The Perfect Cup at Home
The term “perfect” is intimidating and can often be demotivating. Is it possible to attain?
We do not believe in one perfect cup. We prefer to find the perfection attainable with each coffee we use. “Perfect” will be different for each of us anyway.
The perfect cup starts with proper coffee. Find a coffee that you enjoy. You may prefer to frequent your local roastery or even stop by your nearest supermarket; what matters is that you find a coffee that will satisfy your pallet.
In our team, we have different pallets; and each wants a different style, flavour, and texture for their first cup of the day.
Stefan is our hybrid type-2 and type-3 coffee drinker. He chooses his coffee based on how he feels in the moment. Some mornings he’ll start with a double ristretto, and other mornings with a double espresso, but always an intense cup of happiness. Stefan enjoys a coffee with an intense body, spunky acidity, and a syrup-like textile.
Theo is our non-coffee drinker. He often says that he does not drink coffee to wake up but wakes up to taste coffee. His perfect cup requires two things: Someone to share it with, and something new and interesting. Theo enjoys experimenting with new coffee and interesting flavours.
Here we have two people who are both coffee professionals, with two completely different pallets. Can both of them enjoy the same cup of coffee? Yes. However, that does not mean that they prefer the same flavour profile.
There are various ways of making coffee at home. You can use a bean-to-cup machine, a home espresso machine, or a manual brewing method. Each of these will give you a different flavour, texture, and experience.
What do we recommend?
Consistency is key. One of the most critical things in coffee is knowing what you did so that you can do it again or never do it again. Every coffee lover has had a cup of coffee that they loved and a cup that they despised. How do we stay away from what we did not enjoy and continually get what we want? A scale.
First off, we recommend that you always have a scale handy no matter which preparation method you use. There are multiple coffee scales available commercially, but if you don’t want to spend money on an expensive scale, you can use your everyday kitchen scale for the time being.
Second, a coffee grinder. There are numerous coffee grinders available, ranging from entry-level hand grinders to top tier electric burr grinders. If you want to skip a gym session or two, we recommend getting a manual burr grinder. They are commonly more affordable than electric burr grinders while giving good consistency. If you have the finances to buy an electric grinder, we suggest that you go for better quality. Ultimately the coffee grinder is more important than the coffee machine.
The third is a method to make your perfect cup. There are different methods to give you different textures and highlight different elements of the coffee. A popular option for your house is the Aeropress. The Aeropress is simple, easy to clean and allows the brewer to change the flavour according to their preference.
One of our preferred methods is the Hario V60. The V60 is perfect for experimenting with a new coffee. There are various pouring styles and recipes on the internet to get you started. By changing something as simple as your grind size or water temperature, you can significantly change the flavour of the coffee.
Other methods such as the French Press, Siphon, and Nanopresso are all fantastic options to make yourself a good cup of coffee at home. The easiest way to find your perfect cup is to make the first one. Not every cup will be a winner, and that’s fine. Every bad cup helps us to appreciate the good one more.
Lastly, remember that coffee is better when shared. Try those recipes on your own, then share them. Coffee is better in community.
