Please humor me for a few minutes. I’m in no way trying to insult you. Who doesn’t know how to make coffee?
The truth is, that a drink that only uses two ingredients, has so many variations. Every culture has a unique way of making it. Everyone has an opinion about what is superb and what’s not.
We’ve come to a unique place in history. It’s sometimes daunting to order a coffee at a fancy café. You may even be so disappointed to taste something you hate but that everyone else loves.
Why make coffee
I make coffee because nobody makes better coffee than me. Well, so I’ve been told. In all modesty, you can make great coffee at home too. Even if it’s convenient to buy it already made, at your local shop, no one will give you a fresher cup. If you take milk and sugar, no one will mix them to the proportions you like. I know someone who swears that the coffee she buys at her local Starbucks tastes better than the one she makes. Note, she has a commercial espresso machine at her disposal. The truth is that she got used to it. You can get used to bad coffee! When we do that, we accept convenience over quality. This is like watching a movie on our phone rather than watching it at the movie theater.
Do you want to pamper yourself and enjoy a great cup of coffee? Then make it yourself.
Proportions
When it comes to yielding a great cup of coffee, the quality of your coffee and water are important.
If you ask me, I would tell you that you have all you need. I love coffee black. I feel sugar and milk take away from my coffee experience. To me, it’s all about the coffee. Drinking it black allows me to perceive all the oddities of the coffee. I can perceive its natural sweetness. I’m always looking for that “sweetness”, my benchmark for greatness. (You can get super technical if you want.)
But, I have to admit that great arabica can be misconstrued as weak if the proportions are not right. That’s why I like to use one tablespoon per 6 oz of water. You’ll still perceive the smoothness of the coffee blend but taste a richer drink. If you prefer darker roasts, the same rule applies. That’s what you like!
Water
Without getting too technical, one basic measurement of water is TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). It indicates how much “stuff” is in your water. This “stuff” are natural occurring minerals and additives used during the purifying process. Calcium, magnesium, iron and fluoride are some common ones. All of these “influence”, somehow, your final product. They won’t kill you (at least not now. Just kidding). They may even enhance your beverage. Hard water has many solids, soft water, a minimum amount.
PH (potential of hydrogen) measures how acidic your water is. You do’n’t want anything too perfect but close to it. That is why your water test should be a simple one. Would you drink water from the tap? Is it out of this world to enjoy alone? If not, use spring water. Use the water you drink. Although I mentioned, TDS and PH, you don’t need to get new gadgets to make a simple cup of coffee.
More than just coffee and water
Coffee is a simple concoction, but we wouldn’t trust just anyone with that task. We love coffee because it has an effect on us. The caffeine is what we are after. We are addicted to it. Sure, there are many health benefits link to coffee consumption, but the opposite can be proved as well. The truth is, we work a little extra or stay up a little longer thanks to coffee. It helps us in our attempt to achieve more, to go the extra mile. A blessing in disguise? It depends on who you ask.
Because things have changed during the pandemic, let’s take control of the simple things we have delegated and make them RIGHT!
Demystifying Coffee 