BREW THE PERFECT CUP
WATER
Water makes up about 98% of a coffee brew! Chemicals added for water treatment, like chlorine, should be filtered out, but you should avoid using distilled water as it makes for a flat tasting cup of coffee because the dissolved gases have been boiled out during distillation. If your water is treated, we recommend filtering the water. Brita water filters are a simple and relatively inexpensive option.
DOSAGE
Experts believe that perfect flavor is achieved when a brew has 1.1 to 1.4 percent solids in solution. Given that you probably brew coffee in your kitchen rather than a chemistry lab, try these proportions of coffee to water.
• for an 8 oz. cup use 2 tablespoons
• for a half gallon use 4 ounces (weight) or 1.25 cups (volume)
GRIND
Coffee tastes best when ground just before brewing. Ground coffee stales quickly because the complex flavors found in the coffee bean are released once the coffee is ground.
The most common grinder for home use is a blade-style grinder. It is important to stop the grinder and shake it once or twice. Otherwise the result may be a mix of overly fine and overly coarse grinds. Coarse grinds may brew too quickly, which will produce a weak cup of coffee. Overly fine grinds can produce a bitter cup of coffee because the water flows so slowly that the coffee becomes over-extracted.
