An introduction to brewing for beginners-- how to make a satisfactory cup of coffee at home

Professional coffee knowledge exchange more coffee bean information please follow the coffee workshop (Wechat official account cafe_style)

For some people, getting up in the morning and having a cup of coffee is perfect, but there are many ways to make your own coffee, whether you use an automatic coffee machine, a French press, or a hand pot. Remember that there are many factors that can affect the flavor of coffee.

Most people still think that the coffee brewed from a professional coffee shop tastes better. In fact, the reason is:

1. Coffee is freshly brewed (nonsense). Coffee beans are freshly ground; 3. The cooking parameters are matched after many debugging; 4. Expensive coffee machine-you can buy a car if you are more expensive.

Although not everyone can put a car and a coffee maker in the kitchen, we can still learn a few tricks from professional stores so that you can make a satisfactory cup of coffee at home.

1. Procurement advice for beginners

The order of purchase is: coffee beans → bean grinder → coffee beans → hand-made pot → coffee beans → all kinds of filter cups → coffee beans → coffee machine Finally, you don't have to buy.

Good coffee beans are really important, so say it many times.

When you first knock on the door to ask for directions, you often get lost in the purchase equipment list. Sometimes envy others, but choose the most suitable tool within their own ability is king. The best tools don't have to be the best and most expensive, but they have to be the ones that are readily available, the easiest to use and brew, and the point is whether the coffee tastes good or not. Using different coffee cups can sometimes add to your coffee mood.

Drink more, compare more

Coffee novices are advised to try more, drink more. Try to taste the flavor brought by the production area, the difference in flavor caused by different appliances, there is no secret to taste coffee, drink more, drink the original taste is the best.

Before buying beans, you can go to the store first, taste the flavor cooked in the store on the spot, and try to reproduce it at home. Usually business with the grinder is more professional, grinding uniformity will be higher, you can drink the flavor details, relatively more, so the grinder is the most worthy of investment coffee equipment, drink can not go back.

2. Coffee brewing is important.

Water quality and temperature

The temperature of the water will affect the amount of substances dissolved in the coffee. Simply put, the higher the temperature, the more aromatic substances will be dissolved in the coffee, and the use of good filtered water quality will make your coffee better.

Grams of coffee beans per serving

How much weight of coffee beans, how much weight of water, can get a fixed proportion of delicious coffee. Using accurate electronic scales can greatly increase the chances of successful brewing.

brewing time

The longer it takes to cook, the longer the coffee is soaked in hot water, the stronger the flavor, the more substances dissolved in the coffee, the better the relatively good drink, and the worse the bad drink.

grinding fineness

The grinding scale must be matched with the brewing method and apparatus used, and choosing the brewing apparatus suitable for yourself can greatly enhance the fun of drinking coffee. Here are a few common brewing methods, and the appropriate grinding scale:

3. Brewing apparatus and corresponding scale

There is a corresponding relationship between brewing method and grinding degree, and people who have studied bean grinders naturally understand that even if it is the same bean grinder, the same grinding scale, the powder ground by two bean grinders will have different thicknesses. However, it is not necessary to be too harsh for beginners. As long as the initial scale is adjusted well (that is, when the cutter plate is adjusted to the finest scale, there will be a metal friction sound), the difference between grinding scales can be ignored for the time being. Then, we will use the most popular small Fuji ghost teeth as a reference bar, the small X gun on the market, small X eagle, small X horse, positive X line what, as long as the shape is similar, basically from Japan small Fuji bean grinder "extension" out.

Follicular, Hand Punch

Use filter cup and filter paper or filter screen to make filtering tool, very convenient to use. In general, American coffee makers use the follicular concept to brew coffee. The hand-washed filter cups available on the market are full of colors, such as T type, cone type, V60, smart filter cups, etc. Follicle type is recommended to be moderately fine ground, small Fuji ghost teeth 3~3.5.

tea press

French press pot (French Press) This way of brewing people are in, because it is very simple, and do not care too much about the details, the most suitable for lazy French people, because the brewing time often forget the timing, so more than 5 minutes, so the French press pot is suitable for coarse grinding, small Fuji ghost teeth 7.5~8.

siphon pot

Usually will use siphon pot (Syphon,or Siphon) people, can be said to be home coffee brewing experts; and the Philharmonic pressure (Aeropress) is a new coffee brewing tool in recent years, looks a bit like a large syringe, you can use brute force to force shorten the extraction time of coffee, usually using moderate grinding, small Fuji ghost teeth 3.5~4.

Italian coffee maker

Espresso is the most popular, and many people inexplicably want to buy one at home, but do not use it. Advice: since you've already spent a lot of money, why not invest a little more and buy a special bean grinder suitable for the fineness of espresso. The espresso made by a good bean grinder can take you to heaven. Bad bean grinder, grinded espresso will make you cry.

Grinding scale: small Fuji ghost teeth may not be fine enough, it is recommended that Italian special bean grinder.

So, the bean chopper, ah, suggested to put away the propeller electric bean chopper sent by swiping card points in the cabinet, or give it to my mother to grind pepper, mung bean powder and spices. The bean chopping machine is crushed and cannot be called grinding. The disadvantage is that the coffee particles are chopped to death, the fineness gap is too large, and can not be controlled.

During excessive grinding, the heat generated by the machine has consumed the aroma of the coffee. Frugal, you will also remove the fine powder adsorbed by static electricity on the wall and cook it one by one. This powder as fine as flour is the reason why the flavor of your coffee is so complicated.

4. The way to store coffee

The summer climate is relatively humid and hot, so coffee beans must be strictly prevented from being heated or damp. It is the best way to store it in a cabinet that is sealed and kept out of the sun. The best way to store coffee is to brew it quickly and drink it into your stomach. It is recommended that when buying coffee beans, choose freshly baked coffee beans in cafes and roasted coffee beans. A small amount of shopping can ensure freshness. Their own bakeries on the market often boast extremely fresh roasting and emphasize drinking fresh coffee. In fact, the freshest coffee beans are not necessarily the best, and the best time to drink is usually 7 or 15 days after coffee roasting.

The bean bag used by the store to pack coffee beans is preferably a closed bag with an one-way breathable valve. If you store it properly, you will be surprised that the storage time of coffee beans is longer than you think. After opening, you must finish it as soon as possible, of course, you can also drink slowly, slowly feel the ups and downs of coffee flavor and decline, which is also a kind of interest.

5. I want coffee, but I'm afraid I can't sleep.

Buy beans with low caffeine

What should I do if I want to drink coffee at night but I'm afraid I can't sleep? The first method is to choose low-caffeinated coffee beans, except that they are naturally low-caffeinated because of the variety. At present, there are many post-processing methods, not through chemistry, but by washing or steam treatment, which will not harm the body, which is called Decaf,or Decaffeinated Coffee. If necessary, you can ask the store for this information.

Choose high-quality beans.

If they are boutique coffee beans, they will have less caffeine than commercial beans with too many defects. Although it is more expensive, it is reassuring to buy, because commercial beans, which are too cheap, are very likely to rely on very little care of the environment and mass production to drive down costs.

Choose beans that are lightly baked

If you are drinking fine coffee, but you still have the trouble of not sleeping, in addition to diluting it a bit, you can consider choosing coffee beans that are relatively shallow and roasted. Shallow baked beans, fruit flavor will be stronger, suitable for entry-level characters, shallow baked beans have more flavor substances, even if diluted some will not be too dull.

Tips of shallow baked beans

Shallow baking if you want a little sour: the water temperature is a little higher, control at 90-95 ℃. Then slow down a bit, this will get more aroma, and emphasize the acid quality of the beans. If you don't want to drink too much acid, lower the water temperature a little, at 86-90 degrees, rinse a little faster, you will feel obvious sweetness and fruity.

Drink it when it's cool. It tastes better. Because it will not be sour to the throat, it also makes the aroma of flowers and fruits more obvious. Sweet and sour shallow baking, very suitable for hot summer mornings, clear as bell-like acidity, sweeping the wet, sticky wake-up gas.

What if I already drank it?

If you have already consumed too much caffeine but have to go to bed quickly, at this time, quickly consume a large amount of water, or a sports drink rich in electrolytes is mixed with water 1: 1, and you will want to go to the toilet immediately after drinking it. Caffeine is water-soluble and can be excreted faster through urine metabolism.

END