Want to know how to science up your coffee for the perfect cup? I know the secrete to a sublime cup of coffee! I’m not one of those people who refuses to share recipes and tricks, either! (We all know someone like that…)
First, we need to talk about science. Don’t groan, it’s true. Everything is about science! STEM is king.
As far as coffee, there are factors which affect the taste and quality of a cup of joe.
SCIENCE UP YOUR COFFEE FOR THE PERFECT CUP!
CUP OF JOE
What does ‘Cup of Joe’ mean, anyway? The term originated during WWI. (1914-1918) During that time period, a secretary of the navy, Joseph Daniels, was tasked with eliminating prostitution and alcohol on naval bases. With what people considered strict policies, they needed to substitute what they had. Coffee caught on!
I’m sorry to report that the guy was a jerk in an R-rated way, but this is the most commonly accepted explanation for the slang term.
You’ll be happy to know that coffee is good for you, or rather, some of the chemicals in a coffee bean are good for you. There are over 1,000 chemicals packed into one little coffee bean.
CAFFEINE : THE NUMBER ONE FANTASTIC CHEMICAL –in my opinion
This is a caffeine molecule.
(I couldn’t resist…this is a science blog, after all!)
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, so it helps people stay more awake. Evidence varies by study but caffeine can help:
Caffeine sharpens your mental acuity. Who doesn’t need that?
Elevates your mood via neurotransmitter release…and it’s legal!
Helps improve memory and learning.
Improves exercise performance! Ever read the package ingredients in pre-work out powders? You guessed it. Caffeine!
Coffee beans have anti-oxidants! (one such example of an anti-oxidant in coffee beans on the right.)
What good are they? I’m glad you asked. These little miracle workers…
By removing free radicals and unstable molecules.
Increase blood flow to the brain
Type II Diabetes
Parkinson’s Disease
Some liver disease
Anti inflammatory
Anti bacterial
Sadly, coffee is a perfect example of how too much of a good thing can go bad.
Current guidelines for adults suggest 400 milligrams/day.
That’s 3-5 cups per day.
More than that can cause side effects such as restlessness, irritability, stomach problems, irregular heart beat and muscle tremors.
Before we move on, you can click on any of these pics for a close up view. I’m excited about this feature. (Thanks, Steve!)
You wanted to know how to make the perfect cup of coffee.
MAKING A PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE IS A SCIENCE
VARIABLE NUMBER ONE : THE GRIND
Beans. Chemistry is cool but we can’t make coffee without beans in your scoop. And they come roasted so let’s forget about that step. (YAY)
THE GRIND
The single most important piece of gear in the coffee-making chain is the grinder.
Researching this post, I learned that there are two kinds of grinders.
Blade Coffee grinders don’t grind – they chop. If you put a handful of coffee beans through a blade grinder you’ll have grounds in different shapes and sizes. They are inconsistent.
That’s fine for chopping garlic or onions but it won’t make you delicious coffee.
Blade grinders don’t have settings to choose a grind size. Want to brew coffee in a French press one day and a drip pot the next? The blade grinder can’t do that for you.
It just chops away.
Blade grinder=Bad!
Burr grinders are the way to go.
Burr grinders funnel beans down a narrow pathway and grind them consistently.
You can change the settings for different types of brewing!
Burr grinder = Good!
Here is a decent burr grinder (affiliate link )
Click on the photo below.
I admit it. I used a blade grinder for years.
We all make mistakes.
With grinding, there is always some dialing in to do.
On the first try, if your coffee is too weak, then grind a bit finer. If it’s too bitter and strong, and a bit muddy, let the grind go a bit coarser on your next round.
COFFEE BEAN FRESHNESS FACTOR
One last aspect of grinding. Freshness.
Ground coffee gets stale, just like all other foods.
VARIABLE NUMBER TWO : THE WATER
THE WATER
Getting maximum flavor from the beans is called extraction.
To do this, the ideal water temperature should be 195-205 degrees F. This is just under the boiling temperature for water of 212 degrees F. It’s easy to tell when water starts to boil!
A purist may get a thermometer. If you don’t fall into that category, you can boil your water and wait until the bubbles in the container stop bubbling before your pour over.
I won’t come to your house and bop you on the head if you guesstimate. We have ten degrees of wiggle room.
Quick yes or no question below. What do you think? you have a 50/50 chance to get it right…or a 100 % chance if you say you did!
DOES SOFT WATER MAKE BETTER COFFEE?
NO!
VARIABLE NUMBER THREE : THE BREW
BREWING
I wish this guy was at my house brewing my coffee. (He's not) If he's not at your house either, let's continue...
You’re now thinking, geez, Sue, I own a Mr. Coffee.
I’m not boiling water.
I say; PERFECT!
The truth is that most commercial coffee makers hit that sweet spot of 195-205 F .
Which means there’s no need to go out and spend mega bucks on a fancy drip coffee maker!
Many companies are squirming right now, but it’s true. Think about what they claim. Water temperature is their biggest selling point.
My pour-over contraption (slide show below) is ideal for travel. And I do love the ritual of the press pot. But I also own a Mr. Coffee, for those stumble- around-in-the mornings moments.
Okay, that’s every morning.
I wouldn’t recommend doing this…hands free pour overs (above) are a solid option but there is no way the water in the pic on the right stayed at 195-205 degrees F, not holding the filter like that!
That’s one determined person right there.
MAKE A PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE IN ONE STEP
The big take away here is that there’s only one critical step to make a perfect cup of coffee in one step!
***Use a burr grinder.
***Grind a weeks’ worth at a time so the beans stay fresh.
The directions will tell you how to grind your beans for your particular brewer.
The rule of thumb is that the less time the water is in contact with the coffee grind, the finer the grind should be.
COFFEE GRINDING CHART
Some delicious options above for pairing with your coffee!
Takeaway? It's all about THE GRIND
If you want the recipe for the chocolate mousse in the slide show above, say the word!
Ready to science up your coffee?
TRY A FRESH GRIND AT HOME!
How do you make your coffee? Now you’re ready to science up your coffee for the perfect cup!
Drop me a comment below! Unless you want to talk about tea…? For a post all about tea, click here!
Hi Sue,
I had to look up burr grinders on Amazon. I didn’t know anything about them. As a coffee lover, I’ll keep your tips in mind. While in Costa Rica we got to tour a coffee plantation and have freshly ground coffee afterward. I still remember the deliciousness.
I didn’t know about burr grinders, either! The Costa Rica coffee must have been fantastic! What a fun memory.
I enjoy coffee in the morning, but not so much that I grind it myself. I have a few coffee grinders, so I’ll have to see if I can make a great cup of coffee using your tips.
It can be a pain to grind, but I bet you’ll notice the difference if you try. You could do a few days’ worth and see how that goes!
Aha…I never knew coffee goes stale after a week. So the more ground coffee that we get in the shops…is stale? And no good??
Great article by the way x
They claim to vacuum seal it but I notice the difference. Nothing beats a fresh grind! Glad you liked my article!
Ah right. Well we better go buy some coffee beans and a burrr blender. Any beans you would highly recommend? X
I think that’s a matter of taste, as in what types of flavors you like. Some people buy coffee beans because they come from a certain part of the world, ie Costa Rica or Brazil. Connoisseurs value coffee beans the same way as others cherish different types of wines! I prefer light roast coffee, which is less smoky. And light roast actually has more caffeine! (ha) My favorite brand is Peets. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of Peet’s blends, but if I can get it, I like Columbia Luminosa for light roast, Big Bang for their medium, Major Dickason’s for dark roast.
Fabulous insight! We shall experiment – we do like it smoky. Thank you x
Go for dark roasts! Let me know how it goes!
Ah right! Well we shall head our and buy our own coffee beans and a burr grinder. Any recommendations on coffee beans? X
Interesting history! I always wondering why people said cup of joe, but never thought to look it up for some reason. Thanks for the new knowledge!
You’re welcome! I love fun facts.
Excellent article and just my kind of topic!!! Thank you for the grinder suggestion. I will have to get a burr grinder – I do have the baaad chopping one. Have to argue about grinding up a whole week’s worth of coffee beans though… I only grind ONE cup’s worth. If I want another cup, I’ll grind that more. Another tip for the serious coffee drinker is to use a thin-lipped cup to drink out of. Though everybody has their own preference, I suppose.
Thank you, thank you. I wish it wasn’t too late for a cup now!
You’re right of course, but sometimes it’s daunting to grind first thing in the morning.If the beans are in an air-tight container, they do stay fresh for a week. I feel like a cup right now, too. We’ll toast tomorrow morning! And I’ll look for a thin-lipped cup.
I’m a coffee lover so I loved this post and it was so informative! Thanks for sharing and teaching me something new!
Thanks for stopping by! I’m happy you loved my post!
♥♥
Very interesting, I love coffee, and now I want to start grinding but, darn, I just bought a big bag of already – ground coffee at Costco……….I will try when this bag is gone! 🙂
You’ll need to drink it quickly! (What a great excuse for a second cup.) Then rise to that next level. Coffee master!
Very informative and great post. I will try to make a delicious cup of coffee using your tips. Thank for the good suggestions and sharing this post!
Check back in and let me know how it goes! Thanks.
I learned a lot, as always! Thanks for the post!
You’re welcome! I may research the perfect cup of tea next!
I’ve just got a new coffee machine and I told myself I’d learn a bit more about coffee. This is a great starting point 🙂 x
https://www.femaleoriginal.com
NICE! Let me know how it goes.
It’s a great post! Coffee is an essential part of my life. I love the information you have provided.❤️
I love coffee too! I’m happy you liked the post. Thanks.
Wow! I feel like I learned a lot about coffee. We are attempting to make our own cold brew – so it’s great to learn about the grind!!!
I thought about cold brew after I posted! As I’m sure you figured, coarse is best since the coffee is soaking. Here’s to summer and cold brew.
Just my kind of topic… the science behind it. Thank you for easy understanding, I’ve actually never heard of burr grinder before. Thank you for sharing ❤️
I’m happy that you found it easy to understand. Thanks for stopping by!
I’m not a coffee drinker but this is so interesting to read! I don’t know much about it so this was a fun post to scroll through. Thanks for sharing!
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
I’m glad you enjoyed it, especially because you’re not a coffee drinker! Thanks!
I’m not a coffee drinker but this was such an interesting post to read! I don’t know much about the history so it was fun scrolling through this post. Thanks for sharing!
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
Interesting post! I’m not much of a coffee drinker myself, but my girlfriend loves the stuff so will pass on your tips to her!
Sounds great, thanks!
Very interesting! I’m a huge coffee drinker and I’m so fussy about my beans but I skip over the details of the grind sometimes. I need to pay closer attention to what I’m doing! x
Sophie
You’ll notice the difference when you do! Thanks!
I love the passion you have! Unfortunately, I’m a tea person 😬 but I definitely respect the art of coffee
And the art of tea drinking is intriguing, how it’s so steeped (pun!) in culture. A post about tea would be a fun topic. Thanks!
This is such an interesting post! I never have looked at coffee like this before. I love coffee so much but I didn’t realise how many factors go into it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Em x
I love coffee, too! It’s a complicated little bean. Thanks for reading my post!
I really love coffee. I can’t leave without it ahah.
xoxo from France.
Anha
https://www.eikomania.com
Me, too! HA!
I am a coffee lover and found this post fascinating. Thanks for sharing all this info.
I’m happy you stopped by. Thanks!
This is such an interesting post, I always enjoy learning more of the science behind things! It seems like caffeine has tons of health benefits. Thanks for sharing your knowledge! <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
As you could probably tell, I am a caffeine fan!Thanks for stopping by to read!
It is interesting to learn about the chemical reactions that coffee does for our bodies. Portion control is so important so it’s probably not wise to drink 1 gallon of anything per day, unless it is water haha. Thanks for sharing all of these fun facts about coffee!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Excellent point about portion control! Maybe I’ll grab a glass of water right now. ha
Definitely going to look into a coffee grinder!
Love, Amie ❤️
The Curvaceous Vegan
I’m excited. You’ll notice the difference!
Such an interesting post, I really learnt a lot. Thank you for sharing
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks.
Such an informative post! Will look into a coffee grinder. Thanks for sharing!
I’m sure you’ll notice the difference! Thanks!
As both a coffee lover and a science lover this post was super interesting to read! I will definitely use some of these tips from now on!
Glad you found it edifying! Thanks!
Very informative for those that love that cup of coffee! But you’re so right… We all know someone who doesn’t give away any tips!
HA! That is the truth! Recently, a friend’s grandma wouldn’t share her biscotti recipe. I took that as a challenge. My kids and I worked on our own recipe. Many batches later, we have one. Baking is science!
Never thought about the science behind coffee! This is really cool!
Thanks! Science is cool!
I love the semll of coffee, but I’ll be honest – I hate the taste! The only thing coffee related that I actually like is coffee ice cream which I don’t think counts, haha. I never really thought of the sciecne and coffee though – defintiely a unique and interesting post!
Thanks, I’m happy you found it interesting! I love coffee ice cream too, especially with fudge sauce!
I love coffee need to get myself a coffee grinder soon
Definitely!
I’m not much of a coffee drinker myself, but I did just recently make a coffee cake for my mum’s birthday and that was absolutely amazing. My mum is a huge coffee drinker though so I’ll make sure to pass this post on to her, as it seems really useful! I mean it was great learning about the cup of joe thing though, I’ve always wondered where that has come from! Thanks for sharing x
I love coffee cake! Homemade gifts are the best! You’re a great daughter. (I’d love the recipe if you’re willing to share?) It’s funny how we take phrases for granted, like cup of joe. I find it satisfying to learn the stories behind them!
What a fun and interesting read!! I love your style of writing 🤗 I look forward to hearing more about tea for sure! Sarah – Dailyrestored.com
Thank you so much! I have begun my tea research. Our library started curbside pick up this week, thank goodness!
Science and a history lesson in one!
Hitting all the bases!
I love this post! I am a huge coffee fan. I even have a coffee bar in my home. And I am always looking for ways to make the perfect cup. Thanks for sharing this!
Coffee bar! Nice. I’d love to see a picture of it. Thanks for stopping by.
I”m actually not a coffee drinker but oh how I love the smell of a good cup of coffee. Nothing beats it!
I agree! Hm..unless we’re talking about the smell of baked goods! ha
I am a huge coffee fan, I really favour grinding my own beans! Thanks for sharing xx
Violethollow.com
Glad to hear it! I’m raising my virtual cup to your fresh ground beans!
Wow! The science behind everyday’s drink 🙂 Great stuff!
Thanks! Glad you liked it.
Did not know that there was a difference between coffee grinders.
It surprised me, too! It’s exciting though because we can improve our coffee this way. Thanks!
Great post and fun facts too. Now I know what makes the “coffee”. I start the day with a nice cup of coffee. 😉
Thanks. I do the same! In fact, I’m drinking coffee right now.
Wow! So much goes into a cup of good coffee! I’m one of those that spoils the good cup of coffee with lots of cream haha. But it’s so good!
That’s okay, if you like cream, go for it! Thanks for stopping by!
I had no idea about the difference between grinders. I usually buy my coffee already ground, but I am going to try beans! Thanks.
I’m happy that I inspired you! Thanks for stopping by.
All these coffee pictures are making me crave a cup! Thanks for the great info.
You’re welcome! Be sure to let me know how you next cup tastes!