Coffee is an early-morning necessity that we all spend too much money on. Why not try your hand at making it at home? A quality brew just needs a few pieces of equipment and practice, according to Johanna Schmitz, barista at Ghostlight Coffee in Dayton.
One crucial barrier to between a mug of swill and a well-made cup of joe is obvious: the quality of the coffee you buy.
“The type of coffee you get determines how good it is. If you get Folgers or a well-roasted coffee, you will taste the difference if you drink it black,” Schmitz said.
It is important to take great care in selecting what coffee to buy, and the only way to find a quality coffee you enjoy is research and tasting. Beyond that, buying your coffee in whole bean and grinding at home will result in a fresher tasting coffee, according to Schmitz.
“The method you use to make the coffee also determines how it tastes,” Schmitz said, “so your normal machine coffee is going to taste different than your normal pour over coffee where you use a V-60 or a Chemex.”
Chemex coffee makers are glass, hourglass shaped vases in which a filter and coffee grounds are placed in the cup on top and the water is poured through into the bottom. V60s are essentially cups with holes in the bottom made to hold a filter and coffee grounds so the water can be poured through and placed directly in a mug or other drinking utensil. Both devices and filters can be purchased at Ghostlight or online and in grocery stores.
To make pour over coffee, take your chosen device, wet the filter with hot water, then add the coffee. Once you are ready to pour, first soak the grounds by slowly pouring water in circles from outside to inside. Make sure you pour just enough so the grounds are wet, but water isn’t dripping through the filter. This is called “blooming.” Once this is done, let the coffee set for a minute, then pour the rest of the water through a little at a time.
The water should pour through in three and a half to four minutes. Too fast or too slow will affect the coffee negatively.
If using a V60, use about 23 to 26 grams of coffee and 340 to 360 grams of water. For Chemex coffee makers, use 34 to 36 grams of coffee and 500 to 520 grams of water.
Adjusting the grind can affect the flavor, so using a grinder with different settings will help. A Chemex will require a coarser grind and a V60 will require a medium-fine grind.
Lattes can be made using a double shot of espresso and steamed milk. For the best lattes it is important to grab an espresso machine and a milk steamer. Whole milk, according to Schmitz, steams the best. Make a double shot of espresso, add steamed milk and sweeten with honey or syrup.
