Are you not happy with the taste of your coffee? If that is the case, you must be doing something wrong. A cup of hot coffee is a great starter for the day. It is one of the most chosen beverages even during breaks. This is because of its effects. It can boost your energy and it can make you feel more alert. This is also the reason why you have to consider having the best tasting coffee.
One of the things that you want to avoid is to have that cup that does not pass your standard. And this is why you have to be careful with the process on how it is done and also in choosing the coffee beans. Aside from that, there are also other factors that can determine the taste of your coffee. Here are some of the most common mistakes in making coffee that you should avoid:
Buy Low Quality or Stale Beans
Everyone would agree that nobody wants to drink subpar coffee. With this, you have to understand that buying pre-ground coffee and letting it sit in your kitchen for weeks is not good. After three weeks, the coffee will become stale. You must always check the date stamped in the package to avoid this coffee issue.
Not Measuring Your Coffee Correctly
Most of us are just scooping coffee beans without really thinking about the correct measurement. This habit is also one of the factors that can affect the taste of your coffee. If you want to have a control on the strength of your coffee flavor, you should measure your coffee grounds. For a 34-ounce French press, 8 teaspoon of coffee grounds is perfect. But if you want to it stronger, you can add more.
Aren’t Grinding Your Coffee Properly
In the process of grinding your coffee, the oils are being released. The flavor and aroma of the coffee depends on this. With that said, you really have to consider the grinding part as an important determinant of the taste of your coffee. If you want to have a strong tasting coffee, you should consider a finer grind. If you want to lessen the strength, you can consider uneven grinding.
Tamping Coffee Grounds Incorrectly
Yes, there is a way of using your coffee tamper correctly to tamp the grounds. Firstly, you have to give your group a quick shake. After that, you should put the group handle on a flat surface and tamp with just a little pressure. Let it rest for few seconds and tamp it again using force that is equivalent to around 8 lbs.
Storing Your Coffee in a Wrong Way
Some people leave their coffee in the bag for a long period of time. This is a bad habit because the bag may not be enough to protect it from humidity and oxygen. These two can change the taste of your coffee. With that, you have to make sure that you are keeping your coffee beans in a proper storage that are designed for long term storing.
Using Wrong Coffee to Water Ratio
The ratio of your water and coffee also matters. We all have our own preference and this can be achieved by adding the right amount of water. When you make a large amount of coffee, you will realize that it is harder to achieve the exact flavor and aroma. Sometimes there is too much coffee and other times there is too much water. The rule of the thumb is a cup of water would be equivalent to 2 heaping tablespoon of coffee.
Skimping on Water Quality
There is also a difference in the taste depending on the type of water you use. Most of us would just make use of tap water. There is a difference if you are going to use bottled spring water or filtered water. Tap water has some impurities that may affect the taste of your coffee. On the other hand, filtered water is already free from minerals. Aside from that, it is not acidic. This is why it would taste different when you use it for your morning coffee.
When it comes to the perfect blend for coffee, the preference may differ. But it does not change the fact that the quality of the coffee beans is one of the most important factors. You should consider purchasing coffee beans and grinding them before brewing. This way, the freshness will be retained and it will taste better.