Ah! Coffee! Isn’t this word magical enough? For us coffee-lovers, it surely is! Nothing soothes a tired soul better than coffee irrespective of the time. Do you also relish your mornings by popping a Nespresso compatible pod in the machine and brewing a delicious cup? For all of us, drinking coffee in the morning is a ritual. For some people, it is brewing a cup at home, and for others, it is buying their favorite coffee pod or espresso drink at a cafe. Let’s see how to brew better coffee at home.
However, the latter can get expensive pretty soon. The best thing is to brew coffee at home. With so many brewing options available, making a decadent cup of coffee at home is becoming easy. Yet, keep learning. If you want to brew the best cup of your life, here are a few tips you should include in your morning coffee-making ritual.
- Buy the right coffee
There are three ways you can buy coffee- coffee pods, instant coffee, and coffee beans. Irrespective of which coffee you buy, getting the right one is imperative if you want to brew a delicious cup of coffee.
Coffee pods: Buy biodegradable coffee pods, they are better for the environment. Also, they don’t contaminate your coffee with plastic allergens making it safer for your body.
Instant coffee: Get the best one which is 100% arabica for a better taste. Several instant coffees have robusta beans which can make the coffee bitter.
Coffee beans: Do not buy preground coffee beans. They are sitting in the grocery store for a long time. There is a massive chance of it being expired or losing its taste & aroma. The best thing for you to do is buy whole coffee beans. They are better as you can grind the amount you need at a given time.
- Clean your coffee maker well
One essential thing that you need to do is clean your coffee maker. Irrespective of what coffee machine you have, without proper cleaning, it will not brew a delicious cup of java.
The aroma and residue of old coffee affect the taste of the new cup, ruining the taste of a freshly brewed cup. Thus, clean every hook & nook of the machine to get that aromatic and fresh cup every time.
- Try a new brewing method
We all love having a routine and drinking the same type of coffee every day. We use the same ingredients and brewing method every day. It is comforting and makes us happy. But trying something new can also be great for coffee-lovers.
Using a new brewing method like French Press or single-serve machine or anything other than what you use can make a difference.
- Make sure to use filtered water
The water you use for drinking is the one you need for your coffee too. Using anything else will not give you a decent cup of coffee. Thus, filtered or bottled water is the best as it has soft water and can extract caffeine from the beans properly.
If your region has soft water, using tap water is fine. Otherwise, always use a filter for drinking purposes and for brewing coffee.
- Do not use boiled water
If you use instant powder or a French Press to brew coffee, you need hot water to extract the caffeine. Here the important thing to remember is to use off-the-boil water. It means that you should boil your water normally. But before pouring it over coffee, let it cool for about sixty seconds. That helps you make a coffee that is not extremely bitter.
- Never use a spoon
Using a spoon to measure your coffee is not ideal. It is best to use a scoop or a dedicated measuring unit for this purpose. It even helps with the consistency of your morning or evening cup of coffee.
- Grind well
Grind coffee beans at home as it loses flavor after 30 minutes of grinding. So, do it at home using a manual or burr grinder. Also, keep in mind to grind according to the coffee-maker you have. French Press needs coarse coffee while drip requires a medium, so do it as the instruction says.
Here’s hoping that with these tips, your cup of java will always taste the best and give you the much-needed respite.