It’s common knowledge that grind size and freshness affect the strength and overall taste of a cup of coffee – but even if both variables are perfect – you can still brew a less-than-ideal cup. A misconception amongst coffee drinkers is that boiling-hot water is used during the brewing process, but using water at this temperature (112 degrees F) can actually cause the coffee to taste bitter and burnt! 

The industry standard water temperature for brewing is between 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher than this, and you risk over-extraction, especially of the smaller grinds. This is what creates that bitter, dark taste, and lack of body. Lower than this, and you are likely to have an under-extracted cup – one that tastes sour.


Here’s the good news: If you use an automatic brewer, the work is done for you! Pour in cold, filtered water, and as long as your coffee is freshly ground to the correct size, your coffee should taste just like it’s supposed to. 

For the rest of us, especially those of us that do not have the time or patience to use a thermometer every time we want to make a cup of coffee, use this handy tip:


When water boils, turn off stove or kettle and let sit for 30 seconds. 

Now, your water should be the within the correct temperature range to extract the optimum flavours from your coffee. 

Have questions about brewing? Do you have a method that you want to share? Contact us here.

 

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