Getting a good cup of coffee depends on a lot of things, like the quality of the coffee bean, the quality of the water, the type of brewing method used, and how finely the coffee is ground. You can now easily take care of how good the beans and water are. Just use pure water and good beans. But the link between how the coffee is ground and how it is brewed is more complicated and could use a little more explanation. Everyone knows now that we...
Getting a good cup of coffee depends on a lot of things, like the quality of the coffee bean, the quality of the water, the type of brewing method used, and how finely the coffee is ground. You can now easily take care of how good the beans and water are. Just use pure water and good beans. But the link between how the coffee is ground and how it is brewed is more complicated and could use a little more explanation. Now we all know that you pour hot water over crushed coffee beans to make coffee. But for it to really work, we need to know how long the water needs to be going over the beans. The goal of this article is to help you learn how to match the grind of your coffee to the way you are brewing it so that you can make the best coffee possible.
In general, the "soaking" time has everything to do with how coarsely the coffee is ground. This means that finely ground coffee needs less time in the water, while coarsely ground coffee needs more time. Espresso coffee is only mixed with water for 20–40 seconds, so the coffee has to be ground very finely. A French press can take up to 4 minutes to make coffee, and it uses a very coarse grind. If coffee is left in water for too long for its grind size, unwanted extracts come out and make the coffee taste bitter. Obviously, if the grind is too big and the water moves through too quickly (like when you use French press grind in an espresso machine), not much caffeine or flavour will be extracted, and the coffee will taste bad.
Of course, filters are an important part of making sure your coffee isn't too strong or too weak. Not only do they keep the grinds out of your cup, but they also control how fast the water moves over the grinds. Most people use paper filters, but a lot of people also use metal ones. Paper filters are quite good. But they can take on some of the flavour of the coffee, and some people say they can taste the paper in the finished coffee. Most metal filters are made of mesh made of stainless steel or gold. They have a very fine weave and do a great job of getting the coffee grounds out. They also don't change the way the coffee tastes in any way. Metal filters are also better for the environment than paper filters, which are made from trees.
No matter what you choose, make sure to buy quality. Cheap coffee filters often get clogged or don't let the coffee brew right. A good metal filter will last for many years and save you money in the long run.
It's not that hard to make a cup of coffee. To make a great cup of coffee, you need to know a little more, but it isn't any harder. Start with fresh beans and clean water. Match your brewing style to the right grind, and then play around with the exact amounts. Soon, you'll be able to make great coffee every time.
