The mistakes you’re making when brewing coffee at home – and how to get it tasting EXACTLY like a cafe-style brew
- Experts have revealed mistakes people make when brewing coffee at home
- CHOICE has rounded up the best ways to make cafe-quality coffee
- One of the mistakes shoppers make is buying beans without checking roast date
- Other errors include not using cold milk and storing beans in fridge or freezer
Consumer experts have revealed the common mistakes people make when brewing coffee at home – including buying beans with no roast date on a bag and not using cold milk.
As Australians turn their hand to brewing their own coffee during lockdown, the experts from CHOICE have rounded up the best ways to make cafe-quality brews.
One of the biggest mistakes shoppers make is buying coffee beans without checking the ‘roasted on’ stamp typically found on the bag.
Experts have revealed the common mistakes people make when brewing coffee at home – including buying beans with no roast date on a bag and not using cold milk (stock image)
The experts suggested finding the freshest coffee beans possible – and always look for sealed, airtight bags with a valve.
‘Buy your beans as close to their roast date at least within two weeks,’ they said.
While keeping coffee in a cold place will slow down the aging process, the experts said the beans can ‘take on odours’ from the fridge or freezer.
Your best bet is to keep it in an airtight container, and store it in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
When it comes to making a cup of brew, it’s always best to grind whole beans as fresh as you can to get the most aromatic coffee.
The experts said you should avoid pre-grinding beans. As soon as the bean is broken, it begins to oxidise, diminishing the flavour of the coffee.
As Australians turn their hand to brewing their own coffee during lockdown, the experts from CHOICE have rounded up the best ways to make cafe-quality brews (stock image)
Anee Sampath, managing director of Samson Coffee House and a CHOICE expert, said you can buy the best beans in the world but if your grind size is wrong, you’ll end up with a lacklustre coffee.
‘Grind affects the rate of extraction, which brings out flavour and aroma compounds from your coffee beans,’ he said.
‘Coffee should flow out of each spout evenly, as a dark liquid at first, followed by a “blonding” or lightening of the flow as the crema forms. If your shot ends too quickly or runs beyond 30 seconds, adjust the grind for next time.’
He suggested aiming for 20 to 30 seconds to pull an espresso shot and using scales to weight out 20g of coffee for 45g of espresso.
The experts said another mistake people make is using room temperature milk.
To create lovely, frothy microfoam bubbles, you need the hot steam to hit cold milk, and preferably full-fat milk.
Not regularly cleaning your coffee machine can also affect the flavour of the coffee.
‘Keeping your machine clean also means that it’ll stay happy for longer. You won’t need to have it maintained as frequently, and hopefully it’ll remain in service for longer,’ they added.