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Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world so if someone tells you that they don’t drink coffee, there’s a good chance they’re lying. I enjoy a cup of coffee from a local coffee shop or cafe as much as the next person but who says you can’t make a great cup of coffee at home?
A lot of people have a hard time brewing coffee at home. The coffee might be weak, bitter, or way too strong. Coffee is an amazing beverage and it shouldn’t taste bad so let me help. Read on to learn some tips for making a better cup of coffee at home.
Start With High-Quality Coffee Beans and Grind Them Yourself
No more pre-ground beans. And if it comes in a plastic or tin tub, just stop. You deserve so much better. There are several reasons you don’t want this type of coffee.
- They use low-quality beans that often come from low-quality farms.
- The beans are roasted in massive quantities and then sit on the shelves––or worse, in a warehouse––for months if not years.
- Pre-ground beans go stale much faster.
Buying whole bean coffee at the supermarket is a step in the right direction but you should be wary about that too, here’s why. Many of the whole bean coffee in stores was also roasted months and months ago and some of the brands do not source their coffee from quality farms.
If you look at the bag of coffee (notice I said bag and not tub) you should see a “Roasted On” date. You don’t want a coffee that’s been roasted more than 3 months ago.
Ideally, your coffee should be roasted within a month or better yet, weeks. The fresher the roast, the better the coffee.
My favorite coffee roaster is Metric from Chicago, IL. I also enjoy Intelligentsia, Two Brothers, and Stumptown. If you need a budget friendly option, Peet’s Coffee is also good.
The reason you want fresh beans is not only for better tasting cup of coffee, but because you have control of the grind size. Each brewing method calls for a different grind size so invest in a quality burr grinder. Trust me, it’s so worth it.
Here’s a quick table to reference for grind sizes based on brewing method:
| Brewing Method | Grind Size |
|---|---|
| Espresso | Fine |
| Pour Over | Medium-Fine |
| Drip Coffee | Medium |
| French Press | Coarse |
| Cold Brew | Extra Course |
Get Some Coffee Equipment
You have your quality beans, now you need some equipment to brew a great cup of coffee at home. Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting that your kitchen needs to look like a coffee shop; you just need the essential coffee equipment.
We already talked about a burr grinder that makes preparing your beans easy, so what’s left? Brewing equipment!
I believe that everyone should have a pour over set up because you have the most control of the brew. While there are a lot of different pour over options, I always suggest the Chemex or Hario V60.
I also enjoy using a French press from time to time because you’ll get a stronger cup of coffee, so if you need that extra boost, this is your brewer.
Finally, you’ll need a few accessories. I would suggest a kettle, preferably one with a gooseneck for better control but a standard electric kettle is fine as well.
You’re also going to need filters––make sure you get the appropriate filter based on your brewing method. This is especially important for pour overs. While we’re on the subject of pour over accessories, make sure you get a scale. This will help you nail your coffee to water ratio every time, I personally go between the 1:17 and 1:18 ratios. That means for every 1 gram of coffee there should be 18 grams of water.
Just Keep Practicing
Learning how to make your coffee taste better at home can be challenging and sometimes frustrating in the beginning. Like anything else in life, just keep practicing. Sure, you might spend 10 minutes making a pour over only to realize it’s bitter and you have to pour it out or add a ton of sugar and creamer.
Just keep going. Once you make a perfect cup at home, not only are you going to save money from getting your coffee out all the time––you can make great coffee for your guests and loved ones.