So that a cup of coffee never disappoints: 6 basic rules

I add a couple of teaspoons of coffee, pour hot water, add sugar, stir and drink. What else could be needed?

That's how I thought not too long ago - until I tried it differently.

"Devil is in the detail" , as English speakers like to say. In order for the coffee to have the best possible taste, it is important how much and what kind of coffee, how and when we pour it with what water and in what proportion .

In your confrontation - 6 main truths of the life of a coffee connoisseur.

1. Weigh out the right amount of coffee for the cup

Probably everyone has had to be very disappointed at least once after buying a new coffee: too weak, too bitter, too sour, or some other "too ...". An easy way to improve the situation is to adjust the amount of coffee grounds in the cup. It won't make that "failed" cup perfect, but it will be the first step towards a better quality drink.

They often put our coffee into the cup "by sight". We know how many teaspoons to add to get a good taste. But the same spoon will not hold nearly as much coffee as the old one. Coffees weigh differently because of their different density. There are two ways to deal with this: either go the trial route until you discover exactly how many teaspoons of new coffee to add, or use a scale.

A few quick tips on what to look for when buying a new coffee:

• If you bought coffee ground coarser than usual, put more of it in the cup. If you bought ground coffee that is finer than usual, a smaller amount will be enough to get the same strength.

• If the coffee is light or medium roasted, it will often be heavier, denser (that is, the same teaspoon will hold more of it). But at the same time, her drink will be waterier than a cup of darker roasted coffee. We do not recommend trying to "break" a stronger drink out of it by adding 6 teaspoons of coffee to a cup - this way you will highlight the acidity and you will no longer feel the balance of flavors unique to this coffee. If you are not satisfied with your purchase and it does not meet your needs, please share this information with the coffee maker. We will always be happy to help you find the most suitable option for you, and if we don't have one at that time - we will also admit it 😊

• The standard amount of coffee grounds for roasting is 7.5g. It should be filled with 150ml of hot water. It's a great starting point, even if the ratio isn't quite right for you.

If you prepare your coffee by methods other than roasting, using the right amount of coffee per cup is even more important. The ratio of coffee to water is critical for getting a reliable, reproducible taste, and we can't advise you better than getting a small scale.

2. Grind the coffee immediately before preparation

We buy ground coffee to save time, but we lose much of the coffee's flavor. Ground coffee has much more surface area, through which its good qualities are continuously exposed. After a couple of months of grinding the coffee, you won't know what you paid for, because there will be no uniqueness left in it.

Read more about aging processes in coffee here: https://www.gday.lt/post/kaip-laikyti-sviezia-kava

Although you will spend a few extra minutes grinding, it will pay off big. All the natural aftertastes locked in the bean will remain in your cup because they won't have time to evaporate. It is important to fill the coffee with water within 30 minutes of grinding it, because it is during this time that the aromas of the ground coffee evaporate if the coffee is left leaky.

You can find more arguments for this morning sport here: https://www.gday.lt/post/kodel-verta-kava-malti-namie

Of course, when grinding coffee yourself, it is important for you to know how to do it properly. I have prepared an infographic for you with all the most relevant information. Leave a comment if you can't find your favorite coffee preparation method and I'll add it to the list. Remember:

• Too fine a grind = bitter coffee

• Too coarse a grind = weak, watery coffee

We will share tips on how to choose a coffee grinder soon.

3. Set the correct water temperature

Do you pour boiling water over your coffee? Consequently, you are drinking a more bitter drink than you should.

The coffee should be poured with water of approximately 95 degrees. If your kettle doesn't show the water temperature, and you also don't have a separate kitchen thermometer, simply wait until the water stops bubbling after boiling. This is an indication that it has cooled enough and is at the right temperature for pouring coffee.

It is also not worth cooling the water too much. Poured with water at 85 degrees or cooler, it will not release all of its best flavor and will be watery.

4. Use tasty water

Water makes up 99% of your coffee drink, so it's natural that a lot depends on its taste and other properties. The same coffee poured with different water can be sweet one time, bitter the next, and simply tasteless the third time.

Just don't rush to buy a water distiller! Distilled water is just as bad for coffee as water oversaturated with iron or chlorine. Distilled water will lack the minerals that help to "extract" the flavor-giving substances from the coffee, so the coffee will be tasteless, just like the distilled water itself.

Balanced water for coffee should have a mineral content of about 150 ppm (parts per million). You can achieve this by installing a water filter at home, or by adding mineral capsules to distilled water.

5. Store the coffee tightly, in a dark and cool place

Whether you grind your own coffee or purchase it, store it:

1. Tightly. In other words, don't leave your coffee in an uncovered, unsealed, or airtight container. Squeeze the excess air out of the bag before closing it. Coffee oxidizes when it comes into contact with air, which will give your drink an unpleasant bitterness.

2. In a cool place. In other words, don't keep the coffee over the radiator, but don't put it in the fridge either! This will prevent drying out and condensation that spoils the coffee. In addition, the coffee stored in the refrigerator will definitely absorb the smells from the products stored nearby. Well, unless you want a sausage-scented coffee - then why not! 😊

3. No direct sunlight. In other words, in an opaque container or cabinet.

Read more about how to properly store fresh coffee here: https://www.gday.lt/post/kaip-laikyti-sviezia-kava

6. Use quality and fresh coffee

If you already follow all five rules listed above, it would be a sin to waste so much time and energy and not feel the difference in the cup. How do you make sure you feel? Let's remember the most important ingredient in your cup! Only sugar will help you if you pour bad quality coffee into your cup.

Read more about how to recognize quality coffee here: https://www.gday.lt/post/kodel-rinktis-rusine-kava

If the manufacturer does not reveal the exact origin of the coffee, the exact date of roasting, these are huge warning signs that you will end up with low-quality, old coffee in your cup.

You definitely won't find the flavors in this kind of coffee that would make it worth grinding it yourself, investing in a water filter or waiting for the water to stop simmering after brewing. It simply has no uniqueness to preserve.

Poor quality coffee is often masked by roasting it extremely dark, pre-grounding so that you cannot see visual defects in the coffee beans. That's why you won't taste anything more than just bitter thick coffee in it. Which you will probably flavor with sugar or snack on something sweet.

In recent years, the coffee culture in Lithuania has skyrocketed, so it is becoming easier to buy quality coffee. Before buying coffee, make sure that the manufacturer can answer at least the following questions for you:

• What country did coffee come from?

• From which farm or region?

• When is the coffee roasted?

Bonus questions to help you make sure you're buying quality coffee and show that you're not one to be easily wrapped around your finger:

• Is the coffee a specialty?

• What is the coffee score?

I invite you to read about quality coffee here: https://www.gday.lt/post/kodel-rinktis-rusine-kava

You can learn more about coffee points here: https://www.gday.lt/post/kavosbalas

I will tell you about what information to look for on a coffee packet a little later.

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