Johnny Steverson, director of Specialty Coffee at Path Coffee Roasters, offers five tips for brewing the perfect cup of coffee at home.
1. Find a respectable roaster who ethically sources beans and roasts them fresh (e.g., Path Coffee Roasters, 106 Purdy Ave, Port Chester 914-305-3595; pathcoffees.com)
2. Use only freshly roasted beans. Skip the batches that are more than two weeks old.
3. Upgrade your grinder. Expect to pay around $120 for a decent electric burr grinder. Keep in mind: The better the grinder, the better the coffee!
4. Give your equipment a good cleaning. Coffee brewers that smell like old coffee will impart that taste into your brew.
5. Use a scale for consistency. Work with grams instead of ounces to create an easy recipe. Start with 32 g of coffee for every 455 g of water, and adjust from there.
