A good cup ofcoffeein the morning can set the mood for your whole day. Having a barista craft your daily cup and hanging out in acoffee shopis a nice way to start the day, but if you’re looking to save money and enjoy a cup of coffee without having to leave the house, it may be time to learn how tobrewa good cup yourself. With these nine simple rules, you’ll be able to make your own perfect cup of coffee every morning, right in your own home.
It’s easier than you think—simple things like storing your beans correctly and using the best filters will prevent unwanted bitterness or off-flavors from your cup. Whether your morning coffee is made up of estate-grown beans and an elaborate brew process or you like a supermarket blend with a drip coffee maker, follow these basic rules for a delicious, satisfying cup of coffee—every single time.
The Best and Worst Things to Add to Your Coffee, According to Dietitians
How to Make Coffee
There are three common brewing methods for coffee at home. The long-standing favorite has been a classicdrip coffee machine, but pour-over coffee at home is becoming increasingly more popular, and the French press is an easy favorite as well. Find out how to make coffee with all three methods with these easy steps.
How to Make Pour-Over Coffee
Arguably the best method for a delicious, aromatic and complex cup of coffee, the pour-over coffee maker won’t disappoint.
How to Use a French Press
Caffeinate like a European and make your morning coffee with a French press.
How to Make Drip Coffee
On a hectic morning, nothing beats the simplicity of a drip coffee machine. Depending on your machine, you could make up to 12 cups at a time!
Tips for Making the Best Coffee
Rule 1: Buy Fresh Beans
Rule 2: Keep Coffee Beans Fresh
Always store opened coffee beans in an airtight container. Glass canning jars or ceramic storage crocks with rubber-gasket seals are good choices. Never refrigerate (roasted beans are porous and readily take up moisture and food odors). Flavor experts strongly advise against freezing coffee, especially dark roasts. Optimally, buy a five- to seven-day supply of fresh beans at a time and keep them at room temperature.
Rule 3: Choose Good Coffee If It’s Within Your Budget
Rule 4: Grind Your Own
Coffee starts losing quality almost immediately upon grinding. The best-tasting brews are made from beans ground just before brewing. Coffee connoisseurs prefer to grind inexpensive burr mills, but an affordable electric “whirly blade” model, such asa spice grinder, will do a serviceable job, especially if the mill is rocked during grinding to get a fine, even particle size. (Scoop for scoop, finer grinds yield more flavor.)
Rule 5: Use Good Water
Nothing can ruin a pot of coffee more surely than tap water with chlorine or off-flavors. Serious coffee lovers use bottled spring water or activated charcoal/carbon filters on their taps. Note: Softened or distilled water makes terrible coffee—the minerals in good water are essential.
Rule 6: Avoid Cheap Filters
Bargain-priced paper coffee filters yield inferior coffee, according to the experts. Look for “oxygen-bleached” or “dioxin-free” paper filters (e.g., Filtropa, Melitta). Alternatively, you may wish to invest in a long-lived gold-plated filter (e.g., SwissGold). These are reputed to deliver maximum flavor but may let sediment through if the coffee is ground too finely.
Rule 7: Don’t Skimp on the Coffee
The standard measure for brewing coffee of proper strength is 2 level tablespoons per 6-ounce cup or about 2 3/4 tablespoons per 8-ounce cup. Tricks like using less coffee and hotter water to extract more cups per pound tend to make for bitter brews.
Rule 8: Beware the Heat
Water that is too hot will extract compounds in the coffee that are bitter rather than pleasant. The proper water temperature for brewing is 200°F, or about 45 seconds off a full boil. (Most good coffee makers regulate this automatically.) Once brewed, don’t expect coffee to hold its best flavors for long. Reheating, boiling or prolonged holding on a warming platform will turn even the best coffee bitter and foul-tasting.
Rule 9: Keep Your Equipment Clean
Clean storage containers and grinders every few weeks to remove any oily buildup. At least monthly, run a strong solution of vinegar or specialty coffee-equipment cleaner like Urnex through your coffee maker to dissolve away any mineral deposits. Rinse thoroughly before reuse.
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