One of the boundaries I implemented years ago was making my own coffee at home. It’s a financial boundary, saving me tons of money on expensive coffees from Sixbucks or other coffee establishments. I will buy coffee from those stores from time to time, but my first coffee of the day is most often brewed at home.
Now we know that great Espresso coffee made in the coffee establishments is the quintessential coffee, the way that exalts the taste and aromas to the maximum. The preparation of Espresso coffee is a true art.
If you want to know more information about coffee you can check out my friends at Coffeelifious.
To get an excellent result also at home it is advisable to follow these rules:
1) Water quality: Use natural mineral water instead of tap water. Concentration of limescale can prevent perfect machine operation and influence coffee quality. Every two months it is advisable to use an anti-limescale for domestic espresso machines.
2) The right dose: For each cup use 7 grams of coffee for your espresso machine . For your guidance, be aware that the size that comes with the machine equals approximately 7 grams.
3) A professional hand : once the filter holder is filled, lightly tap the table or the palm of the hand to evenly distribute the coffee powder. Tighten the coffee firmly using the press that comes with the machine: a flat surface is critical to getting a good Espresso coffee.
4) The right time : the coffee should leave the canal forming a continuous and homogeneous thread. Pay attention to the extraction time: if the coffee comes out very fast, try to press it harder; On the contrary, if the output is too slow, review the pressure in the opposite direction.
5) Careful maintenance : When making a coffee, remove the residue from the previous filter to avoid unwanted flavors. Once in a while, let the water run into the empty filter, as if you were making coffee. Before making another, wait 2/3 minutes, making sure there is no water residue inside the filter holder. Proceed in the same way every time you wash the filter holder with tap water.
Little trick: it can happen that the coffee in the cup is not hot enough. Try to let the water flow through the filter holder as shown above. Then, without removing the filter holder from the machine, operate the steam until the light comes on. It is a simple and fast way to increase the water temperature.
6 tips to prepare a quality coffee
Several criteria come into play in the preparation of a quality coffee. They are not mandatory but if you want to increase the quality of your cup try to be attentive to these 6 criteria.
1. Quality coffee
It may seem obvious but the quality of coffee is paramount. Always choose quality beans and properly roasted .
2. Freshly roasted coffee
Once roasted the coffee is degraded very quickly. It is therefore necessary to always buy your coffee in small quantities as close to roasting.
3. Grind just before preparation
Ground coffee is degraded even faster (in just a few hours). It is therefore best to buy your coffee beans and grind it just before you prepare your coffee.
4. Good grind for the right method
The thickness of the grind (medium, coarse, fine ...) depends on the method of preparation. If the coffee stays in contact with the water for a long time (piston coffee machine), use a coarse grind, this will reduce the surface of contact between the coffee and the water and thus avoid obtaining bitter coffee. For the methods of pour-over or espresso, the water "crosses" the coffee, the time of contact between the 2 is weaker. You must therefore use a finer grind.
5. Water at +/- 90/95 ° C
Avoid using boiling water. Your coffee would be bitter. Use water at 90/95 ° C just before the boiling point.
6. Filtered water
A cup of coffee is 99% water. Its quality is therefore paramount. The ideal is to use filtered water (with a carafe Brita for example).
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