Essential Guide on How to Make Coffee
Whether you're a connoisseur or just enjoy the odd cup, it's vital that you learn how to make coffee the right way. An excellent cup of coffee is like a gourmet meal - the smell, sight and taste come together to make something beautiful. But not every cup reaches this zenith of java greatness. It takes practice and quality ingredients (as well as a little patience).
What You Need For a Good Cup of Coffee
In simple terms, coffee is just a particular bean that has been brewed with hot water. But, your choice of both bean and water make a huge difference to the beverage's overall taste. Freshly ground coffee beans have the best flavor. If you buy pre-ground coffee, be sure to keep it in an airtight container to maintain freshness, and resit storing in in the refrigerator.
For the very best results, preparing only as much as you will need immediately, use a home coffee grinder to get that fresh ground taste. The water you choose to use should be cool, and generally free of any odd taste, especially chlorine.
Bottled or filtered water is best, but if tap water is all that you have, be sure to run the water for a few seconds to clear away the initial residue before you fill your pot. Don't use softened or distilled water.
Equipped with those two essential ingredients - water and ground coffee beans - you need a coffee maker to do the brewing for you. Percolators and drip coffee makers are the two most common methods, although the French press is gaining in popularity. Automatic drip coffee makers are probably your best bet as a beginner. With these handy drip machines you'll have a tasty cup of coffee in three simple steps.
3 Quick Steps To Make Drip Coffee
Step 1 - Fill the reservoir with the desired amount of water (generally anywhere from 4 to 12 cups).
Step 2 - With a permanent or paper filter in the filter basket, fill with coffee grounds at a rate of 1 to 2 tablespoons for every 6 oz of water - which is slightly less than one cup of water. (Make a note here - although permanent filters are convenient and better for the environment, they may leave more grounds in your coffee and produce a slightly different tasting beverage.)
Step 3 - After replacing the carafe under the now closed filter basket, turn the drip coffee maker on. Within a few minutes you'll have a pot of fresh coffee.
How to Use a Percolator In 4 Easy Steps
Slightly different than a drip maker, percolators look like a giant kettle and tend to be a little fussier to use than other styles of coffee brewers. The same two elements are used - water and coffee grounds - but there is no need for a separate filter, because the coffee percolator uses a filter basket in place of a paper filter.
Follow these simple steps to enjoy percolated coffee quickly.
Step 1 - Remove the top of the percolator and fill the pot with the desired amount of water. It's best to fill it all the way up.
Step 2 - Fill the filter basket with coarsely ground coffee, and place the included lid on the filter basket. Usually the percolator will have a chart stating how much coffee should be added, although it's generally similar to the 1-2 tbsp for every 6oz of water.
Step 3 - Place the filter basket, slipped onto the stem, into the percolator pot. And either plug it in, and turn it on if you are using an electric percolator, or place it over a medium heat source, if you are using a manual or stovetop percolator.
Step 4 - When the machine stops perking, unplug it, or remove it from the heat source. The coffee is nearly ready for drinking., just let it rest a few minutes before you pour your first cup.
Hint: Most percolators have a clear top where you can see the coffee perking in the pot. You will be able to tell when it's dark enough for you by watching the color of the finished coffee through this clear top piece. Usually, the coffee will be ready for you and finished perking in 5-8 minutes, depending upon how strong you like your coffee.
Experiment with how to make coffee with the easy basic steps, and try adding more ground coffee or less each time until you get it "just the way you like ". You might want to try different brands, flavors and styles, too.
You will soon find that there is a whole selection of different roasts available from across the globe. Be prepared to pick and choose, to wade through before finding that perfect combination of bean and method that suits your coffee fancies. Trust me, it's worth the effort.
You can find current coffee maker reviews and tips on how to make better coffee at http://www.espresso-and-coffee-makers.com/01.
Betty Ziegler is the editor and creator of the popular website, Espresso-and-Coffee-Makers.com where she offers real-time coffee maker reviews and offers tips on how to improve your at home coffee making... http://www.espresso-and-coffee-makers.com/A
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