5 common coffee mistakes
Brothers Miguel and Aaron Meza of Paradise Roasters point out five common coffee-making mistakes and how to avoid them:
1. Over-roasted beans. While dark roasting can mask bad beans' imperfections, it can smother the subtle flavors of good ones. Also, coffee tastes bests within a week or so of roasting: some serious coffee drinkers have taken to roasting at home.
2. Pre-ground coffee. Once beans are ground, there's a lot more surface area that can oxidize and make the coffee stale. Be sure to grind just before drinking.
3. Too little coffee. Miguel recommends using 10 grams (about 2 T) per 6 oz. water--twice what most people are used to.
4. Water that's not hot enough. Most at-home coffee makers don’t get the water up to the necessary 200 degrees. If you use a French press, use water just off the boil.
5. Impure water. Tap water is usually too hard or contains minerals that can taint flavor. Use spring or drinking water instead.
Oh, and if you like to dope your coffee with milk and sugar, the brothers definitely wouldn't recommend doing so with premium beans. “It'd be like going to Manny’s and ordering your steak well-done,” Aaron says.
4 comment(s) / Post a Comment
How come the all important "Don't mainline your coffee" isn't on the list?
Posted On: Tuesday, Mar. 11 2008 @ 7:17PMPretty much covers the lot of common mistakes. But I'd add one....improper grind can also ruin what otherwise would be a great coffee. Most will use a blade mill and make flour, heating up the mess and
and killing flavour. Too fine a grind, you overextract, making it bitter. Too coarse, you don't get enough flavour out, and overextract what you do get.
But I've one question of Mr. Matthews..what's the problem with mainlining?
Re: the Manny's comment. I have never understood the concept of eating undercooked red (or pink even) meat. Could someone please explain why people eat meat...animal flesh, that is not cooked all the way. I can't get past the fact that there is greasy blood floating around on my plate and soaking into my potatoes to even try it. What the deal with that? Done or Well done for me. I understand the concept of cooking food to a certain temperature to insure killing certain bacteria...but why eat meat that is uncooked?
Posted On: Thursday, Mar. 27 2008 @ 12:38PM
