Why does coffee always taste better when you get it at a coffee shop than when you make it at home? It’s not just in your head and it’s not just that your barista is exceptional. There are a lot of factors that go into creating the ideal cup of coffee, from the coffee itself to the tools used to make it. Colby Barr, coffee expert and co-founder of Verve Coffee Roasters, shares why it always tastes better from a café and tips on how to recreate the experience at home.
- Sourcing quality coffee - It all starts with the coffee beans and these days, more customers are paying attention to find those that are sustainably sourced and roasted in-house. Coffee shops that roast their own beans have more control over the process and allows them to enhance the flavor and develop a style or flavor profile that’s specific to their business.
- Relying on experts - A café may have sustainably sourced and high-quality beans, but that doesn’t matter much if their baristas aren’t knowledgeable and properly trained. In every step of the coffee process, from the buyers and roasters to the baristas themselves, having experts involved is the key.
- Quality tools matter - A dirty coffee maker can affect the flavor of your brew, and so can using the wrong filters, the right ratio of water to coffee and even the temperature of the water. Cafés take great care of their makers and machines because they know it leads to a better overall coffee experience.
- Age of the coffee - Since coffee shops go through their coffee beans much faster than you do at home, their supply is probably fresher than yours. Barr explains, “Coffee is definitely best a few days after roast, but high-quality coffees will continue to brew beautifully past the month mark.”
- Proper storage matters - The National Coffee Association advises not using a clear container to store your beans or leaving the container near sunlight or the oven. Don’t stick it in the freezer either, instead use an opaque container to store your beans at room temperature.
- Fresh is best - Coffee pros advise buying whole bean coffee to grind at home prior to brewing over bags of pre-ground coffee to create the ideal cup.
- Don’t let it sit - Once you brew the coffee, it shouldn’t sit for more than 30 minutes in your pot. If you save it to reheat in the afternoon, it’ll never taste as good as a freshly made cup.
Source: Eating Well