How to properly brew a coffee for newbies

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, and for good reason. It’s delicious and it can be made into so many different drinks—from simple drip coffee to lattes and cappuccinos. But if you’re new to brewing your own coffee at home, it might be hard to know where to begin. This guide will help make sure your first cup of joe is perfect!

Table of Contents

Grind your own beans.

The first step to brewing a delicious cup of coffee is grinding your own beans.

Grinding your own beans will result in a fresher, more flavorful brew than if you purchased pre-ground coffee. This can be done with either a manual grinder or an electric one, and they’re easy to use—even if you’re new to this process. If you don’t have an old-school manual grinder lying around (like me), then there are plenty of options online that will let you grind up whatever kind of beans you want at home without having any special equipment set up on hand!

Choose the right brewing equipment for you.

There are many different brewing devices on the market, and each has its own set of benefits. The main thing to consider when choosing a coffee maker is whether you want it to be manual or automatic. Manual machines are great for those who want full control over their brew session, while automatic machines are better suited for people who just want their coffee ready when they wake up in the morning without having to think about it too much.

Another factor is whether your machine takes pods or ground beans in its filters—this can affect how quickly you have hot water ready after pressing down on the lever (or button).

Get a burr grinder

Grinding coffee beans at home is a good idea if you want to get the most out of your freshly ground beans. The size of a bean determines its flavor and aroma, so it’s important to grind them correctly.

A burr grinder is an electric device that can be used to grind coffee beans into different shapes (flat or round) using sharp blades called burrs. Burr grinders are made up of two parts: a main gear housing that houses the gears for grinding and an outer shell that holds everything together. The main gear housing turns around slowly, while the blade spins inside; this creates friction between these two pieces that pulverizes your coffee into smaller pieces as it passes through them during use.

Burr grinders can be manual or electric—which do you prefer? Manual machines have their own motorized spin-control knob, which allows you to adjust how fast or slow they turn based on how much time has elapsed since last use; however, if anything breaks down then there will be no way for anyone else save yourself from being stranded without any means whatsoever other than what could possibly fit inside one’s own pockets/purse where one might store objects like keys/coins etcetera…

Use the right water

The first step to making the perfect cup of coffee is using the right kind of water. There are many different kinds of water (hard, soft, mineral, etc.) to choose from, but they all have their own special characteristics that can make or break your brew. For example, tap water may not be ideal because it has chemicals and minerals in it that could affect the taste or appearance of your final product (though this isn’t always an issue).

If you’re feeling adventurous, try out some distilled or softened water instead—but keep in mind that these options won’t result in a better-tasting cup!

Understand coffee-to-water ratios.

The first step to brewing a great cup of coffee is understanding the coffee-to-water ratio. This is what determines how strong your cup will be, and whether or not you’ll get a full-bodied, bold flavor or something lighter in taste.

The general rule: use 1 tablespoon of ground coffee per 6 ounces (1½ cups) of water. If you want something stronger than that—say, an espresso shot—then double up on your amounts!

Know your coffee’s ideal brewing temperature

Know your coffee’s ideal brewing temperature.

The temperature of a cup of coffee is just as important as its flavor profile and aroma, so it’s important to know when you should be brewing your coffee. The ideal brewing temperature for most coffees is between 195 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit (or 90-95 degrees Celsius), with 175 being ideal for darker roasts, and 185 being ideal for lighter roasts.

Store coffee correctly to preserve its freshness and flavor

There are two ways to store coffee: in a dark, cool place and in the refrigerator. If you don’t use it, freeze it! Don’t store your fresh-brewed coffee in the refrigerator because heat can damage its flavor and integrity over time.

Store your freshly brewed coffee in an airtight container or bag that’s sealed tightly but not sealed completely so air can still circulate freely around its contents.

Always measure coffee and water before brewing

Measure accurately. The first step in brewing a great cup of coffee is measuring the water and grounds properly.
Use a scale to measure your water. This will ensure that you get an even distribution of weight, which is important for making sure both parts of your brew are at their proper levels before you start pouring on the grinds or powdery substance.
Use measuring cups for both portions of ground coffee and water; once again, this prevents mistakes from being made when adding too much or too little liquid at any given time during brewing.

Brewing a good cup of coffee is simple!

Brewing a good cup of coffee is simple, but takes practice and experimentation to get just right. Here are some important tips:

Brew your coffee at the right temperature. You’ll want to brew your water hot enough so that it boils quickly, but not so hot it scorches your beans (this can happen when brewing French press). If you have an electric drip machine, check how long it takes for the water to hit 200°F/95°C—the point at which most machines will begin automatically shutting off their heat source during brewing. For all other methods, check that your machine has been programmed correctly before every use by readjusting its settings as needed; this may vary depending on the manufacturer or model number.

Your guide to a perfect cup of coffee

We hope that this guide has helped you understand the basics of brewing coffee. If you’re just starting out, we recommend trying some more traditional methods before moving on to espresso machines and manual brew methods. They can be cumbersome, but often yield better results in terms of flavor and consistency. In addition, it’s always important to keep in mind how much water your coffee should be brewed with—and what temperature works best for your machine or cup size!