How to get the perfect cup of coffee – Remember Beans-Grind-Brew

Take the following steps to brew a better cup of coffee:

The Perfect Beans
Purchase the best quality, whole coffee beans, available freshest at Eagle River Roasters. Grind just before brewing (preferably at home). Once ground, coffee quickly stales if not used. Whole beans that are to be kept longer than 1 week, should be stored in an airtight container in the freezer – never the refrigerator.

At Eagle River Roasters, we roast only the highest quality Arabica beans for the most flavorful cup of coffee. We do not use the Robusta variety beans found in grocery store cans and those roasting a lower grown bean. Arabica beans are more flavorful than Robusta beans, and Arabicas contain 1/2- to –3/4 less caffeine than Robustas. However, the Robusta bean does have its place; they are used in some espresso blends, and they are used extensively in the commercial arena to keep the price of ground, stale, canned coffee low. We love our fresh, flavorful Arabica coffee!

The Perfect Grind
Coffee grinders are not all alike. When shopping for a grinder, spend the extra (you won’t regret it) and invest in a “burr grinder.” Cheap grinders such as the “whirly” blade kind, create an uneven coffee mix, which results in a poor quality cup of coffee. Burr grinders grind all the coffee beans to a uniform consistency. This results in the proper extraction of flavor during the brew time.

Grind coffee to the proper coarseness of grind for your chosen brewing method. Grind coarse for a French Press or Bodum; grind medium for most auto-drips with round filter – slightly finer for a metal and conical filter; grind fine or extra-fine for espresso and Turkish ibriks.

Use the proper amount of coffee to the measure of water. An incorrect measure of coffee is the most common, yet easily avoided mistake. The rule is: 1 coffee measure (or 2 Tablespoons) of properly ground coffee for 6- to 10-ounces of water. Six ounces is official (and strong), and 10-ounces is a little weak; We at Eagle River Roasters use 8-ounces as our bench mark. (Most coffee mugs have an 11-ounce capacity.) Many people make the mistake of running more water through less grounds, trying to get a “weaker” cup of coffee or to cut down on caffeine. This is a gross error because, the last flavors to come out of the bean – by over-extraction – are the unwanted, bitter flavors. If you want a less “bold” cup of coffee, buy a milder bean variety. Eagle River Roasters describes the bean flavor characteristics for every coffee we roast. 

The Perfect Brew
Water brewing temperature should be at 1980 – 2050 for 90% of the time in which it is in contact with the coffee grounds. Unfortunately, most home auto-drip coffee makers brew around 1750. This temperature difference of 300 will dramatically impact flavor quality. Look for a “gourmet” drip coffee brewer with a higher wattage heating element; so it will run at the necessary high temperature. The higher temperature extracts all of the good flavor nuances from the coffee beans. Optimum brew time is between 4- and 6 minutes. If brewed too quickly, you miss out on flavor; if brewed too long, the coffee is over-extracted and will be bitter. 

A cup of coffee is 98% water – use the best tasting water you can. Coffee makers with built in charcoal filters are beneficial.