Tips for a Great Taste

Good coffee taste depends on many factors, the origin and freshness of the beans, the roasting process, right down to the quality and temperature of the water.

The quality of the water
As the average cup of coffee is approximately 98% water, the quality of the drinking water used is essential to the taste of the coffee. The salts and mineral content of the water are important taste carriers – which is one reason why the same coffee will taste different in different locations.

For example, hard water not only deposits scale or lime as it passes through coffee brewing equipment, reducing the life and efficiency of the equipment, but it affects the coffee flavour. On the other hand, soft water turns the coffee grounds ‘gooey’ and the resulting brew tastes over-extracted or bitter.

The temperature of the water
For best results your coffee brewer should maintain a water temperature of between 195-205 degrees fahrenheit. Colder water will result in flat, under-extracted coffee while water that’s too hot will result in a loss of coffee taste. If you are brewing the coffee manually, never let the water boil over.

Brewing time
The amount of time the water is in contact with the coffee grounds is crucial to the taste of your coffee. For normal mild coffee a brewing time of around four minutes should suffice. For full-aromatic coffee, leave for six minutes. If the brewing cycle is too fast the coffee will be under-extracted, making it weak and having little aroma. If too slow, it will be over-extracted and bitter.

The coffee to water ratio
To achieve the best coffee taste we recommend using 1 to 2 tablespoons of medium ground coffee for every six ounces of water.

Preparing coffee
The electric coffee filter is the most commonly used method to prepare coffee. It’s quick and simple and your coffee is ready in minutes, with the temperature and timing controlled automatically. However, there are other methods, each of which has its fans because of the variation in tastes and strengths produced.

According to many studies, filtering by hand rather than by machine produces a superior flavour. Here’s a tip: if you want stronger coffee, when the water has filtered through, simply pour it back into the filter and you’ll enjoy a stronger cup.

Increasingly popular is coffee prepared in a cafetière in which hot water is poured onto roughly ground coffee. After a few minutes – four is usually best – you depress the plunger, leaving the coffee to be poured, with the coffee grounds safely retained under the plunger’s metal filter. Coffee prepared in this way usually has a more intense taste, as the oils that flavour the coffee are allowed through the filter.

Storage
The flavour of coffee can be spoiled by exposure to the air, humidity, heat and light. Therefore coffee is best stored in the refrigerator in a sealed, non-transparent container. This will keep it fresher for longer and help retain its special flavour.

Keeping coffee warm
Freshly brewed coffee is always best. However, if you wish to keep your coffee warm, use a vacuum flask rather than a hotplate as this will overcook the coffee and make it bitter

Grinding
How finely you grind your coffee depends on how you intend to prepare your coffee. Basically, the shorter the brewing time, the more finely you should grind your coffee. Therefore Espresso and Mocha should always be finely ground; filter coffee should be medium ground; and coffee intended for use in a cafetière can be roughly ground.