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Whichever method of preparation you use, always keep the following in mind to ensure you get a perfect cup of coffee each and every time:
- Coffee freshness: make sure you always use freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee. Do not keep coffee for long periods as it will loose its aroma and flavour - we recommend using the coffee within about 2 weeks . Light, heat and moisture are "enemies of coffee", so store it in a cool, dark, dry place in an air-tight container.
- Grinding: make sure that the coffee is ground correctly for the method of preparation you use, to avoid under- or over-extraction.
- Amount of coffee used: that will depend on whether you like your coffee strong or mild, but in general 7.5 g of coffee should be used per 125ml of water. Try different combinations to find your preferred taste. However, if too little coffee is used, it wil taste watery and thin, and if too much is used, the taste will be bitter and overpowering.
- Time: timing is especially important with manual methods, such as cafetieres. Steeping coffee for too long will result in over-extraction and bitter taste. Brewing coffee too quickly will make it taste weak.
- Temperature: with manual methods, such as cafetieres and filter pour-over, use water just off-the boiling temperature (92-96 degrees C works best - boil the water in a kettle, then let it stand for about 30 seconds before using it). Water at the boiling temperature will scald the beans, resulting in an unpleasant taste.
- Water: should be good quality.
Back to Coffee essentials in the Learning section.
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