You do not need expensive equipment to make a good cup at home. These five habits matter most.
- Use fresh beans. Buy whole beans with a recent roast date and keep them in an airtight container away from light and heat.
- Grind just before brewing. Ground coffee loses its aroma quickly. Use a fine grind for espresso, medium for pour-over and coarse for a French press.
- Weigh your coffee and water. A ratio of about 1 gram of coffee to 16 grams of water is a good starting point for filter coffee. Adjust it to taste.
- Mind the water temperature. Water just off the boil, around 90 to 96 °C (195 to 205 °F), extracts the flavour without scorching it.
- Keep your brewer clean. Old coffee oils taste stale and bitter. Rinse after every use and descale your kettle or machine regularly.
Change one thing at a time and taste the difference. If a cup tastes sour, try a finer grind; if it tastes bitter, try a coarser one.