Brewing The Best Gourmet Coffee
These are basics for how to make coffee using a standard drip coffee maker (aka coffee
pot, coffee machine, Mr. Coffee etc. etc.). Read for ideas of how to make your coffee
experience more enjoyable!
Steps
Buy the beans of your choice online or at a store. If you can afford it, buy brand name
coffee such as Starbucks, Illy, or other organic coffee. If possible, buy freshly roasted
coffee from a local roaster. The longer that coffee sits around after roasting, the more the
flavor deteriorates, so try to find the freshest coffee available. Most larger towns and even
many small towns will have a source for freshly roasted coffee. Unfortunately, higher
quality coffee often comes with a higher price tag. Only buy enough coffee for a few
weeks.
Grind the beans in the nearby grinder unless you have a grinder at home. It is best to
grind immediately before you brew. If you grind beans when you purchase them, make
sure to use them as soon as possible. Be sure to grind your beans fine for the best taste
in an automatic drip coffee maker: the ground coffee should not look like coffee colored
baby powder, but rather like poppy seeds. Burr grinders create a more even grind than
the cheaper blender-style blade grinders. Using a blade grinder can make a lot of very
fine powder in even a coarse grind that can clog the filter and cause grounds to overflow
into the pot.
Put a coffee filter in the filter basket. It does not matter if the filter is bleached or natural.
Try to go with a better filter as cheap generic filters are more likely to clog. Measure out
the coffee grounds. The standard is 2 Tbsp. for every six ounce cup of coffee or 1/2 cup
of ground coffee for each 10 cup pot, but you should adjust it to your own personal
tastes. Experiment until you are satisfied. Do not use too little coffee as overextraction of
the grounds can lead to bitter coffee.
Measure cold water, according to the amount of coffee grounds you used, using the lines
on the coffee pot. It is very important that the water is cold. If water has a disagreeable
odor or is particularly hard, remember that whatever you put in the coffee machine will
end up in the pot. It is best to use filtered or bottled water. Pour cold water into the water
basin in the coffee pot.
Put the coffee pot back on the warming plate. Wait for the coffee to be fully brewed. If you
"sneak a cup" early it will not only be fairly strong, but it will increase the bitterness of the
rest of the pot due to bitter flavors released later during the brewing process.
Coffee's on! Pour yourself a cup of coffee, add sweetener and creamer if you prefer, and
enjoy!
These are basics for how to make coffee using a standard drip coffee maker (aka coffee
pot, coffee machine, Mr. Coffee etc. etc.). Read for ideas of how to make your coffee
experience more enjoyable!
Steps
Buy the beans of your choice online or at a store. If you can afford it, buy brand name
coffee such as Starbucks, Illy, or other organic coffee. If possible, buy freshly roasted
coffee from a local roaster. The longer that coffee sits around after roasting, the more the
flavor deteriorates, so try to find the freshest coffee available. Most larger towns and even
many small towns will have a source for freshly roasted coffee. Unfortunately, higher
quality coffee often comes with a higher price tag. Only buy enough coffee for a few
weeks.
Grind the beans in the nearby grinder unless you have a grinder at home. It is best to
grind immediately before you brew. If you grind beans when you purchase them, make
sure to use them as soon as possible. Be sure to grind your beans fine for the best taste
in an automatic drip coffee maker: the ground coffee should not look like coffee colored
baby powder, but rather like poppy seeds. Burr grinders create a more even grind than
the cheaper blender-style blade grinders. Using a blade grinder can make a lot of very
fine powder in even a coarse grind that can clog the filter and cause grounds to overflow
into the pot.
Put a coffee filter in the filter basket. It does not matter if the filter is bleached or natural.
Try to go with a better filter as cheap generic filters are more likely to clog. Measure out
the coffee grounds. The standard is 2 Tbsp. for every six ounce cup of coffee or 1/2 cup
of ground coffee for each 10 cup pot, but you should adjust it to your own personal
tastes. Experiment until you are satisfied. Do not use too little coffee as overextraction of
the grounds can lead to bitter coffee.
Measure cold water, according to the amount of coffee grounds you used, using the lines
on the coffee pot. It is very important that the water is cold. If water has a disagreeable
odor or is particularly hard, remember that whatever you put in the coffee machine will
end up in the pot. It is best to use filtered or bottled water. Pour cold water into the water
basin in the coffee pot.
Put the coffee pot back on the warming plate. Wait for the coffee to be fully brewed. If you
"sneak a cup" early it will not only be fairly strong, but it will increase the bitterness of the
rest of the pot due to bitter flavors released later during the brewing process.
Coffee's on! Pour yourself a cup of coffee, add sweetener and creamer if you prefer, and
enjoy!
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