Only true gourmets master the art and can tell you how to brew coffee beans. The quality of raw materials, production technology and methods of processing coffee seeds are of great importance in preparing the drink. The type of plant, proper roasting and grinding are important. To preserve the aroma and taste characteristics, special knowledge of brewing the drink is required. We understand the cooking methods, time frames and utensils suitable for the process.
The best varieties of your favorite drink
Common varieties are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is tender and aromatic, the taste is affected by soil fertility and weather conditions. Strong robusta is not demanding on growing conditions.
The best coffee beans include:
- Jardin - producers boldly experiment with the strength and proportions of different varieties of Arabica, the quality of bean processing remains high.
- Lavazza is an Italian brand. The most delicate types of Arabica are used.
- Paulig – complete harmony and impeccable aroma.
- Gut! – a strictly selected Arabica with a strong taste and rich aroma.
- Kimbo – mild taste. Keeps longer than other varieties.
Read more about the varieties of your favorite drink in the article “Rating of the best coffee beans.”
How to choose the right coffee beans
We need to experiment
Coffee lovers often joke that the search for the most suitable variety can take a lifetime. Even minor climate changes in the area where coffee trees grow affect the taste of the drink. And then the familiar variety receives new notes in taste and aroma.
Modern supermarkets offer a wide range from different manufacturers. It is important not to get lost in the abundance of goods and choose the right drink. Beginners will have to experiment to find the right taste and aroma. You can simplify the task by deciding which variety appeals to you in terms of smell, strength and other characteristics.
General selection rules
You need to buy coffee in specialized stores. Please note the release date. No more than a month should pass from the moment of packaging. When stored for a long time, roasted beans lose their aroma. Damaged packaging is not acceptable. Each one contains detailed information about the product.
The grains should be shiny in appearance. Tarnished or grayed ones were stored incorrectly; they will not make a tasty and aromatic drink. Ideally, they should be the same size: large Arabica beans (6-8 mm) and small Robusta beans (4-5).
Do not take more than one pack, maximum 200 g. Frequent opening and contact with air will spoil the taste and aroma of the drink.
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Buy green grains only clean and whole. The scattering should be free of debris, sand and foreign odors. The aroma of high-quality grain is smooth, without any hint of mold. Do not buy a product that is under lights. Constant light and heat spoil the original taste and smell.
Delicious coffee with the right Turkish coffee
Modern technologies make it possible to prepare a delicious drink using special coffee machines. But all the notes of taste and aroma will appear especially clearly when using the classic brewing method. At the same time, it is difficult to make high-quality coffee without a Turk.
This vessel has a widened bottom, a narrower neck and an elongated handle for ease of use. The size of the Turk is determined by the model, but its shape has not changed for centuries. The coffee will not be filtered in this container; the sediment will remain in it, which affects the saturation of the drink with useful components.
The most popular are copper vessels with a narrow neck. The inner surface of the Turk is coated with silver. These products provide excellent drink quality, largely due to the fast heating and low heat transfer of copper.
Ceramic models can also be used. However, they are overly expensive and fragile, and are susceptible to mechanical stress. But in clay samples you can brew only one type of ground coffee due to the porosity of the material.
Roasting Tips
Can hide flaws
When choosing, it is better to stick to Arabica. Robusta is characterized by sourness and a high caffeine content. Tasty and high-quality bean coffee cannot be sold at a low price . The degree of roasting plays an important role. It is divided into several types.
For home preparation, it is better to buy medium-roasted beans; the drink will be strong and aromatic.
By roasting too intensely, unscrupulous companies try to mask defects in the beans (mold, cracks, uneven structure).
Two simple home methods
True gourmets buy green coffee beans and roast them themselves. To do this, use two methods: in a frying pan or in the oven.
Take a frying pan with high sides and a thick bottom. It is washed cleanly, eliminating extraneous odors so that the coffee does not lose its taste and aroma. Pre-washed and dried grains are laid out in a thin layer on a heated frying pan and fried for 7 to 25 minutes, stirring with a wooden spatula. After frying, allow to cool on a tray.
For frying in the oven, it is heated to 230 degrees. The grains are placed on a special baking sheet with a large number of holes. Fry for 15-20 minutes. Stir and check the degree of readiness preferably every 2 minutes.
Read more about roasting methods in the article “How to Roast Coffee Beans at Home.”
History of coffee
Ethiopia is considered the birthplace of coffee. Initially, coffee beans were used to prepare a drink that tasted like wine. For Muslims who, by religion, cannot drink alcohol, the drink has become an excellent substitute for alcohol. Then the Arabs tried to grind the grains and cook them. This is how the drink turned out, which is still drunk today.
In Russia, bean coffee was not so popular. In the USSR, people preferred to drink instant drinks, which were considered a curiosity. Now gourmets have tasted the taste of the drink of vigor and drink it exclusively.
How to grind coffee without a coffee grinder
After roasting, it is better to leave the grains uncovered in a flat container to cool. You can grind no earlier than after 10 hours. And this can be done even without a coffee grinder. Every housewife has more than one kitchen device that helps with grinding:
- blender (put no more than 100 g of raw materials);
- food processor;
- meat grinder (only coarse grinding is obtained);
- spice grinder.
Raw materials are successfully prepared for brewing even without the use of mechanical and electrical devices, as our ancestors did. At the same time, a tasty, aromatic drink was brewed from grains. Among the manual grinding methods we highlight:
- mortar and pestle;
- rolling pin;
- chop hammer.
Read more about grinding methods in the article “How to grind coffee without a coffee grinder.”
Methods of roasting beans
Coffee beans can be of varying degrees of roasting. The final taste depends on how the grains were roasted. There are the following degrees of roasting of beans.
- Strong. The cracks on the coffee beans are bright and deep, the grain has a dark brown color. Highly roasted beans make a very strong drink. High roast is the most popular and is used to release as much caffeine as possible from the bean. Beans roasted using this method produce a very tonic drink. Just be careful with this type of roasting. It often happens that unscrupulous producers hide the low quality of beans behind a high degree of roasting.
- Average. This degree of roasting is made specifically for espresso. This roasting is ideal for releasing some of the oily resins from the grain.
- Weak. Cracks in the grain are almost invisible, the color of the grain is light brown.
- Initial. This degree of roasting is used for elite Arabica beans. The taste of the drink is revealed only slightly, the aroma is light and barely perceptible.
There are several intermediate degrees of roasting of coffee beans. Typically, the name of the roast depends on the area where this method of processing coffee beans is typical. For example, there are American, French and Mediterranean roasts.
It is worth paying attention: there is a separate type of coffee beans that are not roasted. The drink made from these beans is called “Green Coffee”. Recently, unroasted grains have become especially popular due to their tonic and fat-burning properties.
Main types of grinding
It makes no difference how the coffee beans are ground, what matters is the particle size and consistency.
Fine and medium grinding are more suitable for cooking in a Turk. This is an oriental classic when, after emptying the cup, a lot of suspension remains at the bottom, which is used for fortune telling. To obtain such particles, it takes 15-20 seconds of operation of an electric coffee grinder.
To obtain a medium grind it takes 10-13 seconds of work, for a coarse grind it takes 7-10. Brew in coffee machines and coffee makers, since larger particles do not clog filters.
Read more about grinding methods in the article “Types of coffee grinding and what it affects.”
Drink from a coffee machine
To obtain a high-quality drink that can satisfy the tastes of discerning coffee connoisseurs, they use coffee machines, which are either fully automatic or carob type.
Automation of all processes when brewing a drink in a coffee machine saves a person from the work of preparing coffee. All that remains is to choose the taste of which drink you want to enjoy, pour the required volume of coffee beans into a special compartment and start the program.
Horn devices vary in size. Impressive ones, with large boilers and several horns, are found in restaurants and bars, small ones with a two-liter boiler and one horn are purchased for the home.
It will take a person some time before learning how to use a carob coffee machine, since depending on the type of coffee, it is necessary to select the correct degree of grinding of the beans and correctly tamp the powder in the unit’s carob. Over time, experienced coffee lovers already know how to more fully reveal the taste of coffee. For example, in a Turk, single-origin coffee brewed will be extremely tasty and aromatic; in a carob device and cezve, the blends turn out amazing.
Features of preparing the drink
Revealing the taste
To make coffee at home have an unforgettable aroma and excellent taste, follow a number of simple recommendations.
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Firstly, you should grind coffee beans no earlier than ten minutes before preparation. Otherwise, taste and nutrients are lost. Secondly, the prepared drink must be poured into a preheated and dry container. Thirdly, to obtain good taste, it is better to buy a single variety.
Do not use boiled water or directly from the tap (chlorinated). Give preference to filtered or bottled. Before cooking, add a couple of crystals of salt, this will allow you to fully reveal the flavor palette of the drink.
To reveal the taste, it is important to maintain the proportions of water and coffee; those starting to use electronic scales better.
We look at the clock
The grinding option of the beans affects the brewing time of the drink. For thin, cook for no more than 3 minutes, for medium for up to 6 minutes, and for large for up to 8 minutes. Beginner coffee lovers need to use a watch to maintain the exact brewing time.
Do not bring the drink to a boil and remove it from the heat immediately after the foam rises, otherwise the taste will deteriorate. Additives are added to the finished drink to give it a more refined taste and aroma. Gourmets add: cream, milk, honey, chocolate, cinnamon, cardamom, nuts.
Read more about additives in the article “What else is added to coffee for taste and aroma”
Recommendations for proper grinding
To make coffee aromatic and pleasant to the taste, you need to grind it well. The basic rule for grinding coffee beans is: “The faster you want to brew coffee, the finer you need to grind the beans.”
For example, espresso takes no more than a minute to brew, which means that the beans need to be ground quite finely.
In a coffee pot with a piston, the drink of vigor is prepared for more than 6 minutes, which means that the grinding is necessary to be coarse and coarse.
In order for the coffee to be aromatic, you need to choose the right coffee grinder. Usually everyone buys coffee grinders with two propeller blades. Unfortunately, they cannot provide high-quality grinding. If you grind beans for more than a minute, such a coffee grinder will heat up, and as the temperature rises, the coffee aroma will escape into the air and not into the cup.
The result of good grinding is cold and equal particles of the ground mass. The ideal coffee grinder is a manual burr grinder with two blades. In such a coffee grinder, the position of the blades can be changed and thereby adjust the degree of coffee grinding. This method is quite slow, but only it will provide a good result - a flavorful drink.
Before you begin the grinding procedure, carefully read the coffee grinder manufacturer's instructions, which indicate how long it takes to grind the beans.
For the most popular propeller coffee grinder, the following grinding rules apply:
- grains must be crushed larger than necessary;
- Do not grind for more than 10 seconds at a time to prevent overheating of the coffee beans;
- You need to grind no more than 4 tablespoons at a time.
Making your own bean coffee
How to brew at home in a saucepan
You can brew coffee correctly without having a coffee maker, successfully using different types of kitchen utensils. For example, let's take a regular saucepan. Its size depends on the number of servings required. It is not recommended to brew coffee all day. The drink is consumed immediately before the taste and aroma are lost.
The method of preparation and time, as in the Turk, is until the foam rises. After removing from heat, let sit for 3 minutes. For a detailed description of recipes on how to prepare bean coffee in a Turk, read the article “How to properly brew coffee in a Turk.”
Cooking in a cup
This is the easiest and fastest way to prepare a coffee drink. First, you need to finely grind the grains to obtain a richer taste. Then warm the cup by pouring hot water and then wipe it dry.
Pour 7 g of ground coffee per 100 ml of water. Fill with hot water - maximum 95 degrees, too hot boiling water will spoil the taste. Cover with a saucer and leave for 3-5 minutes. Then add sugar to taste and stir.
Of course, you won’t get the perfect drink using this method, but it will be quick and without much hassle. This is a suitable recipe for lazy citizens.
Cooking in a French press
A French press is a teapot with a special piston mechanism that removes small particles from the drink. It is important to choose the right size French press. A drink that sits for a little while loses its taste and aroma. The device greatly simplifies the brewing process. How to make coffee in a French press, procedure:
- Rinse the device with boiling water, dry it and add the desired portion of coffee.
- Pour in hot but not boiling water (95 degrees).
- Carefully, so as not to break the glass walls, mix the contents.
- The piston located on the lid of the device raises and closes the container.
- After 4-5 minutes, lower the piston. Let it sit for another 2-3 minutes so that the suspension of small particles settles.
- Pour into cups, adding sugar, cream, milk to taste.
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Gourmets pour ground spices into a French press flask to further diversify the taste.
Filter coffee makers
Using coffee makers with a special filter is another way to prepare a flavorful drink at home.
This device is quite easy to use. The coffee maker contains a cone-shaped filter into which you need to pour pre-ground beans.
Filters for such coffee makers can be disposable or reusable. The latter are made of nylon and equipped with plastic frames. Reusable filters can be used more than 60 times.
Any gourmet can afford a filter coffee maker – this device is quite cheap.
The principle of operation of a filter coffee maker is as follows: water is heated in a special tank, then it enters the filter, where the ground beans are located. The finished drink already flows out of the filter into a special bowl.
Cooking in this device is simple:
- Fill the special reservoir with water.
- Place the ground coffee into the filter.
- Press the power button.
It is worth noting that coffee prepared in a filter coffee maker is significantly inferior in taste to a drink made in a Turk.
How to brew coffee at home using savory additives
Show your imagination
Now let’s talk about how to make coffee beans at home using spices. There are many ways in the world, the main thing is that the resulting drink pleases with its aroma, gives vigor and a surge of vitality.
With some effort and imagination, you can even come up with your own recipe. Having mastered the subtleties, you will tell your relatives and friends how to properly brew coffee with spicy additives. Here are several ways to get a drink with an exquisite taste for gourmets.
Cinnamon
For lovers of a rich aroma and dense foam, a recipe with cinnamon would be ideal. To prepare, take 1/3 teaspoon of sugar and cinnamon plus a teaspoon of coffee. Everything is mixed and placed in a dry container. Then heat the container over the fire for 3-4 minutes, and pour 125 ml of water into it in a thin stream. After the foam has risen, pour small portions into a cup.
For those with a sweet tooth – honey and chocolate
Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy coffee with honey, cardamom and chocolate. To prepare, you need to grate the chocolate, add 30-40 g of cardamom seeds, 1 teaspoon of coffee and 100 ml of water. Cook over low heat. After the foam rises, remove and add half a teaspoon of honey.
Cognacs and liqueurs
A very rich palette of taste and aroma is obtained when preparing coffee beans with alcohol, in particular liqueur and cognac.
When drinking this drink, driving vehicles and working with moving machinery is not recommended. You should also consult your doctor about the possibility of consuming such alcoholic beverages.
How to brew: prepare coffee in the usual way; alcohol in the amount of 7-10 g per serving is added to the ready-made drink.
Cuban version
In Cuba, this drink has been drunk for several hundred years, and its recipe remains unchanged to this day.
This method has its roots on the island of Cuba.
Ingredients:
- ground coffee – 1-2 tsp;
- cane sugar (to taste);
- water – 200 ml;
- rum – 1 tsp.
Preparation:
- Boil water, cool slightly.
- Rinse the inside of the mug with hot water.
- Mix coffee and cane sugar in a cup. If you don’t have brown sugar, you can use regular sugar, a sweetener, or drink it without adding sweets. Alternatively, refined cane sugar can be consumed as a snack with a drink.
- Pour hot water over the dry mixture, cover and let sit for 5-7 minutes.
- Stir the finished drink a little and add rum.
- Wait until the mixture settles and the drink is ready to drink.
