(by 3 people)
I'm reasonably obssessed... errr... I mean serious about my coffee. I blend and roast my own coffee, and have entirely too many coffee makers, from presspots to a commercial-grade espresso machine.
Making good coffee, and even good espresso just isn't that hard -- but few people seem to manage to do it.
Let me show you how...Five Simple Steps to a Great Cup of Coffee
Why drink anything less?
1 - Fresh, good quality beans
2 - A grind appropriate to your coffee brewer
3 - Brewing immediately after grinding
4 - The proper ratio of coffee to water
5 - The proper brew temperature
2 - A grind appropriate to your coffee brewer
3 - Brewing immediately after grinding
4 - The proper ratio of coffee to water
5 - The proper brew temperature
Step 1 - Choosing the right bean
What's in your cup can only be as good as the coffee you start with.
What's the difference between the stuff that comes ground in a can, and actual good coffee? The stuff in the can is mostly "robusta" - hardy, cheap to grow, and nasty to drink.
Good coffee starts with Arabica beans, which offer far more flavor, and less caffeine. Each origin of beans has it's own subtle flavor characteristics.
Here are some good guides to learning the difference between your Kona and your Kenya, your Monsooned Malabar and your Costa Rica Tarazzu.
Good coffee starts with Arabica beans, which offer far more flavor, and less caffeine. Each origin of beans has it's own subtle flavor characteristics.
Here are some good guides to learning the difference between your Kona and your Kenya, your Monsooned Malabar and your Costa Rica Tarazzu.
- Coffee Review
- Since 1997, the Coffee Review has conducted blind, expert cuppings of coffees and reported its findings in the form of 100-point reviews, much like those that exist in the wine industry.
- Single Origins, Melanges & Espresso Blends
- Cafe Metaphoric's introduction to the difference between single origin coffees, blends, and melanges.
- About Coffee Beans
- An introduction to coffee beans, from the Alt.Coffee FAQ
Learn More
Excellent books on coffee
From Kenneth David's definitive guide to all things coffee to Mark Pendergrast's fascinating history of coffee and the world that it made, here are some great reads for you or your favorite coffee lover.
Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying, Fifth Edition
Kenneth David's definitive guide to coffee
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 12/02/2008) 
The Perfect Cup: A Coffee Lover's Guide To Buying, Brewing, And Tasting
Another excellent introduction to coffee from Timothy Castle
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 12/02/2008)
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World
Learn how coffee and history have been intertwined for the last 500 years
Amazon Price: $13.87 (as of 12/02/2008)
Step 2 - The Right Grind
A proper grind is the single most important factor in good coffee.
Coffee has to be ground properly for your brewing method -- too fine, and you'll have bitter, overextracted coffee, or (more likely) a mess of hot water and grounds all over your counter. Grind too coarse, and you'll have thin, watery coffee.
Here are several guides to selecting the right grind for your brewing method
Here are several guides to selecting the right grind for your brewing method
- It's all in the grind
- Cafe Metaphoric's guide to why the proper grind (and the proper grinder) is critically important, and how to choose the right grind for your brewing method.
- Dialing in your grind
- How to adjust your coffee grinder to produce the exact right grind for your coffee pot.
Step 3 - Brew Immediately After Grinding
Ground coffee is stale in 10 minutes...
Have you ever smelled freshly ground coffee? Or even a can of ground coffee when you first open it?
Isn't it amazing?
The bad news is that every bit of that wonderful aroma is flavor that went into the air, instead of into your cup.
Once coffee is ground, it goes stale in just ten short minutes.
Does this mean to make good coffee you have to grind it yourself? You betcha. There is not one single thing you can do that will make more difference in your cup than grinding your own coffee.
How do you find a good coffee grinder? I'm glad you asked...
Isn't it amazing?
The bad news is that every bit of that wonderful aroma is flavor that went into the air, instead of into your cup.
Once coffee is ground, it goes stale in just ten short minutes.
Does this mean to make good coffee you have to grind it yourself? You betcha. There is not one single thing you can do that will make more difference in your cup than grinding your own coffee.
How do you find a good coffee grinder? I'm glad you asked...
- Guide to Coffee Grinders
- Not all grinders are created equal - not even close, in fact. Here are the essentials of what you need to know when purchasing a coffee grinder.
- Bodum Antigua Burr Grinder Review
- A relatively inexpensive but competent burr grinder
- Kitchenaid Pro-Line Burr Grinder Review
- A quality burr grinder that not only does a great job, it even looks great in the kitchen
- Starbucks Barista Burr Grinder Review
- An inexpensive but fairly servicable burr grinder
- Grinder Tweaks
- How to adjust and dial-in various models of burr grinders.
- Coffee & Espresso Grinder Reviews
- Consumer Coffee & Espresso grinder reviews from CoffeeGeek
- Home Coffee Grinders
- 1998 Article from Seasoned Cooking magazine
Step 4 - Use the Proper Amount of Coffee to Water
Coffee gets bitter - not weaker -- when you don't use enough
An interesting, if unfortunate part of the history of coffee in the 20th century is that the major coffee manufacturers dealt with shortages and price hikes by claiming =their= coffee could be brewed with less grounds.
The result of this is that most people today use too little coffee when they brew. This results in overextraction of the coffee, leaving a bitter brew.
The proper amount of ground coffee to brewed 6 oz cup is 1 tablespoon. If you prefer a weaker brew, don't use less coffee -- dilute it with a bit of hot water after brewing instead. You'll enjoy it much more.
The result of this is that most people today use too little coffee when they brew. This results in overextraction of the coffee, leaving a bitter brew.
The proper amount of ground coffee to brewed 6 oz cup is 1 tablespoon. If you prefer a weaker brew, don't use less coffee -- dilute it with a bit of hot water after brewing instead. You'll enjoy it much more.
- Brewing Coffee by the Numbers
- How to determine the proper amount of coffee for your coffee maker -- and why it's important.
- Brewing Ratio Chart
- A handy brewing ratio chart from Black Bear Coffee
Step 5 - The Proper Brewing Temperature
Most consumer machines brew too cold
Coffee needs to be brewed between 195 and 203 degrees Fahrenheit (90 - 95 degrees Celsius). Brewing at colder temperatures will result in sour coffee, while brewing at hotter temperatures will give a bitter, burnt taste.
This not only rules out the old boiled-coffee perculators from days of yore (which brew too hot), but also many of the consumer drip brewers, which often brew too cold.
Fortunately, it's fairly easy to find a good and even inexpensive coffee brewer that brews at the proper temperature, once you know what to look for.
The links below contain guides and reviews to help you pick a great coffee brewer.
This not only rules out the old boiled-coffee perculators from days of yore (which brew too hot), but also many of the consumer drip brewers, which often brew too cold.
Fortunately, it's fairly easy to find a good and even inexpensive coffee brewer that brews at the proper temperature, once you know what to look for.
The links below contain guides and reviews to help you pick a great coffee brewer.
- Guide to Coffee Brewers
- Cafe Metaphoric's guide to coffee brewers explains what to look for (and why) in a proper coffee brewer
- Presto Scandanavian Coffee Maker Review
- The Presto Scandanavian is a great inexpensive coffee maker with a lot going for it.
- Zojirushi Fresh Brew Coffee Maker
- The Zojirushi Fresh Brew combines proper brewing temperatures with a great thermal carafe.
- Capresso CoffeeTEC Digital Coffee Maker Review
- The Capresso CoffeTEC is a high-end coffee maker that not only brews a great cup, it will even steam your milk.
- Coffee Maker Reviews
- Consumer coffee maker reviews from CoffeeGeek
Coffee Links
Lots of great coffee info from around the 'net
- Coffee Lover's Obsession Site
- Detailed information about coffee and espresso machines
- Finding the Perfect Espresso
- Explanation of how espresso is made and a review of espresso machines.
- CoffeeGeek
- Everything coffee. Product reviews and tips and tricks for making coffee.
- HowStuffWorks: Drip Coffee Makers
- Shows how a drip coffee maker works, plus ideas on how to fix a broken one.
- More On Espresso Machines
- 1998 article from Seasoned Cooking about semi-commercial espresso machines.
- Home Espresso Machines
- 1998 article from Seasoned Cooking.
- Bean There Done That
- Reviews from Seasoned Cooking about home coffee bean roasters.
Coffee Articles from Cafe Metaphoric
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