Better coffee at home

Good coffee at home doesn’t need an expensive machine. Most of the difference between a so-so cup and a great one comes from three things: fresh beans, the right grind and a warm cup.

Grind just before you brew

Coffee beans keep their aroma for weeks. Ground coffee loses most of it within an hour. That is why coffee from a bag of ground coffee tastes flat compared with coffee ground just before brewing.

The Brammels manual coffee grinder has ceramic burrs that crush the beans to an even size. Grinding 30 grams, enough for two large cups, takes about a minute. It is quiet, so you can grind early without waking the house.

Match the grind to the method

• Fine, like flour, for espresso.
• Medium, like sand, for filter coffee.
• Coarse, like sea salt, for a French press or cold brew.

Too fine, and the coffee turns bitter. Too coarse, and it tastes weak and sour. Adjust the grinder one step at a time until you like the result.

Store beans well

Keep beans in an airtight container, in a dark, cool cupboard. Not in the fridge: beans take on smells and moisture there. Buy small amounts that you use within two or three weeks.

Warm your cups

A cold cup takes heat from your coffee. Fill your cups with hot water from the kettle, wait a minute, pour it out, and then make your coffee. Thick-walled cups, like the cappuccino cups, set of 6, and the espresso cups, set of 4, hold that warmth for a long time.

Milk foam like a café

The electric milk frother makes foam in about ninety seconds. Use cold, whole milk for the creamiest foam. Choose firm foam for a cappuccino and light foam for a latte. Pour the coffee first, then the milk, and spoon the foam on top. In summer, the cold setting makes foam for iced coffee.

Water matters too

Coffee is almost all water. If your tap water tastes of chlorine, let it stand for a while or use filtered water. Don’t use water straight off the boil for filter coffee: let the kettle rest for half a minute first.

Take it with you

Made a full pot? Pour it into the vacuum flask 1 liter, and it stays hot for twelve hours. The grinder is small enough to take on a camping trip, so you can have fresh coffee by the tent.