Homemade coffee can be made in different ways according to your budget, taste preferences, and investment time. Here, we have sorted out four mainstream solutions for you, from device free to advanced gameplay.
1、 No equipment required: ear bag/cold extraction solution
This is the simplest and zero threshold choice.
·Ear hook bag: Tear open the packaging and place the ear hook on the cup. Inject hot water at 90-95 ° C slowly in sections, allowing the water to cover the coffee grounds each time. The total amount of water is about 150ml. It has a more natural flavor than instant coffee and can restore the freshly ground aroma.
·Cold extract/concentrate: Simply pour into water, milk, or oat milk. Suitable for scenarios where you want to quickly enjoy an iced latte without the need for hot water or tools.
2、 First choice for beginners: French pressed teapot
The price of the French press pot is affordable, with a high tolerance for operation. It can extract a rich and mellow taste through soaking, making it particularly suitable for users who prefer medium to deep roasted beans.
·Operation: Add coarse ground coffee powder, pour in hot water at 90-95 ° C, let it stand for 4 minutes, and then slowly press down the filter.
·Attention: Do not apply too much force when pressing down the filter, otherwise it may cause the fine powder to churn and make the coffee bitter.
3、 Advanced gameplay: Hand brewed coffee
If you want to experience the local flavor of coffee beans, hand brewing is a cost-effective way. The core tools are filter cups, filter paper, and hand drawn kettles.
1. Steaming: After the first water injection submerges all the powder, wait for 30-45 seconds. This step releases carbon dioxide, which can make the subsequent extraction more uniform.
2. Circling: Maintain a fine water flow and circle at a constant speed from the center to the outside, without rushing to the edge of the filter paper, to avoid the "channel effect" that may cause uneven extraction.
4、 Italian and milk coffee: Mocha pot/home coffee machine
If you want to drink concentrated base (American, latte), you can start with a mocha pot and then consider a coffee machine.
·Mocha pot: The classic "aluminum pot" can make high concentration coffee liquid. The key to operation is to heat the water in the pot, fill the powder tank but not compact it, heat it over low heat, and immediately turn off the heat when you hear a "gurgling" sound. The coffee made with it has less oil and is suitable for mixing with milk.
·Home coffee machine: If budget allows, a good grinder is more important than the machine itself. It is recommended to choose a semi-automatic machine with grinding function, or directly purchase a fully automatic coffee machine.
Several details that determine success or failure
·Water to powder ratio: Beginners can start at 1:15 (such as adding 225g of water to 15g of powder). Too light prolongs the extraction time, too bitter shortens it.
·Water quality: Try to avoid using purified water or distilled water as much as possible. Water with appropriate amounts of minerals (such as mineral water) has better extraction effects.
·Coffee beans: Fresh roasting is the key to flavor. Try to purchase beans that have been baked within one month and it is recommended to grind them freshly. If you currently do not have a bean grinder, you can ask the shop owner to grind it on your behalf, but indicate your brewing equipment (such as "for use with a French press pot").