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There are several things that are important in brewing good coffee:
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Quality Coffee Beans
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Water Quality
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Water Temperature
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Brewing Time
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Coffee to Water Ratio
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Other Factors
The first and most important factor in brewing good coffee is coffee beans. Making coffee is flavoring water. If the substance you are flavoring it with is not good, you will not have good flavored coffee. The best beans are fresh 100% specialty grade arabica coffee beans roasted to enhance the origin characteristics of the bean. Contrary to popular belief, fresh from the roasting machine is not best. Coffee goes through an "aging" process and actually improves in taste for a week or so after roasting. Coffee packaged in one-way valve bags will keep your coffee beans fresher longer.
Since brewed coffee is 98% water, the water you use in brewing will substantially affect taste. Filtered water is best. Softened water is not good. It will slow down the flow and result in overextraction of coffee. Unfiltered chlorinated tap water is not good.
The water temperature for brewing coffee should be 200 degrees farenheit +/- 5 degrees. Older pots are usually not hot enough. Some newer machines do have the correct temperature. Check your machine. If the temperature of the water is too low, underextraction will occur and the coffee will be weak. Underextraction causes the coffee to have a sour flavor since the acids from the beans dissolve first. If the temperature is too high, overextraction will occur with the result of bitter coffee. Increasing the amount of coffee will decrease overextraction but read below about brewing time and coffee to water ratio before adjusting coffee amounts.
Brewing should take between four and six minutes. If it takes less than four minutes, grind your coffee particles smaller. If it is taking over six minutes, grind larger particles. Optimum is five minutes.
Use 2 TBSP ground coffee for every 6 oz. of water. Do not brew weaker. If you need to drink weaker then add hot water to the already brewed coffee. The only time you should add additional coffee is if your brewing water temperature is too high. But, the better solution is to go out and buy a coffee maker that gives you the correct water temperature.
Other factors:
Filters: Metal is best. Paper reduces taste.
Brewed Coffee Storage: Do not leave on a burner. Do not leave in an open container. Use a closed thermal carafe.
Coffee Cups: Do not use plastic or styrofoam! Ceramic is best. Metal will work.
Coffee Machines: Notice that this is last on the list. Well, if you have all of the above, it shouldn't really matter what machine you use. Many coffee conneseiurers use french presses. Well, you can make great coffee the old campfire way - heat water to the correct temperature in a sauce pan, put in the correct ratio of coffee grinds, leave sit for 5 minutes and then pour slowly to eliminate grinds in your cup. You could pour through a strainer into a thermal carafe. The poor man's french press!
So, go brew a great cup of coffee!
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