Coffee 101: Everything You Actually Need to Know to Start Drinking Better Coffee
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Coffee is one of those things where knowing a little changes everything. Once you understand why your coffee tastes the way it does, you can fix it — or order better, or buy better. Here’s the actual foundation, without the snobbery.
Beans first
Freshly roasted beans make a bigger difference than almost anything else. Coffee goes stale fast — most grocery store bags have been sitting for months. Find a local roaster or order online from somewhere with a roast date on the bag. Aim to use beans within 2-4 weeks of the roast date.
The grind
Different brewing methods need different grind sizes. French press needs coarse. Pour-over needs medium. Espresso needs fine. Using the wrong grind size for your brewer is the most common reason home coffee tastes off.
Water temperature
Boiling water is actually too hot for coffee — it scorches the grounds and pulls bitter compounds. The sweet spot is 195-205°F, which is just off the boil. Let your kettle sit for 30 seconds after boiling if you don’t have a temperature-controlled one.
The ratio
A standard starting point is 1:15 — one gram of coffee to fifteen grams of water. Adjust from there based on how strong you like it. A kitchen scale removes all the guesswork.
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