Want to Make the Perfect Cup of Coffee? Do These 5 Things.
Here’s how to get that perfect cuppa every time.
Every coffee lover is in search of that perfect cup of coffee. Sometimes you wake up and enjoy the perfect brew, but other times, you feel like something is missing.
So how do you streamline your process to get a consistently good brew each time?
Here are a few tips to keep in mind while you brew your morning coffee. I wrote them down for you because it can be hard to make coffee before you’ve had coffee. (Wait did I just add two scoops, or three?)
1. Choose the right brew method for you.
Different brew methods result in different coffee tastes. The average U.S. household runs on drip coffee… but we’re starting to experiment with other (better-tasting) brew methods.
If you like a dark, roasted taste, you can try using a percolator, Moka pot, or my personal favorite — an espresso maker.
For a more mellow taste, cold brew is both smooth and low on acid. It tastes good in your mouth, and it's also easy on the stomach.
To experiment with light roasts, a pour-over method allows you to get all the exciting flavors out of the coffee.
2. Grind your coffee to the proper grind size.
Nothing beats the flavor of freshly ground beans made into freshly brewed coffee! A burr grinder can give you a superior taste to a blade grinder because it gives you a more uniform grind size.
Speaking of grind size… you want to use the appropriate grind size for your brew method. The general rule of thumb is that a slow brew method uses a larger grind size, while a quick brew method (like espresso) needs a fine grind size.
Here’s a handy breakdown:
- Fine: 0-4 minute brew cycle
- Medium: 4–6 minute brew cycle
- Coarse: 6+ minute brew cycle
It may seem like not a big deal (and in the grand scheme of life, it isn’t). But, if you use the “wrong” grind size for your method, this small detail alone can make your coffee taste too weak or too strong.
3. Use the right amount of coffee grounds.
Next, you want to use the right coffee-to-water ratio. The Specialty Coffee Association has a standard to go by:
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: To achieve the Golden Cup Standard, the recommended coffee-to-water ratio is 55 g/L ± 10%.
But, I don’t do science the first thing in the morning, so can we get that in English? This standard translates to about a 1:18 coffee to water ratio. So for every 1 tablespoon of coffee, you want 18 tablespoons of water. Basically, 55 grams of coffee per 1000 ml of water if you’re making drip coffee. This is a good place to start, and then you can tweak the ratio to your own tastes.
Note: The coffee to water ratio can vary depending on your brew style. Cold brew has one of the highest coffee-to-water ratios of any brew method.
4. Don’t burn your coffee.
That sounds obvious. But there are more ways to burn coffee than just letting it sit on the hot plate for an hour and a half.
Here are three tips to not burn your coffee when you brew.
- Don’t use boiling water for coffee. The appropriate temperature for coffee is 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit (or 91 and 96 degrees Celsius).
2. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can boil the water and then let it rest for 30 seconds before pouring it over your grounds.
3. For a Moka pot, you can heat the water slightly before adding grounds to the pot. This way the grounds don’t start to burn as they wait for the water to warm up.
4. When using an espresso maker, only add grounds to the machine when you are ready to pull your shot. You don’t want the grounds to sit in the machine while you make your breakfast, because the machine can overheat them.
5. Use a thermal coffee pot rather than a hot plate to keep coffee warm.
5. Brew for the right amount of time.
Whatever brew method you choose, brew within the recommended amount of time. Finishing the brew cycle too early can result in weak, acidic-tasting coffee. Letting the brew overextract can make your coffee too strong or bitter.
That’s a wrap on the nerdiness for now…
Keep these five tips in mind when you brew to streamline and standardize your process. You may be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Happy brewing! …And here’s to that perfect cup of coffee.
Have any tips to add to the list? What’s YOUR favorite way to brew coffee? Let me know in the comments…
To spice up your morning coffee routine even more, try Scott-Ryan Abt’s special recipe:
For tips on how to make a latte with a Moka pot, check out this pro advice by Hazen Henry:
