Common mistakes while making drip coffee and how to avoid them

Making drip coffee for the first time? Then check out some common mistakes and how you can avoid them. From using the right coffee grind to the correct temperature, everything matters when you are brewing your hot cuppa with love. So, invest the time and the end result will definitely be rewarding. 

Drip coffee mistakes you can totally avoid

If you are heading over to your cosy coffee corners or kitchen  counter tops to make drip coffee, then keep these mistakes in mind so that you can avoid making them. 

Ratio Round-up

While making coffee, the ratio of water and coffee is very important to get the flavour and texture correct. Most of the time, one ends up mixing too much coffee or too little as compared to the amount of water. This results in bad taste. Ideally, the standard ratio is usually 20 g of coffee for 300 mL of water, which would give a standard taste to your coffee. 

Fresh Beans 

The fun of brewing coffee manually lies in not just the process but far too many steps before and after, one of which includes taking care of the coffee beans. When you are making drip coffee, do not use improperly stored beans which are very old or stale. That would alter the taste of the coffee. What you can do instead is store the beans in air-tight containers so that they retain the flavours. Grind the beans right before you make the coffee and avoid using pre-ground. For roasted beans, anywhere between 2-4 weeks works for the best flavours. 

Water gone wrong 

Water quality matters a lot while making drip coffee. Incorrect temperature or water infusions with other minerals can make your coffee taste differently from what you would have desired. To prevent that, use water that does not have any chlorine infusion and keep the brewing temperature anywhere between 90-96 degrees centigrade. 

Clean Equipments

Make sure you regularly clean your coffee making equipments. In fact, at least once a week they should be deep cleaned so that there are no traces of coffee or other items in the equipment. Uncleaned equipments are not only unhygienic but also change the taste of the coffee. 

Size Matters 

Not every grind size works well for drip coffee. Moreover, depending on which equipment you use to make your drip coffee, the size might differ. For a drip machine, the coffee bean grinds must be medium , like that of a table salt. If you are using pour-over medium then use medium-fine like sand. 

Timing is truth
The time of pouring is very crucial for the perfect taste. Puring it too fast or too late both can mess up the coffee. Ideally keep the brew for 2.5 to 4 minutes. If you are not very consistent with timings, then use a timer to help you with the process.

Good quality filters 

The filter plays an essential role in making the drip coffee. Use very good quality filters and avoid using ones that have been around for a long time. For paper filters, rinse them with hot water before using them. That removes the paper-like taste that comes with it. 

Consistent Brew

A consistent mistake that people make while making drip coffee is brewing it differently every time. This changes the way the coffee tastes. To combat this, you can either follow the instructions to the T to prepare the coffee or adhere to consistency in coffee grinds, temperature, ratio, and brew time. 

Don't let it rest! 

In culinary terms, you might have often heard that dishes need to rest after it is made. Coffee, on the other hand needs no resting after it is made. The sooner you drink it, the better you can savour its taste. The longer you leave it untouched, the more bitterness seeps in. In case you are not able to drink it immediately, then prepare it and pour it into a thermal flask so that the heat is sealed.

Tasting while preparing is true! 

If you keep hearing that there is no harm in tasting while you prepare a dish, that is absolutely true. Even if you have made all the settings correct, taste in each step to make sure that you are on the right track. 

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