How to make a decent cup of coffee so that
not too weak or too bitter?
There
are many ways of brewing coffee: in filter pots, plunger pots, and
electric drip coffee makers to name but a few. You can make
consistently good coffee whichever method you choose if you observe
the following rules.
Coffee should be stored in an air-tight
container in the freezer: any contact with air causes loss of
flavor. Experiment until you find a blend you like then buy whole
beans and delay grinding until the last moment. The finer the beans
are ground, the more rapidly the flavor becomes stale and bitter.
Heat water to just under boiling point,
about 95oC, or bring the water to the boil and then allow it to cool
for 2-3 minutes before pouring it over the coffee. A higher
temperature will extract too much of the coffee solids, giving a
bitter taste; a lower temperature will not extract enough flavor,
resulting in a weak coffee. The coffee should be in contact with the
water for about 2 minutes only. Strong coffee is achieved not by
allowing the coffee to brew longer but by using more ground coffee
per cup.
To make medium strong coffee, allow 2 heaped
tablespoons of ground coffee per 175ml of water. If you want weaker
coffee, use the same measure of coffee but add more hot water.
