How To Make Espresso Drinks at Home [Starbucks Drinks]

How to Make different Styles of Coffee at Home

America is the land of Coffee Connoisseurs; Almost 150 million people consume 3 cups of Coffee a day. With the advancements in technology, brewing coffee at home with the help of automatic machines has never been more convenient. A drip coffee maker is almost an integral part of every household, office nowadays.

The drip coffee is a trivial appliance to own, and you don’t have to go to the coffee shop for your daily jolt. For an espresso beverage though, many coffee lovers would still go to Starbucks, or the local cafe.

Although we don’t recommend it, we received a few requests for a guide on how to make espresso-like beverages at home, without an espresso machine.

If you can afford it, the way to go is still the espresso machine. Coffee Brewing Methods has a great guide on how to buy a semiautomatic espresso machine.

General Coffee Tips and Precautions

If you are using pre-ground beans it is important to check for the expiry dates as pre grounded beans goes stale very quickly. If you are grinding the whole beans then make sure to read the instructions carefully on the coffee grinder.

Make sure the quality of water is best for your cup.
Experts believe that whole coffee beans are a sure shot way to produce the best flavor; they last on an average of 10 days, sealed packed in an air tight container while the grounded beans only last a few days.
Dark roasted beans always give you the best texture. Freshly roasted-dark beans have more active natural components enhancing the taste and quality.
Burr coffee grinder gives consistency to the coffee grinds. Please grind the coffee beans just before brewing to maintain freshness and taste.
The Bonavita and TechniVorm coffee makers have been approved by SCAA as best home brewer. These makers beat their competitors by having the ability to achieve optimal heating temperature of around 205 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring the maximum extraction from the grinds.
Make sure to clean your coffee maker with lukewarm water and properly dry it before using the next time.

Drip Coffee Machine

The drip coffee maker can be used to get a strong coffee, that can be mixed with milk for your recipe. Here are the basics steps required to make a perfect coffee cup at home with the help of coffee maker.

1) Water

It is very important yet often overlooked fact that coffee is 98% of water. So the quality of water should be a primary concern for the maker. It is best to use filtered water for your cup or for a second choice you can use bottled mineral water. Be sure not to use the tap water, on the harder side. Hard water is not suitable for making the thick creamy texture you look for.

Use the measuring line on the pot, some coffee makers have measuring lines printed on the water reservoir.

Do not forget, you want a strong concentrated coffee, to emulate the espresso shot, so use less water and more grounds.

2) The Filter

Ideally, there should be permanent filter for your coffee machine saving you both time and money. However, if you don’t have it, don’t worry you can always use temporary paper filters in the brew basket.

The most important aspect though is not the money saving, but the extra flavor and body you get by not using a paper filter.

3) Measuring the scoops of coffee

For drip coffee, a general ratio of coffee to water is 2 tablespoon of grounded coffee with 6 ounces of water. But this is only a general guideline; you can always experiment a little bit here and there, to check out which ratio makes the best cup for you.

4) Add 1.5 to 2.5 oz. of milk and 2 table spoon of sugar for one cup

Espresso with a Moka pot

Difference between Espresso and normal drip coffee

The main difference between a cup of espresso and normal drip coffee is the finesse of the coffee grounds and the time requires for brewing. Espresso making requires a very short time as compared to the drip coffee. At the best 15 atmosphere pressure is required to force the water through the coffee grinds and if everything goes well you will get a thick brown, dark and slightly creamy textured espresso into your cup.

Making espresso with the help of Moka pot

Things required

A Moka Pot
Espresso(Finest) ground coffee
An espresso cup
Stove
Water

Step 1

Fill the pot with tap cold water. There are water level markers on the inside of the pot s so make sure to follow them for putting the exact amount of water or you can fill the water up to the relief valve. The water should be kept away from strainer while inserting. This could affect the overall texture and bitter taste.

Step 2

Inserting the strainer assembly

Put the strainer assembly and leveled it up with the base. There is a possibility of filling the assembly first and then inserting. It is just a personal preference.

Step 3

Adding the coffee grounds

Fill the strainer appropriately with espresso grounds. It should be ensured that there are no grounds on the outer rim of the container. The seal should be made perfect or the water will spew out.

Precaution

Avoid packing the espresso down; this could generate too much pressure, resulting in any unwelcomed accident.

Step 4

Assembling the pot

During the assembling procedure make sure that no grounds are left on the outside of the rim. Screw the pot on to the base by using only the pot, do not use the handle. This could result in an early breakage. ( Although replaceable).

Step 5

Placing the Moka pot over the stove

Place the pot over a light flame. The low flame extends the brewing time, enhancing the flavor. This will also give you a slow trickle of the liquid rather than a pressurized fountain, difficult to handle.

Step 6

Add sugar

While the Moka pot brewing your espresso, start adding sugar to your mixing container. Add about one teaspoon of sugar to start with and from there you can adjust according to your taste. After some experience will get to know the exact proportions.

Step 7

Pouring coffee and mixing with sugar

This is one of the simplest yet often mishandled step, it may take some practice to get things perfectly right. As the espresso starts to come out, start removing the pot from the stove and pour some liquid into the mixing container along with added sugar.

On the safer side adding too little always saves you from ruining the best blend. Be conservative. As soon you have some espresso mixed with sugar, start stirring the mixture. The end result should be a liquid just about the consistency of peanut butter. If the mixture appears to be dry keep on adding little amount of espresso at a time until to get the right consistency.

Step 8

Stir vigorously, add remaining espresso and repeat the whole procedure

The end texture depends on various factors such as technique used and the amount of sugar used. However, with little trial and error, you will be able to make the best blend.

Step 9

Serve

The ideal method to serve espresso is in small ceramic cups. But keep in mind that as the cups are small the espresso tends to get cold very quickly. To avoid this, place the ceramic cups in hot water just before serving. This method will keep the espresso hot as the heat is retained by hot cups, giving you adequate time to enjoy your espresso with your friends.

Making latte and cappuccino with Aeropress

Difference between latte and cappuccino

Cappuccino and latte have the same making theme as both have shots of espresso. Cappuccino has 1/3 espresso, 1/3 wet foam, and 1/3 steamed milk. Cappuccino is more like a strong coffee. The milk content is less in cappuccino while latte contains a lot of milk. Both latte and cappuccino can be made with Aeropress method with just adding less milk content to make latte and more for making cappuccino. Below we are discussing the method of making latte with Aeropress method.

Method

The Aeropress was developed by Aerobie Inventor named Alan Adler in 2005. It uses a plunger to make the required pressure just like the previously explained espresso machine.

The Principle of the AeroPress

The working principle of Aeropress is very simple. The coffee grounds and water are saturated and steeped in the brewing chamber. After certain set time, the plunger pushes the brew through a fixed filter and into the latte cup.

Things required