Mmm, there’s nothing like fresh coffee in the morning. For some people, coffee is the first thing to have, and if you’re one of those lucky people who can’t stop loving coffee in the morning, you’ll be pleased to know that there are other ways to make coffee.
There are so many ways to brew 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 coffee!
1. Decorating your own slats
With a little practice, it’s possible for anyone at home to decorate their coffee in a way they probably thought only baristas could achieve. Baristas make it look simple, and if you do it, you too can get great and positive results, 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 foamy 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 bother with the dates the beans were packed; the beans have likely been left there for months after collection. The fresh coffee goes out pretty quickly. To find fresh beans, it’s best to look in coffee shops, and some coffee shops will roast them on site, which means fresher coffee for a great brew.
Pre-roasted coffee beans also mean that the beans are releasing more carbon dioxide, which means that the escaping gases remove more flavor from the coffee than freshly ground and roasted beans.
3. Use good quality water
Water quality matters when it comes time to brew coffee. Hard water, which is full of extra minerals, won’t bind as well to the coffee being brewed, leading to weak coffee and not what you expected. Worse still, using this high content mineral water could lead to limescale buildup in your coffee maker. If you use this type of water then you will need to decalcify your coffee maker regularly, something you do not want.
Heavily filtered water can also cause other problems when making coffee, but lightly filtered water will do the trick. Also, the best water temperature for brewing coffee is 88 to 94 degrees Celsius.
4. 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 make iced coffee, but there are also machines that make it possible. One benefit is that this method removes the acids that the coffee produces. This method also brings out different ranges of flavor for coffee lovers to enjoy, however some dislike it because there is no acidity.
Alternatively, you can use a special jar, called a mason jar. It’s really easy: you just take your coffee grounds, pour it into the jar, and then pour in cold water before placing the water in your fridge for 12-24 hours. When ready, simply strain the beans and serve 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, find out which proportion of the coffee you measure is the strongest and which is the weakest to get a great coffee experience without making it too weak or too strong for your tastes.
The most common ratio is 1 liter of water to 60 grams of ground coffee, and the easiest way to get this is to simply measure the coffee on a scale, however it is also possible to measure it by simply measuring 60 grams using a spoon.
6. Pre-infusion, or flowering
Always be sure to remove carbon dioxide from coffee grounds or your brew will be weak. If you have a coffee machine, make sure it has a setting that covers this, and make sure it’s always on.
Coffee flowers are common in coffee shops. It is created by the roasting process, and the heart causes the bean to capture and trap carbon dioxide. When roasting is complete, the gases are slowly discharged. This is called “outgassing.” Ideally, if you use freshly roasted beans, the coffee will have more flavor than roasted and ground beans that haven’t been touched for days.
7. Preparation and dilution for a weaker coffee
If you want to brew coffee, that’s great, don’t make it 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 brew it correctly and then dilute it to drink later.
8. Tips for Using Filter Paper
If you prefer to use filter paper to prepare your ground coffee, gently pour hot water over the filter paper to make it damp before use. This will eliminate the likelihood of that paper/cardboard taste in your mouth that you would likely get if you only pour the water over the coffee grounds if the paper is dry before you begin. Pre-moistening the paper will clean it and remove that papery taste, which means you’ll still have a great-tasting cup of coffee.
When making a cup of coffee using this method, pour the hot water over the ground coffee in a circular motion so that the coffee water slowly appears in the pot. This is called blooming. Continue to slowly pour more water over the ground coffee, allow it to percolate, then wait for the coffee to pool in the bottom of the pot.
9. flavored coffees
If you prefer your coffee to have different flavors, for example a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla or almond extracts, add some of those extracts to the cream or milk. Sprinkle some cinnamon or nutmeg over the coffee, or you can even sprinkle other ground spices like cardamom for a spicier, different coffee than you’re used to.
10 Maple Syrup Drizzle
Another option for flavored and sweetened coffee is to swap the sugar for maple syrup.