How To Make A Great Cup of Coffee

Home wine makers will be happy to hear that roasting coffee beans is even easier - and the results are often as good as the pros.

A variety of roaster types are available, but even a frying pan or popcorn popper can be used. Be sure to start with ultra-clean equipment, though. Nothing spoils the taste of coffee like left over fish oils or butter.

Dark roasts contain a little less caffeine than lighter roasts, but they lack the acid taste of the latter. Be sure to start with quality beans, of course!

The beans will need to heat to between 460F (223C) and 530F (262C), so be prepared for some smoke. That's easily taken care of with a small room fan or stove top exhaust. Beyond the smoke there will be an odor, so your first experiments should probably be done with the windows open and no one home.

Put the beans in the roaster and turn up the heat! (Take care to be ready to temporarily disable those over-sensitive home fire alarms.)

For some roasters, the thermometer is built-in, but you may want to have an extra for when it's open, or for those frying pan experiments. Candy making thermometers work well for the purpose.

During the process those green beans will turn yellow, then brown. How brown depends on how dark you like your roast, which is always an individual choice.

As they begin to heat up, moisture - both oil and water - will put pressure on the bean surface and you may hear a loud crack when it bursts. Not to worry, this is normal. Stirring every 30 seconds or more, you'll hear this after four to seven minutes of heating.

The sugars inside will begin to caramelize (turn brown and 'burn' slightly) as the roasting continues. Again the degree is a matter of taste. Check the color every 30 seconds or so.

Roast long enough and sometimes a second loud crack will occur. At this stage the beans will be quite dark and for some palates a little overdone. Beyond the second crack you're really just burning the beans and boiling away the sugars. The results will be too harsh for most.

Pour into a metal colander to cool, then agitate. Since the roasting process produces chaff (a fine skin that detaches from the bean as they're agitated), you'll want some method for removing it. Mesh cooking screens are one option.

Try a few batches with varying degrees of time or darkening. Experiment to get the flavor you like. Keep in mind that the heat trapped in the bean will continue to cook it for a short while, so try stopping a little short of your desired end goal.

For the popcorn popper style roasting, be sure to get one that allows you to stir up the beans to keep them moving around and not sticking to the surfaces. For the stove top style, a cast iron skillet works great. Be prepared for lots of stirring and viewing. Roasting happens quickly!

To achieve a good roast you have to start with beans that have been skillfully selected and dried.

Some bean processors use a wash to remove the fleshy fruit from the bean and to separate different kinds of beans. Density differences in the bean will cause some to float higher, making for easier removal or separation. Others use a slower, more expensive dry-process.

Dry-processed beans will have a more subtle acid profile, while the acidity of wet-processed beans is more striking. Some acidity in coffee is desirable. The alternative is a flat, lifeless cup.

What happens to beans as they heat up during roasting?

During the process aromatics and acids, along with other flavor compounds, are produced in varying concentrations.

During the first stage the beans absorb heat and the green beans are slowly dried to a yellowish tinge. 'Green' doesn't refer to the color, per se, but simply to the beans being unroasted or raw. Properly done, the beans will have an odor reminiscent of toast or popcorn.

From about 170°C-200°C (338°F-392°F) sugars in the bean will begin to caramelize, aided by the increase in temperature of the moisture enclosed by the skin. That's just one reason it's important that beans have the proper moisture content, which comes from correct drying. Caramelized sugars are less sweet, so reaching the proper amount is important for the final brew.

At about 205°C (400°F), beans will expand to about double their original size and become light brown, simultaneously losing about 5% of their original weight. As the temperature rises to about 220°C (428°F), beans will lose about 13% more weight and release some CO2.

When the temperature increases to around 230°C (446°F), the roasting beans become medium-dark brown and take on an oily sheen. Often there will be a loud pop as the beans enter the 'second crack' phase.

Here roasters have to be very cautious not to overdo it. Volatile aromatic compounds are boiled off and the oils on the outside of the bean can combine with oxygen in the air. That process can strip the bean of desirable flavors and lead to a burnt taste.

The goal is to arrive at just the right balance of bitterness, acidity and a host of other attributes making up the final flavor profile.

In tasting guides coffee connoisseurs will sometimes see the term 'body', as if its meaning were self-evident. 'Body' despite what it suggests, does NOT refer to the actual thickness or viscosity of the liquid. That attribute is the result of the kinds of proteins and fibers in the brew.

Used as tasters do, it refers to the feel on the tongue when rubbed on the roof of the mouth. It's the result of the fat content in the drink and that - apart from growing conditions that home roasters can't control - is determined largely by the roasting.

Too light a roast will leave too high a concentration of bitter compounds in the final product. Too dark will produce an excessively chocolatey, burnt taste. Experiment until you find the balance that suits your taste.

Coffee roasters - the mechanical device, not the human profession - come in all shapes and sizes. Prices range from a few dozen dollars to nearly a thousand. Of course, as with any manufactured product, price doesn't necessarily correlate exactly with quality. Beyond looking to a reliable brand, here are a few tips about what to look for, based on your goals.

How much involvement do you want?

Some people just have a bit of the chemist in them. They like to mix and stir, whir and measure. Roasters vary along this dimension. Some simple stove top models are basically just a sauce pan with a tight lid and a special handle.

The handle contains a crank that allows the roaster to stir up the beans during the process. Stirring is essential to keep the beans from burning on the bottom as well as to keep the hot air inside circulating evenly.

Even in this simple set up, be sure to look for ones that have a thermometer in the lid. Temperature control is important for proper roasting.

At the other extreme are roasters that do it all for you. Pop in a pre-determined volume of green beans from a bag, close the lid and walk away for a few minutes.

These deluxe models have inbuilt thermometers, thermostatically controlled heating mechanisms, clever air-flow control geometry and rotating canisters and a timer to automatically shut off the device at the proper time.

At the upper end of the price range, these rocket ship roasters do everything but eliminate the smoke that invariably accompanies the process.

How effectively do they heat and circulate air?

The most common type are air roasters that work more or less like a popcorn popper. Hot air is circulated throughout the mixture, while the beans are agitated. This gives a uniform roast and some models can even filter out the chaff produced as the skins burst from the expansion of the bean.

Most allow you to watch the process through a glass exterior, to judge the degree of desired roast. Frequently they have pre-set amounts on the dial ranging from light to dark.

The ability to circulate air evenly and heat uniformly is critical and designs vary in the degree to which they meet these goals. For example, a roaster with a heating source only at the bottom and constricted air flow is going to provide an uneven roast.

Drum roasters help overcome this problem, by providing a rotating drum that uses gravity to move the beans around, rather than relying solely on a stirrer at the bottom.

Beware, though. Many don't have windows for observing the roasting process - a must for those who like to experiment and fine-tune the roast. And, not surprisingly, with the greater quantity of bean comes a larger volume of smoke. Be prepared to ventilate well.

Once confined to more professional use, home devices are now readily available and have the added benefit of being able to roast larger quantities. Useful for those large dinner parties where you want the freshest possible coffee. And who doesn't want that?

Coffee beans, like any food product, oxidize when exposed to air. The grounds, since they have a much larger relative surface area than the bean, and no covering, suffer this effect even more. Grinding beans at home produces the least exposure to air and the freshest grounds. And you can grind only what you immediately need.

But nothing is without its price. Grinding is time consuming and messy, so if you choose to invest the effort to reap the reward, pick the best you can afford.

Grinders fall into three broad categories - burr, blade and crusher.

The third type is some kind of mashing device, often an ancient-style mortar and pestle. These crush the beans, which is difficult and produces a very uneven sized granule. Not recommended where you have a choice.

The blade grinders don't actually grind at all, they chop. A whirling blade slices the beans into smaller and smaller sections until they approach something like a small grain. Unfortunately, the grains are invariably too large and of inconsistent size.

As a consequence the surface areas of the granules vary, releasing varying amounts of flavor oils when brewed. Another effect of slicing is often the production of excess heat, as a result of the high speed of the blades. That friction warms the grounds and partially dissipates the aroma.

The first type is the first choice. Burr grinders have a pair of motor driven plates with pyramid-shaped teeth that grind the beans to a consistent, small-but-not-too-small granule. The better models allow adjusting the size of the grain and the speed of the grinding.

Adjusting the size is important in order to 'fine tune' the grounds to allow just the desired brew. Controlling the speed keeps the warming effect to a minimum.

Even burr grinders fall into two classes - the conical burr grinder is preferred by real coffee aficionados. Though noisier, they allow the most control of grain size and speed.

Good conical burr grinders can rotate as slowly as 500rpm. By contrast other burr grinders spin at 10,000rpm or higher, blades between 20-30,000rpm. That allows very fine control and little heat. The fine grind is especially important for Turkish-style brews. Some grinders have a continuous dial, others have a series of up to 40 steps to adjust the granule size.

Beyond those broad attributes, the home barista will want to look for solid construction, ease of cleaning and low noise. A cleaning brush and removable upper burrs is essential. Different materials used can also affect how much static electricity is produced - that causes the grains to stick to the burrs and container.

A timer switch and auto-shutoff is a nice addition and being able to see the beans as well as the grounds is helpful for judging the results in the grinder. Dark plastic or glass may be aesthetically appealing but it obscures the view. Grounds can change color slightly depending on the fineness.

Read reviews and be prepared to spend a little more and you'll be rewarded with the freshest, most flavorful cup.

For the freshest possible coffee the ideal is to obtain unroasted beans, then roast and grind on the same day you plan to brew.

Roasting beans is, however, something of a 'cooking' specialty. Unless you're willing to invest in a fairly expensive piece of equipment, the results are often less than satisfactory. Not to mention that - even when done correctly - it can fill the house with odors that take time to dissipate and can become annoying.

Beans, even after roasting, will stay fresh for a while. Freshly roasted beans naturally release small amounts of carbon dioxide which helps to keep oxygen away from the bean, delaying spoilage. If stored in an airtight container, especially with a drying agent, they'll retain their good flavor and aroma for up to a week.

Naturally, the closer to roasting they're ground and consumed the fresher they'll be. But even after a few days they can still produce a stellar grind and a superior brew. After two weeks the flavor may still be acceptable, even though aroma will no longer be first rate. Whole bean coffee stored at even optimum conditions will be dull after a month.

Key to getting a good cup from purchased roasted beans is to ensure that the skin is unbroken. When that happens, all bets are off. Oils underneath the skin and inside the bean will deteriorate unless frozen, in which case the brew will never be first rate.

When storing beans, be sure to use an airtight container. A glass jar of the type used for instant tea grounds is tempting, but inadequate - there is still too much leakage around the lid. A good glass jar with a rubber seal is best. Many online vendors sell just the ticket. Be sure to store the jar in a cool, dark place since not only air, but also heat and light can contribute to spoiling beans.

Even better, but more expensive, are containers which flush air with an inert gas, then inject the coffee beans which then give off CO2, providing natural protection against spoilage. Beans stored in this way can keep their freshness for several weeks.

The next best thing to home roasting, and an option open even to those with less than stellar cooking skills is grinding at home.

Good grinders are available at moderate prices, are generally easy to use and are not difficult to clean. Many are automated to the point that with very minor experimentation, it's possible to arrive at consistently good grinds.

Since grinding necessarily breaks the bean skin the same 'oil spoilage' problem can arise if the grind isn't used within a few days. Like roasted beans, only more so, any grounds not consumed within a day should be packed in a desiccating cannister. Those cannisters contain a drying agent, usually beneath a mesh at the bottom, that keep moisture from introducing mold or excess oxygen into the grounds.

If not stored in a desiccating cannister, grounds will lose much flavor within a few hours. Oils will evaporate and, exposed to the air and moisture within the jar, the grounds will deteriorate.

For a superior cup, grind only what you intend to brew and drink everything brewed within an hour. With modern, moderate cost machines there's no longer any reason to suffer second-rate coffee.

Once upon a time there was only the lowly percolator. Coiffed housewives would sit lovingly staring at water being heated until pressure forced it up a small tube and over a basket full of grounds.

Well, it was amusing to watch even if the coffee couldn't be very good. Boiling coffee and running the liquid over grounds more than once can each produce a brew less than ideal.

Then in the 1970s, as with so many things, life changed forever. The drip method - inexpensive, quick and even an improvement in taste - came to dominate the scene. A cup of grounds thrown in a plastic container over filter paper, a few minutes of nearly boiling water dripping over the result and - voila! - coffee in a glass pot.

Later came pre-packaged 'pods' of a favorite blend, changes in materials and all sorts of controls to adjust the brew, and internal spouts that spread the water evenly over the grounds. Whether cone or flat, always near 200F (93C), please.

In the '90s, espresso makers became the rage, with the importation of European culture and the application of American ingenuity to lower the cost without ruining the flavor. Hot water is forced under pressure through finely ground dark roast and in a few minutes, out pours a delicious, aromatic drink.

Add steamed, frothy milk and you have a cappuccino or latte, depending on the ratio of milk to coffee. A definite improvement and the variety of espresso makers makes for delightful experiments in chemistry.

The French plunger is another device aiding the spread of European methods, anywhere open-minded coffee innovators are seeking the new. A metal rod extends through the center of a glass cylinder, where it is topped with a handle. At the other end is a filter, fitting snugly inside the container.

Put grounds into the container and pour nearly boiling hot water in. Unlike the drip method, the grounds steep until the plunger is pressed. The result is a dark, full-bodied brew served right from the device.

One of the more esoteric brew methods uses the vacuum brewer: two glass or metal bowls, one atop the other. Heat causes water to rise into the upper, similar to the percolator principle. Remove the heat and as the liquid cools slightly a partial vacuum is created, drawing the hot water through the grounds and into the lower chamber.

The process is a pleasant show at a dinner party and a wonderfully fresh cup, since it can be carried out right at the table.

Of course, none of these methods is really new - most go back centuries in one form or another. The Ibrik from Turkey may be one of the oldest. Water is heated in a brass or copper container with a long handle and a grooved tongue. Finely ground coffee is added directly to the hot water and then poured, unfiltered. Strong!

Any of these will produce a delicious cup, but all bring out distinctive aspects of the ground. Try them all! You may find that a history lesson can also be a delectable taste tour.

Coffee makers have been around, not surprisingly, almost as long as coffee. The original coffee brewer was the Turkish Ibrik, a copper container with a long handle and a grooved tongue. Still used in the Middle East, it produces a very strong brew since it does no filtering.

For those more interested in drinking a beverage than eating coffee grounds, a wide variety of types are available from the plain to the esoteric. Here are a few things to look for...

The largest percentage of coffee makers these days is, of course, the inexpensive drip model. Pour water in the top, it's heated by an electric coil, the water passes through coffee grounds and into a glass pot sitting on a heating plate.

But beyond these basics, there are a few features it's handy to have.

Controls have proliferated to the point that many makers look like a modern stereo. LCD screens display the time, the time to brew, temperature, a timer and several infobits even more esoteric.

The 'degree of brew desired' control is a minimum, but more control rather than less may be preferred. Auto-shutoff is handy for those who forget to turn it off. Most people these days are too busy to wait for the brewing process to complete, so they remove the pot before the water has finished draining. In the past, coffee would continue to drip, splashing onto the heating plate. The automatic shut-off solves this by stopping the water flow when the pot is lifted.

The illuminated displays also help on those dark mornings when you can't find the light switch and haven't yet had your coffee to get your eyes completely open.

Cleaning has been made easier, too, by the invention of coffee 'pods' - small pre-measured paper containers of coffee through which the water flows. They have the added advantage of providing good filtering for grounds. Once the brewing is complete you just pop them out (after they've cooled!) and toss them into the waste basket. Essential for the busy - and opposed to cleaning up - coffee drinker.

Several models are available with water filters, essential for the urban dweller where the city supply often tastes like the community swimming pool. The filters are pricey but a good cup of coffee is priceless.

Permanent coffee filter styles can be had, but with the pods they're much less important. Debates rage over the environmental impact and the taste effect of the paper from the pods. Vote your conscience.

Some even have integrated bean grinders, but I prefer to do that in a separate device for easier clean up. I haven't seen one, but wouldn't be surprised if there were even integrated roaster/grinder/brewers.

That really is taking a good thing too far, in my opinion. Sometimes the old-fashioned ways are best. Maybe the Turks have something there. My coffee has been tasting a little weak, lately...

Every barista (professional maker of coffee drinks) will have his or her method. Here's mine...

It all starts with water. No coffee grounds, no matter the quality, can overcome an association with poor water. It must be fresh and very hot. Yes, even water can get stale, thanks to mildew, poor cleaning practices, and inadequate filtering. The optimum temperature is 203F (95C), nearly boiling.

Next comes the coffee. Select arabica - whether from Brazil, Bogota, or elsewhere, grown above 3000 feet (915m) and delivered fresh for roasting. Either self-roasted or bought within a few days after, the coffee should have that 'fresh food' smell.

Robusta - though easier to grow and more disease resistant - has more caffeine and less flavor. It should be reserved for those quick pick-me-up cups, not used for an espresso to be savored.

Finely ground in burr, not blade, grinders the roast should be dark - French or Viennese. The name refers to the color, not the origin. Blade 'grinders' actually chop, not grind. Burr grinders have pyramid shaped teeth on two plates that grind the beans between them.

The distance between the plates determines the fineness of the granules. Sand grain-sized is good, powder is too fine, and small-gravel too large. Of course, the grind should not be exposed to air any longer than necessary. Coffee, like any food, will oxidize and absorb odors from the air. Neither is conducive to a good cup.

And, last but not least, a good espresso requires a clean machine of good quality. 'Good quality means: generates heat by boiler or thermoblock and is capable of producing pump pressure of 9 bar or better. A 'thermoblock' heats water as it passes through the machine on the way to the pump. Avoid the cheaper units that rely on steam to create pressure.

Now you have the basic elements. Next comes the process.

Pre-warm the equipment by running good water through a clean machine. You can turn the machine on, let the water heat, and run a cup through with no coffee to warm the surfaces and flush the system.

Add your ground roast and pack down slightly, as you would pipe tobacco. Just as with pipes, you should be feel some springiness, but the coffee shouldn't scatter.

Insert the hopper in the machine firmly and place a warmed espresso cup at the outlet. Start the machine and in about five seconds you should have a thin, steady stream. (About 20 seconds for a double shot.)

For a cappuccino, warm half a cup of organic milk in the microwave about 90 seconds, froth, and add to the espresso. Garnish to taste with cinnamon, nutmeg or chocolate. For those who like it sweet a little organic sugar goes a long way.

Simple, straight forward, and easy. Start with good ingredients, keep your equipment clean, and don't burn the roast. The result? A great cup!