Since there aren't any high quality coffee shops in my town I have decided to start brewing my own perfect cup.
The best home brewing methods, in my opinion, are...
1) Using a French Press to brew in small controlled batches. Also check out...
How to Brew a Delicious Cup of French Press Coffee | eHow.com
2) Using a Ceramic Coffee Dripper for single cups. Its a simple device that sits on top of your favorite coffee mug. Water is poured manually over the grounds until your cup is full. Pour speed and water temperature are very important.
Both methods above produce a cup of coffee that is far superior to anything you would get out of a standard drip coffee machine. The French Press produces no waste other than the grounds themselves but can be more of a chore to clean. The press doesn't filter out the small particulates as well as a paper filter and lends a wonderful, full bodied texture to the coffee. The Ceramic Dripper requires the use of a paper filter but is much easier to clean. You slowly pour hot water over the grounds until the cup is full. I recommend using unbleached and recycled coffee filters for the dripper. Also, coffee grounds make a great addition to your compost heap.
Simple Steps to a Better Cup of Coffee:
- High Quality Whole Coffee Beans. (do not buy coffee that has been ground up already). It may take some time and experimenting until you find the type(s) of coffee you like best.
- Get a small coffee grinder. They are cheap and very simple to use. This way you only grind enough beans for the current cup(s). Whole beans retain their freshness longer and release their full flavor when you grind them up.
- The Correct Amount of Grounds. Experiment until you find the best ratio of water to grounds. This can change with different types of coffee. For Press coffee... I use about 2 tablespoons of grounds for every 8 ounces of water.
- High Quality Clean Water. Using pure filtered water will improve the flavor of your coffee. Try not to use plain tap water unless you live in an area with spectacular water quality.
- Water Temperature is Important. DO NOT pour boiling water over your coffee grounds! A good target temperature for brewing coffee is between 185 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Boiling point at sea level is about 212 degrees Fahrenheit. I recommend you simply bring your water to a boil then let it sit for around 1 minute. If you really want to achieve perfection use a cooking thermometer to measure your water temperature.
- Brew Time can be adjusted for personal taste, the amount being brewed, as well as the brew method Letting coffee steep too long can make it bitter or otherwise undesirable. When using a Press a good starting point is 4 minutes. Take note of the brew time until you get it just right. When using a Dripper it is important to pour in stages. Also take note of how fast or slow you pour the water over the grounds.
- Use a Ceramic Mug. Paper and Plastic cups can alter the flavor and ruin an otherwise perfect brew. If you need to use a disposable cup... use paper.
- If you must use sugar and/or cream I recommend pure, unbleached, cane sugar crystals or simple syrup and organic half and half creamer. A small drop of creamer can take the place of a large amount of milk and the flavor is unbeatable.
I recommend everyone get rid of their fancy, mass produced coffee makers and switch to simpler and more flavorful methods of brewing their favorite beans. Also, reduce your dependence on sugar and cream by slowly reducing the amount you use over time. The better the bean... the less cream and sugar you will need.
Also check out my favorite coffee co., Stumptown. They have a great guides for different brewing techniques.
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