How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Coffee

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While coffee might not have changed much over the years, our attitudes towards it certainly have. Dependent on your age, you might be able to recall a time when the simple offer of a filter coffee was considered sophisticated. Nowadays, coffee lovers talk about their brews using complex terms like those used by wine-tasters and the coffee-making process has become something akin to a sacred ritual, whether you’re craving a traditional Americano or traditional turkish coffee.

All these various types of coffees are served in artisan coffee shops offering not only a large selection, but also a very pleasant atmosphere. Just take a look at the list available at TheDarkestRoast, with comprehensive and in-detail reviews.

In 2020, as we’re not currently able to visit our favourite coffee shops (with the exception of take-out, at present anyway) the focus is on what we can achieve ourselves at home, so with this in mind, I’m sharing my tips for improving your home coffee-brewing (and drinking) experience.

3 Tips for Making the Ultimate Cup of Coffee

1. Grind Your Own Beans

While convenience foods can be handy in helping you to save time and instant or ground coffee is easy to use, there’s nothing quite like grinding your own coffee beans. Since I began buying whole beans around a year ago, I’ve never looked back. If you’re going to go down this route, aim to brew your coffee within an hour of grinding the beans. I wasn’t entirely convinced at first, but I have to admit, there’s a distinctive difference in aroma and flavour compared to using ready-ground coffee.

The size of the coffee grounds and their uniformity are also a factor, so you might wish to opt for a bur grinder over a blade grinder as it’ll give you more control over the results.

If you decide to grind your own coffee, the next decision you’ll need to make is whether to go electric or manual. While electric grinders can be quicker and easier to use, they often tend to wear out fairly soon. For this reason, you might want to consider a manual grinder. Personally, I find my NutriBullet get the job done perfectly – and in less than 10 seconds at that!

2. Use the Right Water

With all the fuss about beans, roasts and coffee-makers for different styles of brew, it’s easy to forget that water is an important ingredient too. If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, you probably won’t enjoy your coffee either.

Interestingly, distilled water isn’t recommended for coffee making. Apparently it can ‘over-extract’ the flavours, which isn’t ideal; you need some mineral content in order for your coffee to taste just right. The answer, it seems, is filtered water. Simply run your tap water through a good water filter and you should be able to use it to make a pretty decent cup of coffee.

3. Mind the Temperature

As you may already know, boiling water is a no-no when making coffee. When using fresh coffee grounds, aim for a temperature of 195°F to 205°F. If it’s too cold, the flavours won’t extract properly, whereas if it’s too hot your coffee will be harsh and too bitter. No matter what your favourite coffee brewing gadget is, try to get one that allows you to control the brewing temperature. 

As a side-note, even those who prefer instant coffee will probably find that they get a better brew when using water that’s just below boiling point. Ideally, you want the water to be slightly cooler than it should be for ground coffee – around 185°F is ideal. After boiling your kettle, leave it to stand for a few minutes before making your coffee. If it’s too bitter, let it stand for a bit longer.

How Far Will You Go for the Perfect Brew?

Some of us just want a comforting cup of OK-tasting coffee, and that’s fine. Others will go to great lengths to achieve the nuanced flavours we truly desire. How far you’re prepared to go really depends on just how much of a coffee enthusiast you are. I could never go back to using instant or ready-ground coffee since using whole beans, but even without these, you’ll still be able to brew much tastier coffee if you pay more attention to your water quality and brewing temperature.

Share your top tips for the perfect cup of coffee with other readers by commenting below.

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