Food - Drink

The Biggest Mistakes You’re Making While Brewing Coffee At Home

By S.G. HOWE

Pre-Ground Beans

Coffee oxidizes faster when ground up, and coffee beans lose much of their potency and flavor 10 minutes after being grinded; from there, the ground coffee can go through months of packing, distribution, and travel until it reaches stores. Buy whole beans to get the most flavor and control over your cup.

Pouring Too Early

Pouring your coffee as soon as it's done can throw off the flavor. Since the first drops of water in the brewing process are the most concentrated, grabbing your cup too early makes for a much stronger final product; while some find this favorable, it's not the way to achieve a well-balanced cup.

Grinding Too Coarse

Coarsely-ground coffee can result in an under-extracted final product, which may even taste acidic or sour. When making pour-over coffee, aim for a more medium-fine grind, and with espresso, you’ll want it to be as fine as possible; finer grinds also deliver more caffeine.

Grinding Too Fine

Yes, you can also grind your coffee too finely. With less space to move through the coffee grounds, water will travel slower through the coffee and the final product will be over-extracted. Remedy this issue by using a coarser grind setting, decreased brewing time, hotter water, or all of the above.

Not Branching Out

It’s never too late to let go of your old Mr. Coffee machine in search of a different method; try out a French press, which will give you more velvety coffee, or an Aeropress, for a more vigorous, espresso-like drink. Experimenting with a pour-over will also produce fresh, great-tasting results as well.

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Biggest Mistakes You’re Making When Brewing Coffee At Home

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