By Michael Barker
It’s a universal experience. You’ve been reeled in by a bag of beans, paid a little more than you should have, but when you’ve finally got to brewing the coffee it’s been a total letdown. Maybe you tried it in the cafe before you bought it, and fell in love, but now that you’re home in your kitchen you just can’t seem to replicate the tasting experience you had - it’s a common problem in the world of coffee.
Now, by no means would I suggest you were anything less than a brewing maestro. It’s always possible that you are, in fact, brewing it perfectly and it’s the beans that are the problem, in which case I am very sorry to hear it. But before all hope is lost and you gulp down a cup of disappointment, here’s a few common brewing mistakes you might be making, and tips on how to fix them…
#1 Not brewing to a recipe
It may sound like a bit of a carry on, but if you don’t keep track of the amount of water to the amount of coffee you’re using, and aim for a specific ratio, your coffee is going to be all over the place. It’s not to say you won’t get lucky, but you certainly aren’t going to get the same cup every time. If starting from scratch, aim for a ratio of around 60g of coffee to 1L of water. Taste it, see what you think, and adjust the ratio as necessary - but scales are a necessity to get your coffee tasting how it should! Click here for some example recipes to play with.
#2 Using the wrong grind
One of the number one things that can lead to a bad brew is using the wrong grind. If your coffee is ground too fine the brew will be overextracted, meaning the water has spent too much time in contact with the coffee, which leads to harsh, bitter flavours. If it’s too coarse, it’ll be underextracted, meaning the water will run too fast through the coffee, leading it to taste sour, watery or overly acidic. Over time, and lots or trial and error you’ll get to know what over- and underextracted coffee tastes like and be able to spot it easily.
Grinding your beans at home allows you to adjust your grind from brew to brew to suit the individual coffee. If you don’t have a grinder, you should still be able to rely on your local roaster to grind your coffee to at least a pretty good starting point. If you’re within the right range, it’s best to change the grind level by small increments. A little difference in grind can boost (or plummet) your final results quite dramatically.
#3 Pour
When pouring a filter coffee, try to ensure you're pouring in circles from the centre outwards, and try not to pour directly onto the filter paper. The way that you pour can have a surprising impact on flavour, which is why roasters often suggest specific 'recipes' with exact timings for brewing their coffees. If you pour 300g of water over ground coffee in 30 seconds, as opposed to pouring 300g in 2 minutes, the first cup is going to be a quicker extraction so it'll be more acidic than the slower one. This isn't always a good thing, but it's worth considering how long your brew is taking, comparing to other recipes online of similar coffees, or asking your roaster how they'd recommend brewing it. We're always happy to suggest recipes to people if they want a starting point.
#4 Check the roast date
There’s a common myth that coffee has an infinite shelf life and, while coffee is unlikely to go off in a mouldy way, it will taste noticeably old, papery and dull when it ages past its prime. Beans generally taste their best in the first month or two after they have been roasted. If they sit much past three months, they’re going to be flat and noticeably less vibrant and eventually tasting, well, gross. For pre-ground coffee the aging process is much faster. Coffee begins to lose its vibrancy as soon as it is ground. This is why we recommend using your own grinder at home! It’s the best way to get the most out of your precious beans.
You also want to avoid using coffee that’s too fresh, especially when making espresso. This is less of a worry for pre-ground, but whole bean coffee tends to benefit from a period of rest, around a week or two, to degas the coffee, releasing the carbon dioxide trapped in the beans during the roasting process.
In short, if your coffee has a hint of pencil lead flavour, and it’s just been roasted, maybe leave it for a couple days. If you can’t get rid of the taste of wet cardboard, and you bought it last Christmas, you’re fighting a losing battle…
#5 Not rinsing the filter paper
Listen, it’s a boring step, and it may seem pointless, but rinsing your filter paper before you put the coffee in and start the brewing process can make a huge difference to the flavours in your cup. It ensures you rinse off any papery flavours that might come out of the filter, which can leave a perfectly fresh, vibrant coffee tasting papery, easily being mistaken as old and past its best. Rinsing the filter also preheats it, which will ensure your coffee is brewing at the right temperature. A little rinse will make a big difference.
#6 Coffee storage
This brings us neatly onto another heated topic: coffee storage. To keep your coffee fresh for as long as possible it’s important to store it in a cool, dark, dry place, in an airtight container. This doesn’t have to be fancy, and can just be the bag that you bought it in, but I’d advise against taking your coffee out the bag and putting it into a jar unless that jar is absolutely airtight and kept away from the sun. There’s a lot of contention over whether to store coffee in the freezer or in the cupboard. So long as it’s in an airtight container, the freezer can be a way of maintaining its shelf life if you wish to keep it for a long time. If you do this you’re best storing it in individual doses so as not to be taking the coffee in and out the freezer, which can build up moisture inside the packaging. The topic of moisture also leads us to the number one rule in coffee storage - DO NOT STORE IT IN THE FRIDGE!
It might seem perfect, but storing coffee in the fridge can actually lead to a buildup in moisture, which negatively affects the flavour of the coffee over time. You also don’t want your coffee sucking in the aroma of your leftover pizza, unless you’re reeaaaally into your co-ferments. For more information on storage, check out Cath’s blog post here.
#7 Water temperature
Another thing to consider is your brewing temp. There’s definitely leeway here, and I’m not about to tell you that brewing at 96 instead of 98 degrees is ruining your coffee, but it is important to pay attention to temperature. Use water just off the boil from your kettle or, if you’re lucky enough to have a temperature control, set it somewhere between 90-95 degrees as a starting point for a light roast.
If you brew with water that’s too hot, you can end up extracting bitterness in the final brew. Conversely, if you brew with water that isn’t hot enough, you’ll be left with a much weaker flavour, and potentially sour tasting coffee. Make sure your water is a consistent temperature to ensure you’re giving your coffee its best chance to taste great.
Extra step: Water quality
It’s not a huge deal, but it’s worth remembering that the majority of a cup of freshly brewed coffee is water. If that water isn’t good, it’s going to be hard to make the coffee taste good too! You can get really in depth with water quality and I’ll leave you to discover that in your own time. The only advice I’ll give is to not use water that’s been sitting stagnant in your kettle for a long time or that’s been boiled previously, and if you live somewhere without exceptional tap water (unlucky you, we wouldn’t understand), filter it if possible.
I hope these tips are helpful and assist you in improving your home brewing routine! Feel free to get in touch with us on Instagram/email (@steampunkroast or roast@steampunkcoffee.co.uk) if you have any other questions.