Coffee is one of the most loved beverages in the world and is brewed by millions of people each day. Unfortunately, a vast majority of people who brew coffee at home make mistakes that compromise both the taste and quality of their coffee. How you brew your coffee is very important and will determine whether you will enjoy it or not. The reason why your coffee is not as tasty as the one you enjoy at your local coffee shop is because of the mistakes you are making while brewing it. In this article, Here Live Enhanced explore 5 common mistakes people make while brewing coffee.
Not brewing fresh beans
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One common mistake that people make when brewing coffee is not brewing fresh beans. If the raw material used to brew coffee is not fresh, then don’t expect the end product to have a great taste. The general rule of thumb when brewing coffee is: the fresher the bean the richer and tastier your cup of coffee will be.
If you want to brew richer and tasty coffee, you need to buy freshly roasted coffee and store it properly to maintain its freshness. A common mistake that people make when storing coffee is putting them in the freezer or fridge thinking it will stay fresh. This is not a wise idea. Roasted beans have holes that absorb the moisture and smell of other foods in the freezer or fridge. Therefore, when you store them in your fridge you will compromise the freshness of your coffee, which will, in turn, affect the taste of your coffee.
The best and recommended way of storing coffee beans is to keep them at room temperature inside an airtight container. You should also store them in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight. When buying coffee beans, you need to check their roasting date to ensure that it is fresh. Buy freshly roasted beans and store them properly to keep them fresh.
Not using the right water temperature
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Another common mistake that people make when brewing coffee is not using the right water temperature. For instance, if you use water that is too hot, you will end up with an over-extracted and bitter cup of coffee.
Since boiling water is too hot, pouring it directly into the coffee grounds will cause them to extract early, thus leaving a bitter taste in the cup. Hot water also agitates the coffee grounds unnecessarily, causing uneven extraction, which results in bitter coffee.
On the other hand, if you use water that is too cold, you will end up with an under-extracted and sour cup of coffee. When brewing coffee, water temperature is a crucial factor that will influence the final outcome. Your water should not be too hot, and neither should it be too cold. Coffee experts recommend that you use water that is between 200-210 degrees F which takes about 30 seconds.
Using the wrong brewing method
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The wrong brewing method will result in a low-quality cup of coffee. Even If you use fresh coffee beans, the wrong brewing method will deliver undesirable results. For instance, some brewing methods will make very light mellow cups while others can make very strong and intense cups. The right brewing method should deliver a balanced cup of coffee. Therefore, when brewing your coffee, ensure that you use a method that will deliver quality and tasty coffee. You can get all your coffee equipment from Qavashop.
Not allowing the right percolation time
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Another common mistake that most people make when brewing coffee is not allowing the right percolation time. The actual time taken for coffee to percolate depends on various things, including the brewing method you used and the size of your coffee pot. For instance, most people who use the stove method usually think that they should first allow water to boil. However, this is a mistake because boiled water will burn the coffee, thus altering its taste. For the stove, the highest percolator brewing time should not take more than 5 minutes and water temperatures should be between 192 and 197 degrees F.
On the other hand, if you are using electric percolators, then the entire process will take between 7-10 minutes. The good thing about eclectic percolators is that you don’t have to worry about burning coffee. Most modern are equipped with thermostats that control water temperatures. For good-tasting coffee, ensure that you allow the right percolation time.
Not rinsing coffee filter before using it
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This is a common mistake that most people make when brewing coffee at home. Not rinsing the coffee filter is a huge mistake and can alter the taste and quality of your coffee. Before you use your filter, ensure that you rinse it properly to remove any chemicals or impurities that could alter the taste of your coffee.
The filter rinsing process is simple and straightforward. All you need to do is run a cup of water on the filter to remove impurities that may alter the taste of your coffee. You will notice a big change in your coffee taste if you rinse your coffee filter on hot water before using it.
A rinsing filter is crucial, especially if you are using brown filters because they tend to have a weird flavor that could ruin the taste of your coffee. If you feel that you will forget to rinse the filter, then you should use an oxygen bleached filter. They have fewer flavors, meaning that even if you forget to rinse them, your coffee taste will not change. If you are worried that the bleached paper filter could harm your health or may be harmful to the environment, worry not because it will not harm you, and neither will it pose a risk to the environment.
