The Freshness of the Coffee

The roasted coffee bean is perishable so make sure you love your beans! Coffee flavours are composed of gases, liquids and solids. These flavour components rapidly dissipate or become stale leaving the coffee with no aroma or flavour. Buy small amounts of beans often! Always store fresh in an airtight container in a cool, dark spot. Only grind when you have to, same goes for beans. (Fresh beans will keep their qualities for several weeks if stored properly while ground coffee will go stale in a matter of days!)

The Water

Coffee is 99% water! The quality of the water will greatly affect the flavour of the coffee. So make sure you use fresh, preferably filtered water. Always start with cold water, pre-heated water will adversely affect the flavour of your coffee.

The Grind

Using the correct grind is essential! How long the water stays in contact with the coffee depends on the grind and this will vary according to the method of brewing that you are using. Too coarse results in under extraction and too fine results in over extraction! Having your own grinder at home is a great idea and means you can grind your beans each time you brew.

Clean Equipment

Whatever method of brewing you use, make sure everything is clean!