How to Brew the Best Cup of Coffee

Using high-quality coffee beans, filtered water and a french press can make all the difference in your morning cup of coffee. These words of advice from a former barista will show you how to make an easy and great-tasting cup of black coffee.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• French press
• Filtered or distilled water
• Whole coffee beans
• Coffee grinder
• Tea kettle
• Coffee Cup or mug
• A stove to heat your water

1. Possibly the biggest factor making coffee shop coffee taste good and home-brewed coffee taste bad is this: filtered water. Only use filtered water when making your coffee. Chemicals and other particles in tap water will make your coffee taste bitter, whether you purchase an expensive brand or just cheap pre-ground coffee in a can. You can use bottled water, distilled water, or purchase an on-faucet water filter from a brand like Brita, Aquasana or PUR. On-faucet filtration systems can filter out more chemicals like chlorine from tap water than a filter pitcher.

2. Use a french press to make your coffee. French presses are low-maintenance and don't require filters, are better for the environment and save money. French presses allow the water to stay in contact with the coffee for a longer period of time than a regular automatic coffee maker, and extract more flavor from the ground beans. French presses come in many sizes, from one small enough to make just one cup to large ones fit for an entire family. A good french press brand is Bodum. You can find french presses at most coffee shops, online, or even in some grocery stores. They are fairly inexpensive.

3. 
    

   Buy fresh, whole-bean coffee. Using filtered water will improve the taste of even the cheapest coffee brands, but if you want the best tasting coffee, purchase whole-bean, organic coffee. Organic coffee is free from pesticides and other chemicals that can produce bitter, and even unhealthy coffee drinks. There are many different roasts and varieties of coffee from all over the world. Have fun and try out different bean varieties and roasts to find out what you prefer. Remember that dark, french and espresso roasts will brew stronger coffee than lighter roasts. Most high-end grocery stores and coffee shops that roast their own beans will post the roast date of the beans for sale. Try not to buy beans roasted over 10 days ago.

4. Buy a good coffee grinder. If you are going for economy and are brave, small and portable grinders are inexpensive and can be purchased on-line or at most grocery and specialty stores. But when using a french press, it is important that your coffee grinder be able to produce evenly-sized large grounds. The Bodum Antigua is a good grinder, but there are many others out there.

5. Buy a stove-top tea kettle. If you are using a tea kettle that you already own, clean it out with filtered water to remove any build-up of grime or chemicals from previous tap water usage.

6. Fill the tea kettle with enough water to fill your french press and set it on your stove top to boil.

7. Put your coffee beans in your coffee grinder. Grind your beans but do not grind them so they are too fine. They should be ground larger than regular pre-ground coffee so the grinds don't flow through the filter in the french press. A cheaper coffee grinder may not produce evenly-sized grounds, so pay attention and make adjustments to find what works best for you.

8. Remove the filter plunger component of the french press and place the ground coffee in the bottom of the container.

9. Once the water has boiled, turn off the stove and let the water sit for about five minutes. Water that is too hot will burn your coffee. After the water has cooled slightly, pour the hot water into the bottom of the french press over the ground coffee beans.

10. Wait about two or three minutes while the coffee steeps in the hot water. Put the top back onto the french press and plunge the filter down slowly and evenly.

11. Pour the coffee into your favorite mug and enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• Organic coffee is free from chemicals. Using organic coffee beans can make your cup of coffee taste even better.
• Buy a french press in a size that fits your coffee drinking habits to prevent wasting coffee.
• Used coffee grounds can be composted.
• Only use filtered or distilled water to make your coffee.
• Remember to let your tea kettle sit for about 5 minutes before you pour the water over your freshly grounds beans. Water that is too hot will burn your coffee and give it a bitter taste.
• When buying coffee beans, only buy what you will be able to use within a week or less. Coffee beans go stale quickly and you may be able to taste the difference.

Resources

• Water Filter Comparisons
• Bodum French Presses

[scleveland]

on 4/22/2009 Great article, it's nice to be able to have a great home-made cup of coffee.