Tips for brewing coffee at home.
Sometimes it's nice to sleep in, stay home and brew your coffee, just the way you like it. We frequently have customers tell us they just can't brew their coffee like we do. Well, we've been brewing coffee professionally for more that 4 years. For us, its like a science. We have commercial equipment, that allows us precise control of every step, so it comes out the same every time. Consistency is very important in making your perfect cup.
At home you don't need "professional" equipment to get great results. But you can get better results if you keep these factors in mind when brewing your favorite coffee.
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The Coffeemaker - (Specifically, a regular automatic drip coffeemaker. This seems to be the most popular brewing method. It is one of the more convenient methods, especially for larger amounts. In the future, we will cover other methods.) The least expensive machines can brew as good of a cup, as the most expensive brewer. Usually, the only advantage of an expensive machine are the special features. (built in grinder, brew timer, filter built in [built in filters on brewers are usually useless], insulated carafe, longer warranty, etc.) That said, a dirty machine will produce awful results. Overtime, lime scale build up will also kill your machine.
Depending on your coffee consumption, clean your coffee maker about every week or two.

How to clean your machine:

  1. Mix 1 part white vinegar with 2 parts water in the coffee carafe.
  2. Pour mixture into reservoir and brew.
  3. After the mixture cycles through, dump the mixture in the sink and let the carafe cool.
  4. Run two more brew cycles of clean, filtered water to rinse out the vinegar mixture.

Remember, never put cold water in a hot coffee carafe, it could explode!
(If your machine hadn't been cleaned in a while, you may want to do a 50/50 vinegar solution and do it a couple of times.) The first time this is done it can be a bit of a pain, but after that, regular maintenance will be much easier and the payoff will be worth it!
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The Water - besides the actual coffee, this is probably the most important ingredient in your brew. Filtered water is a must. All of our equipment has its own water filter that must be changed every 2 to 6 months. At home we just use a simple water filter attached to the faucet. You could also use a pitcher water filter or have a hard line, multi-stage, pH adjusted, reverse osmosis filtration system installed. Either way, filter your water! Bottled water could be used, but we do not recommend it because of cost and environmental concerns.
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The Coffee - Fresh, whole beans are best. All of our coffee is roasted weekly. Whole bean coffee is best when used within the first 2 weeks of roasting. If kept in an airtight container, up to a month would be ok, but not recommended. Once it is ground, coffee should be used as soon as possible. If you have it ground by your local coffeehouse, or grind it at the store, put it in an airtight container as soon as possible and keep it in the refrigerator, not the freezer. We do not recommend buying pre-ground coffee. You have no idea how long that has been on the shelf losing flavor.
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The Grind - Not too coarse, not too fine. This all depends on the brewing method, but again, we are assuming an automatic drip machine. Those rotary grinders (the spinny, push button grinders), are great for grinding herbs and seeds, but are exceptionally difficult in controlling the grind of coffee beans, and basically useless for this task. A burr grinder gives you the most consistent grind. Once it is set to your desired grind, it will do it the same every time. Remember, consistency is important in making your perfect cup.
The Amount - Most people don't use enough coffee when they brew at home. At the shop we weigh out the whole beans before grinding. At home, using a tablespoon to measure your coffee will work as well. Start with, 2 level tablespoons of your favorite ground coffee for every one cup of coffee you want to brew. This is usually the perfect amount. If you find it too strong, cut back a little. If it’s too weak, add a little more. Changing the amount of coffee does change the flavor overall, not just the strength, of the finished cup.
Whew!

OK, recap:

  1. Clean Machine
  2. Filtered Water
  3. Fresh Coffee
  4. Right Grind
  5. Right Amount

Brewing
At Home

Port Coffeehouse
2889 Fairfield Ave.
Bridgeport, CT 06605
203.345.8885

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