Coffee Brewing at Home 101

My 5+ years journey of brewing coffee at home, included a lot of experiments, mistakes, accidents, learnings, and lots of (mostly) amazing coffee. I wanted to jot down the list of basic learning that I would have liked to know at the very beginning, so that I can share it with anyone who is interested. Here goes the list:

Get good coffee. India grows amazing coffee that is exported and known around the world. Super proud of our coffee. All passionate roasters source quality coffee and ship freshly roasted coffee that reaches in 4-5 days. They offer to ship whole beans or ground coffee as per required sizes. Best to have whole beans and grind before the brew, but to begin with ground coffee is just fine, just know the grind size for the coffee maker equipment. Options to buy coffee from – 

• Roasters – Blue Tokai, Third Wave, Maverick and Farmer, Araku, KC Roasters, Black Baza etc. 
• Marketplaces – Sixteen Grams, Amazon, Cred coffee store, etc. 
• Cafes – Many cafes by the roasters have their own freshly roasted coffee for sale. I ask when I like something. 

Refer to my article on Indian Coffee Roasters where I have compared my usual coffee roasters and a few key parameters about their offerings that can help you explore or decide.

Use soft water. Water is a key ingredient of coffee. Hard water, or poor quality water can spoil the flavor of the coffee. Use RO or filter water, avoid the tap water. 

Grind fresh before brewing. Ground coffee deteriorates over time, due to oxidation it loses aroma and flavors. As per experts, the first 1-2 days have the best taste and aroma. I didn’t start with grinding fresh. I used to directly purchase ground coffee from the roasters. Later I purchased a hand grinder and then much later an electric grinder. It is an experience on its own to smell the freshly ground coffee. 

Use the right equipment & technique. 

• The Equipment / Coffee maker – There are many coffee makers to brew fresh coffee. Start anywhere but use the right technique. I started with a moka pot, but recommend starting with either (1) French press – cheapest and simple, yet produces a good cup or (2) AeroPress – simple and clean cup of coffee. You can begin with strainer as well! You can try out different types of brew at a cafe before purchasing the one you like. 
• The Technique – Each equipment has an associated method of brewing. Refer to many guides available online. I have jotted my preferred methods for AeroPress and French Press.

Measure coffee, water and time. To brew a consistent good cup of coffee or to experiment & improve our brew, it is important to measure the ingredients and time. For coffee, the best measure is weight, not volume. I started with volume (tablespoons), assuming 1 tablespoon = 5 grams of coffee. Now I use a basic kitchen weighing machine. This is not as accurate as Hario et al, but does the job at my level of perception, at a fraction of cost. Likewise measure the amount of water used. All good recipes / brew guides will have these measures recommended. To measure time, I either use a mobile or ask Alexa (hoping she gets it in the first go). 

Wait for it to cool down. Many places serve really hot coffee. However, it is neither safe nor enjoyable to drink that hot. In fact flavors are better enjoyed at 50-75 degree celsius. It is a bit subjective. 

Explore. Remember, there is no one single best coffee out there. Explore to find what you like the most. You can order assorted sampler packs from roasters, to try multiple coffees to find your type. I had ordered sample packs from Blue Tokai and Flying Squirrel (Maverick and Farmer). Try multiple brewing techniques and coffee of various origins & roasts at cafes. This is how I found out about pour over and aeropress methods and many types of coffee. Try black, try espresso, try with milk, try with and without sugar, try with ice cream!!

Hope these tips will be useful, like it was to me.

If you liked what I write you might want to follow my journey on Instagram @journal_of_a_coffee_enthusiast.