There are countless recipes for coffee today, and many people are on a constant quest for the best coffee recipe. Actually, recipes are only half of the story when it comes to making coffee. The other, just as important, half concerns the methods and techniques used to come up with a beverage that tastes as if it was made from the best coffee recipe. Here are a few tricks to help you come up with unbelievably good coffee. Follow these pointers and you won’t end up with bitter or uninspired coffee.
Buy Only Fresh Beans
Forget about buying in bulk because the chances are poor that you will end up with coffee you will really enjoy. Scooping out coffee from supermarket bins may feel quaint and interesting but it is no guarantee against going home with a bag you will want to discard after you use it the first time.
Remember that coffee has oils that will turn rancid and get coffee that is vacuum-packed and prepared by stores that know their coffee. If you can, buy roasted beans and have them ground just before you leave the store.
Keep Your Coffee Beans Fresh
Store the beans in an airtight container. If you have glass-canning jars, these would be good for storing coffee. Storage crocks with rubber seals also work well. Do not freeze your unused ground coffee. If you find yourself needing to freeze you coffee, you are buying too much. You should limit your purchases to whatever you can consume in a week.
Always Choose Good Coffee
You don’t have to make a beeline for the most expensive coffee in some exclusive coffee boutique. However, you have to make sure that you get good quality coffee. Speciality coffees and brand name coffees are usually good. Many coffee lovers will look for beans made of 100 % Arabica coffee while making sure their brew has no Robusta, a cheaper and stronger coffee that coffee connoisseurs rarely like.
Grind Your Own Beans
The more quickly you use coffee after it has been ground, the stronger the flavor you will get from it. If you want to get the most from your coffee, grind it yourself, or at least have it ground just before you leave the store. You can invest in an expensive burr mill if you like, but that is not necessary. An ordinary electric grinder will do just as well. Also, make sure the texture of your beans comes out on the fine side so that more flavour will be released.
Use Good Water
The water you use for coffee should be free of strong odours or undesirable flavors. Water that smells of chlorine is especially bad for coffee making. Serious coffee experts use bottled spring water for the best tasting coffee, and they avoid softened or distilled coffee.
Do Not Skimp On Filters
For best results, be sure to use dioxin free or oxygen bleached filters. At the same time, stay away from bargain-priced filters because you will never get the coffee you want with them. There are gold plated filters available for those who want maximum flavour in their coffee after the brew is filtered. However, if you decide to use this type of filter, you cannot grind your beans too finely because sediment will seep through.
Regulate The Heat
The optimum brewing temperature is 200 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about half a minute away from reaching full boiling. Anything hotter than this will burn your coffee and give it a bitter after-taste. Reheating and keeping the coffee on a warming plate will also have the same nasty effect and prevent you from getting the beverage you like – even if you use the best coffee recipe.
Keep Your Equipment Clean
Keeping your containers and grinders clean and well maintained will prevent oil from building up in their crevices. At least once a month, run a strong vinegar solution to get rid of any mineral residues that will later spoil the flavour of your coffee.