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Expert Coffee Brewing Guide With Anna Nordström
Learn how to brew a good cup, every time!
Published December 17, 2021
Asharita D'Silva
Coffee experts@Era of We
Brewing that perfect cup of coffee is the ultimate goal for any coffee lover but this often seems like an elusive dream. Maybe you pick the wrong beans, or the wrong ratio, or the wrong temperature and suddenly your dreams of a perfect cup are shattered. Well, no more because today we’re going to get expert insight on coffee brewing from brewer extraordinaire Anna Nordström.
With over 20 years of experience, Anna is the Specialty Coffee and Training Manager at Löfbergs. She is also an authorized SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) trainer in Sweden. Anna uses this title to grow the coffee community by training beginners and professionals in coffee brewing and barista skills. Anna has participated in various coffee competitions to hone her skills - she has won a gold medal in the Swedish Cup Tasters Championship, a bronze medal in the World Cup Tasters Championship, and is a former member of the Swedish National Barista Team. Anna is also one of only two people in Sweden to reach 100 points within the esteemed SCA Coffee Skills Program, which awarded her a coffee diploma.
There’s no one better to guide us on this quest to perfect our coffee brewing so let’s get started.
The Magic Is In The Beans- The Foundation Of Coffee Brewing
When it boils down to it, you can’t make good coffee if your coffee beans are subpar. Starting with a good foundation of high-quality beans is essential for any coffee brewer, no matter the level of experience or the method of brewing.
High-quality coffee beans can make or break your cup: even the most advanced machine can’t fix bad beans and good coffee beans will shine through no matter what brewing method you pick. When selecting your coffee beans, do your research and find out how and where the coffee is grown, how was it roasted, and of course consider your personal preferences (do you like lighter roasts or darker? Do you prefer certain regions more than others?). After that, it’s a matter of trial and error to find the perfect balance in brewing.
An expert tip from Anna is to pay special attention to the aftertaste of your coffee. Brew a cup, let it cool down a little, and then taste it. Good coffee beans retain most of their flavor while lower quality beans will taste different (often worse) when the brew cools down. You may also notice a bitter or burnt aftertaste with lower quality beans.
Now we have our beans, next, we move on to basic techniques.
Things To Do Before You Start Brewing Your Coffee
To make things simple, run through the following questions before you start brewing coffee:
1. How many people are you brewing for?
By knowing how many people you’re brewing for, you can determine the correct amount of coffee and water to use. Also ask yourself if the coffee will be served immediately or after a while, as well as how much time you have to spend on brewing. This will help you pick the correct brewing style.
2. Do I know what my guests/friends/customers like?
The perfect cup varies from person to person so it’s a good idea to get to know your audience (whether that’s just you, your loved ones, or customers at your café). When in doubt, it’s best to stick to a paper filter brewing method. Anna recommends the clever dripper for home brewing, which is easy to use and gives consistent results making it great for beginners.
It’s Time To Brew!
You have your good coffee beans and know just how much coffee you need to make and how. The only left to do now is to get down to brewing. Let’s break down the factors that affect coffee brewing.
1. Equipment
It’s a common misconception that you need to spend on the latest, top-of-the-line equipment if you want to make good coffee. This may be the case for espresso brewing (which needs specialized machines to give you that café quality coffee) but for most other types of coffee, all you need is good beans, patience, and clean equipment. You can choose to invest in coffee brewing accessories like gooseneck kettles but these aren’t absolutely necessary. No matter what equipment or tools you use, always ensure that they’re clean and sanitary!
2. The correct roast and grind
The right roast depends on preference. Some prefer the lightness and acidity of light roasts, while some go for the richness of dark roasts. If you’re a novice coffee brewer, medium roasts are a good place to start. As for grind size, look for coffee that has the size of granulated sugar (not too fine, not too coarse). Different methods require different grind sizes but a medium grind works for most home coffee brewers.
3. Water
Apart from picking the right beans, the next most important factor is your water. After all, most of your cup is water and water is what carries the flavor of your coffee beans, so how you control the water during brewing is very important. Don’t use boiling water, instead aim for about 90-96° C which is just before the boiling point (if you don’t have a cooking thermometer, just watch the water and stop heating just before it starts bubbling). If your water is too hot, you lose some of the flavor and complexity in the beans and risk making a bitter cup.
Coffee Brewing Cheat Sheet
There’s clearly a lot to consider for coffee brewers, so here’s a quick and convenient cheat sheet for home coffee brewers:
- The standard brewing ratio is 1:16 (60g of coffee to 1L of water or 30g of coffee for 500ml water). You can tweak this to make your coffee stronger or milder, but this is a good ratio to start with.
- Always use clean equipment and tools.
- Your water temperature should be 90-96° C.
- Don’t brew longer than recommended.
- Start by using a scale and then learning the measurements by sight, and with experience, you can experiment and explore new techniques.
Remember, no two coffees are ever the same. You have to keep an open mind, be open to relearning, and never stop practicing your brewing skills. Brewing doesn’t have to be complicated; you can start with simple tools and techniques and work your way up. With time, you’ll get a sense of the craft and every cup you brew will be excellent.
About the author
Asharita D'Silva
Join me in discovering the wonderful world of coffee! As a writer, coffee is my fuel and newfound passion. I love writing about new coffees, sustainability, and coffee culture around the world. I'm always discovering new things about coffee and the industry, which I share with the great community here at Era Of We.
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