Good food - Spices - Ice cream

Making the perfect brew is not as simple as it seems. It is sadly a common occurrence that a weak insipid concoction is produced, or a hair raising rocket fuel brew. So to avoid coffee brewing mistakes and all the potential problems find out the simple solution.

So has coffee making become the job of an alchemist, no as if some simple straightforward steps are followed then a great tasting cup is easily achievable. The main points to consider are the grain quality, water quality, cleanliness, and ratios.

For the perfect cup, the correct grains need to be used. The flavor is down to personal preference as there are so many varieties on the market. The beans that grown in Costa Rica will have a different strength and flavor to Kenya beans. However what is important is if the beans are stale which unfortunately is a common problem.

The best way to produce the freshest grind is to purchase a small grinder and prepare the roasted beans for each brew. Sometimes even if the beans are freshly ground they still produce a bitter tasting cup as the beans are stale, therefore only buy whole beans from a reputable source. Ground beans should be purchased in air-tight packs and after opening kept in a cool dry place in an air tight container.

Once the beans have been purchased consider the grind required. If the coffee maker has a short brew time buy fine blends, for brewers which take longer a courser blend is recommended. Or purchase a medium blend to cover all option.

A ground bean can not become a cup of coffee without the other key ingredient, water. Although most of us give little thought to this odorless liquid we should. Water direct from the tap contains many additives which sometimes react under heating processes. Always filter water before infusion to avoid any nasty chemical tastes.

The next hurdle in producing the perfect cup is the ratio of water to ground beans. As there is so much variation from the coarseness of the grind, to the strength and freshness of the bean it is difficult to calculate an exact formula. However most people use the liquid capacity of the machine, divided by six to calculate how many scoops are required.

Finally make sure the apparatus whether it is a French press, percolator, or drip machine is clean. Water should not be left in the reservoir, and the pot should be cleaned, rinsed and dried between each brew.

These 1 cup coffee makers are pretty cool – you need to take a look at our Breville single serve coffee maker today.

{January 27, 2012} {Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , }