Only true gourmets master the art and can tell you how to brew coffee beans. The quality of raw materials, production technology and methods of processing coffee seeds are of great importance in preparing the drink. The type of plant, proper roasting and grinding are important. To preserve the aroma and taste characteristics, special knowledge of brewing the drink is required. We understand the cooking methods, time frames and utensils suitable for the process.
The best varieties of your favorite drink
Common varieties are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is tender and aromatic, the taste is affected by soil fertility and weather conditions. Strong robusta is not demanding on growing conditions.
The best coffee beans include:
- Jardin - producers boldly experiment with the strength and proportions of different varieties of Arabica, the quality of bean processing remains high.
- Lavazza is an Italian brand. The most delicate types of Arabica are used.
- Paulig – complete harmony and impeccable aroma.
- Gut! – a strictly selected Arabica with a strong taste and rich aroma.
- Kimbo – mild taste. Keeps longer than other varieties.
Read more about the varieties of your favorite drink in the article “Rating of the best coffee beans.”
Benefits of grains
Grain can be stored longer without loss of properties, and this is not the only advantage. Other benefits:
- contains more caffeine and is more invigorating;
- has a richer taste and pronounced aroma;
- provides the ability to choose the degree of grinding to taste;
- it can be blended.
The last plus is very significant for those who love experiments. Combinations of coffee from different countries with different variations of roasting and grinding reveal new qualities. That is why connoisseurs all over the world choose grain.
How to choose the right coffee beans
We need to experiment
Coffee lovers often joke that the search for the most suitable variety can take a lifetime. Even minor climate changes in the area where coffee trees grow affect the taste of the drink. And then the familiar variety receives new notes in taste and aroma.
Modern supermarkets offer a wide range from different manufacturers. It is important not to get lost in the abundance of goods and choose the right drink. Beginners will have to experiment to find the right taste and aroma. You can simplify the task by deciding which variety appeals to you in terms of smell, strength and other characteristics.
General selection rules
You need to buy coffee in specialized stores. Please note the release date. No more than a month should pass from the moment of packaging. When stored for a long time, roasted beans lose their aroma. Damaged packaging is not acceptable. Each one contains detailed information about the product.
The grains should be shiny in appearance. Tarnished or grayed ones were stored incorrectly; they will not make a tasty and aromatic drink. Ideally, they should be the same size: large Arabica beans (6-8 mm) and small Robusta beans (4-5).
Do not take more than one pack, maximum 200 g. Frequent opening and contact with air will spoil the taste and aroma of the drink.
Interesting! How to brew coffee with foam in a Turk at home
Buy green grains only clean and whole. The scattering should be free of debris, sand and foreign odors. The aroma of high-quality grain is smooth, without any hint of mold. Do not buy a product that is under lights. Constant light and heat spoil the original taste and smell.
How are coffee beans roasted in production?
Green coffee beans are roasted, ground and only then a coffee drink is prepared. On an industrial scale, grain production is roasted in:
- thermal ovens;
- convection cabinets;
- Microwave ovens.
For each type of coffee bean, its own optimal roasting method is selected with the selection of individual temperature, processing time, cooling intensity and volume of one batch.
The larger the production, the more the entire process takes place “on-line”, which does not always have a good effect on the quality of the final product. It is not for nothing that products from small private factories and enterprises are valued higher, because there is manual labor and the grains are processed in small batches.
Roasting Tips
Can hide flaws
When choosing, it is better to stick to Arabica. Robusta is characterized by sourness and a high caffeine content. Tasty and high-quality bean coffee cannot be sold at a low price . The degree of roasting plays an important role. It is divided into several types.
For home preparation, it is better to buy medium-roasted beans; the drink will be strong and aromatic.
By roasting too intensely, unscrupulous companies try to mask defects in the beans (mold, cracks, uneven structure).
Two simple home methods
True gourmets buy green coffee beans and roast them themselves. To do this, use two methods: in a frying pan or in the oven.
Take a frying pan with high sides and a thick bottom. It is washed cleanly, eliminating extraneous odors so that the coffee does not lose its taste and aroma. Pre-washed and dried grains are laid out in a thin layer on a heated frying pan and fried for 7 to 25 minutes, stirring with a wooden spatula. After frying, allow to cool on a tray.
For frying in the oven, it is heated to 230 degrees. The grains are placed on a special baking sheet with a large number of holes. Fry for 15-20 minutes. Stir and check the degree of readiness preferably every 2 minutes.
Read more about roasting methods in the article “How to Roast Coffee Beans at Home.”
...in a frying pan
Probably every coffee gourmet dreamed of at least seeing the whole process of making coffee. We invite you to participate in it interactively by creating your own creative process. Believe me, it's nothing complicated. The prize is a cup of fragrant coffee almost entirely created with your own hands.
For frying, you will need a frying pan with a thick bottom, preferably steel or cast iron. Washed to perfect condition, without even a hint of foreign odors. Heat a frying pan slightly over low heat and add green coffee beans to it, about ¼ of the total volume of the container. With constant stirring with a wooden spatula, you need to gradually increase the temperature to “high heat”.
After about 5 minutes, the beans will begin to darken and turn honey brown to intense brown, emitting a distinctive coffee aroma. Roasting should last until drops of oil appear on the surface of the grain - as soon as you hear the first crack and see the first drops of oil, pour the beans into a previously prepared container. And immediately turn on the fan to cool the grains. You can get rid of the husks by pouring the grains into a colander and winnowing them.
How to grind coffee without a coffee grinder
After roasting, it is better to leave the grains uncovered in a flat container to cool. You can grind no earlier than after 10 hours. And this can be done even without a coffee grinder. Every housewife has more than one kitchen device that helps with grinding:
- blender (put no more than 100 g of raw materials);
- food processor;
- meat grinder (only coarse grinding is obtained);
- spice grinder.
Raw materials are successfully prepared for brewing even without the use of mechanical and electrical devices, as our ancestors did. At the same time, a tasty, aromatic drink was brewed from grains. Among the manual grinding methods we highlight:
- mortar and pestle;
- rolling pin;
- chop hammer.
Read more about grinding methods in the article “How to grind coffee without a coffee grinder.”
WHO NEEDS TO BE CAREFUL WITH THIS DRINK?
A simple test will give you the answer to this question. When you wake up, look at yourself in the mirror. If you see dark circles under your eyes, this indicates that your liver is not working well. This means that our filtration “factory” did not restore the blood until the morning, and it is thicker. If a person in this state drinks coffee, he will force his heart to work more intensely. With viscous blood, this is a way to develop heart failure. This is if there is little coffee. If you pour yourself a heavy dose of caffeine, your heart may not be able to stand it at all: acute heart failure will occur.
The second test is to touch your hands and feet. If they are cold, then the person not only has increased blood viscosity, but already has weakness of the heart muscle. The heart cannot provide blood supply: the blood moves along the forearm, reaches the hands and goes no further. That's why they are cold. If in such a state a person drinks a lot of coffee, he will wear out his already weak heart. After a cup of coffee, your hands will, of course, become warm, but at the cost of the fact that our “engine” will work in overload mode.
The third test is to see if there is swelling. If your face swells, bags appear under your eyes, this indicates that your kidneys are acting up. This is where coffee can help, as it removes excess water from the body. But if your fingers and legs swell, if marks from the bed remain on your body, this means that the liver has not coped with the purification of the blood. In this case, coffee will disrupt the liver. The fact is that caffeine is a fairly harsh alkaloid, which is aimed at reducing the vital activity of the enemy who eats coffee. And the liver is a life-support organ, so if it has problems, coffee will only make them worse.
What to do in these cases? Go to the doctor, have your liver and heart examined. You may have to either give up coffee altogether, or combine it with medicinal plants. Which ones? Depends on each specific problem.
Main types of grinding
It makes no difference how the coffee beans are ground, what matters is the particle size and consistency.
Fine and medium grinding are more suitable for cooking in a Turk. This is an oriental classic when, after emptying the cup, a lot of suspension remains at the bottom, which is used for fortune telling. To obtain such particles, it takes 15-20 seconds of operation of an electric coffee grinder.
To obtain a medium grind it takes 10-13 seconds of work, for a coarse grind it takes 7-10. Brew in coffee machines and coffee makers, since larger particles do not clog filters.
Read more about grinding methods in the article “Types of coffee grinding and what it affects.”
How to cook in a Turk
If your favorite coffee machine is not in the access zone - for example, you are at the dacha, then a Turk (or cezve) will help fill your morning with the usual taste and vigor. Coffee connoisseurs recommend using a copper one with a wide bottom and a narrow neck.
A well-known recipe for making Turkish coffee is Turkish coffee. Despite the apparent simplicity of this process at first glance, there are a number of subtleties that are best taken into account.
It is better to use bottled water to brew coffee - it will not give your drink any foreign flavors.
It is advisable to pour the freshly ground grains into the Turk along with sugar and mix. This must be done, since pre-mixing coffee with sugar creates an appetizing foam at the end of brewing.
It is better to use bottled water to brew Turkish coffee.
You need to pour cold water over the coffee, put it on low heat and wait until it boils. In order for the foam to be stable, the Turk needs to be removed from the heat 3-4 times, but not more than 5.
The Turkish version is drunk with cold water in small sips. According to coffee lovers, it invigorates even better than traditional options. If you don’t like the taste of sweet coffee, you can prepare it according to the same recipe, excluding sugar, but at the same time, understanding that the coffee foam will not be as fluffy.
Features of preparing the drink
Revealing the taste
To make coffee at home have an unforgettable aroma and excellent taste, follow a number of simple recommendations.
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Firstly, you should grind coffee beans no earlier than ten minutes before preparation. Otherwise, taste and nutrients are lost. Secondly, the prepared drink must be poured into a preheated and dry container. Thirdly, to obtain good taste, it is better to buy a single variety.
Do not use boiled water or directly from the tap (chlorinated). Give preference to filtered or bottled. Before cooking, add a couple of crystals of salt, this will allow you to fully reveal the flavor palette of the drink.
To reveal the taste, it is important to maintain the proportions of water and coffee; those starting to use electronic scales better.
We look at the clock
The grinding option of the beans affects the brewing time of the drink. For thin, cook for no more than 3 minutes, for medium for up to 6 minutes, and for large for up to 8 minutes. Beginner coffee lovers need to use a watch to maintain the exact brewing time.
Do not bring the drink to a boil and remove it from the heat immediately after the foam rises, otherwise the taste will deteriorate. Additives are added to the finished drink to give it a more refined taste and aroma. Gourmets add: cream, milk, honey, chocolate, cinnamon, cardamom, nuts.
Read more about additives in the article “What else is added to coffee for taste and aroma”
Recommendations for true coffee connoisseurs
All of the above points will allow you to get aromatic coffee with foam, which will appeal to every lover of the product. But there are several nuances, the observance of which can please even a sophisticated gourmet.
- You need to pour the finished mixture into very small cups, literally 1-2 sips. The larger the capacity, the faster the composition loses its original characteristics.
- When it is not possible to drink the product immediately, you can consider using a suitable “lid” for it, even if it is covered with foam. This could be a layer of cinnamon, chopped chocolate, whipped cream or other sweet treat.
- By the way, it is not entirely correct to drink the product immediately after preparing it. It is better to let the composition sit for a few minutes so that its taste is fully revealed.
- Before drinking the drink, add a few drops of cold water to the mixture. This technique will help the grounds settle.
Fans of the aromatic brew should remember that it is a strong diuretic, so people with kidney problems should not abuse the drink. Everyone else should remember that coffee helps remove mineral salts from tissues, so you need to adjust your diet taking this into account. Finally, coffee greatly increases blood pressure, so you should not exceed the basic dosage of the powder when brewing the composition.
Making your own bean coffee
How to brew at home in a saucepan
You can brew coffee correctly without having a coffee maker, successfully using different types of kitchen utensils. For example, let's take a regular saucepan. Its size depends on the number of servings required. It is not recommended to brew coffee all day. The drink is consumed immediately before the taste and aroma are lost.
The method of preparation and time, as in the Turk, is until the foam rises. After removing from heat, let sit for 3 minutes. For a detailed description of recipes on how to prepare bean coffee in a Turk, read the article “How to properly brew coffee in a Turk.”
Cooking in a cup
This is the easiest and fastest way to prepare a coffee drink. First, you need to finely grind the grains to obtain a richer taste. Then warm the cup by pouring hot water and then wipe it dry.
Pour 7 g of ground coffee per 100 ml of water. Fill with hot water - maximum 95 degrees, too hot boiling water will spoil the taste. Cover with a saucer and leave for 3-5 minutes. Then add sugar to taste and stir.
Of course, you won’t get the perfect drink using this method, but it will be quick and without much hassle. This is a suitable recipe for lazy citizens.
Cooking in a French press
A French press is a teapot with a special piston mechanism that removes small particles from the drink. It is important to choose the right size French press. A drink that sits for a little while loses its taste and aroma. The device greatly simplifies the brewing process. How to make coffee in a French press, procedure:
- Rinse the device with boiling water, dry it and add the desired portion of coffee.
- Pour in hot but not boiling water (95 degrees).
- Carefully, so as not to break the glass walls, mix the contents.
- The piston located on the lid of the device raises and closes the container.
- After 4-5 minutes, lower the piston. Let it sit for another 2-3 minutes so that the suspension of small particles settles.
- Pour into cups, adding sugar, cream, milk to taste.
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Gourmets pour ground spices into a French press flask to further diversify the taste.
Types of coffee
Espresso
Very strong black coffee, served in small thick cups that keep the drink hot for a long time. A standard espresso shot is 30 ml.
Sometimes the drink is topped with a little whipped cream. Then it turns into a macchiato.
Latte
Differs from cappuccino in the amount of milk. There is more of it in a latte. Lattes are often poured into tall, clear glasses in layers, alternating between coffee and milk.
Recipe
Ice latte with syrup
Cappuccino
At the bottom of the cup is coffee, on top is milk whipped into foam, and then a layer of milk-coffee foam. By the way, the drink got its name precisely because of the last layer. Translated from Italian, cappuccino means “capuchin” - a monk in a pointed hood. This headdress vaguely resembles a foamy cap on a cup of coffee.
Americano
It is a weak black coffee. Essentially it is espresso diluted with water. Standard portion – 150 ml.
Glyase
Coffee with ice cream.
Mocha. Coffee with chocolate.
Romano. Coffee with lemon.
Viennese coffee. A drink generously decorated with whipped cream and powdered sugar.
How to brew coffee at home using savory additives
Show your imagination
Now let’s talk about how to make coffee beans at home using spices. There are many ways in the world, the main thing is that the resulting drink pleases with its aroma, gives vigor and a surge of vitality.
With some effort and imagination, you can even come up with your own recipe. Having mastered the subtleties, you will tell your relatives and friends how to properly brew coffee with spicy additives. Here are several ways to get a drink with an exquisite taste for gourmets.
Cinnamon
For lovers of a rich aroma and dense foam, a recipe with cinnamon would be ideal. To prepare, take 1/3 teaspoon of sugar and cinnamon plus a teaspoon of coffee. Everything is mixed and placed in a dry container. Then heat the container over the fire for 3-4 minutes, and pour 125 ml of water into it in a thin stream. After the foam has risen, pour small portions into a cup.
For those with a sweet tooth – honey and chocolate
Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy coffee with honey, cardamom and chocolate. To prepare, you need to grate the chocolate, add 30-40 g of cardamom seeds, 1 teaspoon of coffee and 100 ml of water. Cook over low heat. After the foam rises, remove and add half a teaspoon of honey.
Cognacs and liqueurs
A very rich palette of taste and aroma is obtained when preparing coffee beans with alcohol, in particular liqueur and cognac.
When drinking this drink, driving vehicles and working with moving machinery is not recommended. You should also consult your doctor about the possibility of consuming such alcoholic beverages.
How to brew: prepare coffee in the usual way; alcohol in the amount of 7-10 g per serving is added to the ready-made drink.
A few important points and useful tips
Making coffee is a real art. But, knowing some secrets, every person can master it. Here are just the most important of them:
- If you plan to use sugar, it should be added at the very beginning of cooking. This component noticeably softens the water, thereby revealing the taste and aroma contained in the coffee beans.
- Coffee lovers prepare it with foam for a reason. It is under this that the main processes occur that provide the drink with a lasting taste. For this reason, you need to act carefully, trying not to damage the protective coating on the liquid. And if, after the composition is poured into cups, the foam remains in the Turk, it should be carefully collected with a spoon and placed on the surface of the coffee.
- To maximize the potential of coffee beans, the product should be brought to a boil not just once, but several times.
- Spices and seasonings that can enhance the taste of coffee should be used correctly. You should not take more component per serving than the tip of a knife. The best additives are cinnamon, cardamom, anise, black pepper, ginger, and salt.
Some coffee lovers prepare their drink with milk. In this case, the same rules apply, but you need to monitor the product even more carefully. The liquid can heat up and escape in just a few seconds.
