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Author:
Melissa Collins
Anyone can make coffee, what separates a perfect cup of coffee from just a cup of coffee are small details that a barista pays attention to. At the same time drinking in coffee shops every day is not very budget-friendly.
In this article, we are going to share the top 20 barista-approved coffee making tricks which will get you started in making that perfect cup of coffee from the comfort of your home.
For a good cup of coffee, you will need good coffee beans. The reason whole beans are good is that they are much fresher and flavorful than grounded coffee. While many people prefer to go with pre-ground coffee for convenience, they fail to understand that they can never achieve the proper coffee aromas, scent or flavor using pre-ground beans.
Once a bean is ground it has at max 30 minutes before it starts to lose its flavor and freshness. This is mainly due to oxidation where oxygen starts to decay your coffee by breaking its acids and releasing the aroma oils. That’s why it is important to only grind the required amount of beans.
Water plays an important role when it comes to brewing coffee. Tap water might contain chlorine or other flavors which could end up affecting the taste of your coffee. It is always best to use water that is safe to drink. You can store filtered water in your refrigerator and use it for your coffee making needs.
Many people use a spoon to measure coffee. This is not the recommended method and a scale should be used to weigh the coffee beans correctly. For getting the perfect cup a scale is important. The difference between coffee measured using a spoon and a scale is quite noticeable.
Every brewing method leads to a different taste. You should pick the right brewing method according to your taste. Choosing the right brewing method in between Pour-Over, Drip. Plunger. Percolate and the Siphon is important. It is also important to look at various factors such as ease of use, cost, maintenance and time required to brew to choose the final method.
Every time you make coffee some oil residue from the coffee beans is left in the machine. If you don’t clean the machine often then this oil is going to affect the taste of your coffee resulting in a burnt taste.
After the coffee is made many people prefer to add sugar or cream according to their preferences. But often it’s best to taste your coffee before doing it. Depending on the coffee it can be rich in aroma and flavor which might reduce the need for any additional sugar or cream.
There are mainly two popular coffee beans used everywhere – Arabica and Robusta. It is important to pick the right coffee bean according to your taste. Choosing the wrong bean can ruin the taste of coffee for you.
Arabica – Arabica is the most popular coffee bean today. It is easily available too. Although they tend to be on the costlier side, mainly due to them being costly to produce and the inability to produce in large quantities. When it comes to taste, arabica beans are smooth and sweet. They also have hints of chocolate and sugar flavor in them.
Robusta – Unlike Arabica beans, robusta beans are budget-friendly due to being economical to produce. They tend to be more acidic and bitter when it comes to flavors. The coffee made using robusta beans is also more strong and harsh in taste.
For lattes and cappuccinos you can purchase a milk frother for steaming milk. Now you can make your favorite coffee drinks at home.
Once your coffee is in the open, you need to store it in a canister that prevents sunlight from coming in contact with the coffee. Storing the coffee in a canister or glass jar also helps keep the coffee fresh. Also, avoid refrigeration of your coffee as there is a risk of the coffee absorbing moisture which will change the taste of your coffee.
The right brewing temperature for coffee is between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. You need to buy a coffee machine that allows you to manually set your brewing temperatures. While this option is mostly available in newer automatic machines, the oldest ones lack this option.
For the complete extraction of flavors, the blooming process is important. Most automatic coffee makers lack this function. Preinfusion or bloom allows any carbon dioxide gas left during the roasting process to be released from the grounds.
Flavors such as cinnamon, lavender, cardamom, black pepper and ginger are great ways to enhance the taste of your coffee.
Cold-brew allows you to easily change the taste of coffee by changing how much water you add to the coffee. For strong coffee add more coffee and less water whereas less coffee and more water for a light coffee.
It is not too difficult to make your own blend. You can try adding two different coffees to create your own version of coffee. You can also reduce the water amount in the coffee to make it bolder.
Roasted beans have two to three weeks before they start losing flavor and aromas. That’s why it’s best to roast your beans as per requirement and in small batches.
Cooling the coffee beans before grinding leads to a better taste and uniform sized grounds.
While a pour-over coffee maker will require more work, it will also lead to a better-tasting cup of coffee. Plus, you have complete control over the coffee-making process.
Adding salt to a bitter-tasting coffee helps make the taste of your coffee better and improves the quality of it.
The Keurig cups brew at a low 192 degrees Fahrenheit which is way below the recommended 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Not to mention it is expensive and bad for nature.