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1. Use FRESH Beans. (see Freshness!)
2. Properly GRIND Your Beans.
3. Use Good, Fresh, Hot WATER
4. Use the Correct PROPORTIONS
5. DRINK QUICKLY After Brewing
Grind
For most purposes (ie. NOT espresso), a cylindrical chopping style
electric grinder is ideal for home or office use. Inexpensive at under
$25, it will accommodate a wide range of grinds. Grinding your beans to
the optimum level is important to the quality of the cup, for the wrong
contact level between the ground coffee and the brewing resultant will
produce either a bitter or weak cup of coffee. Brewing time will also
affect this element of a good cup of coffee. A good guide for Grinds,
Brewing Time, and Grinding Time each as functions of Brewing Methods is
as follows:
| Brewing Method |
Brewing Time |
Desired Grind |
Grind Time |
| Home Espresso Machine |
20-25 sec. |
Very Fine |
25-30 sec. |
| Cone Filter Drip/Vacu Pot |
1-4 min. |
Fine |
20-25 sec. |
| Commercial Drip Brewer |
4-6 min. |
Medium |
15 sec. |
| Coffee Press |
4-6 min. |
Coarse |
10 sec. |
Source: Knox, Kevin & Huffaker, J.S. Coffee Basics: A Quick & Easy Guide
1997.
Water
Use fresh water for brewing that is taste-free and odor-free; if
necessary use a carbon filter to produce quality water for brewing. In
some areas tap water may be excessively hard, in which case bottled
water may be required. Since water constitutes most of the brewed cup of
coffee, it is important to use fresh, oxygen-rich water that has been
heated to between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit to extrude the maximum
flavor from ground coffee beans.
Proportions
The proper equation for better brewing using standard Drip brewers = two
heaping tablespoons of ground coffee + six ounces hot water (195-205
degrees F) + brew time of 4-6 minutes. From this starting point a cup of
coffee which is too "strong" may be diluted with hot water. It is
important to start with enough ground coffee so that it is not "overextruded,"
in which case the result will taste extremely bitter. This can also
happen if the coffee is brewed too long or "cooked" on a warming plate
for too long after brewing.
Holding Time
For peak flavor drip coffee brewed with a filter should be held at 185
-190 degrees Fahrenheit. At this rate it may be kept on a warming plate
or burner for approximately 20 minutes, with transfer to a thermos
doubling or tripling the life of the coffee's peak flavor. After this
point chemical reactions in the coffee will cause a dramatic decline in
its flavor, and notably an increase in bitterness.
Freshness
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