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The Four Fundamentals
Proportion, Grind, Water and Freshness. Understand
and follow the guidelines for each of them, and you're on your way to
brewing a great cup of coffee every time.
Proportion
This is the most important step in making
great coffee. For the most flavorful cup of coffee, we recommend two
tablespoons of ground coffee (10 grams) for each six fluid ounces (180
milliliters) of water. If coffee brewed this way is too strong for your
taste, you can add a little hot water to your cup of brewed coffee.
Grind
Different brewing methods have
different grind requirements, so grind your coffee for the brewing method
you use. The amount of time the coffee and water spend together affects the
flavor elements that end up in your cup of coffee, and the design of your
coffee maker dictates how long the coffee and water sit in direct contact
during the brewing process. For instance, coffee ground for an espresso
machine should be very fine, in part because the brew cycle is only 19 to 22
seconds long. But for a coffee press, the coffee should be coarse ground,
because the water and coffee are in direct contact for about four minutes.
Water
A cup of coffee is 98 percent water.
Therefore, the water you use to make coffee should taste clean, fresh, and
free of impurities. Water heated to just off a boil (195° to 205° F or 90°
to 96° C) is perfect for extracting the coffee's full range of flavors. Any
cooler and the water can't adequately do the job. Automatic coffee makers
heat the water for you. Make sure the one you use gets the water hot enough.
Freshness
Think of coffee as fresh produce. The enemies of
coffee are oxygen, light, heat, and moisture. To keep coffee fresh, store it
in an opaque, airtight container at room temperature. Storing coffee in the
refrigerator or freezer for daily use can damage the coffee as warm, moist
air condenses to the beans whenever the container is opened. For the best
results, coffee should be ground just before brewing. Whole bean coffee
stays fresh longer because there is less surface area exposed to oxygen. By
grinding beans each time you brew, the freshness is preserved. Additionally,
the person making the coffee will enjoy the freshness as the grinder
releases the aromas inside the bean. |
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