Coffee is just the greatest. It’s an instant mood changer and an energy booster, and it helps to lower the risk of many diseases including those of the heart, liver and nervous system. However, buying cups of coffee everyday can get quite expensive, especially if you drink several. Therefore, it might be a great idea to brew your own coffee at home.
Another reason for making your own is that you’ll have a bit more control when it comes to flavour. Additionally, it can be a fun project that you do on your own or with a loved one. So, without further ado, here are some tips to help you get started:
Start With Fresh Beans
If you’re starting from scratch, then first of all you need to source the freshest, whole beans. Usually, coffee beans give out the best flavour within just a few weeks after they have been roasted. In order to find freshly-roasted beans, you’re best bet is to look in the small local stores or roasters, if there are any around. You generally want to avoid supermarkets, because you’ll hardly ever find fresh ones there.
Of course, if you want to start with pre-ground coffee, that’s fine too. However, make sure that you purchase from a good brand like Australian Home Brewing.
Take Care When Storing the Beans
The best storage methods ensure that roasted coffee beans stay fresh for a long time. Here are a few recommended ways of storing them:
- Bags with zip-top seals
- Mason Jars – this way you can more easily access the coffee and it looks great on a shelf. If you have multiple varieties of beans, you can display them all this way.
- Vacuum sealed containers – this can be pretty expensive but they’re very effective at keeping the beans fresh.
Grind Just Before Brewing
To achieve the best flavour, you should grind the beans just thirty minutes prior to brewing. The consistency also has an effect on the flavour. If you grind it too coarsely, the coffee will lose its strength significantly. On the other hand, if you allow the beans to be ground too finely, then it will taste too bitter. Hence, always aim for somewhere in between.
Pre-Infuse For Better Flavour
This steps involves pouring hot water over the ground coffee and letting it sit for a while in order to get rid of any lingering carbon dioxide. If carbon dioxide gas remains on the ground coffee, some of the water will be repelled, resulting in a less flavourful cup of coffee.
Make Sure You’re Using the Right Temperature
When brewing it is very important that you have the temperature on your coffee machine is set between 90 to 100 Degrees Celsius. Take care not to exceed a 100 as this will end up destroying the flavour.
Having a cup of coffee can make such a difference when you’re feeling lethargic or frustrated. However it can be expensive to keep buying them from cafés and chains. An alternative is to brew your own at home, which saves you money and give you more control when it comes to flavour.