Master How to Pour the Perfect Coffee Ratio
For many coffee drinkers, enjoying the perfect brew is serious business. If you’ve ever had a disappointing cup of coffee, you know how much it’ll affect your morning — it’s truly something that you can’t ignore. If you made that (bad) cup of coffee, you’ll start questioning that new bag of coffee grounds that you made or you’ll second-guess your coffee ratio.
With this blog, we hope to set you on the path to master how to pour the perfect coffee ratio, so that your mornings will never again be ruined by a coffee that’s flat, or too bitter or too watery. When you master how to pour the perfect coffee ratio, then you’ll know exactly how to consistently get that flavor that you crave. In addition to knowing the “golden ratio” that you should be aiming for, you should also make sure that you have the proper tools and strategy for brewing. Let us break it down for you — here are 5 tips to master how to pour the perfect coffee ratio.
The Tools You’ll Need
To brew a traditional cup of coffee, you’re going to need some essential items such as a coffee bean grinder and a coffee maker — which can range from automatic machines to a coffee French press or a pour-over style coffee maker. Coffee makers typically have a type of re-usable filter, as well as are used with paper filters.
Here’s a coffee-making pro-tip: place the paper filter into the brewer and run hot water through it so that any paper residue is removed and doesn’t add an unwanted flavor to your coffee. Wetting the paper filter will keep it in place and also helps to warm up your coffee maker to maintain a stable temperature for you coffee, which also contributes to its taste.
Also important to note is that your tools should all be cleaned after each use. Not cleaning your coffee maker regularly could harvest residue and bacteria that not only will add an undesired taste to your coffee but can also be harmful for your health.
Picking Your Beans
Before attempting to perfect your coffee ratio, you need to start with freshly roasted whole coffee beans. Coffee comes in a wide variety of roasts, as well as a selection of types of beans such as Arabica, robusta or a blend that come from different parts of the world. The different variations offer unique notes of flavor that come to life when you brew it.
Freshness is key when it comes to picking the best-tasting coffee beans. The sooner you can get your hands on them right after they’re roasted, the more fresher and tasty your coffee will be. To make sure that you’re only consuming fresh beans, buy your coffee in small amounts and replenish your coffee supply about every two weeks.
Perfecting Your Grind
The way your beans are ground can affect its texture, which can change its flavor. Coffee grounds that are too fine can produce coffee that is too bitter and if your beans are ground too coarsely, the flavor might be flat. Most people prefer to use a grinder that crushes the beans — such as a burr grinder — because it produces grounds that are most consistent in texture. Another way to grind beans is with a blade grinder, however this method can produce grounds that aren’t consistent in size.
As we mentioned previously, your grinder should be kept clean when not in use in order to remove any build-up that can develop over time from oil that beans leave behind when they’re ground.
Water
The purity of the water that you use to make your coffee with also can affect its taste. For this reason, you should stick to filtered or bottled water. Tap water can technically be used, however, it’s best to avoid it if it has an odor or a taste. If you’re using tap water, let it run before you pour it into your coffee maker.
Ideally, the temperature of your water should be between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit in order to bring out the best flavor from your coffee. Using water that is not hot enough can make it taste flat, and if it’s too hot, it may take away from the coffee’s flavor.
The ‘Golden Ratio’
Finally, let’s talk about the perfect coffee ratio. The general rule is that for every one to two tablespoons of ground coffee, you should add six ounces of water.
Of course, it all comes down to how it tastes. While the golden ratio is the standard rule, feel free to adjust the amount of coffee that you use based on your preferences based on how it tastes. If it’s too flat or bitter, you can make any of the above suggested adjustments to your coffee-making. You’ll soon master how to pour the perfect coffee ratio like a pro!
