REVIEWS

How To Make A Cup Of Coffee

By Philip Yiga | July 28, 2015

Coffee has increasingly become people’s best beverage all over the world to the extent that some people cannot go a day without taking at least two cups of coffee. With the rate at which coffee making machines like espresso machines, coffee makers, French presses and so many others are being bought from different stores it is very clear that coffee is very important drink to start your day with. But the biggest question is, do you really know how to make a perfect cup of coffee? Well, if you did not know, I can assure you that by the time you are done reading through this post you be well conversant with not just the steps that you should take to have a perfect cup of coffee but also the rules that make your cup of coffee faultless.

Use fresh coffee beans: the best cup of coffee will come from coffee beans that have been freshly roasted because they are easily perishable. If you cannot roast your coffee beans then ensure to buy from a place you are more than sure to have freshly roasted coffee beans. Local roaster are the best alternative for you to purchase from and only buy an amount that you will be using soon, if you buy too many they will be spoilt by the time you use them.
Clean the machine: if you are looking forward to having a really perfect cup of coffee then you must never ignore the cleanliness of your machine. before you go in to start the coffee brewing process, check the machine to ensure that it is thoroughly clean, a dirty machine will give you coffee a bitter or weird taste.
Mind the water you use to brew the coffee: already filtered or bottled water is the best to use when making coffee however not everyone uses this kind of water. In some places people only have access to hard water or tap water, if this is the type of water you are going to use to brew the coffee then it should be well filtered before otherwise your coffee will taste like rust or sulfurous, sometimes even worse than that. Also ensure to heat water to optimum temperature, to make coffee you do not need water that has reached boiling point because it will make the coffee bitter and water that has not been heat well will not extract the right flavor from the coffee beans.

Decide on which coffee grinder to use: there are two types of grinders namely burr grinders and blade grinders.

For more consistent coffee grounds, burr grinders are more reliable hence they make the most perfect cup of coffee.
On the other hand blade grinders where you have to be extremely careful to come up with an even size of coffee grounds which in most cases is impossible. That is why blade coffee grinders end up making just an average cup of coffee though they are less pricey.

Coffee grind size: the size off your coffee grinds usually depends on the type of coffee drink you want to make and the coffee making method so they are three grind sizes for you to choose from, fine, extra fine, medium and coarse coffee grounds. Also keep in mind that coffee beans must be ground just a few minutes before the brewing process, exposing them long before the brewing process will contaminate its flavor and give your coffee a bad taste.

Fine coffee grounds are used for vacuum method equipment but they are rarely used.
Extra fine coffee grounds are most recommended if you are using an espresso machine.
Medium coffee grounds are used in electric drip method and also if you are using a coffee/French press.
Coarse coffee grounds are used for strainers but with the great evolution in technology this method has completely been give n up.

Amount of coffee to be used: a lot of things determine the quantity of coffee that you must use when brewing your cup of coffee. First of all think about how many cups of coffee you want to make and the strength of coffee you want. Then you must measure the amount of coffee according to the amount of water, these measurements must be very accurate as they greatly determine the quality of coffee you are going to get. Follow the measurements below to make a quality cup of coffee.

Add 6ounces of water to every two table spoons of coffee grounds.

Check your coffee filters: filters are very helpful in not just keeping coffee grounds out of your coffee but also hold a lot of chemicals from water that would rather give you coffee a funny or ugly taste. Gold coffee filters have been found to be the best filters for a perfect cup of coffee.

Carefully follow the brewing steps: the brewing steps are similar no matter what brewing method you are using, only a few methods have a few different additions but the most important thing is to follow the steps exactly the way they are. Also keep in mind that the most appropriate time for brewing it between three to five minutes.

Heat water to optimum temperature
Place ground coffee beans into the coffee filter
Slowly pour water over the coffee grounds ensuring that they sink well
Allow the mixture steep for a minute and the carefully pour off coffee into your coffee mug.

Take the brewed coffee as soon as you pour it in your cup: the reason for this is to ensure that coffee does not lose its flavor just before you take it. So it is always best to take your coffee immediately and in case of any remaining coffee then keep it a thermo flask that’s if your machine cannot keep coffee warm hour after it has been brewed.

Store any remainder coffee grounds well: it is best advised to keep your coffee beans in an air tight tin where they are not exposed to any gases that will spoil them. Coffee beans can easily lose their flavor if not stored well, if you are not sure of how best to store the coffee beans then just buy enough for that particular brewing process.

In conclusion, if you follow the tips above on how to make a cup of coffee, your cup of coffee will definitely have all the perfection you want it to have.