| What makes a truly outstanding
cup of coffee?
At Claddagh Coffee Company, we know that many of us love “our coffee”
partly because of the ceremony surrounding it: grinding it and enjoying
the aroma, or starting our day with a cup and a newspaper or the
morning talk shows.
In fact, there are almost as many ways to brew and savor coffee
as there are types of single-origin coffees. To help entice the
finest flavors from coffee, however, remember three key rules:
Grind: Depending on your brewing method, the
grind of coffee can make the difference between a weak cup and a
robust brew. In general, the faster your brewing method, the finer
the grind should be. For example, a French Press or a percolator
require a coarse grind because the grounds are soaked to extract
the flavor, while a cone drip coffee pot, such as a Melitta or a
Krups require a finer grind because the flavor is extracted as it
is dripping through to the pot. Here are the types of grinds that
are best suited for various brewing methods
Coarse: Percolators, French Press, vacuum coffee
pot
Medium: For drip coffee brewers. Note that there
is a subtle difference in the type of grind for “flat-bottomed”
coffee filters and “cone-shaped” filters. For a cone filter, we
suggest a medium-fine grind.
Fine: Espresso |
Freshness: There’s
really no substitute for a cup of freshly roasted coffee. Unfortunately,
roasted coffee loses its freshness quickly. After about 10 days,
no coffee qualifies as “freshly roasted.” Once coffee is ground,
it begins to lose its freshness right away (the whole bean is a
natural preservation against immediate staleness). A rule of thumb
for making certain that you have the freshest coffee is to consume
the coffee within a week to 10 days.
You can help to extend the freshness of the coffee by storing it
in a glass, airtight container in the refrigerator particularly
if you think that you will be consuming your coffee order beyond
a week. Refrigeration in an airtight container helps to retard the
spoilage; freezer storage may help, also, but the coffee should
be resealed in an airtight container, similar to fish or meat.
Water: Always use pure, cold water, if possible.
The quality of the taste in coffee depends on the quality of water
that makes the coffee, after all. Tap water won’t produce the best
taste simply because of additives to process the water as well as
additional particulates that the water picks up because it travels
through the pipes. |
