Do you sleep peacefully at night knowing you will be drinking a decadent cup of coffee in the morning? You are not alone. But if you rush to Starbucks in the morning to get your first coffee of the day every morning, you should stop. Starbucks produces delicious coffee, but it is expensive, no doubt. If you drink it every morning, you will end up burning a hole in your pocket. And why go to Starbucks when you can perfectly brew a decadent cup of coffee at home?
Unsure? Don’t be, as the below article talks about a few simple ways to brew coffee at home. You don’t need barista training to make coffee at home with the arrival of a new and simple coffee machine. All you need to do is follow these tips.
Buy a machine you are comfortable with
There are many coffee machines on the market, and not every machine will suit you. The espresso machine, for example, needs a bit of training, so it might not be great for you to use it every day at home. French press or drip coffee makers are great for home brewing. Even using a Chemex isn’t ideal. If you want to brew the simplest form of coffee, you can go with a pod machine, but the flavor isn’t as authentic as other coffee machines.
Buy fresh coffee
Another tip to follow to brew a good cup of coffee at home is to always use fresh coffee. If you are buying ground coffee, ensure it is fresh, and the roaster grinds it before packaging. It will keep the aromatic compounds in the coffee intact. You can also buy whole, freshly roasted beans and grind them yourself. It will give you the fresh and exact ground coffee you need to make a fresh pot.
Use a measuring scale.
Whether you use ground coffee or instant coffee for making a fresh pot of coffee, use a measuring scale. The taste of coffee is not the best when you brew it with two scoops of ground or instant coffee and a spoon, even if it’s a measuring spoon. But the brew will be the best if you start measuring your coffee with a proper scale. Why? Because each coffee bean (from various brands) is distinct, and when measured in weight, you know how much you want to brew a cup of coffee you enjoy.
Make use of a burr grinder to grind coffee at home.
If you grind whole beans to make ground coffee at home, use one of the best burr grinders. After grinding fresh beans, the ground coffee you get determines how fast it will extract the flavors from the beans. Therefore, you want a grinder that grinds the coffee beans to the same size so the coffee can brew at the same rate. With burr grinders, you can control the size you want, making it possible to brew a good cup of coffee. Moreover, every method requires a different coarseness of coffee, like an espresso maker that requires a fine grind but a French press that requires a medium grind.
Always use filtered water.
Everyone knows that brewed coffee is 98% water and only 2% coffee. So, the quality of the water is of utmost importance. If you use tap water or water that doesn’t taste good and has an odor, your coffee will taste the same. Therefore, always use filtered water to brew coffee at home. Your home filtration system leaves a few minerals in the water, but it is relatively pure, which is the best water for your coffee.
Saturate the coffee fully.
While brewing coffee, make sure the coffee is completely saturated in water. When using a French press or pour-over, it may appear that this is happening; you will notice a few pockets of dry coffee attached to the side. It makes the coffee taste weird and bitter. So, always stir the coffee briefly during the bloom phase to ensure everything is saturated.
Preheat and pre-wet everything
Everything your coffee will come into contact with, including the cup and the machine, should be preheated and prewet. It ensures that the brewing temperature remains the same.
Enjoying espresso, latte, iced mocha, and more is easier at home, even if you are brewing coffee at home. All you need is a good machine, ground coffee, filtered water, and basic knowledge of making these coffees.
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