The Perfect Cup

The Perfect Cup

We all love our daily fix, be it Cappuccino, Flat White, Macchiato, Long Espresso, Short Espresso or one of the other heavenly combinations served up at our favourite local café. Thankfully, the standard of baristas is exceptional in our neighbourhood, but there are always times when we are entertaining or it’s just not convenient to pop out for a coffee, so if you are making your own, we hope the following tips will make it that much more special.

Caffeine buzz

The perfect cup of coffee can be the one you make yourself. After all, it uses your chosen coffee blend, is brewed to the desired strength, delivered at the ideal temperature and will surely be served in a favourite vessel. But whether you are using a simple plunger or the most high-tech espresso machine, there are still a few basic principles that need to be observed.

Bean There

Always buy your freshly roasted coffee beans from a trusted supplier. He or she should be able to tell you when the beans were roasted and the optimum period for brewing.

Daily Grind

No matter how you brew, it is worth investing in your own quality grinder. As soon as the beans are ground, the coffee begins to lose its flavor, so only grind the desired amount for each cup you brew. Choose a grinder according to your budget – a burr grinder wiil give the most consistent, even-sized grind, but a blade grinder may be a more affordable option.
The right size grind for the equipment you are using is critical to a good cup of coffee. A plunger requires a medium to coarse grind, while stove-top devices and espresso machines need a finer grind. Don’t be afraid to “waste” a bit of coffee until you get it just right.

What’s in Store

Store your coffee beans in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, but not in the fridge or freezer, where they can absorb food odours and lose their natural oils. Freshly roasted beans should be used within one to three months of roasting.

All in the Timing

The amount of time that water takes to be forced through your coffee will affect its taste. Too much water or heat can spoil coffee, and not enough is just as bad. Know your equipment and be guided by the manufacturers’ instructions. Ideally a plunger will take 3-5 minutes to brew and coffee is a stove-top device is ready when the outlet is producing a rolling steam.
The magic formula for an espresso machine is 7g ground beans used to create 30ml coffee is 25-30 seconds. Of course, this can vary depending on the quality of your machine and many other factors, so it’s worth experimenting with the size of your grind and the strength of your tamping (compressing the coffee into the filter basket) to achieve this ratio.

Got Milk?

Warmed milk and hot coffee are a heavenly match. Whether you heat your milk in the microwave, in a saucepan or with the steam wand of your espresso machine, keep in mind that milk contains natural sugars which will burn if they are overheated. Ideally, milk should be heated to around 65 degrees C. It is a good idea to use a thermometer until you are able to judge the temperature accurately.
If using an espresso machine, place cold milk in a stainless-steel jug, then dip the steam wand just below the surface on an angle and switch on the steam until you have a thick, glossy, textured milk – this may take a bit of practice. Alternatively, inexpensive milk frothing devices from kitchen stores will successfully aerate milk that has been heated in a microwave or on the stove.