Coffee can be the perfect start to your morning. It gives you an instant boost of energy and helps you prep up for the day. But, nothing can be worse than a bad, tasteless cup of coffee. If you’re tired of drinking such coffee every morning, then you’re at the right place. Here are some tips and tricks that will help you brew perfect cafe-style coffees in the comfort of your home.
1) Only use fresh beans
It is a no brainer that coffee beans are the most essential ingredients while making coffee. They can make or break the entire brew. So, it comes without saying that for a perfect cup of coffee you will need fresh, high-quality whole beans. Using beans that are processed or have been stored for days, will just ruin your coffee. This is why it is better to buy fresh beans from a trusted local vendor and roast them yourself. If you do not have a lot of time, then consider opting for subscription-based services that deliver freshly roasted coffee beans to your doorstep. Keep in mind that once roasted, coffee beans should not be stored for long. Use them up as quickly as possible.
2) Invest in a good quality coffee maker
Hard-core coffee lovers know the importance of investing in a coffee maker. Yes, you can make good coffee even without it. But, if you are looking for that perfect brew every single time then, coffee makers are your best friends. But what is a good coffee maker? Well, this is a tough question to answer. Different people enjoy different tastes. Some people really like the Moka pot, while others seem to enjoy the French press or the percolator. All these techniques are different and the resultant coffee tastes different. So, it truly depends on you and what you enjoy as a person. According to this buying guide, the best coffee makers should have the following features.
- Flexibility: Drinking the same coffee every single day might get boring. Sometimes you might want to mix things up. From mocha to expresso and cappuccino there are a variety of different brews, and a good quality coffee maker should allow you to make at least a few of these brews so that you can have options to choose from.
- Great taste: Now, the taste is the main reason why someone would buy a coffee maker in the first place. Some low-quality coffee makers tend to overheat and this will lead to your coffee having burnt after taste. So, it is extremely important to invest in good quality coffee makers to get the perfect cup of coffee every single time.
- Durability: The last thing you want is to wake up one morning and realize that your coffee maker is out of condition. This can ruin your entire day. This is why it is important to invest in a good-quality coffee maker. Good coffee makers can last you years without any trouble or hassle.
3) Grind your own beans
With all the ready-made and instant options available in the market, hardly anyone grinds their own beans these days. But guess what? From a taste point of view, grinding your own beans is the best thing you can do. Pre-ground coffee tends to lose all its important compounds with time. This process is called de-gassing. This is probably the reason why store bought coffee powders never taste as good as home ground ones. Take some freshly roasted beans and grind them to a salt-like consistency. This will take some extra effort but the taste is worth it. Try it out and you will never go back to those stale store bought coffees ever again. But one thing to remember is to grind only as much coffee as you need in a day. Don’t grind all the beans at once. This will take away from the freshness.
4) Consider using a weighing scale
2 tablespoons of coffee for 6oz water. We have all heard this recipe from our childhood. Sure! It works. But, different coffee blends have densities and tastes. So, this traditional 2 tablespoons method does not work well for all. If you want to take your brewing game to the next level and have killer coffee every single morning then, we advise you to invest in a weighing scale. Scales allow you to measure your coffee by weight instead of volume. So, instead of how many tablespoons, you will know exactly how many grams of coffee you need for your brew. Expert baristas recommend using 90 grams of whole beans for 6 cups of coffee.
5) Check the quality of water
Did you know that more than 98% of your coffee is actually water? So, it comes without saying that the quality of water is extremely important. When you use tap water, the taste of chlorine and other chemicals is dominant and it ruins your coffee completely. This is why it is recommended that you use filtered or bottled water to prepare your coffee. In certain cities, tap water is safe and in such cases it is fine. But otherwise, consider getting good water filters like Brita filters for your house. You can also use activated charcoal filters directly on your tap. This will filter out all the excess chlorine and other odors and you will be left with clean water that can significantly increase the taste of your brew.
6) Flavor your coffee
Now that you’ve made an excellent cup of coffee, it’s time to flavor it up. This is a step where you can experiment as much as you want. Add in some chocolate shavings or some whipped cream. Ground spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg also go very well with coffee. Use honey or coconut sugar for that extra sweetness or maybe even some vanilla extract. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also try adding some ginger powder to your brew. So, don’t drink that same old cup of coffee every day. Experiment with some flavors and the taste will blow your mind.
Conclusion:
Well, there you have it, foolproof tips to make the perfect coffee every single day. Now, you don’t need to go to Starbucks for the perfect brew. You can make it for yourself at home.