How to Brew the Best Coffee
There are many components that contribute to brewing the best coffee:
• Water
• Coffee Quality & Freshness
• Coffee Grind Size
• Time
• Temperature
• Hygiene & Maintenance
Water
In addition to the actual coffee beans, water is the most important element of the brewing process. Always use
fresh, cold water that is preferably filtered. It is necessary for the water to be as fresh and pure as possible
because water makes up over 98% of your final cup of coffee. Excessive chlorine and lime will adversely affect the
taste of the coffee. Filtered water typically holds the ideal mineral content and will help give your coffee a fresh
taste.
Coffee Quality & Freshness
You do not have to spend a lot of money to get a high-quality coffee. What is most important is to find a coffee
that you like and always ensure that you keep it at its’ freshest. Once you open a bag of coffee beans you should
store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place that is free of odors and consume them within one week.
Never store coffee in the refrigerator or freezer as moisture can damage the flavor.
Coffee Grind Size
Ideally it is best to grind fresh whole bean coffee right before brewing. For drip coffee makers the grind should be
medium or similar to the texture of sand. If you find your brewed coffee tastes bitter, it may be over extracted or
ground too fine. Alternatively, if your coffee tastes flat, it may be under extracted or ground too coarse.
Time
The amount of time the water is in contact with the ground coffee greatly affects the taste of your coffee. All
Capresso coffee makers brew in less than 1 minute per cup. Coffee brewed for longer than 1 minute per cup has a
tendency to taste bitter. You can also experiment with the coffee grind size to help speed up or slow down
brewing. Using a finer grind will yield in a faster brew while using coarser grinds will help slow down the brewing
process.
Temperature
Water temperature during brewing will affect your coffee’s flavor and extraction. The ideal water temperature
during brewing is between 195°F - 205°F. Once the coffee is brewed into the carafe the holding temperature is
around 180°F. The serving temperature of coffee is between 155°F - 175°F depending on personal taste.
Hygiene & Maintenance
It is important to maintain the cleanliness of your coffee maker and coffee equipment. Descale your coffee maker
every 2 -3 months if you have hard water or every 6 months if you have soft water. Using a charcoal water filter
or bottled water will help reduce the need to descale as often. Ensure the spray head, gold tone filter, filter basket
and water reservoir are also clean and free of lime scale.