Grind only before brewing. (For more about selecting coffee, see chapter 2 .)
Storage containers with tight-fitting lids to keep the precious beans as fresh as possible. (For more on storage, see chapter 2 .)
Brewing Temperature and Contact Time
In all brewing methods, exposing ground coffee to water extracts the coffee’s flavor. Theoretically, you could soak roasted coffee beans in a pitcher of water and eventually the water would become coffee. But certain temperatures and time facilitate extraction of oils contained in coffee beans more quickly and in an aromatic and flavorful manner.
The recipe for making excellent coffee is well-established: Two tablespoons (10 g) per six ounces (180 ml) of water. It has been documented that Ludwig von Beethoven used to count sixty beans for each six-ounce (180 ml) cup—which happens to equal two tablespoons (10 g). Unless noted otherwise, this formula applies to all brewing methods.
This formula is an important starting point, but slight adjustments may produce a better batch, one that tastes better to you . Treat this formula as a relatively foolproof guide— guide being the operative word. Different coffee roasts, different origin coffees, and brewing-temperature variations affect strength and flavor. For instance, to brew a forty-eight ounce (1,440 ml) batch (eight six-ounce [180 ml] cups), begin with sixteen tablespoons (80 g) of whole beans. If the coffee turns out too strong, pull back to fourteen tablespoons (70 g); if it’s too weak, increase the beans to eighteen tablespoons (90 g). (And here’s a tip: Always treat your first batch of a new coffee as a test batch.)
TAKE ITS TEMPERATURE
How do you know whether your automatic brewer is performing to spec? Simple: Take its temperature. Hold a fast-acting thermometer in the stream of brewing coffee as the water emerges from the basket of grounds. The temperature should be more or less at the 200˚F (93˚C) mark.
Temperature
Although any temperature water will eventually become coffee if in contact with beans for long enough, hot water is the fastest means to this end. (It also results in a hot beverage which, historically, is the way most people prefer to drink coffee.) Water heated to 200˚F (93˚C) plus or minus a few degrees is considered the standard benchmark. Water not heated as high is less efficient. Water heated higher extracts bitter flavors.
Time
The longer the coffee grounds are exposed to water, the more the flavor is extracted. The shorter the grounds are exposed, the less the flavor is extracted. The appropriate average time varies by grind; a drip grind takes four to six minutes, but a coarse grind can take up to eight minutes. If using a manual machine that steeps the coffee in a reservoir, such as a vacuum or press pot, you can easily vary the contact time between the grounds and water. Press pot coffee with a finer grind and longer extraction time will taste significantly different than one with a coarser grind and shorter extraction time. (See chapter 4 , “Grinding,” for more information.)
Water
The chemical makeup of the strongest cup of coffee is roughly 1.35 percent dissolved coffee solids. The rest, approximately 98.65 percent, is water. Water plays two roles in coffee. It complements the taste and acts as the solvent that seduces the coffee essence from the grounds.
Let’s address water’s taste first. Water’s flavor varies quite a bit around the world. Assuming it is potable, or healthy to drink, its chemical makeup can include different amounts of several ingredients. Calcium, which comes from rocks in the ground, is the largest likely suspect. Have you heard the phrase “hard water”? It usually refers to the calcium minerals within it. If the minerals in hard water are in high enough concentration, they can give the coffee a pronounced metallic taste.
Some say hard water extracts coffee poorly during brewing. Actually, this is less than true, although hard water does present
Storage containers with tight-fitting lids to keep the precious beans as fresh as possible. (For more on storage, see chapter 2 .)
Brewing Temperature and Contact Time
In all brewing methods, exposing ground coffee to water extracts the coffee’s flavor. Theoretically, you could soak roasted coffee beans in a pitcher of water and eventually the water would become coffee. But certain temperatures and time facilitate extraction of oils contained in coffee beans more quickly and in an aromatic and flavorful manner.
The recipe for making excellent coffee is well-established: Two tablespoons (10 g) per six ounces (180 ml) of water. It has been documented that Ludwig von Beethoven used to count sixty beans for each six-ounce (180 ml) cup—which happens to equal two tablespoons (10 g). Unless noted otherwise, this formula applies to all brewing methods.
This formula is an important starting point, but slight adjustments may produce a better batch, one that tastes better to you . Treat this formula as a relatively foolproof guide— guide being the operative word. Different coffee roasts, different origin coffees, and brewing-temperature variations affect strength and flavor. For instance, to brew a forty-eight ounce (1,440 ml) batch (eight six-ounce [180 ml] cups), begin with sixteen tablespoons (80 g) of whole beans. If the coffee turns out too strong, pull back to fourteen tablespoons (70 g); if it’s too weak, increase the beans to eighteen tablespoons (90 g). (And here’s a tip: Always treat your first batch of a new coffee as a test batch.)
TAKE ITS TEMPERATURE
How do you know whether your automatic brewer is performing to spec? Simple: Take its temperature. Hold a fast-acting thermometer in the stream of brewing coffee as the water emerges from the basket of grounds. The temperature should be more or less at the 200˚F (93˚C) mark.
Temperature
Although any temperature water will eventually become coffee if in contact with beans for long enough, hot water is the fastest means to this end. (It also results in a hot beverage which, historically, is the way most people prefer to drink coffee.) Water heated to 200˚F (93˚C) plus or minus a few degrees is considered the standard benchmark. Water not heated as high is less efficient. Water heated higher extracts bitter flavors.
Time
The longer the coffee grounds are exposed to water, the more the flavor is extracted. The shorter the grounds are exposed, the less the flavor is extracted. The appropriate average time varies by grind; a drip grind takes four to six minutes, but a coarse grind can take up to eight minutes. If using a manual machine that steeps the coffee in a reservoir, such as a vacuum or press pot, you can easily vary the contact time between the grounds and water. Press pot coffee with a finer grind and longer extraction time will taste significantly different than one with a coarser grind and shorter extraction time. (See chapter 4 , “Grinding,” for more information.)
Water
The chemical makeup of the strongest cup of coffee is roughly 1.35 percent dissolved coffee solids. The rest, approximately 98.65 percent, is water. Water plays two roles in coffee. It complements the taste and acts as the solvent that seduces the coffee essence from the grounds.
Let’s address water’s taste first. Water’s flavor varies quite a bit around the world. Assuming it is potable, or healthy to drink, its chemical makeup can include different amounts of several ingredients. Calcium, which comes from rocks in the ground, is the largest likely suspect. Have you heard the phrase “hard water”? It usually refers to the calcium minerals within it. If the minerals in hard water are in high enough concentration, they can give the coffee a pronounced metallic taste.
Some say hard water extracts coffee poorly during brewing. Actually, this is less than true, although hard water does present
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