Many
coffee drinkers drink one or more cups a day. When you're drinking that much coffee, you'll want to make sure it's perfect every time. Here are the steps to the perfect pot.
Grinding
For best results, grind only as much coffee as you need for each brewing. The following guidelines should be used when grinding your whole coffee beans with an electric hand grinder.
- Cold-water method/percolator: Coarse grind, 5 to 10 seconds.
- Electric/drip method/French Press: Medium grind, 10 seconds
- Filter-cone drip method/espresso machines: Very fine grind, 30 seconds
In order to ensure an even grind, it is best to shake a hand grinder gently while using it, otherwise the grind will be finer on the bottom and the coarser at the top. If yo uwind up with an uneven grind, the extraction will differ, and ultimately the brew will suffer.
Storing
Aire and moisture are your coffee's two worst enemies! Always keep your coffee in the airtight zip lock bag it comes in, and store it in a cool, dark place--preferably your freezer. Whole bean coffee retains its flavor much longer than ground, since less surface is exposed to air.
Brewing
Water represents 98% of every cup; therefore, we recommend that you use cold bottled or filtered water. Do not use distilled or softened water, as it won't properly extract the flavor from the grounds.
Use two tablespoons of grounds for each six ounce cup of coffee. Using too few coffee grounds can actually make coffee taste bitter due to over-extraction. Never boil coffee, as boiling causes bitterness. Once brewed, don't reuse the coffee grounds or reheat.
Serving the Perfect Cup
Enjoy your coffee within 20 minutes of brewing for optimum flavor and aroma. Over 20 minutes on the burner will result in unpleasant flavors.
