Ultimately, preparing coffee the way you enjoy it the most is the best coffee.  However, it is important to know some basic brewing principles to ensure you are getting the most out of your brew.

First and foremost, start by buying a quality coffee – those extra pence are certainly worth it!  Even the best brewing device on the market can not turn out a great cup if you start with a poor quality coffee!  Purchase your freshly roasted coffee in whole bean form and only grind what you plan to use immediately.  A bean is a natural flavour capsule.  Air (oxygen) is very damaging to coffee flavour and aroma, so the more you limit the surface area by not grinding the beans all at once, the longer you will retain the delicate flavour components of your coffee.  Invest in a small electric coffee grinder.  They are relatively inexpensive and easy to use and will give your coffee that “freshness” advantage.  Keep your beans in an airtight container and store them in the fridge or freezer.  Only take out what you will use for brewing immediately.  Frozen beans will grind up just as well as those at room temperature. 

Water temperature is another important factor in brewing coffee.  Start with fresh cold water and heat it to just under boiling temperature.  If the water is too hot the final cup can taste scorched, too cold and the coffee is under-extracted, watery, and unpleasant.  Always begin the coffee making process with clean brewing equipment.  Old coffee residues can add an unpleasant note to your finished cup. 

The grind level, the amount of coffee for the measure of water, and the brewing device all contribute to the rate at which the coffee will be extracted.  

Proper extraction time is the ideal time it takes for the hot water to pass over the coffee grounds in order to extract the optimum coffee flavour components.  If the rate is too fast the final cup will be weak, unpleasant and even a little sour tasting.  This is under-extracted coffee.  If the rate is too slow, the final cup will be harsh and bitter as the coffee will have been over-extracted.  

Generally, the finer the coffee is ground the faster the extraction time.  For example, the ideal shot of espresso extracts in 25-30 seconds, whereas the cafetiére (also known as a French press), with its much courser grind level, needs 3-4 minutes to fully extract the coffee flavours.  Ensure that your coffee has been ground to the correct grind level for the brewing device you plan to use.  There are some misconceptions surrounding grind levels that need to be clarified.  A “general” grind level just does not exist!   The correct grind for use in a cafetiére is noticeably grainier (like course demerara sugar) compared to the grind appropriate for a filter/drip device (a cross between granulated and caster sugar).  Grounds meant for filter/drip coffee will pass through the filter in a cafetiére and ultimately produce a rather cloudy, slightly gritty, bitter cup of coffee.  

The incorrect measure of coffee grounds for the amount of water used will have the most dramatic effect on achieving the perfect cup.  One of the most misunderstood facts about coffee is that bitterness is caused by using too little coffee in the brewing process, not by using too much!  Too little coffee for the measure of water leads to over-extracting the coffee grounds.  The agreed industry standard is 14 grams (or 2 heaping tablespoons – a proper measuring spoon as used in baking and cooking) of ground coffee to every 6 ounces of water.  This standard was arrived at through many years of scientific research into the coffee brewing process.

Using this standard measure will produce the flavour and aroma we love and are looking for in our cup of coffee.  But remember, you require this measure for every 6 ounces of water.  If you find the coffee too strong when brewed at its full strength, it is best to dilute it by adding a little hot water to your cup, not by brewing with a smaller measure of coffee to water!  Diluting your cup of coffee after brewing it full strength will only detensify it, allowing the coffee’s full taste characteristics to be left intact.

Never leave your coffee sitting on a hot plate.  It will scorch within 10 - 15 minutes.  Transfer the coffee you are not going to drink immediately into a preheated thermos.  This will stay hot and fresh tasting for a couple of hours.  The same is true for coffee brewed in a cafetiére.  If you do not plan to drink the whole brew immediately, be aware that the grounds in the remaining coffee will continue to be extracted and your second cup will be bitter and less pleasant.

Now that you know the basic principles of preparing great coffee you are ready to begin your quest for the perfect cup.  Happy brewing!