The Best Ways to Make Coffee

Plenty of individuals have Strong Opinions about the best methods for preparing coffee, the equipment that are required and those that aren't, and what precisely makes a decent cup. To all of you, we say: relax and take a deep breath. Areli Barrera de Grodski, co-owner of Little Waves Coffee Roasters and Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham, North Carolina, states, "The best cup of coffee is the one you like." We could spend all day debating whether the French press or the pour-over produces the best coffee, but in reality, most baristas agree that good coffee can be made with whichever equipment and preparation technique is at hand. There is no "wrong" way to brew coffee; whether you like the ritual of doing it by hand or the convenience of an automated machine, each have their benefits and drawbacks. Coffee expert Barrera de Grodski shared her preferred methods for brewing coffee at home, as well as tips for improving your daily brew no matter what method you choose.

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Barrera de Grodski recommends investing in a reliable batch brewer (also known as a drip machine) if your family consumes a lot of coffee or if you're simply looking for something simple and reliable. "I enjoy the concept of pushing a button and creating fantastic coffee that is well-balanced, somewhat sweet, and so delicious that it doesn't require milk or sugar," she adds. I've got a batch coffee machine that can do that in no time. She adds that the kind of coffee you use, the amount of water you use, and the ratio of grinds to water all affect the final taste of your cup. Use a scale to measure 16 grammes of water for every gramme of coffee, or 1 gramme of coffee for every 16 grammes of water, for the best cup of coffee. This is a fantastic baseline ratio, but feel free to tweak it to your liking.

Sarah Elisabeth Huggins, co-owner of Daughter in Brooklyn, New York, is also a fan of automated coffee machines for at-home brewing: "I adore my Moccamaster, and have no guilt in filling it with Café Bustelo." The Bonavita 8-cup Coffee Maker is highly recommended by baristas, and Barrera de Grodski like it due to its showerhead dripper, which distributes water uniformly throughout the coffee grounds for a consistent extraction.

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As Reported by the French Press

The French press is ideal if you want your coffee strong and flavorful. With this technique, rather of letting water flow through coffee grounds in a filter, ground coffee is soaked in hot water. For its full taste, this technique is favoured by Aki Yaguchi, chief barista at Migrant Coffee in Melbourne, Australia. She explains that without a filter, the coffee develops a more rounded taste since the water has more time to sit in touch with the grounds.

The procedure is as follows: To prepare the perfect cup of coffee, add the grounds to the carafe, then fill it with hot water and give it a good stir. The grounds may be separated from the liquid by waiting four minutes, covering the carafe, and gently depressing the plunger.

Use a coarser grind (Yaguchi recommends the Porlex Mini Stainless-Steel Coffee Grinder) and not boiling water for the best results. Brewing coffee that isn't under- or over-extracted depends greatly on these variables. There's a common misunderstanding that coffee must be boiled for the flavours to be extracted; in reality, the ideal temperature to do this without burning the beans is about 194 degrees Fahrenheit. Water that has been brought to a boil should be allowed to cool for one minute before being used for brewing. And when the coffee has completed brewing, don't let it linger in the French press; decant it into a cup immediately to avoid over-extraction.

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Getting the Pour-Over

Classic pour-over coffee is perfect if you like a milder, less robust cup of joe and want (nearly) total taste customization. To make drip coffee, you simply fill a filter cone with ground coffee, invert it over a coffee cup or carafe, then pour boiling water over it. Huggins uses this technique—preferred by baristas everywhere—when she wants to gently bring out the coffee's full flavour. The paper filter in a pour-over coffee maker helps reduce the concentration of oily substances. Huggins explains, "You may adjust the rate of the pour and the number of pours. "I like being able to make such decisive choices."

If you're making coffee in a pour-over, you need to pay extra attention to the details like grind size, water temperature, and coffee-to-water ratio. A manual or electronic burr grinder, as well as a gooseneck kettle, are recommended tools for any serious barista. Co-owner Brian Stoothoff of Daughter states, "The grind size will dictate the brew time." "If the water is coming down too quickly, the grind is too fine; if the coffee is taking too long to come down, the grind is too fine." Coffee brewed too quickly will have an unpleasant salty and sour flavour, while coffee brewed for too long will have an unpleasant bitter, ashy, and burned flavour. When it comes to acidity, bitterness, and sweetness, "you want to reach that sweet spot," explains Stoothoff. "Aim for a shooting time of 2.5 to 4 minutes." Though the process may need some time and effort to master, it is straightforward once you do.

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It's time to try out the Aeropress

Many people who like drinking coffee while on the move prefer using an Aeropress. Like a syringe, the plunger on this little brewer pushes hot water and grounds through a filter and into your cup. Brewing coffee using an Aeropress is fast and easy, and the resulting beverage is often mild and acid-free. Since the Aeropress employs a pressure-brewing method, some believe that its single-serve coffee may achieve the same intensity as espresso. However, it doesn't matter since it is small and light enough to carry almost anyplace. It's an excellent tool for first-time coffee brewers making only one cup. Huggins praises how "easy to use and clean" it is.

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Cappuccino Maker

An espresso machine is a good investment if you like really strong coffee and espresso-based cocktails, have the necessary counter space, and can afford one. An very concentrated cup of coffee is produced by forcing a little quantity of hot water through finely ground coffee beans in a high-pressure brewing system. With just 20 to 30 seconds to reach the optimal point of flavour extraction, the high pressure brewing process is sped up considerably. Espresso is the most fussy way to make coffee, therefore it's important to use a burr grinder, weigh your beans, and get to know your machine.