Coffee is one of the most popular and versatile beverages around the globe. Nothing beats the smell of fresh coffee in the morning, and it is often a requirement for most of us to start our days with a boost of energy. There is a wide diversity of types of coffee as well as how you can drink it. This is why coffee may not all taste the same to true connoisseurs.
Making the right cup of coffee can be difficult, and usually, individuals assume a professional barista can only achieve this.
However, you can certainly make a great cup of espresso from the comfort of your own home. In this article, we will provide you with eight easy steps to make a perfect espresso.
1. Buy Fresh Coffee Beans
Although people often refer to coffee as if it is one drink only, there are various flavors you can get due to the coffee beans it is made out of. When you go to the supermarket, you may realize that you can buy coffee beverages from different countries worldwide. Crops may be grown and treated differently, which will give each their own unique flavor. One of the best things you can do to achieve the perfect espresso is to buy your own coffee beans. This will evidently be slightly more expensive than buying a can of instant coffee, but the flavor will make it worth it.
2. Invest in Good Quality Coffee Machine
Making great coffee can be very difficult if you do not have the right equipment to help you. If you drink coffee daily and are looking to make the perfect espresso, then buying a coffee machine is certainly a good investment. The coffee mavens at MajestyCoffee.com suggest that a professional coffee machine will make a significant difference to the drink you make, and they will bring you closer to achieving the perfect coffee. There are a number of coffee machines that you can get, and many of them will not break the bank. Make sure to know what you are looking for, as there may be different machines that will work best for different types of coffee beans.
3. Roast and Grind Your Coffee Beans
Most people are not aware of this, but coffee loses its flavor very quickly, usually a week after it has been roasted. This means that the coffee you buy at your local store will taste nothing like a fresh cup of coffee. To make the best espresso, it is important that you consider this and think about roasting and grinding your own coffee beans. Surely, this is not for everyone as it will take up some time, but once you taste it, you will not want to drink coffee any other way. It is simple to roast your coffee beans, and you can do this simply by using your oven at home. To grind your coffee at home, you can either invest in a coffee grinder or use a blender that you may already have around in your kitchen.
4. Look After Your Coffee Machine
Although coffee machines are not complicated to use, it is always important that you look after your machine properly. Evidently, much like any other appliance, it will eventually stop working or not do a great job if you do not maintain it properly. The manual of instructions should suggest how you can achieve appropriate maintenance of your appliance specifically. Generally, you should at least clean it right after you have used it and clean the brewing unit once a month, and always switch off the machine when you are done using it.
5. Ensure The Portafilter is Clean
The portafilter plays an important role in delivering the best coffee to you. This is where your coffee beans will go, and you must clean it properly between shots. It is common for people to leave used coffee beans in the portafilter for some time or even use the same beans for more than one cup of espresso – this will negatively modify the taste of the coffee. After you have made an espresso, remove the machine’s portafilter and dispose of the ground coffee. You and then soak it or run it in water and wash it with soap. Make sure that you remove all soap by rinsing it thoroughly and dry it. You can then either make another cup of coffee from a new batch of ground beans or wipe down the rest of your machine.
6. Use The Correct Dosage
Using the appropriate dosage of coffee beans will have a significant impact on the taste. This should be easy to achieve, depending on the machine you are using and the type of portafilter it has. It is a good idea to check what the instructions for your machine say and measure your dose on a scale in order to get the correct measurements. By doing this, you can be certain that the coffee extraction will be correct.
7. Choose The Right Cup
As we mentioned before, there are a number of beverages that you can have with coffee as its main element. You may have noted that all of these drinks are served differently in professional settings as they use different cups. This is because the cup actually does make a difference. When it comes to espresso, you should not be drinking it in a big mug, which is what most people will have access to at home. It would be best if you aimed to drink an espresso in a small cup. The perfect espresso should be served hot. Therefore, before serving, make sure to rinse the cup with hot water or even put it in a microwave for a few seconds until it is hot.
8. Serve and Drink
Lastly, serve the espresso as soon as you can. As said above, you should drink this while it’s hot for a better taste. By doing this, you will ensure that all of the steps you have taken to make the best coffee have not been jeopardized.
Making the perfect espresso is not something only professionals can achieve. As long as you follow the steps discussed on this page, you will be able to make the best cup of coffee for yourself and your loved ones.
