9 steps to brew great coffee

Everyone wants perfect coffee. You can go downstairs to the nearest coffee shop to buy it, or you can try to make it yourself at home. Whether you use an AeroPress, French Press, or other equipment, as long as you refer to the following tips, you will be able to make delicious coffee at home at the same level as a coffee shop!

01

Buy good coffee beans

A good cook cannot cook without rice. Only high-quality coffee beans can ensure the quality of coffee.

02

Buy coffee beans

Although coffee must be ground into powder before it can be brewed, coffee beans can better ensure the freshness and high quality of coffee than buying coffee powder directly. When buying coffee, pay attention to the roasting date to ensure that the coffee is fresh enough. When grinding, remember that gear grinders are better than blade grinders, which can ensure more stable grinding.

03

Use water well

It is obviously unrealistic to go to the mountains to get spring water, but compared to using tap water directly, using bottled water or filters will bring the quality of coffee to a new level. From a cost perspective, filters may be more practical. They can filter out impurities and odors in the water and balance the pH value. Brewing coffee with filtered water will make the coffee taste purer and more delicious.

04

The water temperature must be accurate

If the water temperature is too high, the coffee will be over-extracted and taste bitter; if the temperature is not high enough, the coffee will be under-extracted and taste bland. The optimal water temperature should be between 88-94 degrees Celsius.

05

Storage is important

Coffee must be stored in a dark, heat-insulated, dry place. If you accidentally grind too much, the remaining coffee powder will be exposed to the air and accelerate oxidation and deterioration, so it must be stored in a sealed container. You should know that coffee powder will lose 60% of its moisture and aroma in just 15 minutes of exposure to the air!

06

Pay attention to the water-powder ratio

There is no perfect water-to-powder ratio that is suitable for all baristas or coffee beans. You can decide the amount of powder based on your personal preference and brewing equipment. For example, French press coffee requires soaking for a long time when brewing, so the amount of powder can be slightly less.

But my suggestion is that in daily production, try to use an electronic scale, and ensure the accuracy is within 0.1g based on the water-powder ratio you choose; if not, you can try the method of 2 teaspoons of coffee powder: 180ml water.

07

Time is of the essence

Time is the key to perfect coffee extraction. It cannot be too short, which will make the coffee taste sour; nor can it be too long, which will make the coffee too bitter.

The brewing time will be affected by the coarseness of the coffee powder. In principle, the finer the coffee powder, the shorter the brewing time. If you feel that the coffee tastes too light, you can consider extending the brewing time or grinding the coffee powder finer.

08

Keep it clean

Be sure to clean the grinder and the container for storing coffee beans regularly. The accumulated dirt will accelerate the deterioration of the coffee and affect the taste and quality of the coffee.

09

Dare to explore

Ultimately, the definition of perfect coffee varies from person to person, and you need to boldly explore different types of coffee and brewing equipment to find the combination that suits you best.