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Coffee BasicsCoffee beans must be ground before brewing. The grind size is
directly related to the extraction time. The coarser the grind the
bigger the extraction time. An example of this grind is the french press
which requires 4-5 minutes extraction time. The finest grind is that of
Greek/Turkish coffee which needs less than 30 seconds! After grinding the beans correctly the coffee is ready to get brewed in order for us to enjoy this fantastic beverage. The quality of the brew is related to several factors.
Coffee BeansCoffee beans quality depends on a combination of factors. Fresh beans, measured by both how long it's been since the beans were roasted and the time elapsed since grinding the beans, are imperative. High quality beans (measured by the specific crop, processing, handling, etc.) are, obviously, desirable, but the highest quality beans are all but useless if stale. Specialty coffees, estate coffees may cost more but they have higher quality, meaning that the aroma, flavour, acidity, body, and overall taste are more enjoyable! And that's what really counts. The pleasure that you get from a good cup of coffee!
WaterClean good-tasting water must be used. Water constitutes approximately 98% percent of coffee, so it's imperative that water must be free of contaminants, impurities, high mineral content, wrong pH, strange smells and so on. A way to guarantee good water is get a good water filter especially if the water in your area is highly problematic. This way you also guarantee better health for you and your family. Brewing temperature Coffee must be brewed at the proper temperature for the proper
amount of time. The right brewing temperature is about 200 F degrees or
92-96 C degrees. Modifying the temperature a bit (2-3 C degrees) may be
preferable for some coffees, or people with different than common tastes. High
temperature gives burnt bitter coffee, and low temperature gives under
extracted weak and sour coffee. It is also very important to keep the temperature as stable as possible while brewing. A lot of espresso machines of less than optimum quality, suffer from temperature instability. Temperature instability is one of the main reasons why espresso may taste bad. The temperature range during brewing should not vary by more then a few degrees, or extraction will not be optimal. Pre-warming the machine can reduce temperature instability a lot. The ProportionThe water to coffee proportion is directly connected to strength of coffee. Research has shown that commonly people prefer a ratio of 10gr of coffee (2 tablespoons) to 180 ml water. This ratio applies to filter coffee. For french press coffee for example a good ratio would be 30-35gr of coffee to 500ml of water, and 55gr per 1lt of water.. The ratio is different for espresso and turkish coffee. For espresso coffee the ratio is 7 g ± 0,5 to 25 ml ± 2.5, according to the ITALIAN ESPRESSO NATIONAL INSTITUTE. For turkish coffee a proper ratio is 5gr±1 of coffee to 50ml of water. A lower ration, which means less coffee to water, gives a weaker coffee. A higher ration gives stronger coffee. Within limits modifying the above ratios can give you the ideal strength coffee for you. The GrindThe coffee grind is related to extraction time. Coarser coffee is suited for higher extraction times. French press requires coarsely ground coffee and an extraction time of 4 minutes. Finely ground coffee is suited for lower extraction times. An espresso grind is suited for approximately 25 seconds of extraction time. If coffee is ground coarser than optimal then the resulting brew will be weak and under extracted. If the grind is finer than optimal than the brew will be over extracted and bitter. If the grind is optimal then hot water extracts the ideal amount of coffee elements and the brew is ideal, with nice aroma and taste. Machines and CupsA good machine is characterized by good temperature stability. For
espresso coffee temperature and brewing pressure are of paramount
importance. Machines should last for a long time with little
maintenance. Reliable machines last for many years.Machine routine
maintenance and cleaning help to ensure many years of reliable function.
A clean machine gives tastier coffee than a dirty machine. Use the
cleaning guidelines suggested by your machine manufacturer, and only use
the cleaning products that are proper for your machine. Aroma and temperature are two important characteristics of a good cup of coffee. The coffee cup must have sufficient diameter to permit the flavor aromatics to reach the nose. Aroma is the major factor influencing the sense of taste. A small diameter will obstruct the flavor aromatics of a rich "Americano" to reach your nose. The coffee cup must also be able to keep your beverage hot for a lot of time. Thick porcelain cups have better thermal insulating characteristics than cheap mass market cups. There are also insulated cups made of stainless steel or double glass walls, that have even better insulating properties. Frequent question: Why is coffee bitter?Good quality coffee will commonly have some bitter elements, but they should exist in balance with other aspects; bitterness should not be an overwhelming component. Unfortunately, most people are rarely served anything but poorly prepared stale coffee, so the standard experience is that coffee is bitter.
source: thecoffeefaq.com
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