Coffee, for some, is closer to an art form than simply a nice beverage to sip while chatting with friends or while trying to get up for work. The act of drinking coffee is easy, sure, but making it is a whole different story. Finding the right technique to make your coffee the best it can be is not hard, but it takes practice.
For those looking to brew the perfect cup of coffee every time, you need some tips. These 4 secrets can help you produce the best-tasting coffee each and every time, and impress anyone you serve, whether it is at home or at a cafe.
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1.Picking The Right Machine
There are a lot of ways to brew coffee. Espresso, latte, black, or begrudgingly, an instant machine. This means that you have a lot of options to make the type of coffee that you like, the problem is that a lot of the consumer coffee machines out there are flat-out mediocre for getting a quality cup from your brew. Many of the drip makers that populate homes across the world are inadequate because they lack an infusion timer to help the coffee steep in the hot water.
They will produce coffee, but it will not be the perfect cup you are after. The coffee pros at https://sipcoffeehouse.com/best-bean-to-cup-coffee-machine-uk/ highlight how some of the lesser-known coffee machines offer more value, and it is desperately needed when compared to the common brands. For any type of coffee brew, you need the right equipment and many on the shelves just will not cut it.
2.Choosing The Right Beans
The first secret comes from the coffee beans themselves, as well as how they are grounded. Many coffee types are losing aroma and flavor by the second (looking at you, instant coffee) so it is important to pick beans that were roasted within a week of when you plan on grinding them up and brewing them.
The longer the beans sit around after roasting, even if they are bagged or packaged, they will start to depreciate in flavor value. Many different regions of the world have a distinct growing process, so it could be time to venture out and find exotic species like the Jamaican blue mountain beans, or even poop based beans if you are brave enough. If you do plan on sticking close to home and buying big brands, buy whole beans not ground.
3. Understanding The Grind
The grind is important to this as you might expect, and grounding them up and brewing them immediately will ensure that you do not miss out on any flavor. As mentioned, the longer the beans sit after roasting, they will lose up to 70-75% of their aromatic value and flavor. Whole beans are always best to start with, but it is good to remember that when brewing, you want to weigh your ground-up beans by volume, not scoop size.
Coffee brews can also vary by grinding intensity and size, where an espresso uses a fine ground, a French press will use a rough grind. The weight, grind type, and timing of the roast all contribute to your perfect cup of coffee. Remember, if brewing coffee is art, then all of these tips are the brush strokes to help bring that full painting to life.
4. Water Is The Key To Any Good Coffee
The equation for coffee is really simple, hot water + beans = coffee. Obviously it is a little more complicated than that, but the point is that if water constitutes such a major portion of the brewing process, why are you not focusing on how it helps? Using good water with high mineral content (ie. not tap water or overly-filtered water) creates a much better tasting cup in general. Beyond the actual coffee itself, is the importance of coffee during other steps of the process.
You know about letting the coffee steep for about 2-3 minutes, but do you know that great coffee water should not be completely boiled? This causes a recooking of the beans, so anywhere from 170-195 degrees is good. Also, you should know to clean out your machines thoroughly and regularly to keep any residue out of your next brew.
The secret to making the perfect cup of coffee does not seem so special once you learn it, which is kind of the point. When you think about coffee as an art form there is no real hidden single technique, it is a culmination of doing small things well that helps you create a good brew. It also requires a lot of practice so use these tips to help you make your next cup the best one yet.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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