How to choose the perfect cup of coffee:
With a huge variety of flavoursome coffees on the market making the choice to indulge in has become very difficult. With advice from local coffee houses and talented baristas let’s look at some options:
- If you’re new to experimenting in the coffee array then look for coffees with some classic flavours such as those with nut and chocolate notes, for example Brazilian coffee.
- Look to choose a coffee that suits you and the type you like the most. A good start is with a milky coffee such as latte or a white coffee, the best way to have these is with a darker roasted bean as the stronger but bitter flavour can carry the milk with ease. However, looking to a black coffee would be good with lighter roasted bean so you can pick out the varying notes.
- Keep your coffee stored correctly in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from any sunlight. Don’t keep it in the fridge as this may make the coffee taste stale.
To grind or not to grind?
- We would choose a burr over a blade grinder as you will have better control to grind the consistency to suit your tastes. Of course, there are many electronic grinders as whole machines and some of these are great and vary in style and of course price.
- Depending on the way you brew will influence your choice of grinding. For an espresso-style strong coffee you will need a fine grind or if choosing for a filter coffee, such as a drip or pour over coffee, then this needs to be a medium grind and cafetiere’s use a course grind.
- To get the best from pre-ground coffee just make it brew for a little longer to get the most out of the coffee.
Which water?
- We can’t make coffee without water of course but care must be taken if you live in an area where hard water is prevalent in which case it is better to boiler filtered water. Don’t put just boiled water onto your coffee as this will burn your coffee. Just leave the kettle to stand for a few minutes before using it.
- Coffee quantity?
- For the best ratio of coffee for black coffee use around 60g of coffee per litre of water which works out to 15g per 250ml a cup. Adjust the grind if this is too weak for your taste.
- With espresso or some other stronger coffee, you will need two or three times the weight of hot water to coffee, for example for the 15g of coffee you will to use 30-45g of hot water.
- Weigh your beans before grinding for best results.
Brewing method – what is best for you?
You need to choose the correct equipment for the type of coffee you drink.
Black coffee:
- The most common piece of equipment is likely to be a cafetiere and is the most versatile home brewing method for black coffee, it gives good flavour. Coarse coffee grinds should be put into hot water for 4 minutes, with the occasional stirring, before being pressed to the bottom of the cafetiere using the plunger.
- To make cold coffee in a cafetiere place the grinds and cold water in the jug and then leave it to brew in the fridge overnight, or for a least 15 hours, then plunge.
- There are many sizes, so choose one that will suit you and your family.
Filters:
- Using a filter is extremely good for enhancing the flavours in a lighter black coffee. The brewing is very easy – basically you pour hot water over coffee grinds through the filter which sits in a jug, mug or indeed a coffee machine. The coffee drips out of the bottom of the filter.
- You can buy varying sizes of cone-shaped filters, which make anything from one cup to several. Practice makes perfect for getting the right pouring technique to achieve an even blend, but it is very simple to use and most reliable.
Coffee bean machine:
- Owning one of the many types of coffee bean machines is a fantastic way for that perfect coffee at any time and with the push of a button. In general terms you place coffee beans into a hopper at the top of the machine where they can sit quite happily for days for that instant go to. Within many hoppers there is a well for ground coffee to make coffee with that instead. There are options for a water tank, and some can be plumbed into the water supply.
- You have many options with a digital display that, depending on the model, can be programmed to give the perfect grind strength and cup size. Some models come with a hot water dispenser and facility for making cappuccino.
- But one thing is certain a fresh ground coffee from these machines taste divine.
Espresso and milky coffee:
- Most of the coffee drinks you get in a coffee shop are espresso based, lattes, flat whites and cappuccinos are made from espresso shots, using a specialist machine. It is impossible to replicate this drink with the proper machine, as it exerts a huge amount of pressure on the coffee. But there are a couple of ways to create a strong short coffee at home.
- Use an ‘Aeropress’ as it is ideal for espresso. It’s all about the pressure, much like with an espresso machine, though it uses a lot less force. Place fine coffee grinds and hot water into the device and press extremely hard. A metal filter, rather than a paper one, may produce a more realistic imitation of an espresso, as some of the micro-grinds will pass through, creating a rich brew.
- A ‘Moka Pot’ or stovetop espresso maker is also ideal for making an espresso. In the three-chamber pot boiling water turns to steam in the bottom section and filters through ground coffee in the middle area. This produces a strong coffee that travels through a spout into the top compartment, where it can be poured out of. It may not be accurate, but it can still brew a great strong coffee that you can use in milky drinks. Starting with hot water, being very careful as it is hot, screw the Moka Pot closed, this will make the evaporation faster, reducing the contact time between the coffee and the boiler water, which could leave a bitter taste. Try not to compress the coffee so that steam can rise through it quickly, and do not let it boil once brewed to avoid burning it.
- Usually a Moka Pot will only make enough for one drink.
Flavour additions:
- You can of course add flavour to your coffee with such things as vanilla or almond extracts.
- Adding a teaspoon of drinking chocolate or a couple of squares of chocolate melted into your coffee (most likely to be a latte) will make a lovely mocha-style drink. Cold brews taste great with added orange peel
Whichever way you choose to make your coffee – enjoy it at the same time as reading one of your Coffee Noir novels –
It’s the right coffee with a ‘criminal’ taste.
