Making your own coffee at home is always its own reward. Most people struggle in making their coffee, and this can be down to several reasons. But irrespective of the reasons, the following tips would ensure that you make better coffee at home.
Purchase Whole Bean Coffee
If you have to choose between preground coffee and whole bean coffee, always go for the later. Whole bean coffee is better in terms of freshness and flavour. The downside with preground coffee is that you don’t know the date the coffee was roasted (there chances that it could have been there for months). What’s more, coffee reaches its peak flavour in a few days after it has been roasted, and it should be used within 30 days of its roast day.
Adequate storage
Proper storage allows you to retain the flavour of your coffee for a long time. The best way to store your coffee is via an air-tight container kept at room temperature, preferably in a cool dark place.
Keep your coffee fresh
The best way to keep your coffee at home fresh as possible is by grinding only the amount of coffee you require per time. Only grind the number of beans you plan to use. Never freeze your coffee for any reason. Freezing affects your coffee, and it ensures your coffee loses its taste and flavour.
Use Filtered Water
Rather than use your tap water to make your coffee, you can use filtered water to enhance the taste of your coffee. Coffee brewed with tap water could be contaminated in one way or the other, however brewing it with filtered water gives you a much sweeter and acidic taste.
Grind your coffee on the spot
Study shows that coffee starts losing its flavour within 30 mins of being ground. The most effective solution is to grind your coffee on the spot a few minutes before you brew. When grinding ensures, you get the size right. Don’t make it too fine or too coarse so you can maximize the taste.
Measure your coffee
You can use a coffee scoop, tablespoons, or even a digital scale to measure your coffee. Measuring your coffee allows you to accurately gauge not just your coffee but the amount of water you need each time.
Getting your temperature right
Water temperature affects the taste of your coffee. The higher the temperature, the tastier your coffee would be. The recommended temperature range is 90.5–96°C/195–205°F.
The way it works, if your coffee tastes too bitter, use cool water, if it is too sour, make use of hot water.
