or you can go with the electric grinders available in the market which are more pocket-friendly. Different kinds of coffee-making techniques demand different kinds of consistency regarding ground coffee. So grind your beans keeping that in mind.
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Use a digital scale for measurement- Instead of measuring cups and spoons, use a digital scale in the kitchen during coffee making if possible. Digital scale gives you more accurate measurements so your coffee turns out absolutely as you desire. The ideal requirement of an 8-ounce cup of coffee is 15 grams of ground coffee. It is almost equivalent to 1 tablespoon of it.
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Use good water- The taste of coffee also heavily depends on what kind of water is being used to make it. Don't ever use distilled water for coffee making as it doesn't contain minerals. Minerals are important in water to get good quality coffee.
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Use good filters- There are various kinds of filters available in the market for your perusal. Each kind has its own advantages and disadvantages, so choose the one you are most comfortable with. Paper filters are obviously the most popular one which is cheap, easy to use, and widely available. These kinds of filters are disposable. Though many coffee connoisseurs complain that paper filters leave behind a papery taste in the coffee which feels unpleasant. So to avoid that, rinse your filter with water and then dispose of the water. Oxygen bleached paper filters are considered best to make coffee. Then there are also metal filters which are slightly more expensive but reusable. These kinds of filters also let the flavored oil of ground coffee seep through easily, and that's why the taste of the coffee gets better. And lastly, there are also cloth filters which are not very common, but still, some people use them though it can be a bit bothersome to clean them. Whatever filter you use, the most important point is that it should be the perfect size for your coffee maker.
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Don't use super-hot water- For successful coffee-brewing, you should never use water that is too hot. The super hot water extracts the bitter taste of coffee and ends up ruining the whole taste of it. The ideal temperature for water to make coffee is within 195°F and 205°F.
Now that we have gone through some basic tips to keep in mind while making coffee, let's also learn about the different equipment you can use to brew a cup of deliciousness on your own.
Drip coffee maker- This kind of coffee maker is the most common one we can see everywhere. It may not produce the most superior quality coffee, but it does perform pretty well when you have a bunch of people to serve at once. A standard drip machine can make approx 12 cups at one go. These kinds of machines are cheap, easy to use, and easy to clean.
Here are the steps to make coffee in a drip coffee machine
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Grind the coffee in medium-coarse consistency which resembles table salt.
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Put an appropriate filter over the filter basket.
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Pour the ground coffee into the filter.
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Put hot water in the reservoir.
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Start the machine and brewing will start automatically.
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Serve and enjoy your cup of coffee.
French press - This kind of coffee maker is gaining popularity nowadays. It is kinda fancier than your regular drip machine, but it provides a richer taste and aroma. This coffee maker follows an immersion technique.
Let's see the steps to brew coffee in this machine:
Preheat the equipment beforehand with hot water. Discard the water afterward.
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Grind your coffee in a uniform consistency of medium grind and put them in the beaker.
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Heat up the water in a gooseneck kettle and pour it into the beaker as well.
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Stir it once with a spoon so the ground coffee is submerged completely in water.
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Cover the beaker with the lead and start the machine. The standard time for brewing is 4 minutes.
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After the brewing is done, press the plunger down all the way.
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Decant your coffee, serve and enjoy.
Pour-over coffee - Another very famous method of coffee making nowadays is pour-over coffee. This kind of coffee making generally serves a single cup at once but an intricate method ensures the superior quality of your cup of joe. The most common coffee maker used for making pour-over coffee is the Chemex coffee maker. Let's briefly check how to make your pour-over coffee -
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Grind your coffee beans in the consistency of sea salt.
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Boil the water in a gooseneck kettle.
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Put the filter on top of your coffee maker. Wet it with hot water to get rid of the unwanted taste.
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Add the ground coffee into the filter.
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Pour hot water over the ground in a slow circular motion just enough to soak it completely. Then leave it for around 45 seconds. This is the step where your coffee 'blooms' which means it releases gases. This process makes the taste of the coffee cleaner.
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Then keep pouring water over the grounds in a circular motion in batches for around 3.5 mins.
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After the brewing process, remove the filter and enjoy your delicious cup of coffee.
There are also various different types of coffee makers available in the market which provide different types of features. Choose the one method and equipment which suits your taste buds the most.