Coffeezone

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Making a great cup of coffee

Whether you use an espresso coffee machine, a filter coffee maker or any other method of preparing your favourite brew here are some tips on how to make coffee. There are a few simple rules you can follow to make a great cup of coffee:

Water

Some people prefer to filter their water, but even if you don’t go that far let the tap run for a short while before using the water. A temperature of between 91 and 96 degrees C is important for extracting the best flavour for your coffee.

Clean equipment thoroughly

Coffee can leave an oily residue behind which needs to be cleaned away as it will adversely affect the taste of future brews.

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Ground coffee/coffee beans

Buy little and often if you can so they can be used as soon as possible . If you use a coffee grinder to prepare your coffee at home grind just enough beans to use right away.

The other major things to consider are the quality of the beans and how much they have been roasted. The darkest roasts are usually used for espresso and have decreased acidity but increased body and aroma. Lighter roasts may still have peak body and aroma but more acidity than the darker ones. Arabica beans are widely regarded as superior to Robusta.

 Type of Grind

At home the coarsest grind of coffee is used in a cafetiere or percolator, the finest grind in an espresso machine. Many espresso fans will use a Burr Grinder so that they can grind the beans as fine as they need to achieve the best results without spoiling the flavour.

Strength

If you want to make strong coffee add more to your water, but if you want weaker coffee don’t start with a lesser ratio of coffee to water as this will result in an unpleasant flavour. Instead make a stronger brew than you need and dilute with hot water.