Coffee is complex, and that’s one thing for sure. There’s no way in the world you can brew the same cup exactly, and it makes this beverage more interesting. Even if you use the exact parameters, every brew has its variance, and it is inevitable.
A lot of factors can affect your cup, from processing to roasting. Aside from that, the brewer gets to influence how the cup will taste, as well. If you are curious to know how to make a good coffee at home, here’s everything you need to know, from different coffee brewing methods to other factors that can influence your cup.
What Coffee Beans to Buy?
Do I need to buy high-quality coffee beans? Should I buy imported ones? Will expensive coffee beans taste better?
If you want to brew a good cup, you should buy quality coffee beans. Regardless of any coffee brewing technique you use, a quality one will give you desirable results.
Your coffee doesn’t always have to come from outside countries, but it’s always better to explore these if you’re curious enough to experience coffees around the world. If the word “Coffee Belt” rings a bell, then you know where the best coffees grow. Not all expensive coffees guarantee quality, while some quality ones are not that expensive. Start with cheaper ones and work on your brewing techniques. When you have the budget to try expensive ones, buy a bag with the smallest size and compare the differences.
Commercial coffee vs. Specialty Coffee
Of course, it depends on your preference.
Specialty coffee farms focus on quality over quantity, and a lot of efforts take place when it comes to processing. The industry calls it “the third wave,” and a lot of coffee enthusiasts these days are enjoying specialty coffees because of their natural flavors. You’d be surprised to drink a coffee that tastes like berries. On the other hand, these are pricier than commercial coffees, especially those geisha coffees.
Let’s not take commercial coffees out of the picture because other coffee drinkers prefer these. These are coffee beans you see in supermarkets or bags being sold by renowned commercial cafes. If you prefer a bolder and bitter taste, you’ll enjoy these more since these complement milk and sugar. Keep in mind that drinking a commercial coffee doesn’t make you any less of a coffee connoisseur. Supporting both is better for the sake of the farmers behind these coffees.
Roast Levels
The roast level of a coffee can affect your brew’s result. Roasters play a big role in the industry, and they can either ruin or improve a well-processed coffee. It’s impossible to enjoy a cup with smoky coffee beans.
There are different roast levels and roasters love to explore these. If you’re a beginner in brewing, start with these three; light roast, medium roast, and dark roast.
- A light-roasted coffee is excellent for pour-overs, and it gives a bright cup with crisp acidity and a mellow body.
- A medium-roasted coffee is more versatile when it comes to brewing apparatus. It’s the best roast level if you prefer a cup with a well-rounded body and balanced taste.
- dark-roasted coffee is ideal for espressos. It pairs well with milk because it gives caramel, nutty, and chocolate flavor notes.
Roast Freshness and Its Peak
Let’s not make it complicated. Freshly roasted coffees are great, but it doesn’t mean you have to consume them immediately. It’s always recommended to buy a bag of newly roasted coffee, but waiting for its peak will give you more desirable results when it comes to flavors.
There’s no rule stating that you can’t brew a coffee immediately after the roast. However, don’t expect too much because it will taste better after its peak. For light and medium-roasted coffees, it’s typically 4 to 12 days. Dark roasts are a few days after the roast.
Best Way to Store Your Coffee
If you want to know how to make good coffee at home, you should also know how to store your coffee properly. Don’t bother buying fancy containers if these are clear, and not air-tight or vacuum-sealed.
Your enemies when it comes to storing coffee are oxidation and sunlight. Oxidation compromises your coffee’s freshness, which is why air-tight or vacuum-sealed containers are your best options. Aside from that, exposing your beans to sunlight will cause your coffee to go stale.
You can also use zip-lock packaging or bags with a one-way valve as an alternative.
Can I freeze coffee beans instead?
A lot of homebrewers are starting to wonder whether freezing is also a proper way to store coffee. It’s a fun thing to try, but it’s best to freeze coffee beans in small batches.
Water
The water you’re using for brewing has a big impact in your cup. Since a cup of brewed coffee is 5% coffee and 95% water, a good quality-one will let your coffee bring out desirable flavors. The pH level should be in between 6.5 to 7.5, as per the SCA standards.
Should I use soft or hard water?
The hardness of water is the concentration of its ions, like magnesium and calcium. In choosing whether to use soft or hard water, use soft water. Hard water removes your coffee’s flavors because of its high mineral content, and it’s even worse for your machine.
Brewing Equipment to Use
Let’s talk about the types of brewing equipment, and brace yourself because there is a lot in the market these days! These can affect the taste of your cup differently, which is why some homebrewers made it a habit to collect different types.
Don’t be pressured! You don’t have to buy everything at once if you’re a newbie in brewing. Here are different brewing methods to help you find the ideal brewing apparatus you need.
Drip Method
It’s the perfect method for beginners who want to improve their brewing skills. It’s the most interesting method for enthusiasts who wants to know how to brew a coffee at home or wherever they are.
Pour-over Drippers
Drippers are very popular these days, and homebrewers made it a habit to collect different kinds. These are some of the best drippers for beginners:
Hario V60 Dripper
This conical dripper uses paper filters, regardless if it’s bleached or unbleached. Its cone shape has a large hole and spiral ribs.
- Pros
- Very portable
- Comes in glass, plastic, metal, and ceramic options
- Cons
- Needs a brewer’s attention and time
- Not ideal for groups
- Budget
- Affordable
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- If you want a light-bodied coffee, use a medium grind size and maintain a constant or slow water flow as you pour.
- If you want a full-bodied coffee, use a grind size that’s a bit finer, and keep a slow or constant water flow.
- One of the tips in brewing coffee using this method is when you pour, do a counter-clockwise motion to introduce turbulence. You get a chance for better extraction.
Kalita Wave Dripper
This flat-bottom dripper uses paper filters, too. It has three small holes at the center that prevents channeling, and horizontal ridges that look like waves.
- Pros
- Provides better extraction
- Easy to use
- Cons
- Not ideal for groups
- Grind size has limited flexibility
- Budget
- Affordable
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- One of the tips in brewing coffee using this dripper is to use a courser grind size from medium-fine. Burr grinders will make it easier for you to get consistent granule sizes.
- Set your water’s temperature from 90°C to 96°C.
- The brewing ratio is crucial when it comes to the drip method. If you’re using this dripper, the recommended ratio is 14.5 to 16 ml water is to 1 g coffee.
Pour-over Carafes
Pour-over carafes are multi-purpose because of their form. The top part in a conical shape works as a dripper with the help of paper filters, while the bottom part serves as the container for the coffee.
Chemex
It also makes an excellent addition to homebrewers’ collection because of its aesthetic form. It has a wooden collar and a tie where the brewer holds it.
- Pros
- Ideal for groups
- Makes an excellent decoration
- Cons
- Paper filter is more expensive than smaller sizes
- Not portable
- Budget
- Expensive
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- A tip on how to brew a coffee using this one is to brew it between 3 to 5 minutes. It will still depend on the grind size and pouring technique.
- Use a temperature from 90°C to 96°C for your water but try to experiment with different grind sizes.
- This brewing apparatus produces a light-bodied brew. It’s best to start with a 1:10 ratio and adjust the dose to your preferred taste.
Immersion
Out of different coffee brewing methods, immersion is the easiest. However, the result is not always the most desirable to many homebrewers. This method keeps coffee and water in contact for a long time where the brewer can control its brewing time, unlike the pour-over method.
French Press
This brewing apparatus is perfect for beginners because it needs lesser movements from the brewer. All you need to do is to steep the coffee and wait until the brewing time is done. Most brewers have it because it gives similar results from cupping.
- Pros
- Ideal for groups
- Reusable filter (plunger)
- Cons
- Less desirable taste
- Uneasy to clean
- Budget
- Affordable (Can be expensive depending on the brand)
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- The best grind size to use for brewing this apparatus ranges from coarse to medium coarse. If the grind size is finer, it will give you a muddy cup since fines can pass through the plunger.
- This method often leads to over-extraction because the temperature of the water used is too hot, or the brewing time is too long. The best temperature is from 90°C to 96°C, depending on the roast level. Use a higher temperature for a light roast, lower temperature for a darker roast.
Ibrik Pot
This brewing apparatus is also called “cezve,” and some coffee enthusiasts prefer a cup with a stronger taste to use it. Some even add sugar for a caramel flavor.
- Pros
- Makes an excellent display
- Filters are not necessary
- Cons
- Can’t use it without a stove, or a pan with hot sand
- Tricky to prepare for beginners
- Budget
- Expensive
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- It’s less likely for the coffee to be weak, but you may brew a bitter cup because of over-extraction. You can adjust the heat a little, or lift your pot one to two inches while brewing. Another
- Boiling is a no-no if you want a fine foam on top. As your brew, it should come close to boiling. You have to pay attention to your pot while brewing.
Cold Brew Equipment
Cold brewing is also an easy method for beginners, whether you’re using Toddy or any jar at home. All you need to do is to leave the coffee and water intact for up to 24 hours outside or inside the fridge, and use a filter to separate the grounds afterward. Aside from that, many prefer to add
- Pros
- Can brew a large batch without any hassle
- Easy to prepare
- Cons
- Can taste muddy
- Light-roasted coffee beans are not ideal for cold brew
- Budget
- Affordable (jars) or expensive (Toddy or Filtron)
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- For an RTD or Ready-to-Drink coffee, try the 1:15 brewing ratio. For a concentrated one, you can use 1:7.
- For optimum extraction, the brewing time should be 12 hours at room temperature, but it depends on many factors. If you want to put it in the fridge, add three to five more hours to get the same extraction.
Pressure
There are also apparatus that need pressure while brewing your cup of coffee. The espresso machine uses this method with a nine-bar pressure. If you need one for manual brewing, you can use the following.
AeroPress Coffee Maker
This brewing apparatus has parts; filter cap, chamber, and plunger. It creates air pressure once you start plunging until the seal hits the grounds, or until the hissing sound.
The best thing about it is its versatility. You can brew your cup through immersion with the inverted method, while the traditional one somehow functions as a drip method. Regardless of any method you want to use, plunging is a must to create the pressure.
- Pros
- Can use either a paper or a metal filter
- Durable
- Cons
- Can’t brew for a large batch
- Can be challenging for brewers with weak upper arm strength
- Budget
- Affordable
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- If you’re doing the traditional method, lightly push the plunger in, and pull it back to stop the drip.
- When the coffee tastes too strong, you can add more water after the brew. Most of the time, it makes them taste better.
- You can use it for cold brewing. Just do the traditional method but without the plunging part. Let the water stay in contact with the coffee at room temperature, cover it with any lid, and wait for few hours.
Moka Pot
These work through heat pressure. If you’re an espresso-lover who can’t afford a machine, this is the best alternative. As the water boils from the bottom part, it goes up to the grounds, and it is how coffee is brewed. It doesn’t have crema, but the body of the coffee is somehow similar to espressos.
- Pros
- Gives an espresso-like brew that complements milk
- Makes an excellent display
- Cons
- Time-consuming
- Can be challenging for brewers with weak upper arm strength
- Budget
- Affordable
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- You can pre-heat your water before putting it in your Moka pot to save time. Room temp-water will take a while to boil.
- Medium-fine is better than espresso-fine grinds because these can clog your Moka pot’s filter screen, which can be dangerous.
- Since it involves fewer manual movements from brewers, choose delicious water for a better cup of coffee.
Siphon
This apparatus is the fanciest as if you’re a scientist every time you use it for brewing. It also works through heat pressure, as the Moka pot. Brewing time is longer because it uses an alcohol lamp as the source of heat, and if you’re using room temperature, it will take around 12 minutes before the water boils. However, the best part about this apparatus that it keeps the water on the upper vessel. The brew will go down once you remove the source of heat below.
- Pros
- Entertaining to watch
- Lesser effort while brewing
- Cons
- All parts are fragile
- Cloth filter is difficult to clean
- Budget
- Expensive
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- Preheat your water to save time in brewing.
- Use a medium-coarse grind-size because this apparatus uses a hotter water temperature. Fines will not compromise your cup after the brew.
- It’s best to put your coffee grounds after the water goes up to the upper vessel because the cloth filter is already wet. Putting your grounds first before the boil will already start the brew since the grounds will get wet.
Other Brewing Tools
If you want to know how to make a good coffee at home, you’ll find these tools handy in getting a good cup.
Scale
You’ll need a scale to measure the best coffee-to-water ratio. Keep in mind that the density of a coffee bean varies. In a 10 gram-scooper, it doesn’t always mean the coffee beans weigh 10 grams. You can either buy a battery-operated digital scale or a rechargeable one.
Kettle
You don’t need an expensive one if you want to know how to make a coffee that will exceed your expectations. Typical kettles are okay as long as water can boil. However, investing in a gooseneck kettle will help a lot during manual brewing, especially on the pour-over method.
Nowadays, there are gooseneck pitchers, which are also good deals. You can transfer your hot water there before you start pouring.
Thermometer
You’ll also find this tool handy because the water temperature to be used while brewing depends on the roast level and grind size of your coffee. Despite any coffee brewing technique, it’s best to have one where you can attach it to your kettle, or hold it while your water is boiling.
Nowadays, you’ll find electric kettles with built-in thermometers to let you automatically control the water temperature. It’s pricier, but it’s worth the investment.
What’s the Best Coffee-to-Water Ratio?
To get the best cup, there are suggested coffee-to-water ratios by many experts. Different coffee brewing methods have their recommended ratios, and if you want a better cup, keep these ratios in mind:
1:15 to 1:19
The SCA or Specialty Coffee Association’s recommended brewing ratio is from 1:15 to 1:19, depending on the strength you prefer. If you’re using 15 grams of coffee, then the water should be from 225 to 285 grams. However, this ratio is mostly for hot brewed coffee.
1:8 to 1:12
Cold brews have different ratios, depending on if you prefer it concentrated or ready-to-drink (RTD). The ratios used by many homebrewers range from 1:8 to 1:12 since they use a room temp-water, which results in a longer extraction time.
Extracting Coffee
Extraction starts when the water is in contact with the grounds. Let’s get to know more about it.
Bloom
The first step is always blooming, and it’s very significant because we have to release the CO2 or carbon dioxide from roasting. Blooming will give your coffee grounds time, making space for water as you continue to pour. Without blooming, your cup may have a sour taste caused by CO2.
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- Use 2 grams of water for every 1 gram of coffee. If you’re using 15 grams of coffee, pour 30 grams of water for the blooming.
- Bloom your coffee for 15 to 20 seconds.
Under-extraction
Most describe an under-extracted cup as sour or sharp. One reason is that the brewing time was too quick or the water was too cool to break down the coffee’s sugars, which needs to balance with the acids. It lacks sweetness, and it can taste salty too.
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- Brew your coffee longer for immersion method at a hotter water temperature.
- Adjust your grind size to a finer size if you’re using the pour-over or pressure method.
Over-extraction
Opposite to an under-extracted one, this one tastes bitter and hollow. It may have extracted the desired sugars but also the plant fibers, which give unfavorable flavors.
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- Brew your coffee quicker if you’re using fine grounds and a hotter temperature at an immersion method.
- Adjust your grind size coarser, medium-coarse to medium-fine, if you using a hotter temperature for pour-over or pressure method.
Brewing Time + Agitation
It’s how long your coffee is in contact with water, and the brewing time depends on the method you’re using.
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- The immersion method for hotter water temperature should last for 3 to 5 minutes, but for cold brew, it’s more than 8 hours, depending on the grind size and roast level of your coffee.
- The pour-over method is at least 2 minutes to 3 minutes, depending on the size of servings, and the grind size. Finer grind sizes will take a while to drip, while coarser ones have a faster drip.
- Pressure methods are typically quick, which means you should leave your coffee in contact with water for too long. You can brew using an AeroPress Coffee Maker with a brewing time of 1:00, depending on the grind size. As for the Moka Pot and Siphon, extraction will not take that long since the water is very hot.
Is agitation the same as stirring?
Agitation is the process where you disturb your coffee grounds during the brew. You agitate by stirring, but it’s not only about stirring. A strong pour is also agitating, as well as swirling your apparatus.
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- The quicker your swirl or stir, the more you’re helping your coffee to extract more. If you’re using a darker roast or a finer ground, don’t stir or swirl too much.
- It’s not mandatory to agitate your coffee during the brew. If you don’t prefer to agitate, that’s okay.
Temperature
It can influence your cup because using the wrong water temperature can make or break your cup. The best water temperature for optimal extraction ranges from 180 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit or 82 to 96 Celsius. You adjust the temperature, depending on the roast level, grind size, and brewing method.
Should I use Fahrenheit or Celsius?
It doesn’t matter which one. You can either use Celsius or Fahrenheit, which works well for you.
- Coffee Brewing Tips
- Use a hotter water temperature for lightly roasted beans or coarser grind sizes.
- Use a cooler water temperature for dark roasted beans or finer grind sizes.
Cleaning Brewing Apparatus
Cleaning your apparatus properly is very important because a residue from the previous brew you had will compromise your next brew. Moreover, it can lead to bacteria-build-up, which is a big red flag if you’re serving a cup to a guest or a customer. It’s always best to clean your apparatus immediately.
Here are things to keep in mind:
- Don’t use ordinary soaps or powders in cleaning your brewing apparatus. There are specialized powders, but if you want to save money, you can consider using baking soda instead. You can also use hot water for the final rinse.
- Don’t clean your manual grinders or electric grinder’s burr with water and specialized powders – just wipe it with a clean rug or tissue.
There are many ways if you want to know how to make a coffee at home. All you need is to choose which method you prefer and get the necessary apparatus and tools for homebrewing. You can play with your recipe until you find which one works best for your preference. Always remember that a good cup is a cup you enjoy.
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