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Have you ever stumbled into a cafe, ordered a cup of coffee, & wondered why your coffee didn’t taste the same? What are they doing that you’re not? Making good coffee at home doesn’t have to be a mystery reserved for baristas. It’s all about understanding a few key techniques and understanding the basics of brewing. From selecting a good bean to getting your grind right, and exploring different brewing methods like pour-over or French press, there’s a world of delicious possibilities waiting for you to discover. So grab your favorite mug, roll up your sleeves, and let’s set off on this journey to brew a great cup of coffee right in the comfort of your own home.
To get you going on this coffee journey, you’ll only need a few pieces of equipment to dive right in. Don’t worry about spending a ton of money on fancy equipment right now. Focus more on the quality of coffee beans, good quality water, and ratios. These three things will take you a long way with a small budget to achieve good results in your morning cup.
Did you know that store-bought beans or ground coffee are 6 months – 1 year old before being bought? Yuck!
Start with fresh, whole-bean coffee to ensure optimal flavor and aroma in your cup. Avoid pre-ground coffee, as it loses flavor quickly. Consider subscribing to a coffee delivery service for freshly roasted beans regularly. These coffee delivery services, such as Trade, have been a game changer for me. They deliver freshly roasted coffee to your door, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly; you choose! When I started, I would buy a bag from Trade here and there. Now, 90% of my coffee comes from these subscriptions while the rest comes from local coffee roasters. Remember to support your local coffee shops!
Investing in a good grinder is a game-changer for home brewing. Grinding your beans just before brewing preserves their freshness and allows you to customize the grind size to suit your brewing method. Whether you prefer a coarse grind for French press or a fine grind for espresso, a quality grinder is essential.
The Baratza Encore grinder is what I started out on and would recommend to anyone getting serious about home brewing for it’s consistent grind. It’s just a great multi-purpose grinder.
Precision is key when it comes to brewing coffee. Use a scale to measure your coffee and water accurately, ensuring consistency in every brew. Experiment with different ratios to find your ideal strength and flavor profile.
The KitchenTour coffee scale is a great starter scale as it’s usually under $40 and includes a timer! you can purchase here.
Starting out, this can be a bit tricky. Typically, coffee makers are not set to control things like water temperature and flow. Good coffee requires repeatable steps and methods which allows us to understand what changes we can make to fine-tune what’s in our cup. This is why so many home-barista’s gravitate towards a french press or pour-overs like a Hario V60. These items are inexpensive and will take your morning cup of coffee to new heights! The downside is that it takes a bit more time and usually brews far less than a automatic drip coffee maker.
However, here are a couple of recommendations if you’ve got a little more money to invest. These machines are a little pricey but can be precisely dialed in terms of water flow, temperature, bloom, & more!
About 98% of coffee is water, however, water is often looked over when brewing at home. Your local coffee shop and big coffee chains usually invest a lot of money on water filtration and while I’m not suggesting you do the same, I am suggesting that you avoid tap water. You can find solutions such as Zero Water filtration systems that fit on your water faucet or stand-alone pitchers. I use the stand-alone pitchers at home and have one dedicated solely for coffee.
These are the bare essentials to get you on your way to better coffee. Below is a list of non-essential essentials! The best part is that these items can be bought at an affordable price no matter if you get them from Amazon or at your local coffee shop or retail store.
French Press – The French Press is a loved brewing method for its simplicity and ability to produce a full-bodied, flavorful cup of coffee. With its straightforward design and immersion brewing process, the French Press allows coffee grounds to steep in hot water before being pressed down with a plunger, separating the grounds from the brewed coffee. You can also use your french press for cold brew as well! You can find our straight-forward brewing method for the french press here as well!
There are quite a few styles and size differences to choose from. Buy your new french press here.
Hario V-60 – Whether you prefer a bright and acidic brew or a smooth and balanced cup, the Hario V60 empowers you to craft a coffee experience tailored to your taste preferences. Its simplicity and elegance make it a favorite among home brewers and professionals alike, offering a delightful way to explore the complexities of specialty coffee.
You can buy Hario V-60’s here!
Goose-neck Kettle – A gooseneck kettle is an essential tool for precision brewing in the world of coffee. Its distinctive spout, resembling the neck of a goose, allows for controlled and precise pouring, making it ideal for methods such as pour-over and Chemex brewing. The narrow and elongated spout enables the user to pour water slowly and evenly over the coffee grounds, ensuring even saturation and optimal extraction. This level of control is crucial for achieving consistency and maximizing flavor extraction, especially with delicate and nuanced coffees.
Find a nice variety of goose-neck kettles here
Moka Pot – Your parent’s and grand-parent’s call it a Percolator. The Moka pot’s brewing process yields a beverage that lies somewhere between espresso and drip coffee, with a bold and robust taste that’s perfect for espresso lovers seeking a quick and convenient brewing method at home. Its simplicity, affordability, and ability to produce espresso-like coffee without the need for expensive equipment make the Moka pot a staple in many coffee enthusiasts’ kitchens. You can find a nice variety of Moka pots here.
These items are non-essential coffee gear but are inexpensive items to have in your arsenal that will allow you to experiment further and allow you to try different methods. Remember that, like with any hobby, the further you get on this journey, the more deeper you’ll want to dive into the world of coffee!
We’ve talked about your essential and non-essential gear. With nearly any budget, you’ll be able to get a few pieces of the gear above and get right into experimenting! However, before I send you off to the horses, we need to talk a bit about the ratio of coffee to water.
Understanding coffee ratios is essential for achieving consistently delicious brews. Coffee ratio refers to the proportion of coffee grounds to water used in the brewing process, and it plays a significant role in determining the strength and flavor profile of your coffee. The ratio is typically expressed as a numerical relationship, such as 1:15 or 1:16, where the first number represents the amount of coffee in grams, and the second number represents the amount of water in milliliters or ounces. For example, a ratio of 1:15 means using 1 gram of coffee for every 15 milliliters of water.
The choice of coffee ratio depends on personal preference and the brewing method being used. A higher ratio, such as 1:15, will result in a stronger and more intense brew, whereas a lower ratio, such as 1:17, will produce a lighter and milder cup. Experimenting with different ratios allows you to fine-tune your brew to suit your taste preferences and the characteristics of the coffee beans being used.
There’s a lot more to be said about coffee ratio but when starting it’s important to realize the importance of this along with understanding your equipment. Repeatable actions allow you to fine-tune your specific pallet. That said, have fun with it, and don’t get lost in a “golden” standard. This journey is about you after all!
We care a lot about the experience you have with coffee. A lot of work has gone into getting great beans to your door.
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