A customer in my cafe last month taught me a simple trick for better coffee

This guy came in every morning for a week and always ordered a black coffee. Last month, he finally asked if we could brew his cup with water that was just off the boil, not fully boiling. He said boiling water can scorch the grounds and make it taste bitter. I tried it the next day with our main blend and honestly, the flavor was smoother. It was a small change but it made a real difference. Do you guys have any other little tweaks like that for the brew process?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia_harris1922d ago

Margaret over there asking for exact temps like we're running a science lab and not just trying to make a decent cup of coffee... I mean, just wait like 30 seconds after the kettle clicks off, that's been my approach for years. It's not rocket science, it's coffee. The guy in the post is totally right though, boiling water straight on grounds is kind of like using a flamethrower to toast bread - it just ruins the whole thing.

margaret3041mo ago

Wait, what temp is just off the boil? I mean, I've heard that but idk how to do it without a thermometer.

murray.spencer1mo ago

Used to just guess and pour boiling water right over the leaves. Made a lot of bitter tea. The trick is to let it sit for a minute after the kettle clicks off. That little bit of cooling makes a huge difference. You can see the steam change from a rolling boil to a softer swirl. It's not a perfect science, but it works way better than scalding hot water.