How To Make Coffee for One (The Perfect Brew)
Getting the perfect coffee ratio for a single person can be a nuisance. You’re never sure how much water you need and just how much coffee is enough coffee. Get rid of these doubts for good by following a few simple tips.
To make coffee for one, you should measure the ground coffee beans and the amount of water. Use 2 Tablespoons of ground coffee and about 0.7 cups of filtered water. It will produce about half a cup of coffee.
There are various approaches to creating the perfect brew in the comfort of your home. Filtered coffee, espresso, French Press, Auto-Drip, and Turkish coffee are all ways of making coffee. The result is different, and it comes down to a couple of crucial factors.
How To Grind Your Coffee To Make Coffee For One
First things first, decide if you want to grind your coffee beans. If so, make sure to get fresh, good-quality coffee beans and store them properly. Use the amount desired for a single cup of coffee and seal the rest in an air-tight container.
Coming across the best possible coffee beans shouldn’t be difficult considering the popularity of at-home brewing. Every coffee house seems to have its particular kind of coffee, and many of them sell coffee beans. It’s always a good idea to check with your local barista what type of beans they recommend.
If you want coffee beans that are clean and smooth tasting, you should try the ones from Lifeboost. They are organic and have low acidity too.
There are plenty of coffee grinders you can get nowadays, from sleek, electric ones to traditional hand-powered ones. Choose the option that doesn’t break the bank – you can always upgrade if you find it necessary. The main thing is to get the beans ground as finely as possible.
Try to time the grinding as close to the brewing process as you can. It counts for any of the methods you might be using since this is the way to guarantee the most flavor. Even if you get the best beans in the world, they still won’t taste good if you ground them wrong.
Grind the beans to either coarse, fine, or medium-fine, depending on the method of coffee brewing you’ll be using. A French press requires coarse coffee, while espresso needs it to be extra fine. Suit your grinding requirements to your preferred brew.
If you’re already buying ground coffee, pay even more attention to its storage. Coffee tends to lose its taste (and potency) if left out for too long. Please don’t go for extra-large packaging for the same reason; it’s better to buy more small ones.
Got your coffee beans all nice and ground? Good, then you’re ready for the next step, which many people take for granted. Welcome to the world of coffee brewing.
Top 5 Methods Of Coffee Brewing
Brewing coffee doesn’t have to be another chore you have to do when you get up. Get to know the process and learn to love it. Here are the top 5 ways of coffee brewing:
Drip System
If the worst part about getting your daily caffeine is cleaning the coffee maker, say hello to the Auto-Drip. This technology is easy to use: grab a coffee filter and place it in the filter basket. Put 1-2 Tablespoons of ground coffee in the filter and add 6 oz. of cold filtered water into the water reservoir. Press start and wait until the drip does its magic.
Espresso
Having that perfect espresso drink in a café only, not at home, in other words, is a thing of the past. Sophisticated espresso machines have started to dominate the coffee brewing scene.
The procedure is straightforward: put about 0.25 oz. of ground coffee in the espresso lever. Lift it to the machine and turn until firmly in place. Position a cup beneath the lever so that the coffee can run on the edge of the cup and press start.
If using a pod-based espresso machine, do the same, but replace the ground coffee with the pod.
French Press
Ditch the filters and get ready to use your strength. Take out the plunger and add a Tablespoon of ground coffee. Pour 6 oz. of hot (not boiling) water and stir. Gently place the plunger back in and leave it above the surface of the water for 3-4 minutes.
Then place the cup beneath and slowly start pressing. Do note that you need to wash the Press after each use with a bit of detergent and water.
Cold Brew
As the name suggests, cold brew isn’t made with steaming hot water. To enjoy this drink, you need a bit of expertise and some patience. Steep a tablespoon of ground coffee in 8 oz. of cold water and leave it at room temperature for 12-18 hours. Then strain the coffee using a cold brewer or a paper coffee filter. Enjoy it as it is or with some milk or sugar.
Aeropress
Aeropress uses the same pressing method as the French Press, yet the temperature, timing, and coffee bean size differ. Put 2 Tablespoons of fine-ground coffee into the microfilter located at the bottom of the big cylinder. Pour 7 ounces of hot water and stir for 10 seconds. Then start pressing and savor your coffee.
Besides these methods, others guarantee you that delicious cup of Joe. Experiment with different techniques to see which one suits you best. Whichever coffee brewing method you go for, pay special attention to the water you’re using.
Water Quality, Temperature, and Amount
The type of water you use when brewing coffee is essential. If possible, get filtered water. It doesn’t have to be store-bought; if you have a water filter, it’ll do wonders.
Don’t go for softened water or, worse yet, distilled water. It will not get you the coffee you want.
Tap water is fine but let it sit for a minute before using it in your brew. Always start with cold water unless the recipe calls for something else. Most brewers heat the water using their mechanisms.
The optimal temperature the brewers operate at is between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water’s any cooler than that, the coffee will taste flat. Water that’s too warm eliminates some of the flavors, so be wary of it as well.
Cold-brew is an exception to this, as it uses another way of extracting the coffee from the beans. The water doesn’t have to be chilled here – room temperature works fine.
For one cup of coffee, use between 6 and 7 ounces of water. Take into account the coffee brewing method you’ve decided on, and don’t let the coffee grounds stay soaked for too long.
If using drip systems, the longest the water should contact the grounds is 5 minutes. With French Press, it’s up to 4, while Aeropress should take about a minute to make. Espresso takes the shortest: the water is in touch with the coffee for only 20 to 30 seconds.
Once again, cold brew is a particular case, as you can mix the water with the coffee for up to 18 hours. If you’re going to keep it in the fridge, count an extra 2 to 6 hours.
Can I Make Just One Cup of Coffee?
Yes, it’s possible to make a single cup of coffee. Don’t use more than 2 Tablespoons of ground coffee and no less than 6 oz of water. Bear in mind the different variations of brewing coffee and follow any special instructions.
You can always go for a refill if you’re up for it. Be consistent with brewing your coffee, and you’ll see results in no time.
