There are different brew methods and with each brew method would have different equipments, grind size and recipe. One important thing to remember though when it comes to brewing is the water. Since coffee is made mostly of water, the quality, temperature and ratio of the water to the coffee grounds will matter.
water quality
Your coffee drink is 95% water. So the water you use is of utmost importance. If the water doesn’t taste good, then your coffee won’t taste good. Avoid distilled or softened water. The ideal water would be clean, filtered water.
coffee to water ratio
The Specialty Coffee Association would recommend 50g to 60g of ground coffee for every liter of water for brewed coffee. That would be two to three tablespoons of ground coffee for every mug (250ml) of water. As for a standard shot of espresso (30ml), the Specialty Coffee Association recommends using 7-9 grams of ground coffee.
water temperature
If you are brewing coffee manually, you need a water temperature of about 90 to 96 degrees celsius or 95 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This will info will be needed if you are brewing using french press, pour over, chemex, siphon and the like. Coffee machines like auto drips and espresso machines will automatically boil the water.
brewing time
The amount of time that the water is in contact with the coffee grounds is another important flavor factor. If the brew time is too long, then the coffee would have been over-extracted, resulting in a more bitter flavor. If the brew time is too short, then the coffee would be under-extracted and more acidic.
Common brewing methods
Click each image to see the recommended brew method:
Boil water then pour a little into the press to preheat it.
Discard water.
Put in medium coarse coffee grounds.
Pour in water double the level of the grounds in circular motion to wet the grounds.
Let coffee bloom for 30 to 45 seconds.
Pour in the rest of the water and then give the coffee a gentle stir.
Put the lid on the press and wait 4 minutes.
Press the coffee grounds to the bottom of the carafe.
Pour in your mug and enjoy!
Place a filter inside the AeroPress filter cap.
Boil the water then pour in less than 100ml to wash over the filter and pre-heat the carafe.
Put together the AeroPress tube and plunger.
Put the coffee grounds into the open tube.
Pour in water double the level of the grounds in circular motion to wet the grounds.
Let coffee bloom for 30 to 45 seconds.
Pour in the rest of the water.
Add the filter cap.
Place over your coffee cup and begin to push the plunger down slowly and evenly.
Enjoy!
Boil water and pour a little into the carafe to pre-heat it.
Discard water.
Put medium coarse coffee grounds into the filter.
Pour in water double the level of the grounds in circular motion to wet the grounds.
Let coffee bloom for 30 to 45 seconds.
Pour in the rest of the water in a circular motion for around 3 minutes or less.
Pour in your mug and enjoy!
Put in the filter into the dripper.
Boil the water then pour in less than 100ml to wash over the filter and pre-heat the carafe.
Discard water.
Put medium coffee grounds into the filter.
Pour in water double the level of the grounds in circular motion to wet the grounds.
Let coffee bloom for 30 to 45 seconds.
Pour in the rest of the water in a circular motion for around 3 minutes or less.
Pour in your mug and enjoy!
Preheat the water to avoid any metallic taste on the Moka Pot.
Add the heated water to the bottom of the brewer.
Insert filter basket into the bottom of the brewer.
Put the coffee grounds inside the filter.
Screw the top and bottom together. Do not over tighten.
Put the brewer on the stove and use moderate heat.
The coffee will begin to come out, starting with a rich brown color and will get progressively lighter.
Once the stream is the color of honey which is the crema, remove from heat.
Let the coffee bubble out.
Once done, pour into your mug. Enjoy!
After grinding your coffee to fine, put in 7g to 9g for a single shot or 14g to 18g for a double shot into the portafilter (the removable filter on the espresso machine).
Tamp the coffee grounds to make sure water flows evenly for an even extraction.
Start extracting.
A single shot would take about 30 seconds.
The beginning stream will be dark and oily and will turn lighter and golden brown in color as the crema comes out.
Enjoy!