How to make good coffee at home: method, grind, and ratio explained
Making good coffee is not just about pouring hot water over ground coffee.
Unlike wine, which is simply opened before tasting, coffee requires certain steps to fully reveal its aromas.
At Coutume, we talk about a recipe: the dosage of coffee and water, the grind, and the extraction time directly influence the result in the cup.
These tips form a solid base, to be adapted according to your taste.
The basics for making great coffee
How to choose good coffee?
Choosing coffee is the first step, and undoubtedly the most crucial. Today, the offering is vast, and it can be difficult to navigate.
We recommend opting for 100% Arabica coffee, selected with high standards and traceability, then freshly roasted. Whole bean coffee remains ideal, as it retains its aromas better over time.
Each coffee has a unique aromatic profile. Some will be more fruity, others more chocolatey or more intense. The best coffee is ultimately the one that matches your tastes and consumption habits.
Which grind to choose depending on the method?
Before any preparation, the coffee must be ground. The grind size is essential as it directly influences extraction.
Each method requires a specific grind:
- very fine for espresso
- fine for AeroPress or Moka pot
- medium for filter methods
- coarse for French press or cold brew
The finer the grind, the larger the contact surface with water, which intensifies extraction. Conversely, a coarser grind slows down extraction and results in a lighter coffee.
Finding the right setting is essential: a grind that is too fine can block the flow and produce bitterness, while a grind that is too coarse will result in under-extracted coffee.
The grind directly influences the taste of your extraction.
Generally, grinding finer increases the coffee surface area that water can contact. This is referred to as "extraction surface." The larger it is, the more aromatic and flavorful particles the water can extract from the coffee.
However, be careful! A grind that is too fine can prevent homogeneous water flow through the coffee puck and degrade the quality of your extraction. In this case, we advise you to coarsen your grind. Conversely, an extraction that is too fast may be due to a grind that is too coarse. In this case, you should refine your grind.
What is the ideal extraction time for successful coffee?
Once ground, coffee should be used quickly. This is because grinding releases the CO₂ naturally present in the roasted bean, which accelerates its oxidation and alters its aromas.
For an espresso, the ideal extraction time is between 25 and 35 seconds, with specific, sometimes surprising recipes starting from 17 seconds.
If the extraction is too slow, it may be necessary to adjust the grind or the dose. Conversely, an extraction that is too fast often indicates a grind that is too coarse.
For filter methods, the extraction time varies depending on the equipment used, but the principle remains the same: seeking a balance between intensity and aromatic finesse.
What coffee/water ratio to use?
The ratio between the amount of coffee and the amount of water is a key element of the recipe.
For filter methods, a simple guideline is to use 60 g of coffee per 1 liter of water. This ratio can then be adjusted according to your preferences, to obtain a lighter or more intense coffee.
For espresso, the approach is different: it's not the amount of water poured that matters, but the amount of beverage obtained in the cup. This is referred to as the ratio between the coffee dose and the extracted volume.
How to pour water correctly (filter methods)?
In filter methods, the way water is poured plays an important role in the quality of the extraction.
The goal is to ensure that all of the grounds are properly saturated and that the water flows evenly.
A slow, steady, and centered pour results in balanced extraction and avoids over- or under-extracted areas.
What water to use for preparing your coffee?
Water makes up more than 95% of your cup of coffee: its quality is therefore essential.
We recommend water with a neutral pH, low mineralization, and low lime content. A mineralization between 120 and 150 mg/L generally offers a good balance.
Using a filter carafe is a simple and effective solution to improve water quality while limiting environmental impact.
What water temperature for coffee?
Water temperature directly influences the extraction of aromas.
Water that is too hot risks burning the coffee and developing bitterness, while water that is not hot enough will not allow for complete extraction.
The ideal temperature is between 90°C and 95°C.
Certain specific methods, such as Turkish coffee or the Moka pot, are exceptions to this rule.
Key takeaways
Preparing good coffee relies on a few simple fundamentals: choosing quality coffee, adapting the grind to the method, and mastering the ratio and extraction time.
These benchmarks provide a reliable basis for progress, while still allowing for experimentation. Coffee is, above all, a matter of taste: it's up to you to adjust each parameter to find the balance that suits you.
Discover our selection of specialty coffees, freshly roasted, adapted to each extraction method and aromatic profile.
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