17 Nov 6 Tips for How To Brew the Best Coffee at Home
What do baristas and coffee shops know about making the perfect cup of coffee? It’s really not a secret at all! Here are six industry secrets for brewing the best coffee at home.
1. Measure Carefully
The biggest downside to brewing a great cup of coffee at home is inconsistency. How can you make sure each pot is perfectly brewed; not too weak, not too strong? Find the perfect measurement for your coffee maker, usually two tablespoons per six-ounce cup. Use this as your starting point, and adjust up or down depending on your taste. Once you find the perfect amount of grounds-to-water ratio, this is your coffee sweet spot. Stick with these measurements to have a consistently delicious cup of coffee, every morning.
2. Go Ahead; Get the Good Filters
If you’re changing filter brands constantly and hoping to save a bit of money, you’ll probably find inconsistencies in each cup of coffee. The reason for this is that an inferior coffee filter will affect the way your coffee brews and is strained into the pot. When shopping for coffee filters, go ahead and splurge a little on dioxin-free and oxygen-bleached brands. You may want to consider a reusable filter to save money, but make sure the reusable filter is compatible with your preferred grind.
3. Routinely Clean All Your Coffee Equipment
Routinely remove mineral deposits and other impurities from your machine and carafe. There are coffee cleaning solutions, but you can make your own by mixing one part vinegar to one part cold water. Add this mixture to the tank of the coffee maker, and let it “brew” as if you were making a pot of coffee. Let the solution remain in your carafe for about twenty minutes, then dump the mixture and run a couple of clean, water-only brew cycles to remove the vinegar completely from the tank, machine, and carafe.
Make a point of cleaning your pot and machine, but don’t forget to clean your coffee storage containers as well.
4. Grind Your Own Beans
There’s a reason freshly ground beans make a superior cup of coffee; coffee beans begin to lose flavor almost as soon as they are ground. Your best bet for brewing the best coffee at home is to grind the beans you need and use them immediately. While some coffee drinkers swear by burr mills to crush the beans, a coffee grinder can do the job as well. Make sure your finished coffee is smaller, finely ground beans as these are the best for superior flavor.
5. Water, Water, Everywhere
Nothing can wreck a nice pot of coffee faster than chlorinated tap water. It may also lead to a faster build-up in your machine and carafe, resulting in more frequent cleanings. You can approach this two ways; install a filter on your tap, or use bottled spring or mineral water. Don’t use distilled water, as distilling removes all the minerals necessary for a great-tasting cup of coffee.
6. Making the Best Starts With the Best
We believe the quality of your home-brewed coffee is only as good as the beans you start with. We’ve traveled the world to bring you favorites from around the globe. Join the Java Luv Club to get your favorites delivered right to your door, or try a tasty new brew every month. The choice is yours! Choose your beans, your grind, and even the frequency of delivery so you can brew the best cup of coffee, right at home!
Give the tasteful gift of flavor this holiday season when you sign up your friends and family for a Java Luv Club membership!