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Forget everything that you think you know about brewing coffee at home.
Coffee is a perishable food. You would not eat old lettuce or old fried chicken, would you? Of course not. Coffee loses its flavor significantly two weeks after it has been roasted. If someone gives you a pound of fresh roasted coffee do not under any circumstances save it for a special occasion. Brew it right away. The great coffee is the special occasion.
Make peace with the fact that you are going to use more coffee than you think is prudent or safe.
Believe it or not, using more coffee grounds does not yield a bitter tasting cup of coffee. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The flavor that everyone loves in coffee is from the oils that are brought out in the roasting process. These flavorful oils are the first thing that get extracted from the coffee when hot water is passed over the grounds. Caffeine is a water soluble chemical whose essential flavor characteristic is bitter. Caffeine is the last thing to be extracted from coffee grounds.
The longer the same amount of coffee grounds are in contact with water, the more bitter caffeine gets pulled from the grounds and the lower the oil/flavor to water ratio is and the higher the caffeine to water ratio is. On the flip side is the good news--more coffee grounds, more oil, more flavor, less bitter taste. Get it?
Believe it or not, scientists have actually worked out a formula for brewing coffee that has determined the optimal grounds to use to maximize flavor and minimize bitterness. This scientifically determined formula is called The Gold Cup Standard. For more information about the cold cup standard you can visit one of the experts at: http://www.heritage-coffee.com/PhilosophicallyPerfectCupOfCoffee.htm
Fourth, you must make the coffee.
For every six-ounce cup of coffee you are planning to drink at home you must use at least 2 tablespoons of ground coffee. (And really, be honest with yourself- if you are used to drinking a large coffee at your local shop, you are used to consuming at least 20 oz. of coffee. That is over 3 cups according to the side lines on your coffee brewer’s carafe.) So a good guideline to follow is to make no more than 8 cups of coffee at a time and fill the coffee basket as full as you can.
Next, brew the coffee and wait until all of the water has gone through the grounds before you pour your cup.
Do not cheat on this step. Wait until the whole pot is brewed or you will upset the delicate balance of oils, water and so forth. We know your coffee maker says you can pour a cup mid-brew, but don’t. We know you are excited for your cup of coffee and believe us we even know the feeling of desperation you may have first thing in the morning or whenever you need a cup of coffee. But even still, wait. Have a modicum of restraint and wait.
Lastly, consume the coffee.
Drink it, savor its goodness. The coffee you are drinking traveled many miles, passed through many people’s caring hands and you yourself participated in creating something of greatness, which is a pretty rare thing in today’s world of increasing mediocrity and middle class, mind-numbing endeavors. Enjoy your coffee, enjoy its awesome effects and better yet, share a cup with someone you love.
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