What are the seven steps to making coffee?

You may love your coffee, but do you know how to make it?  If not, it's time to learn! You need to take seven steps to get your coffee from bean to cup—and they aren't all as simple as you may think. 

 What are the seven steps to making coffee?
[image: pexels by anna urlapova]

Grind

To make coffee, you'll need to grind your beans. There are two popular methods for grinding coffee beans: a hand-held grinder or an electric grinder. For most coffee drinkers, a simple electric burr grinder will suffice. The key is finding one that produces consistent grounds at whatever setting you choose.

Burr grinders also come in various sizes, so if you anticipate brewing more than 1 cup of coffee at a time, a large burr grinder would be ideal. If not, a smaller model should suffice. Burr grinders cost anywhere from $20-$300 depending on size and quality; average prices tend to fall around the range of $50-$75.

Heat Water

Most homebrewers use heated tap water or freshly boiled water. If you're brewing a large amount of coffee, it's generally best to use hot tap water and let it sit for 20 minutes so it can cool down just enough. While you can also use cold water, boiling water makes a difference in taste! You'll want to make sure that your brewer uses 200F+ (93C+) degrees of temperature, or else there's no way for your coffee grounds to be adequately infused with flavor. 

Put Grounds in Filter

Start by filling your filter with ground coffee. Usually, it's recommended that you use 1–2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6 ounces of water, but it's ultimately up to you how strong you want your cup of joe. Please make sure you use coarse ground coffee to have enough time to bloom fully.

Typically, if you use a Moka pot, having a more finely ground coffee will help prevent clogging and burning because the paper filter quickly absorbs it. Fine-ground brews can have an equal flavor impact when appropriately brewed through an espresso machine.

Add Water

When making coffee, always add water to coffee grounds, not vice versa. This helps ensure that all of your grounds get soaked and evenly extracted as they should. If you put water in first and pour it into your brewer with grounds, you can end up with a few dry spots, making for an unevenly brewed cup of joe. You might think that putting more grounds in will make up for what you're losing on those dry spots—but too much coffee never makes a good brew. So always add water first before adding your coffee maker's filter.

Let Stand

When making coffee, there's a simple truth: good beans make for good coffee. But what makes for really great coffee? Letting your grinds rest for at least 24 hours before brewing them. This process—known as cold brew—increases acidity and lets complex flavors shine through without overpowering bitterness or sourness.

The result is smooth, easy-drinking coffee that you can use in just about any way you traditionally use hot-brewed java. Nothing compares to using the best cold brew maker in bringing out the best flavors from the coffee grinds.

Stir (optional)

Stirring (or not stirring) your coffee before you drink can make a huge difference in its flavor. If you're looking for a milder flavor, stir your coffee just before pouring. If you like more robust coffee, let it sit for long periods before drinking or brew it extra strong and then add hot water to taste. Let your coffee drip through slowly; when you use too much hot water or brew your coffee at too high of a temperature, it comes out bitter and acidic.

To lessen acidity without adding other flavors, add a small amount of cold milk or creamer as soon as you've poured. And don't skip pre-brewing preparation—only brewing with top-quality whole beans will give you rich flavor and freshness every time.

Don't forget to experiment with different coffees. 

Enjoy!

You can make yourself a delicious cup of coffee by following these seven steps. Start with a fresh bag of beans, some water, and your coffee maker. Throw away any stale beans and get fresh ones if you don't already have them. Rinse your beans under cold water and set them aside to dry while you prepare your coffee maker and other supplies.