How To Make The Perfect Coffee

How to make the perfect coffee

Instant coffee takes the hard work out of creating your brew, but there are still a number of considerations you’ll need to bear in mind to make it your perfect cup of coffee. Make sure that you always use fresh coffee, this is because after roasting, coffee beans start to slowly lose their flavour.

Freshly ground coffee will stay fresh for about 4-5 weeks if kept in an air tight container. So, when getting ready to make the perfect coffee at home, make sure to keep your grounds airtight.

Find your perfect coffee blend

The coffee blend you choose is at the core of your coffee as the overarching notes and flavours can taste widely different. We know that everyone has their own preference when it comes to their brew, so we’ve created a diverse range of instant coffees with their own unique flavour profiles. For those that like no fuss, quality coffee, our NESCAFÉ Original blend is a firm favourite, alternatively if you’d rather coffee that hails from a specific region, discover our premium NESCAFÉ GOLD Origins range.

Before you find out how to make the perfect coffee, it’s up to you to find out which blend you like!

The matter of the water

Water makes a huge different to a cup of coffee and a common mistake a lot of people make when trying to make the perfect cup of coffee is that they don’t use fresh water. Did you know that each time you boil water, oxygen escapes and the taste changes? So, consider that water that’s been sitting in your kettle, constantly being re-boiled throughout the day. Each time you’re re-boiling it, you’re actually completely changing the taste!

Soft water vs hard water

Interestingly, soft water tastes much better than hard water, so if you live in a hard water area you may want to filter the water first to remove the excess minerals.

Only boil as much as you need

Be sure to only boil as much water as you need to. As mentioned earlier, re-boiled water is no good for making the best coffee, therefore you’d just be wasting the rest of it and unnecessarily upping your electricity bill.

The perfect water temperature

Knowing how to make the perfect coffee includes knowing the perfect water temperature too. We recommend using water at 80ºC, not boiling. It’s better for the flavour, and it saves energy, too.

One or two teaspoons or coffee?

How much coffee you use for your perfect cup of coffee will depend on your unique preferences. If you prefer the coffee taste to be a little less strong, use one teaspoon. Alternatively, if you really want to taste the full-bodied flavour of your brew, go for two teaspoons. Bear in mind that teaspoons come in a wealth of different sizes, so the amount of spoonful’s you add may differ!

Choose your cup carefully

Where to some a cup may simply be a cup, it does actually make a world of difference to your perfect cup of coffee. Choosing the right cup for your coffee is all part of the process in knowing how to make the perfect coffee. There’s a huge variety of coffee cup shapes and sizes, from the standard mug and wide cappuccino cup, to the tall latte glass which not only affect the amount of coffee you can make, but will also alter how much water and milk you’ll want to add. Not to mention they all feel completely different to drink out of. Your best cup of coffee isn’t going to feel absolutely perfect if you’re trying to drink out of a thick-walled mug when you prefer delicate, bone china.

Milk and sugar?

Adding milk and or sugar to coffee is an age-old debate. Some claim that is ruins the taste whereas others can’t bear to drink it without it. But, the amount of milk and sugar you add is completely up to you.

Of course, there’s also the consideration of what milk to add as there’s a huge selection, including whole, skimmed, semi-skimmed and dairy-free alternatives such as oat, hazelnut, soya and even coconut! Plus, if you’ve got a sweet tooth you’ll need to decide if your perfect coffee is best flavoured with sweeteners, brown sugar, white sugar or maybe even syrup. Take a look at Coffee Flavour guide here.

Our range of instant coffees can be served both with or without milk, so you can personalise to your preference. We also have a dairy alternative range for those not wanting to add cow’s milk to their coffee.

Now you know how to make the perfect coffee – instantly, why not be a little more adventurous with your next coffee break? Read our guides on a latte, cappuccino or even a mocha, next!