Brewing The Perfect Cup Of Coffee
|
Do you remember your first experience with coffee? I'm sorry to say that I do. All I remember is that it was powdered and freeze dried and worst of all, decaf. I remember sitting in a restaurant with my mother and stepfather asking a waitress for Sanka, and explaining to my mother that I'd had it before and avoiding her disapproving stare. What was wrong with a ten year old drinking coffee? It was Sanka for God's sake!
My remaining experiences between ten and thirty five were noncommittal and mediocre to say the least. Mixing Tasters Choice in tepid tap water, graduating to Maxwell House and a Mr. Coffee; suffice it to say that there was no passion in my coffee. If I asked a girl out for a cup of coffee, it usually meant a Styrofoam cup at a Dunkin' Donuts or a Winchell's somewhere.
Then I stepped into my first Specialty Coffee Shop. Now that I remember well. It was a combination bookstore and coffee shop called the Upstart Crow in San Diego, California. The most important thing to me was the feeling I got when I walked in there. Complete comfort. There, I was able to sit in one of their comfortable armchairs, sit back, cross my legs and enjoy a cup of joe while reading a good book. Back then I was into science fiction and I remember vividly reading 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card while sipping some of the most wonderful coffee from a paper cup.
Oh that coffee! Rich and smooth, I fell into it's flavor; jumped actually. I spent many a day off sitting in that shop in Seaport Village... then I left San Diego for Atlanta and it was back to Maxwell House and Sanka. sigh...
Then, simply because I was unemployed and late with the rent I walked into a local Starbucks and asked for an application. I was hired and that's where my obsession with coffee renewed itself. I was sent to their training center for intensive classes teaching not only how to promote the product, but how to differentiate the taste between two coffees and most importantly, how to brew and serve the perfect cup. This, my faithful reader is what I am going to teach you now. Get ready to learn how to brew the perfect cup of coffee!
The Fundamentals of Coffee
All coffee, no matter whether you get it from your local coffee shop or the supermarket has four basic fundamentals:
Proportion
Grind
Water
Freshness
Let's look at each of these one by one...
Proportion
The ratio between coffee and water is an important one. Anyone who's ever had coffee that's too weak or too strong knows what I'm talking about. When it comes to brewing the perfect cup of coffee, the proportion should be two tablespoons of ground coffee to every six ounces of water. No more no less. A lot of people try to stretch their coffee for two weeks or more without realizing what a sacrifice to the taste this is. Use too little coffee and it tastes weak. Use too much and it becomes bitter and you risk a terrible nights sleep.
The best way to measure two tablespoons is with a measuring scoop. There are scoops that are specifically measured for two tablespoons but if you don't have one made especially for coffee measuring then you can use a standard 18 cup measuring cup. If you don't have that you can use regular run of the mill tablespoons, but that method isn't as precise. If you want to purchase a coffee scoop, you can get one at a specialty coffee shop or online. Starbucks is a good place to get one.
Grind
The type of grind you use for your coffee depends upon what kind of coffee maker you brew your coffee in. If you use an espresso machine you use a fine grind. For automatic drip coffee makers (such as Mr. Coffee), you use a medium grind and you use a coarse grind for coffee presses (my preferred way of brewing). There are other grinds as well, just as there are other ways to brew coffee such as percolators and Turkish coffees.
If were going to talk about the way a coffee is ground, then we also have to talk about grinders. Basically there are two types of grinders: blade and burr Blade grinders have two blades that rotate at a high speed to grind your beans. The pros of this method is that blade grinders are affordable. The cons are that they generally break down quicker.
Burr grinders grind the beans between two textured plates and the grind is much more consistent than a blade grinder. Also, it's easier to adjust the grind with a burr grinder. To get an espresso grind with a blade grinder, you have to hold the grind button for x amount of seconds. A burr grinder allows you to turn a dial and voila! Your grind is done. Obviously, I prefer a burr grinder.
Water
It's pretty much a good idea to use fresh, clean water to brew your coffee. If at all possible, try not to use tap water; you should always use filtered or bottled water. Before you begin screaming at me that you don't have that kind of money, don't worry. Yes, using nothing but bottled water is not exactly cost effective but there are inexpensive water filters available to purchase. Water filtration pitchers are also a good way to get fresh water for brewing.
Your water should be heated to just below boiling, around 190 degrees. You don't want your water to be too hot. It could overheat the grounds and spoil the taste of your coffee.
Freshness
This is pretty obvious. Once a bag is opened, the freshness lasts about a week. After grinding, it lasts about two days. The best way to keep your beans and ground coffee fresher longer is to keep it in an airtight container like the one shown here. And never, ever freeze your coffee no matter what you've heard or read. Coffee that is frozen is a high risk for freezer burn and take it from one who has experienced the horror: freezer burnt coffee is not a great taste!
Well those are the basics. I hope you enjoyed reading this article and Happy Brewing!
Loy Williams' articles can be found at his website Coffee-Basics.com along with other quality content about his prime obsession; coffee. Be sure to check it out: http://www.coffee-basics.com
|
|
|
Getting Fat These Days; Is It Starbucks
Starbucks has seen tremendous growth in our cities and the stock is up sharply from its IPO. But for many Americans so is their waist; are you a Starbucks G...(related: Coffee)
Caffeine - I Bet You Didnt Know This! Health And Nutrition!
What exactly is caffeine? It is a colorless, somewhat bitter substance that is found in coffee, tea, chocolate and cola. It is also in many over- the-counter medicines and in many diet/weight loss supplements. It is a stimulant and it is considered a psychoactive drug. It is the most widely consumed drug in this country. Drugmakers are required by law to list the amount of caffeine in their product, however, food and beverage companies do not have to. The caffeine that is taken out of coffee beans to produce decaffeinated coffee is then sold to drug ...(related: Coffee)
Mr. Coffee Versus Bunn-o-matic - The Coffee Maker Battle Heats Up
For coffee lovers, there are few things more appealing than being met in the early a.m. hours by a perfectly brewed pot of coffee. That first cup sets the mood for your entire day, doesn't it? If it's brewed up right, you'll feel that extra zing in your step from morning till night. However, if that first cup is too strong or too weak, too hot or not hot enough, you quickly find yourself spiraling...(related: Coffee)
Woman Dies From Caffeine Overdose And Expert Calls For Action In New Book And Fda Petition
An autopsy released this week has found caffeine to be the cause of death for a woman from New Mexico. The incident took place in June 2004 after she was admitted to a hospital after a fight with her son. The injuries sustained were thought to be the cause of her lapsing into a coma but was later revealed that high amounts of caffeine were found."So many hidden forms of caffeine exist," says Kushner, "from baked goods, frozen dairy products, gelatins, puddings, analgesics and even lipstick!"Kirkus Discoveries calls Kushner's new book, "A wake-up call about caffeine" and "full of interesting factoids" while listing specific health threats (heart disease, central-nervous-system disorders, ulcers, cancer) and mapping out specific routes to end dependency."It's unfortunate th...(related: Coffee)
Gourmet Coffee Beans
You can be a coffee lover without knowing much about coffee beans, but learning a little bit about the different types of coffee can help you get the perfect cup every time. There are many types of gourmet coffee beans. The way they have been grown in processed has a huge effect on their taste. Here's a little bit of information for getting the best from your gourmet coffee beans.Coffee is a common agricultural product of many tropical countries. There are two main species of coffee plant ? Arab...(related: Coffee)
Cappuccino Secrets: Creating The Perfect Foam
Here is an article that tells the secret of creating the perfect foam with steamed milk for making a wonderful cappuccino. As you'll see creating the perfect foam isn't as easy as it may seem ...Most places that serve cappuccinos in the United States have not trained their baristas in the art of properly frothing milk. The foam that they create is usually a dry, tasteless, large celled collection of bubbles that sit on top o...(related: Coffee)
Portrait Of A Barista
The barista is the Italian word for the skilled person who prepares coffee (ultimately espresso) in a coffee house.What would you want your barista to be like?This is not a trick question. The more I think of it, the more I believe it, that the world of coffee making must be laying on the shoulders of a barista.I believe that because the coffee I am beeing served in a coffee house, I expect it to be good. On the other hand, the manager of the bar expects me to be pleased with the service and come again. If the coffee is not g...(related: Coffee)
How Is Kona Coffee Different?
Like much of Hawaii, Kona offers ideal climate conditions for growing coffee. But there is something different about the Kona coffee cherries produced here that has earned this coffee a worldwide reputation for excellence. It might be the dark rich volcanic soil, which contains a perfect blend of acidity and minerals, and retains just the right amount of water. It could be the dependable cloud cover that rolls in each afternoon, protecting the delicate coffee trees from the glaring afternoon sun.The difference could also lie in the care with which Kona coffee is handpicked, ensuring that only the highest quality berries are harvested for coffee production. Maybe it is simply the fact that 100% Pure Kona Coffee is rare and sometimes hard to find. The rarest of Kona Coffee beans is Peaberry, making up only...(related: Coffee)
History Of Instant Coffee
Mention instant coffee to any connoisseur and you are sure to get a frown of disgust. Yet, who among us hasn't, after finding the...(related: Coffee)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved. | Coffee