Cups of coffee are not created equally. Any coffee drinker can agree upon that. Aside from what type of device is used to brew the coffee, beans, name brands, added sugars, milk, and sweeteners attract debate.
So, how can one who is definitive about their love of coffee go about brewing the ‘perfect’ cup of coffee? Read on to learn more about the craft of brewing coffee.
Fresh Beans
Do you think a chef at a popular restaurant is okay with using dated meats and ingredients to craft their menu? Of course, they would be very selective in wanting only the freshest ingredients. Coffee drinkers are the same whether they know it or not. Fresh beans taste way better when brewed versus drinking grounds that have sat in a can for months on the grocer’s shelf.
Go to a gourmet food store or buy fresh beans off of the Internet. There’s a world of difference in tasting fresh versus dated ingredients. Even if you have a traditional drip coffee maker, you can get fresh beans grinded for you on the spot at particular locations.
Stay Fresh
Gourmet ingredients have short shelf lives. Chefs and gourmet vendors know that freshness is a prime ingredient when it comes to taster satisfaction. Coffee beans are no different and that is why baristas buy fresh beans and keep them fresh. Storing beans in a refrigerator is bad and freezing them is worse. Moreover, keep beans in an airtight container. Being porous, beans adopt odors and tastes from the surrounding atmosphere.
Buy glass storage jars or rubber gasket-sealed crocks. Also, plan to store fresh beans at room temperature for no more than a week at a time.
Keep it Clean
Cleanliness is next to deliciousness so it is a must that you keep your coffee pot and all associated brewing components clean and sanitized. Not only will dirty components influence the taste but it will also impede your coffee maker from brewing at optimal capacity. Therefore, make it a daily to every-few-days habit of cleaning your pot, maker, and associated components. Visit your instruction manual if you’re unsure about what pieces can be placed in the dishwasher.
Be a Snob
We grow up learning that judging others is wrong but it’s a necessity when it comes to seeking the best brewed cup of coffee. Why are the prices of wines different if all wines are made from grapes? Because quality is measurable and influences labor, bottling, shipping, ingredients, etc. Be a snob when it comes to the kind of beans you’re purchasing. And, expect to pay a bit more for quality unless you’re satisfied with a mediocre cup of joe.
Also, look for 100% Arabica bean labels as opposed to Robusta beans that contain more caffeine and pale in flavor. Maxwell House and Folgers may be recognizable brands but mass-produced and long-stored grinds and beans often don’t make the cut when it comes to a premium cup of coffee.
Do It Yourself
Any good chef would scoff at the thought of ordering delivery or seeking fast food when they behold the skills to craft a tasty meal from scratch. Why order a pizza when you can bake one yourself? The same philosophy applies to making a cup of coffee. Ideally, you want to buy fresh whole beans and grind them at home immediately before brewing. This process warrants purchasing your own grinder which is well worth the investment for those who love the beverage beyond compare. The finer a grinder breaks down the beans the better the coffee will taste. Actually, it may be more important to invest in a better grinder than brewer but conduct further research. Read the Rancilio HSD-Silvia V3 Silvia espresso machine review and more about brewing the perfect cup online.
Grade-A Water
What would happen is a chef used prime ingredients to make a dish, which was subsequently doused in sauce made with poor ingredients? The sauce would spoil each bite for the eater despite the presence of high quality ingredients underneath. Water is a main ingredient of brewed coffee, so what grade of water you put in your machine will have a direct impact on taste regardless if you’re using the best coffee beans on earth.
If you’re stepping it up in buying premium beans and a quality grinder. You can’t think about ruining the recipe for success by using tap water. Use filtered or bottled water instead.
Filtered Necessities
To this point, quality of beans, makers, and water has been discussed but brewing the perfect cup necessitates thinking about minute details such as which kind of filter is used. Coffee gurus suggest ditching cheap, low-quality filters for oxygen-bleached or dioxyen-free filters. If you really want to drink coffee like a king, you should consider buying a gold-plated coffee filter, which is speculated to deliver the best filtering money can buy.
Laure Fischer works as a chef. She likes sharing her cooking ideas and experiences on the web. You can find her articles on many homeowner, cooking and lifestyle websites.
