May Topic

SEVEN STEPS TO EXCELLENT BREWED COFFEE

1. The Equipment: The cleaner the equipment, the better the taste. Always clean your grinder, dispenser, coffee maker, filter devices, brewing containers and servers thoroughly after each use. Coffee oils, when left to accumulate will develop into coffee tars which will partially dissolve when contacted with either water or coffee, and impart a bitter or astringent flavor into the finished coffee beverage.
2. The Water: When brewed properly coffee contains 98.5% to 98.85% water, using good quality water is essential. Fresh cold tap water or bottled water is recommended.
3. The Temperature: Heat fresh cold water to 200 degrees Fahrenheit plus or minus 5 degrees. Hold brewed coffee at 185° Fahrenheit, preferably in a preheated insulated server. Never hold brewed coffee on a burner longer than 20 minutes, nor reheat brewed coffee.
4. Grind & Time: Use the grind designed for your coffee maker. Too fine a grind for your equipment will produce an over-extracted astringent coffee beverage. Too coarse of a grind will produce a weak flavorless coffee beverage. The grind determines the length of time coffee and water should be together.
5. The Formula: No one formula will satisfy all coffee drinkers, but with proper brewing conditions, optimum flavor can be achieved using a formula of 14 to 20 ounces of fresh cold water to 1 ounce of fresh ground coffee.
6. The Coffee: Start with top-quality coffees from a source whose standards you trust. Evaluate the origin of the bean, the roast, the blend and the coffee's freshness to make a selection most suitable for your taste and the occasion.
7. The Freshness: Always use fresh coffee. The three elements that most affect the staling process are air, moisture, and heat. To best protect against these elements store your coffee in a cool dry place, avoiding the refrigerator and the freezer. The flavor of coffee deteriorates after roasting when exposed to air. Ground coffee will age more rapidly as more surface is exposed. For maximum freshness, buy roaster-fresh, nitrogen-flushed, portion pack or valve-pack coffee.