There is no better feeling in the world than having a perfectly brewed cup of joe in the morning.
Some of us might find it more convenient to just go to our favorite coffee shop and order our favorite beverage for a few bucks or even for as much as $8 certain cities or vacation destinations. However, eventually you will be spending a lot of money on your coffee consumption at the coffee shop you frequent.
In order to learn about brewing the perfect cup of coffee, the best way to brew is at home. But how do you do it? Let us give you some basic understanding of home brewing for a beginner including tips from start to finish.
Getting the Right Beans
You might hear a lot about all the other coffee elements like equipment, brewing technique, coffee to water composition, etc. However, the first part that needs to be done right is selecting the right coffee beans.
If you know how to shop for the best quality whole beans from your local store or even an online shop, then you have probably done the first step right. The final taste of your coffee beverage is going to depend a lot on the quality of the coffee beans that you use.
Giving it a Nice Roast
Once you know what beans you are going to get, the next comes the roasting process. This is where the raw green coffee beans are turned into that brown color that you see in your coffee jar, or the one your barista serves you.
The Coffee Brewing Equipment
Looking forward to a flavorful, aromatic and rich cup of drip coffee at home? Never compromise on coffee equipment.
With all the technological advancement in the modern-day coffee makers, there are a number of options that you can choose from. Whether you want to go with the traditional pour over way, you want to get your hands on one of the electric drip coffee makers. Of, you like it in a French Press, you can have it the way you love it.
Regardless of what type of coffee brewer you are using, there are a few points that you need to keep in mind:
- Always keep your coffee brewer clean. Any coffee grounds from the last brew will make a huge difference to the final taste of your coffee.
- Rinse paper filters with hot water before each brew. If you do not do this, you might get the papery taste that will adversely affect the taste of your coffee.
- Pre-heating your coffee equipment is always advised. Do not let the hot water get into contact with cold water during the extraction process.
The Grinding Part
This is one of those coffee elements that you will learn slowly and gradually. However, even if you are new to home coffee brewing, you can still grind your beans well enough to have a flavorful cup of coffee.
Once you have bought your favorite whole beans, the next step is to grind those beans in a coffee grinder. If you are using a mid-range coffee machine, it might have a built-in coffee grinder as well. However, this step requires a bit more attention of yours as when your coffee is ground, it will start to lose its original flavor right away, so make sure you are doing it the right way.
The basic rule remains the same for all sorts of coffee beans. The fresher your coffee grind, the fresher will be the taste. If you are using a separate coffee grinder, it will be either a burr grinder or a blade grinder.
Burr grinders are known to be better than blade grinders due to their ability to grind the coffee more evenly and with more uniformity. Blade grinders are cheaper in price, so if you are on a tight budget, blade grinder can be a good start for you.
Then comes the grind size. It is believed that the finer the grind size, the more extraction you will get due to larger surface. Similarly, if the grind is coarse, there will be lesser extraction. Once you have gone through this process a couple of times, you would know what suits your taste buds the best in terms of grind size.
Some important tips for grinding your coffee:
- Try to grind the amount of coffee that you would consume right away. This because the unwanted or extra ground coffee goes stale in about 15 minutes.
- Coffee grinder also needs regular cleaning and maintenance (after each grind is advised).
Use a Measuring Scale & Thermometer
No matter how well you have practiced the coffee-to-water ratio or the amount of coffee itself, it is still advised to use a measuring scale to get the right amount for a cup of coffee.
You can measure your coffee by weight or by volume. Usually, the baristas at coffee shops use the weight element to get a more consistent coffee taste in each cup that they serve.
Similarly, using a thermometer will keep you informed about the water temperature – another vital element during the coffee brewing process. Ideally, 90.5–96°C/195–205°F is what the temperature needs to be maintained for the perfect coffee brew.
Hotter temperature of water would mean there will be more extraction, and vice versa.
Our Final Word on Home Coffee Brewing for Beginners
Home coffee roasting, grinding or brewing is always going to be a lot of fun. Always make sure you are adequately equipped with the information that would assist you throughout the brewing process.
But as they say – practice makes a man perfect. Well, same goes for coffee brewing as well. The more you start brewing your coffee cup at home, the more you will feel satisfied with the final taste.