How to make the perfect cup of coffee

There is no luck involved in making the perfect cup of coffee. Armed with the information on this page, you will be able to make great coffee every time.

Buy only fresh, top quality beans

Avoid the supermarket coffee and head straight to your specialty coffee shop. It's impossible to tell how long those beans at the supermarket have been sitting there growing stale from exposure to air, and at the specialty coffee shops, where they sell more coffee and have a greater turnover of stock, you can be more confident that the coffee will be fresher.

Don't buy too much coffee at one time

Coffee loses its flavour if not stored properly. If you drink only one cup a day, it's pointless to buy large amounts of it as it's just going to go stale.

Ensure your equipment is clean

Sediment and oils left in your equipment after use grow stale as they are exposed to air. This can produce an unpleasant, bitter taste in your coffee, make sure you clean your equipment after every use.

Use high quality water

When you consider that coffee is mostly water, it becomes perfectly obvious that the taste of the water will effect the taste of the coffee. If you're using tap water, then make sure it's of high quality, otherwise you might want to consider a filtration device. Make sure the water you use is cold.

Grind beans just before brewing

This will ensure maximum freshness

Choose the proper grind

Coarse

Used for percolators. This is the least popular grind used today.

Medium

Used for drip brewing methods.

Fine

Used for vacuum and Neapolitan flip methods.

Extra fine

Used by espresso machines.

Store your coffee in an airtight container on a shelf

Condensation in your refrigerator and exposure to air compromises the taste of your coffee. If you're storing coffee in your freezer, try to use it two to three months.

Measure!

Read the directions or ask your coffee specialist exactly how much coffee to use in relation to the amount of water.

Don't use boiling water in your coffee making

Not applicable to all coffee making equipment.

Stir your coffee

This will ensure a more consistent taste as it disperses the coffee particles evenly around the cup.

Store any freshly made coffee in a thermos flask

This preserves the quality of your coffee.