Tips From A Barista On Brewing Coffee
Coffee comes from the bean of the coffee plant. A tiny bean spawned a massive industry. Between many different varieties, coffee is widespread and shows absolutely no sign of ever slowing down. Read on to learn some tips and advice to help you make the perfect brew.
The best coffee typically comes from a coffee press. Instant coffee is over-processed and tends to taste awful, while whole bean coffee offers the best aroma and flavor. When you grind it yourself fresh, you’ll be amazed at the difference. Using a press brings out all the best notes, too!
For a quick and affordable brew of espresso, try using a Moka stovetop coffee pot. Mokas generally produce one or two cups of coffee in the amount of time it takes to boil that amount of water. The coffee is brewed by pressurized steam rising through a funnel of coffee grinds and then rising again into the top chamber where it is ready to be poured into a cup.
If you want fancy latte decorations without a fancy latte price, you can try making your own. There are various guides online that can get you started. With some practice, you can make latte art as good as any barista using milk and melted chocolate. You will not only save money by creating beautiful latte designs, but you’ll impress your guests too.
Buy whole coffee beans and grind the coffee yourself. Coffee that is freshly ground is much more flavorful and aromatic than pre-ground coffee. Each day, only grind the amount of coffee that you need for that day. If you have any extra, place the leftover grinds in an airtight container in the fridge.
If you want the best iced coffee that you have ever had, you need to brew the coffee cold. If you do try to make hot coffee cold, you can end up with a pretty awful brew. If you start your brewing right before bedtime, you will have delicious iced coffee for your morning commute.
Do you enjoy strong coffee? You should try using a French press instead of a drip machine. Pressing the coffee means more oil will end up in your beverage instead of being retained by the filter of your coffee machine. You will find that pressed coffee has more flavor and contains more caffeine.
If you want to use less sugar in your coffee, you have some option to choose from. One thing to try is the nectar of agave, which does have sugar but does not affect you in the same way. Some low calorie sweeteners like stevia or splenda stay stable when added to hot liquids and can be safely be used in coffee as well.
The freezer may not be the ideal place for coffee storage. Actually, coffee can often take on smells and flavors from other foods. An optimal spot for storing coffee is a non-translucent container that is air tight. If you must freeze it or put it in the fridge, at least use a freezer bag.
The best coffee makers actually extract the essence of the bean. Drip coffee makers do not do this. Find an inexpensive French press and taste the difference. A French press will extract the oils from the bean and put them in your cup as opposed to a drip coffee maker which will leave them in the filter.
If you order coffee in a diner or restaurant, do not drink it right away as you should let it sit for at least five minutes. When you see the steam subsiding considerably, this means that your coffee has cooled down a little, as you will not risk getting hurt by drinking it at this time.
If you brew a large pot of coffee that will not be consumed quickly, take it off of the burner. Place it into a pre-heated storage device. When coffee is left on the burner, the taste will deteriorate quickly. A nice carafe or other storage device will eliminate this concern.
The best way to brew coffee is to brew it strong. If you do not like the taste of strong coffee, add milk or water after it is brewed. You want your coffee to be at its peak of flavor. If it is brewed strong and according to the proper water to coffee ratios, it should be strong and aromatic.
Keep your coffee machine clean. Once you are done drinking coffee, you should rinse the coffee pot and remove the coffee grounds. Rinse the machine as best as you can and run hot water through it at least once a week to clean it thoroughly. Do not leave coffee or grounds in your machine for more than an hour.
The best tasting coffee comes from the best water. If the water from your tap tastes awful before you make your brew, it is still going to be unpleasant after making your brew. Use bottled water if you have to or purchase a simple filtering system to improve the taste of your water.
Understand that the fineness of your grind affects the quality of your coffee taste. A very fine grind will leave your coffee tasting really strong, whereas a course grind will give a very dull and weak taste. Some people prefer different types of tastes, so understand this before making coffee for them.
To prevent your iced coffee from becoming watery, try making coffee ice cubes. When regular ice cubes melt in iced coffee, they can water it down. To avoid that, pour some room-temperature coffee into ice cube trays and place them in the freezer. A little later, you’ll have coffee ice cubes that will add more coffee flavor to your iced coffee as they melt.
Now that you know the way to get the most out of your coffee, you can enjoy it. Wow your friends and impress your family with your coffee culinary skills the next time they visit. When you practice the tips from this writing, you will increase your enjoyment of coffee.
