People like to say that food always tastes better when someone else makes it. While many of us can agree upon this; we are curious - what about coffee? Shouldn’t coffee taste good no matter where you drink it? Sadly this is not always the case, sometimes your home brewed coffee cannot compare to the coffee poured by the barista at your local cafe. You may even be wondering if they have a super secret barista trick to brewing, pouring, or stirring your coffee.
We are here to tell you there truly are no secret barista tricks and trade secrets to brewing and pouring a good cup of joe. Truth be told, you may just be missing a step in your brewing process. No need to worry though! There are a few simple tips to follow, so that you can even enjoy that tasty, steamy, smooth cup of coffee from the comfort of your own kitchen.
While a few obvious things may come to mind such as maintaining your coffee machine and having the right grind, there actually ARE a few lesser known steps to pouring the perfect cup. For example, you might want to start looking at your coffee as you would beer or wine! Certain mugs and cups may work better with your preferred method of brewed coffee. A cafe latte should be served in a wide and stout mug, whereas espresso should be served in a special espresso glass (much like a shot glass).
One of the biggest “taboo” coffee habits that seem to slip by a lot of people is coffee storage and lifespan. Sticking your coffee in a plastic container, hiding the bag in the freezers, or even just leaving it out on the counter; these are all common mistakes that bean drinkers make. The most ideal storage for your beans is an airtight container, and not using beans that are more than 3 months old (if you buy your beans from a supermarket you might want to subtract a few weeks). Proper storage will help to keep your coffee tasting fresh and robust.
One trick (that even we were not aware of in our home) is ensuring the correct coffee filter selection and habits. Not only should your filter fit your basket, but you should also be rinsing your filter before brewing to get rid of any lingering chemicals. You may only use an organic coffee filter made from only the best materials, still even these may leave a slight chemical flavor. In our house, we have started to rinse our filters by just running it under cool water for a quick second. There is even the added bonus of the filter sitting just a little more snug in our basket.
The coffee filter fitting just right brings us to the next step to consider when brewing your coffee at home - the appropriate grind for your machine! Depending on whether or not you are using a drip pot, a pourover, a french press, or even a one cup pot, there are different grind levels for each. The level of grind to go with each method can make a world of a difference in flavor and smoothness.
Surprisingly, these recommendations are only a few among a vast amount of coffee brewing instructions. And like most things in life, there is a science to figuring out exactly what works for you and your taste buds. However, now that you have just a few more tricks in your barista repertoire, you can impress your family and friends by pouring that perfect cup of coffee with breakfast or dessert!