7 Expert Tips to Brew Better Coffee at Home

“Coffee smells like freshly ground heaven.”

You will find your true love based on how you define it. You might find it at a bar, online, or on a good old-fashioned blind date! For true coffee lovers, this wonderful relationship they seek and need is found at the bottom of their favourite mugs, right from the comfort of their home.

Brewing coffee at home and welcoming the luxurious warmth that comes along with it at home doesn’t have to be a difficult job. Be it filter coffee or cold brew coffee, all you need is the right technique to get the perfect café-style cup of happiness. Let’s take a look at these 7 easy tips for brewing better coffee at home.

Tip 1: Get Hold of Fresh Coffee Beans

For several folks, the right cup of coffee in the morning truly sets the tone for the rest of the day. Some also prefer breaking the stereotypical “morning coffee” routine and enjoy occasional cups throughout the day. Therefore, the first step to achieving that much-needed brewing perfection begins with the coffee beans. In fact, the taste of your brew is directly proportional to the freshness of the beans. You can check out the roast date which indicates the day when the beans were roasted.

Ideally, you should consume coffee within a month of its roast date. It is because the “window of freshness” generally borders between 7-21 days of the stated roast date. Therefore, the closer the roast date, the better your brewed coffee at home will taste. However, when you buy coffee online or offline, bear in mind that not all coffee is the same. The freshness will vary based on the roasts, packaging, how quickly the coffee was sealed post-grind, etc.

Tip 2: Store Coffee Beans Properly

It is essential to store your coffee beans appropriately to keep them fresher for a longer period of time. Once opened, you must ideally store the beans in an air-tight and opaque container.

But why?

You see, 4 of the greatest foes of coffee beans happen to be moisture, heat, light, and air. These not-so-Fantastic 4 can dramatically alter the condition of your coffee beans. So, consider storing them in a dry and cool place, away from the sunlight. Also, do not overlook the size of the container: the less air mixing with the beans, the better.

Tip 3: Use the Right Grind

Coffee usually begins to lose its flavour profile about 30 minutes post-grind. So, you either grind your coffee beans right before brewing, or you can buy high-quality filter coffee from trusted brands.

Sleepy Owl manufactures its filter coffee from an authentic blend of Grade-A Robusta coffee and Chicory. It comes with a signature chocolatey flavour backed by just the right roast. Plus, it is immediately sealed after being ground and delivered fresh!

Tip 4: Don’t Skip on the Measuring Scale

Making the best of anything requires eliminating the variables, and the same applies to your brew. Thus, it is paramount to measure how much coffee you are using per unit of water every time your brew.

If you wish to the so-called “Golden Ratio” then it is suggested that you use 15g of coffee for every 240g of water to brew your coffee. But who says you cannot answer the wild call of the coffee? It’s your coffee, so you decide.

Just allow the measuring scale to help you find your right taste with the brew. With this tool, you will quickly understand your preferences and adjust the ratios accordingly.If you want an easier way out, you get the classic Sleepy Owl Filter Coffee taste in just 7 minutes by dipping the brew bag in hot water. Now, beyond that, you can brew it longer for a stronger flavour or shorter for a milder one, add hot milk or sugar as per your liking – whatever floats your…err no, whatever flavours your brew!

You can also go for our Ground Coffee range, like Dark Roast, Hazelnut, and French Vanilla; choose your preferable grind (coarse, medium or fine grind), and measure and brew the way you desire!

Tip 5: Remember to Time Your Coffee

"Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor." – Hesiod, 700 BC

Hesiod put forth this quote the same year Kaldi, an Ethiopian goat herder, stumbled upon some “magical red berries,” thus sparking debate about the origin story of coffee. So, who knows, this quote might very well talk about the importance of timing your brew!

Now, the general rule of thumb is to brew for about 4-6 minutes. However, the brewing time may vary based on the technique you employ and the equipment used. For example, in case you’re making French Press coffee, you won’t need more than 3-4 minutes.

The longer your coffee and water remain in contact, the extraction intensifies proportionately. So, if you fancy a bitter flavour, consider brewing your coffee longer.

Tip 6: Brew at the Correct Temperature

If you’re using an automatic coffee maker, it can be quite challenging to understand when it reaches the optimum temperature for your brew. If you talk about drip coffee, the ideal brew temperature ranges between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit, as per the National Coffee Association. Modern coffee makers come with manual temperature adjustment panels, but you’ll probably not find this feature in the older models.

Nonetheless, to ensure your coffee maker gets indeed hot enough, first, run it without adding any coffee and check the temperature. If possible, keep checking the temperature during the brewing process as the water is likely to drop the degrees as it passes through the hopper. In case the temperature doesn’t reach 195 degrees Fahrenheit, consider using pre-boiled water for the brew. At the same time, make sure the temperature doesn’t cross 205 degrees Fahrenheit as it would burn the coffee.

Tip 7: Bloom Your Coffee

What do you observe when you pour water on fresh ground coffee? Bubbles, right? This process is called blooming, wherein carbon dioxide or CO2, a natural by-product of roasting, gets forcefully expelled out from the coffee.

Never skip this step as the presence of CO2 can negatively affect the flavour of your brew by messing up the extraction process. So, add a small amount of water at the beginning of the brew and give your coffee about 30 seconds to bloom before you pour in more water.

Also, note that the amount of water required to trigger the bloom is usually twice the amount of coffee. Hence, if you’re taking 20g of coffee, you’ll need 40 ml of water for the bloom.