How to Brew Coffee

Many methods exist out there for brewing coffee. A single right way to brew coffee does not exist. Personal preference and taste play the largest part. Some like a strong cup of coffee, while others prefer a milder cup. The brewing method will differ slightly depending on when and where you drink coffee.

Regardless of one’s personal taste, certain guidelines should be followed in order to produce the best cup of coffee possible. By following these guidelines, coffee drinkers of all stripes will enjoy better-tasting cups of coffee.

Brewing Coffee Guidelines: Equipment

When brewing coffee, keeping the equipment thoroughly clean is essential. Dirty coffee machines impair coffee in 2 ways:

built-up grounds can work their way into the coffee, and

built-up residue of coffee oil gives the coffee a bitter, rancid flavor.

To prevent the buildup of coffee oil and coffee grounds, the coffee machine must be cleaned regularly. These cleaning tips will help:

Wipe the machine after every use with warm water and an absorbent towel.

Use a commercial coffee cleaning solution or vinegar mixed with water and run it through your machine at least once every few months. Make sure though that after running the solution through the machine that you run it with plain water three more times to make sure there is no residue left over from the cleaning solution.

What Coffee to Use

The coffee needs to be as fresh as possible. Coffee should be bought as soon after it is roasted as possible. Be sure to buy only enough to last about 1-2 weeks. After that, the coffee will lose much of its flavor.

The Right Grind

People who buy whole beans should grind them right before brew time. This ensures the best quality of taste. A mill grinder is best when grinding coffee. If it is done at the store, however, the grind needs to match the kind of equipment used to brew the coffee.

One should not underestimate the size of the grind. The wrong grind can destroy the taste.

The coffee will taste bitter if ground too fine.
The coffee will taste flat if ground too coarse.

Water in the Brewing Process

Sometimes the wrong water can make a bad cup of coffee. For the best cup possible, filtered or bottled water should be used. Furthermore, the coffee-to-water ratio needs to be proper. For every six ounces of water, use one to two tablespoons of coffee.

Patience is Not a Virtue

After brewing the coffee, drink it immediately. The longer coffee sits out, the worse the flavor becomes. Coffee actually begins to lose its flavor the minute it is finished brewing. To preserve the flavor as long as possible, it should be put in a coffee mug or warmed cup. Some people leave the carafe on an electric hot plate (standard on most coffee machines). If left there longer than 15 minutes, however, the coffee will develop a burned flavor.