Top 10 tips and tricks for making coffee
Hmm, there’s nothing like fresh coffee in the morning. For some people, coffee is the number one must have, and if you are one of those lucky people who can’t help but love coffee in the morning, you will be pleased to know that there are other ways to make it.
There are many versions on how to make coffee, from decorative foam to French presses. In this article we present our top ten tips and tricks for making coffee. Enjoy your next cup of hot joe!
1. Decorating your own lattes
With some practice, anyone at home can decorate their cafe in a way that they probably thought only baristas could achieve. Baristas make it look simple, and if you do it, you can get great, positive results too, especially since you’re not a barista who’s rushed to do four jobs at once.
The trick is to work with the milk and make it frothy without big bubbles and then pour it into the coffee cup at an angle.
2. Buy fresh whole bean coffee
Don’t buy pre-ground coffee. Buy fresh beans. Most coffee companies don’t care about the dates the beans were packed; the beans have likely been left there for months after harvest. Fresh coffee comes out pretty fast. To find fresh beans, it’s best to check out coffee shops, and some coffee shops will roast them right there, and that means fresher coffee for great brew.
Pre-roasted coffee beans also mean that the beans are discharging more carbon dioxide, which means that escaping gases remove more flavor from the coffee than freshly ground and roasted beans.
3. Use good quality water
Water quality is important when it comes time to make coffee. Hard water, which is full of additional minerals, will not adhere as well to the coffee being brewed, which leads to weak coffee and not what you expected. Worse still, using this high-content mineral water could result in limescale build-up in your coffee maker. If you use this type of water, you will have to descale your coffee machine regularly, something that you do not want.
Highly filtered water can also cause other problems when making coffee, but lightly filtered water will be perfect. Also, the best temperature for coffee brewing water is 88-94 degrees Celsius.
Four. How to make cold coffee to give your coffee a different flavor
Cold brewing your coffee is a great option if you love iced coffee and want to avoid buying expensive iced coffee.
There are many ways to prepare coffee that can be frozen, but there are also machines that make it possible. One benefit is that this method removes the acids that coffee produces. This method also highlights different flavor ranges for coffee lovers to indulge in, however some don’t like it because there is no acidity.
Alternatively, you can use a special jar, called a mason jar. It’s really easy – just take your coffee grounds, pour it into the jar, and then pour cold water before putting the water in your fridge for 12 to 24 hours. When ready, simply strain the beans and serve them over ice. Give it a try!
Also, if you want to sweeten it, add a caramel syrup or something similar.
5. Measure your coffee
When you start brewing coffee, find out which proportion of the coffee you measure is the strongest and which is the weakest to get a great coffee experience without weakening it or making it too strong for your taste.
The most common ratio is 1 liter of water to 60 grams of ground coffee, and the easiest way to obtain it is to simply measure the coffee on a scale, however it is also possible to measure it simply by measuring 60 grams using a spoon.
6. Pre-infusion, or flowering
Always be sure to remove carbon dioxide from the coffee grounds or your brew will weaken. If you have a coffee machine, make sure it has a setting that covers this and make sure it’s always on.
Coffee blooms are common in coffee shops. It is created by roasting and the heart causes the bean to capture carbon dioxide and trap it. When roasting is complete, gases are slowly discharged. This is called “degassing.” Ideally, if you use freshly roasted beans, your coffee will have more flavor than roasted and ground beans that have not been touched for days.
7. Brew and dilute for weaker coffee
If you want to brew coffee that’s great, don’t brew it for too long, just increase the amount of ground coffee you already have. However, if you prefer it weaker, just don’t brew it for a shorter time, but make it right and then dilute it to drink later.
8. Tips for using filter paper
If you prefer to use filter paper to prepare your coffee grounds, gently run hot water on the filter paper so that it is damp before using it. This will eliminate the likelihood of getting that papery / cardboard taste in your mouth that you would probably get if you simply pour the water over the coffee grounds if the paper is dry before you start. Pre-moistening the paper will clean it and remove that papery taste, which means you will still have a great tasting cup of coffee.
When you are making a cup of coffee using this method, pour the hot water over the coffee grounds in a circular motion so that the coffee water slowly appears in the pot. This is called flowering. Keep pouring more water over the grounds slowly, let it seep, and then wait for the coffee to collect at the bottom of the pot.
9. Flavored coffees
If you prefer your coffee to have different flavors, for example a little cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla or almond extracts, then some of those extracts in the cream or milk. Sprinkle some cinnamon or nutmeg over the coffee, or you could even sprinkle other ground spices like cardamom for a more spicy and different coffee than you know.
10. Maple syrup drizzle
Another option for flavored and sweetened coffee is to swap the sugar with maple syrup.