Roasting, dosing, storage… the art of good coffee is more complex than it seems.
Roasting, dosing, storage… the art of good coffee is more complex than it seems.
Check out our 7 tips to make (almost certainly) your best coffee cup.
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Pay attention to the roasting date
Coffee roasting is essential. It is what will give your coffee its character. But the further away the roasting date is from the time you drink, the more your coffee will lose its aroma and may be disappointing.
To preserve its flavour, your coffee should be consumed as soon as possible after its roasting date.
Specialized burners and roasters sell freshly roasted coffee. Make sure you buy from a quality supplier.
You can also buy your coffee online or in a supermarket, while making sure to buy products with a roasting date on the packaging.
Advice: Arabica beans are of much better quality than Robusta beans. Stronger aromas and richer flavors.
Choose freshly ground coffee
The fresher your coffee is ground, the tastier it will be. As a rule of thumb, a coffee loses its flavour only about two hours after it has been ground. So, we highly recommend you get a coffee grinder to grind your beans yourself at home. Each cup will be unforgettable!
Prefer flexible coffee packs with a fresh valve
After roasting, the coffee begins to emit carbon dioxide, which causes the packages to swell. To solve this problem, coffee manufacturers allow roasted coffee to dry for several days in the open air to let out carbon dioxide.
The problem with this procedure is that a large part of the coffee’s flavours goes away. This coffee is then found in compact or flexible bags.
Avoid it!
Today, there are coffee packages in our supermarkets with « valves » that allow carbon dioxide to escape without letting oxygen in. With this system the aromas of the coffee are better preserved.
Dose your coffee correctly
One of the keys to a good coffee is the right proportions of water and coffee. For an espresso, the ratio is 7gr coffee to 3cl water. For the filter coffee maker, we put about 65gr of coffee for 1L of water. The dosages can also vary according to the intensity you like to have in your mouth. Strong coffee or light coffee: it’s a matter of taste. Your choice!
A hidden enemy : A dirty coffee machine
Like all kitchen utensils, your coffee machine, whether filter, Italian mocha or piston, requires careful maintenance. Dirty equipment can alter the taste of your coffee, so remember to clean your machine regularly and descale it when necessary.
Be careful, NEVER put your Italian coffee maker in the dishwasher! Made of aluminium or stainless steel, it could oxidize. To clean it, simply rinse it with hot water after each use and let it dry in the open air. In general, whatever coffee machine you use, avoid detergents: they alter the taste of your coffee.
Mineral water….
On paper, a coffee is simply coffee and… water. Better water gives better coffee.
This is why coffee lovers generally use mineral water to avoid any possible alteration in taste. Bonus? it also ensure the maximum shelf life of their loved coffee machine. The water must be at the right temperature, i.e. simmering (around 90˚C or 186˚F) and not boiling as many people believe. Why?
This the right temperature that allow the aromas to reveal themselves as well as possible.
Grains storage
Always store ground coffee grains that you have not used. Even if you only need to grind enough to use it right away, if you have any left, you should put it in an airtight container stored in a cool, dry place. Try to use it as quickly as possible, because ground coffee will lose its flavour if you keep it too long.
Avoid putting ground coffee or beans in the refrigerator or freezer. They could come into contact with moisture, which will damage them.
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Use a compactor
Always use a compactor to press the powder into the filter holder. This will ensure that the water flows well over the entire surface of the coffee. To pack it, simply take the compactor by its handle and turn your arm so that your elbow is at 90 degrees. Install the filter holder on a flat surface and push it down by putting about 15 kg of pressure on the powder.
Do not place the filter holder on a work surface with coffee on it.
It is not necessary to tap on the outside of the filter holder once you have pressed the espresso. This will create small cracks in the packed coffee that will prevent the full development of the aroma.
Shape and temperature of the cup
This is a plus that makes all the difference and will guarantee you in any café (even in Italy) that the bartender or restaurateur knows his business.
The cup must have an egg shell shape. This means that the bottom is of course tighter.
Why?
It allows the cream to stay thicker and at the bottom. Moreover, otherwise the coffee would cool much faster.
So no tea cups or beautiful porcelain collection cups but all square.
Concerning the material the ideal is porcelain or possibly ceramic.They preserve better the heat and its very pleasant to the touch.
Finally, it is essential that the cup is heated in almost boiling water! The detail that changes everything and that means that the coffee will not cool down in 3 seconds (especially since there is not much volume).
At the same time it is a principle that also applies to restaurants, hot dishes require a hot plate.
Making a successful espresso
Last recommendations for an exceptional espresso:
- It’s all about pressure! A pressure of 8 to 9 bar brings out the coffee oils that the roasting has brought to the surface of the bean.
- As always, the dosage is at the heart of the questions. The most commonly accepted ratio today is 1:2 (18g coffee to 36 g drink).
- It is necessary to try to pack with a good pressure (about 15 to 24 kg) and uniformly. You can put 7g of it on, often most domestic machines do not accept more.
- After doing this, you can switch on the filter holder and allow the coffee to be extracted. An extraction duration of 20 to 29 seconds is recommended.
- If you do not store the ground coffee in an airtight container, it will quickly lose its freshness. You can buy a vacuum-sealed container made especially for storing coffee online.
- Run water through the coffee maker’s filter before adding coffee to remove any residues that may give the coffee a bitter taste.
- Ask a barista to recommend a coffee flavour and take notes. He could offer you all kinds of things, whether it’s a Hawaiian Kona coffee, or a Java coffee
Do you also have any suggestions or tips for making your coffee? Share your advice in the comments.
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