How to Brew Perfect Coffee

You don’t need portion-controlled pods and digital touchscreens to make great coffee at home

By the Editors of Men’s Health

“Brewing a single cup with a cone filter is a simple, bulletproof technique that lets the flavor of the beans shine,” says 2010 World Barista Champion Michael Phillips of Chicago’s Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea. Follow his method.

The Beans
Coffee begins to lose flavor from the moment it’s roasted, so find the freshest beans you can, says Phillips. “If there’s no roast date on the bag, it may be because the roaster doesn’t want you to know it,” he says. Find a local roaster, or order online from an artisanal roaster (see below). Aficionados often prefer single-origin brews, but a blend offers a more consistent cup. By mixing beans from several regions, the roaster downplays off-flavors and boosts the best tastes from each bean.

Like coffee? You won’t like the extra calories in the world’s worst new beverage.

The Grind
Exposure to oxygen destroys the volatile oils that give coffee its flavor, so buy your beans whole and grind them yourself. But don’t use a spice grinder; it chops unevenly, yielding coffee that’s both over-and underextracted. Upgrade to a burr grinder, which pulverizes beans uniformly as they pass through the grinding elements. Models go for as low as $30, but for a truly solid burr grinder, Phillips recommends the Capresso Infinity ($90, capresso.com); it offers precise control over your grind. For the pour-over cone, a medium-fine grind–between flour and kosher salt–is ideal.

The Cup
The brightest, cleanest flavor comes from using a simple pour-over cone lined with a paper filter, says Phillips. A bonus: It’s easy to clean and takes up almost no counter space. He recommends the Japanese-made Hario V60 02 ($21, shop.hariousa.com).

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

No B.

6:42PM PDT on Mar 11, 2012

Coffee is awesome

send a green star

Mandi A.

1:24PM PST on Nov 17, 2011

Good to know, thank you

Lika S.

12:29AM PST on Nov 13, 2011

I've tried many a different coffees. Many of the fair trade coffees are really good, and aren't as expensive as what's listed.

I really liked the Tanzanian coffee beans. It's acidic, but very mellow at the same time.

KARLOLINA G.

8:44AM PST on Nov 11, 2011

Thanks

Penny C.

7:17PM PST on Nov 6, 2011

Thanks.

Deborah L.

8:43PM PDT on Nov 1, 2011

Sounds like a bad commercial. I buy several bags of on sale, reasonably priced Organic whole bean, mix them up & grind my own . I also buy whole cinnamon sticks which I break up & add to the grind. Then just before brewing I add a little grated whole nutmeg. Talk about a killer cup o' joe!!!

Ernie M.

7:56AM PDT on Nov 1, 2011

Star Bunks quality! Ha 1/2 a cup better than Maxwell house. OK so you tlak about using a paper cone filter but show a french press? and then you go on to advertise for several coffee roasters. I buy from a loval shop that roast daily. when in Hawaii on vacation I bought a bsg of green beans and they roasted that specail no blended Kona for me at least that year. I like a french press however I do own an espresso machine and a drip maker. I use a reusable filter just because who wants to waist a tree like that. Besides I dont trust the chemicals that might be in the paper even the unbleached filters. And then it is fun to laugh at the people that buy iced coffee that is brewed hot and poured over water an chocolate. the strange things people call good coffee.

L R.

8:57PM PDT on Oct 31, 2011

mmm!

John J.

9:09AM PDT on Oct 31, 2011

@Dorota L. That is possibly the worst suggestion on an article about quality. Brew time makes the coffee what it is. Leaving it in the water will overextract and make it taste terrible. Bad idea. Do NOT leave it in your cup.

9:06AM PDT on Oct 31, 2011

@Victoria M. Not true at all. Even if you get very expensive coffee is it much cheaper to make it home compared to a latte at some cafe.