Making great coffee at home

Making delicious, coffee is not rocket science but it does require a little thought. Below are some simple steps to help you make the best cup at home.

1. Use Freshly Roasted Coffee

Coffee is at its best at around three to four weeks from roasting. You can go longer, but some of the more subtle and complex flavours can be lost (especially on lighter roasts). This is especially true for filter / pour over methods of brewing

2. Use Freshly Ground Coffee

Grinding coffee as you brew makes a huge difference in the cup quality. You will be amazed how this simple step changes everything. A good grinder is a good investment. Don’t cut corners here, you get what you pay for.

NOTE: Grinding the coffee to a consistent particle size is essential. Aim for a flat blade grinder for the most consistency though a BURR grinder will often be a little quieter which may help early in the morning if others live in your house.

3. Use High-Quality Coffee

Your final cup of coffee can only be as good as the beans you start with. A good “rule” is to check out if where the coffee is from, the altitude it was grown, and the processing methods used on the farm are on the pack, as the best roasters take huge pride in these things.

4. Use filtered Water

To make the best coffee, though, use fresh, filtered water. Hard water from your tap can neutralize some of the flavours in coffee, especially with lighter roasts with their bright and complex flavours. Lots of baristas use Ashbeck natural mineral water from Tesco’s, at home because of its ideal mix of minerals.

Check Your Water Temperature

Aim for your water temperature to between 90°C to 92°C and to do this, simply wait 30 seconds after the water boils and you should be fine.

Have a recipe

Measure and record what you do, then begin to make tweaks until you get your coffee, your way. Start with the water coffee ratio, then the particle size, but always keep the brew time constant.

Only change on thing at a time though, otherwise you will never know what is causing what effect. If this sounds over the top, try it. You will be surprised how different just changing from medium to course grind will change the flavour in your cup.

Enjoy!