Have you ever wondered why coffee shop coffee tastes really good while your own coffee is often watery, if not tasteless? It’s not because of the type of coffee you are using. Well, it could be, but most importantly, it’s because a barista knows the science of coffee. This is how they make a cup of java, and now, you can do it, too.
When it comes to grinding there is one misconception that most people insist on keeping. The fact of the matter is, ground coffee doesn’t taste the same as whole bean coffee that’s freshly ground. You could be saving money and time, but you are losing taste and aroma. Grinding coffee beans makes them react faster with oxygen which quickly eats away at the coffee’s aromatic compounds. Meaning, the more your roasted coffee beans are subjected to air, the faster they will lose flavor. Grinding makes the process a whole lot faster, so grind only what you need when you need it.
It makes no sense to put effort into grinding fresh coffee beans for a deeper flavor only to have it altered because of the type of sweetener you are using. There are five types of sweeteners, according to https://thekitchencommunity.org/the-5-best-coffee-sweeteners/, each with a specific impact on flavor. Before you make a decision to use one or the other, it is best to understand what you are getting in return. Not only will you know which sweetener best preserves taste integrity, but you will also know how to make a great cup with any sweetener by changing the type of coffee to adapt.
There are many ways to make a cup of coffee. Drip coffee machines are only one in a million. There is also the French press, Moka pot, siphon, and many more. As opposed to common belief, you don’t just put the coffee in one chamber, water in another, and wait for a bit. Because each machine functions differently, each takes a different amount of time, size of coffee grounds, and water temperature to extract the perfect cup of coffee. Your job is to adapt your method to your machine. For a drip coffee machine, grind your coffee to a sand-like consistency. For a french press, grind it a little coarser. If your coffee is sour, grind finer and decrease water temperature while increasing the brewing time. If it is bitter, grind coarser, increase water temperature, and decrease brewing time.
There is a way to go about making a cup of coffee. Usually, it takes baristas a lot of trial and error before they can make a cup of coffee that tastes perfect every single time. It is important to remember this when on your own journey towards the perfect cup of joe. It’s gonna take you some time until you get it right. Don’t get frustrated with yourself, instead, learn from every mistake. Honest feedback helps a lot with that, too. In no time, you will get it right.
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