There are a number of do's and don’ts
connected with good coffee-making that are common to all methods, worth summarizing briefly here.
The Essentials of Good
Coffee-Making
- Use high-quality coffee, preferably recently roasted and ground just before serving.
Always use the correct grind for the method. If your coffee is too bitter and muddy, the grind is too fine; if the brew lacks flavor, the grind is too coarse.
Always use freshly drawn cold water.
Never guess amounts. Use the correct proportion of coffee and water (two level tablespoons per six ounces cold water for regular-strength coffee), preferably measuring both. I f coffee is too strong or weak, change grind and/or blend, not proportion of coffee to water.
Make sure the coffee maker is scrupulously clean and thoroughly rinsed. Coffee quickly picks up off-flavors during the brewing process.
For best results, always brew at least three-fourths of the coffee maker's capacity. Most large coffee makers do not make one or two cups satisfactorily.
Never guess when timing. Use the clock.
Remove the grounds from the brew as soon as the brew cycle is
completed to prevent bitterness. Also for that reason, never rewet grounds.
Serve coffee immedialty after brewing. (With drip methods, stir the brew before serving.) Coffee is at its best when just brewed.
If coffee must be kept warm, try to hold it at 180 degrees to 190 degrees fareinheight. Brewed coffee stays palatable for twenty minutes, drink able for one hour maximum. The longer it is held, the less desirable it becomes.
Never reheat cooled coffee; it breaks down in flavor. Never allow the brew to boil; its flavor turns bitter.
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