Your coffee beans
One of the most important aspects of a good coffee is the bean itself. The fresher, the better. After roasting, the coffee beans start to go stale with exposure to oxygen. Coffee roasters usually try to prevent the oxidisation process by packaging coffee beans in ‘gas-flushed’ bags to prevent oxygen getting in, but allowing carbon dioxide out. Other factors that can cause coffee beans to go stale are light, moisture and heat, so it’s important to store your coffee correctly once the bag is opened.

Freshness of the grind
Once whole beans are ground, they will only last one hour before going stale. Grinding coffee makes it more vulnerable to the elements that cause it to spoil, so it is important to only grind your coffee when you are using it immediately. If not, you run the risk of serving stale coffee that lacks the flavour notes and aromas that you expect.

Coffee grind size
The coarseness of the grind also has an important effect on coffee quality. Brewing coffee that is too coarse can result in weak, highly acidic coffee. Coffee that is ground too finely will have the opposite effect and can cause it to be overly bitter. Different brewing methods require different grind sizes, so it’s essential to find the right size for your specific coffee type.

Gram throw
The ‘gram throw’ (or dose) refers to the weight of dry, ground coffee used in the port filter or cup. The most important thing is to keep the dose consistent to ensure great coffee is the result. You should always use ratios to make a good cup of coffee.

Water quality
Water makes up to 98% of your cup of coffee, so it’s important when it comes to making the perfect cup. It’s always best to use filtered water for the ideal taste.

Soft or not tamping
‘Tamping’ is important to create a puck of coffee with even density in the portafilter basket for espresso coffee. This means that the water will travel evenly through it, as opposed to flowing through any sparse cracks too quickly, and missing out on collecting all the coffee flavour.

Cleanliness of your tools
Your coffee machine is producing a consumable product, so for hygiene, you need to clean your coffee machine on a daily basis. This will be free from any residual milk, old coffee or other spillages which can contaminate the end product.

The perfect coffee brewing temperature
The ideal temperature to brew any coffee is 96 degrees Celsius. This is actually just below the temperature water boils at, which is 100 degrees Celsius. We recommend checking your heat measurements using a thermometer to better control and maintain your ideal brewing temperature.

What happens if you brew at the wrong temperature?
Brewing too hot can cause your coffee grounds to be over-extracted. Over-extraction occurs when the flavours and aromas in the grounds are released too quickly, causing a bitter, unpleasant, low quality taste. This is why, when brewing coffee manually, you should only bring the water just to the boil and don’t over-boil it. Over-boiled water is when water is boiled for longer than it should be, causing larger amounts of oxygen to be stripped away. This then makes coffee taste bitter and less flavourful. Colder temperatures will slow almost any process down. Likewise, brewing coffee with overly cold water can also affect the flavour. The flavours and aromas in the coffee grounds won’t be extracted enough when you brew with water that’s too cold. This results in under-extracted coffee that is flat and more sour.

Perfect timing and ratios
The ‘golden ratio’ for coffee making is considered to be 1 gram of coffee to 15-18 grams of water (1:15-18).

With these core components considered, here is a procedure of how to make a good cup of black coffee.

• Choose a coffee ground that suits your coffee choice
• Use high quality or filtered water and boiled to between 92-96 degrees Celsius
• Pour your water over the coffee carefully
• Time 4 minutes to brew
• After 4 minutes of brewing your coffee you can filter or pour the coffee and enjoy

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