Today is National Coffee Day!
We really like coffee around here, (almost as much as we like ice cream!) which is why we’re so excited that today is National Coffee Day! In fact, we have our very own coffee station in our kitchen. While we are fans of our Keurig, honestly, nothing beats a cup brewed in our french press with fresh coarse ground dark roast beans (currently we really like the Sumatra beans from Starbucks).
If you have time today, be sure to check out whether your favorite local coffee shop is doing anything special. Around here, Biggby coffee is having a 50% off sale on all brewed coffees! Click here for a complete list of coffee deals!
It turns out the most important elements in making the perfect cup has less to do with the water you use, the brew temp, and the size of the grounds (depending on the method you choose).
TIP: Don’t buy ground beans. Beans start to lose flavor after a few hours. The fresher your ground, the better your cup of coffee. Also, burr grinders are better than blade grinders. Burr grinders actually grind the beans together, instead of just pulverizing them with a steel blade spinning around.
There are plenty of fancy ways to make a great cup of coffee - Pour Over, Chemix, and AeroPress, but honestly, it’s really hard to beat the simple French Press for making a perfect cup every time.
If you’re using a French Press, you’ll want to be sure to use a coarse grind (larger ground pieces, instead of the small, powdery grind used in a drip coffee maker). You’ll want your water around 190F. In our microwave, we heat up 32 ounces for 5 1/2 minutes, which turns out to be perfect. If the water is boiling, give it about 30 seconds to come down in temp. Water boils at 212F, so let it cool off just a bit.
Pour in just enough water to gently soak the beans, and let it set, or bloom, for about 30 seconds, and then add the rest of the water. Stir, using a plastic or soft spoon (not metal) and place the cover with the plunger up. Set a timer for 4 minutes, and let it brew! When the timer goes off, push down the plunger, serve hot, and enjoy!
“Coffee smells like freshly ground heaven.”