You can save both time and money by learning how to make a great cup of jo in your own kitchen, so read on to learn the ways of the barista.
Buy Fresh Coffee
Buying grocery store pre-ground coffee is probably the cheapest and quickest way to your first hit of caffeine on Monday morning. However, it’s also a big mistake if you want to achieve the coffee-house experience. Often, the pre-packaged coffee grounds on the shelves of your favorite grocery store are old and stale, and they’ve lost most of their aromatic oils. Fresh coffee can have an abundance of flavorful undertones like blueberry, rose, lavender, or caramel. So opt for fresh, whole coffee beans instead.
Grind Your Beans Right Before Brewing
Waiting to grind your coffee beans until you’re ready to brew them preserves the freshness and flavor of the coffee. Coffee grounds only have 30 minutes of peak freshness before the oxidation process sets in. Once the grounds start to oxidize, the flavor seeps out of the grounds.
Use Filtered Water
Most people in the US live in areas with hard water. The calcium and other hard minerals in the water can reduce the sweetness of your coffee. It can also smother the natural flavors. Unlike buying stale coffee it doesn’t ruin the flavor entirely, but it can rob you of the robust experience you would get in a coffee house. To avoid this, use filtered water in your coffee.
Avoid Using a Drip Coffee Maker
If you want to make a great cup of coffee you’ll need to shell out a lot of money for a high end drip coffee maker, or use a manual brewing method. Using a manual brewing style can allow you to have a lot more control over how your coffee tastes and it’ll cost a whole lot less. You can test out different methods such as using a pour-over cone, an Aeropress, or a French press coffee maker.
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Clean Your Coffee Maker
No matter what brewing method you choose you should keep your brewing equipment clean. Drip coffee makers can grow mold that not only ruins the taste of your coffee but can be a health hazard as well. Regularly run the self-cleaning feature on your coffee maker if it has one. If not, use a dedicated coffee maker cleaner through it. If you’re using manual coffee makers, make sure to wash them regularly.
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