For a great cup of coffee the two/three most important things irrespective what and how you do it
1. Clean water
2. Grind of the coffee
3. The method in which you brew coffee
Water – After all this is the main ingredient in the coffee. It can’t be ignored. Right? Use normal tap water. Don’t boil water to purify that will make the water taste metallic and bland and so will your coffee. Try not to use hard water it will give a salty finish to your coffee and might spoil your coffee machine/equipment with scales too. The alkaline in the hard water work with the acids in the coffee which give the brew its taste and flavour. This will spoil the taste.
Coffee Grounds – it strongly depends on the machine you use the way you would want your coffee. We know in Tea that long leaves – better flavour, small leaves/dust tea – stronger/bitter flavour.
For coffee on a general note don’t make the grounds too smooth it might make your coffee bitter which might taste like its stronger when milk is added but believe me you will miss out on the flavour of the coffee. It’s a gentle thing and powdery coffee and boiling will be a bit too harsh on the baby who will keep you going for the rest of the day :D
Based on the machine if you are using a
· French press – based on the size of the filter you have on your press. But generally a coarser grind is preferable.
o The water stays in contact with the coffee for a decent amount of time unlike espresso where water just flows through. So it can better extract the flavour from the coffee
o Because we have little option of grinding coffee every day and we buy coffee for every 15 days to say the least. A powdery grind loses its moisture and natural oils faster and hence loses the luscious flavour and aroma by the last day
o A fine grind might leave a sludge in a French press because of the filter/sieve
· Espresso machine – A finer grind would do. But based on a few factors
o Pump based espresso machine – these are less common in India and are a bit costly. These have the muscle to push water through finer grinds. A fine grind would do a good job
o Steam based espresso machines /Brewers – These have lower power and just rely on steam/vapour power based on the wattage. They would need a higher notch coarser grind
· Moka Pot – It is a breed between the French press and the espresso machine more towards the espresso machine. These again are based only on the steam power and will take a coarser grind much like the steam based espresso machines. Restrict the coarseness to that of fine sugar. No more No less
· Any other methods of extraction – Prefer always a bit coarser grind but keep in mind the sieve or filter you use so as not to have sludge.
Click on those links for a detail on how to and how not to for the perfect brew
where to get & other stuff
Storage - Store it in an air tight container. Believe you me otherwise your coffee powder will turn to coffee flavoured powder with dusty overtones with all the essential oils evaporated and the aroma lost.
Getting the grind – The where to buy guide.
I know currently in India we are still catching up on the brew at home section and grinding is still a bit far on the horizon. So it would take time till someone has a grinder and coffee machine at home, buys roasted beans and then makes coffee.
But that does not stop us from having a great coffee. Right
So how do we adjust the grind and what are the options one might have.
All readers in Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Karnataka – There are ‘Fresh&Ground’ outlets all over. I know it might be tough but find an outlet and believe me it will be worth it. Other than fresh&Ground which is a Café Coffee day venture there are many local roasters too like ‘Cothas’ etc. You will not find a problem in finding one I can bet that. PB Pure A, PB pure B are two most commonly available varieties of coffee. One is the stronger version and one is the flavourful version. Take a blend of both. Those guys grind it in front of you and you can tell that guy the fine-ness of the grind. It will be a hit and trial and a matter of friendship with that guy but I can bet it will be great once you hit the sweet spot
Rest of India - As of now there is no chain of coffee roaster I know. There will definitely be local coffee traders and roasters. In fact all tea traders also trade in coffee. BUT CAUTION. Many tea traders in North deal with coffee more like an obligation than a passion to serve good coffee and chances are very high that you will get a good coffee or in fact a pure coffee (one which does not have chicory) leave alone freshly ground versions. There will be at least one guy who would get you the right grind but it will be a matter of your persistence and drive to have great coffee everyday on your part to search one like that. ***
It is advised in situations to walk into a CCD outlet and buy ground coffee.
If you have enough cash to spend or have enough passion to cut down on something else to get a great cup of Joe then
· Illy’s coffee roasts are an excellent source of ground coffee. Ask for them in some Hi-Fi store in your city and chances are high you will get it. It is 100% Italian and imported. It tastes great too
· Barista/Starbucks/Costa – everyone has their own versions of ground coffee and roasted beans and they are great. Only that they are on the higher end of the wallet ladder
***PS - I am in a process of compiling a list of coffee traders everywhere. If you can help, drop me a message. Highly appreciated