Have you ever wondered how the baristas make that marvelous cup of coffee when you are about to treat yourself after work, after
a long walk in a park or when you are rushing to a very important morning
meeting? Well, coffee lovers, this is your lucky day! Here are the tips and
tricks that will work quite well!
Basically,
you need only three things when making a high class cup of coffee. Can you
guess? Why, of course, those are:
-
coffee
-
water
-
the brewer.
Coffee
The most important thing is the good choice of coffee.
Coffee is grown all over the world and there are a lot of varieties. You should
know that the African coffee tastes differently than the one grown in Indonesia
or Central America. In order to find out which one works best for you, ˝experimenting˝
is the word.
If you are set out to be your own barista, the
pre-ground coffee is a no-no! So, the cleverest thing to do is to buy the
beans. Some will tell you to even buy the green coffee beans and roast them
yourself. In case you are not really fond of roasting, make sure to find the
right roaster where you can buy the coffee immediately after roasting. Buy your
coffee more often and in smaller amounts. And one more thing: don’t keep coffee
beans in the fridge.
The next step is grinding your coffee beans. There’s a
certain philosophy behind it... Too fine grinding or too coarse does not do the
job. You have to find the middle-ground. There isn’t a universal rule, it’s all
about trial and error.
Water
Almost
99 percent of coffee is water, so it is essential to pick the right water. If
you are lucky enough to live in a place with good tap water, you can use it.
For those less fortunate, it is advised that they use filtered water. Distilled
water is out of the question if you want that great tasting coffee.
The
water temperature is also very important. For best tasting coffee, ideal
temperature is between 195°F (91°C) and 205°F (96°C). Boiling water is not the best
choice for coffee making, because your coffee might taste bitter.
The
Brewer
The coffee brewer and its choice are also relevant.
If you use the drip coffeemaker it should contain the following features: it
heats the water up to 205°F (96°C), it has thermal carafe instead
of the glass one and the large brewing basket is necessary.
The
next thing you should bear in mind is coffee-to-water ratio. According to
National Coffee Association USA, the general guideline is one to two
tablespoons of ground coffee per every six ounces (1.8 deciliters) of water. It
might sound quite a lot, but that’s how baristas do it!
To
complete the whole experience of coffee drinking, drink coffee while fresh.
After the brewing process is done, wait a few minutes before serving. The ideal temperature for sipping your coffee is between
180°F (82°C) and 185°F (85°C).
To
get the real feel, coffee should be drunk slowly with all your senses immersed
into it. Enjoy the look, color, taste, smell and warmth of the beverage. Enjoy
every sip!
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