Why does your coffee just taste that much nicer when you buy it from a coffee shop rather than make it at home? Luckily, it really doesn’t have to. In this guide, we’re sharing some great barista tips for making coffee at home and enjoying the flavour of a takeaway coffee.
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Grind Coffee Fresh for Each Brew
It’s a good idea to grind coffee as and when you need it. Though opinions are divided on the subject, most people do agree that freshly ground coffee contains a lot more flavour and can make a far better end result.
Invest in a coffee grinder in order to ensure you only grind the beans you need every time you want a coffee, that way you’re always using “fresh” coffee when you brew.
Having a grinder also allows you to change the grind size and experiment for the purposes of getting different flavours and brewing in different ways.
Use Filtered Water (and Don’t Use Boiling Water)
Most of what goes in your coffee is probably water, especially if you are just drinking cafetiere coffee, batch-brewed or Americano styles of coffee.
That means you need to take care of the water. A lot of the world suffers from hard water, and even in areas where the water is good quality, it doesn’t hurt to filter it to be sure the impurities and even chlorides are taken out.
Once your water has boiled, give your kettle a minute or two to cool slightly. Using water that has just reached boiling point can actually burn the coffee and lead to a bitter, ash-like taste.
Consider the Brewing Methods and Grind Size
Different brewing styles give different flavours. There are so many devices you can use to brew your coffee these days. For instance, an Aeropress is a popular way to brew, but it is far more effective if you use coarsely-ground coffee.
If you buy coffee ready-ground, you might even see that it has different types of grind size on the packaging, such as “cafetiere grind” or “espresso grind”. This tells you more about the coffee brewing method it is designed to be used with. This helps with extraction.
Invest in a Milk Steamer
If you want to create barista-style drinks then it might be a good idea to invest in a milk steamer. If you watch a barista create your drink in the shop, you will probably have watched this hundreds of times. The milk is steamed in a small, usually metallic jug.
Milk steamers open up new types of drinks you can create. Lattes and cappuccinos require steamed or frothed milk, so you will struggle to make an effective version of these at home unless you can steam milk to a good standard.
Get to Know Coffee Beans a Little Better
Coffee beans come from all over the world, and different beans can produce vastly different flavours. Some people even spend years blending coffee in different percentages to create the ideal blend for their needs. Single-origin coffees (meaning the coffee comes from one single farm or region) are a great place to start to understand flavour.
The roast is also something that could play a part in the taste. A darker roast tends to be more bitter tasting. A lot comes down to personal preference, it could be that you like it bitter, or that when combined with milk this has the perfect level of taste for your needs.
Weigh Your Coffee
You might want to experiment to start with, to see what sort of coffee content is most suitable for your own preferences. A lot of baristas measure out around 180-200 grams of coffee to make 12 x 8oz cups.
A simple way to remember how much coffee to weigh is to use 10 grams for every 6oz cup you wish to make.
Experiment
This is something that most coffee shops do before they even open their doors. You should see your love of coffee as a chance to experiment and create a drink that you will absolutely love.
Try different brewing methods, and coffee from different places. You can experiment with grind size, and how much milk you put in. Pretty much everything on this list allows you room to experiment and create a drink that is personal to you and the coffee experience you want.
Store Coffee in an Airtight Container, Away From Sunlight
This tip should be common knowledge, but unfortunately, a lot of people don’t manage to store coffee properly. This is a waste of money and means your coffee will taste far worse. It will go stale if exposed to sunlight or air for a long period of time. A simple airtight container can solve all of your problems.
Conclusion
Although you might need a few tools to make an effective barista-style coffee at home, it is a skill worth learning, especially if you are the sort of person who can’t function without your coffee. You might even save on those takeaway coffees you’re buying every day.