Coffee for Beginners

a definitive guide to making, and enjoying, a good cup of coffee

Preparing a cup of coffee doesn’t have to be difficult, and in fact, there are a number of simple preparations. Easy peasy. But, I’ve been brewing java for over fifty years, so of course I think it’s a simple process.

I forget about the fact that I’ve acquired knowledge and specific tastes over the years. And there is so much diversity, between the types of coffee, the strength of the brew, the method of the brew…it can be overwhelming.

So, if you’re just tippy-toeing into the coffee-drinking world, this simple yet thorough guide was created for you. Think of it as Coffee for Beginners, the Definitive Guide.

The goal of this guide is two-fold. First, to provide a little bit of history and helpful information. I think it helps to know some of the why of what you’re doing. And second, to guide you through the process of making a cup of good coffee in a way that is helpful, not too full of java jargon, and thorough without going down the road of TMI.

If you happen to click on a link and then make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Origins of coffee

THE LEGEND: It's kind of fun to check out the legend behind the practice, so let's begin with  popular coffee lore about the origins of coffee. Because, why not?

It seems that a goat herder named Kaldi found his goats frolicking and full of energy after eating a particular red fruit. So, Kaldi decided to try some for himself, and lo and behold, he also abounded with energy. This was witnessed by a monk who decided to try this fruit, along with his monk friends. Yep, you guessed it. This red fruit kept them awake and alert at night.

This was due to the caffeine content in the coffee, which was, of course, the mystery 'red fruit'.

THE HISTORY: Before it is processed, coffee looks like a cherry type of fruit, with the bean being at the center. In the early days, the fruit was mixed with animal fat to create a type of snack bar.

The fermented pulp was used to make a wine-like drink at one point, and around 1000 A.D. another drink was prepared using the whole coffee fruit - beans, hull, and all.

The actual roasting of the coffee bean began in the 13th century, and that evolved into the process we use to make coffee today.

THE NAME: Another question that many ask is, how did coffee get it's name? It's theorized that the term is rooted in the Ethiopian word for coffee bean, or bunna. That word morphed into the Arabic phrase Gahhwat al-Bun, which means wine of the bean. 

This phrase was then Gahwa/Kahway/Qahwa, then to the Turkish word Kahve. The Italians changed it to caffe and then, finally, it became the English term, coffee.

So here we are today with our guide, Coffee for Beginners - the Definitive Guide. This beverage has traveled a long way!

Caffeine or decaf?

Compare that to decaffeinated coffee, where it would take 5 to 10 cups of decaf to ingest the same amount of caffeine in 1 or 2 cups of regular coffee.

When might it be a wise decision to opt for decaf coffee? 

If you are pregnant, or suffer from:

Ultimately, it is up to you and your physician to determine if caffeine intake will affect your health. I'm a healthy person and generally make life choices in moderation, so I take care to keep my coffee consumption to 3 (kinda large) cups per day, and always go for the caffeine!

Quality counts with coffee

All coffee is NOT created alike, and as you acquire a taste for your perfect cup of java, you'll find that you prefer a certain type of roast, or brand, or method. Let's look at some of the details...

One important fact to remember is that coffee is a perishable food, and as such will have a 'best by' or 'use by' date. It doesn't last forever, friends.

Good thing to remember #2: Choosing whole bean coffee over pre-ground will make a significant difference in the taste and overall coffee experience. When coffee is pre-ground it will go stale quicker. Grinding your own brew doesn't take long and the results are so worth the effort.

And, I've come to really enjoy the process of brewing my coffee using freshly ground beans. It's a bit of a 'thing' for me to make the coffee. 

Finally, you might want to see if there are local coffee roasters (check coffee shops and smaller markets) and what they have to offer. Usually, they love to tell you about their roast, answer questions, and help you make a tasty cup of java.

Get to know your beans

Fresh, whole beans, please

Understand the roast

Generally, there are three types of coffee roasts: light, medium, and dark.

LIGHT ROAST: A light roast is usually lighter in color and milder in taste. You won't find oil on the surface because the beans have not been roasted long enough for the oils to break through to the surface. 

MEDIUM ROAST: A stronger taste, medium brown color, and non-oily surface characterize a medium coffee roast. Many times it is referred to as American roast because it's generally preferred in the U.S.

DARK ROAST: Dark roasted beans are roasted long enough to develop their oils and bring them to the surface, so the body of the coffee will be thicker. The flavors are bolder and straight-forward.

My suggestion? If you are a true coffee novice, it doesn't mean that you only will want to try a light roast coffee. Brew some of each type of roast and see what you palette prefers.

My palette prefers a strong, bold coffee brew that is also smooth. So when I search for coffee, that is my goal. At the top of my java list right now is Peet's - Major Dickason's blend. It ticks all the boxes for me.

Invest in some coffee gear

The goal of Coffee for Beginners, the Definitive Guide, is to keep things simple for a coffee novice. So I'm not going to regale you with every type, size, method, and cost of coffee brewing equipment (or, as the really cool people say, gear) because I think it's overwhelming at this point.

Instead, I'm suggesting three coffee brewing methods:

Standard coffee maker

Ah, the coffee maker. The staple of many a kitchen for years. It's simple, easy to operate (coffee+filter, water, flip the switch), and can be oh-so-budget friendly.

You can spend anywhere from about $25 to hundreds of dollars. At the high end, your coffee maker will do just about everything except put the brewed coffee to your lips.

As a coffee novice, and one who might not want to invest hundreds of dollars into the gear, here is a highly rated coffee maker that will fit nicely into the 'coffee for beginners' category:

With almost 10,000 customer reviews and a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars as of this writing, this Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer will serve up a single cup, ready for dashing out the door (or sipping on it at home), or up to 12 cups of coffee.

It's well-priced and proven.

If a smaller, compact unit is what you're considering, here are the best 4-cup coffee makers as rated right here at The Coffee Files.

My suggestion? If you are "drinking alone", use the single cup option. If you make several cups of coffee and let it sit in the pot for hours, it's gross. Just sayin'.

Standard single cup coffee maker

I've been a single cup coffee maker girl for almost a decade. They're convenient as you can get, quick, many models don't take up a lot of space, and in general, they product a tasty cup of coffee.

So, I felt that this option needed to be included in the Coffee for Beginners guide. A single cupper will give you a nice and easy option for trying a number of different blends and strengths of coffee in a budget-friendly way.

My advice is to stay with a proven, highly rated name brand. I've gone down the other road of the inexpensive yet unknown model, as well as the name brands, so I have experience with both.

What's the #1 recommendation from me? Hands down, it's this one:

The Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker is rated 4.4 out of 5 by almost 21,000 customers as of this writing. That is a LOT of satisfied folks. My experience was definitely positive with Keurig, and in fact, I have one of these little machines sitting on my coffee bar right now. Easy to use, easy to keep clean, and you can find Keurig coffee pods in just about any brand. 

Yes, the coffee is already ground when put into the pod. The process for roasting and grinding coffee for K-Cups is very different than the ground coffee you'd purchase at the store. And that's how a really tasty cup of coffee can be achieved.

If you'll regularly make one cup of coffee at a time, and are inclined to go with simplicity and efficiency, a single cup coffee maker just makes sense!

A couple of comments about the Keurig coffee pods. You can recycle the cups. Depending on your location and the brand of coffee purchased, there might be a pull-off tab that makes it really simple to discard the little filter and recycle the cup. By the end of 2020 Keurig hopes to produce all of their K-cups this way.

In the meantime, you can purchase this handy little gadget that easily removes the top of the K-cup.

I created a quick how-to video a while back, if you want to take a look:

Pour Over method

This simple  brewing method produces a clean cup of coffee that you can really taste. No packaging, no coffee maker mechanics... just you, the beans, the filter, and the cup.

Here is a very simple step-by-step (you can learn much more about pour over coffee and watch my video here):

• Generally, you'll use two tablespoons of coffee per 6 ounces of water, more or less to suit your preferences. The typical coffee scoop holds two tablespoons. For me, two scoops gives me the strength I want.
• Grind just enough for this cup of coffee
• Place a cone filter (usually #2 unless your pour over is larger) in the ceramic cone, and put the ground coffee in the cone
• Place the ceramic cone over your coffee cup
• Heat your water (your preferred amount of 6, 8, 10, or however many ounces you want) to 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• When the water is ready, pour just enough water in to cover the grounds. Then...wait about 30 seconds. The coffee will 'bloom' and give you a tastier experience. The aroma is amazing!
• Then, pour about half of the water slowly into the cone, starting around the edges and working your way in...and let it drip through to the cup. Be patient and give it a minute...this is where the magic happens.
• Slowly pour the rest of the water into the cone and let it drip through to the cup

Using the pour over method does't have to cost a lot of money. I've put together some examples of the tools you'll need to efficiently prepare a single cup of pour over coffee.

If you don't want to mess with filters there are a lot of options using a reusable filter cone pour over.

Try a few methods

There are a number of nifty coffee making methods, and they deserve a mention in this Coffee for Beginners Definitive Guide!

We've already seen the affordability and efficiency of a standard coffee maker, a single cup coffee maker, and the pour over coffee method. 

A french press produces an interesting, full-bodied cup of coffee. It's a little bit of a process, but still very simple and quite fun. All you need is the french press, ground coffee, hot water, and a timer. Want the details? Here's a simple tutorial for preparing a tasty cup of french press coffee.

A stove top percolator may bring back some nostalgic memories, maybe even sitting around the campfire with the percolator on the gas stove. In any event, it's yet another method for brewing a cup of coffee at home. If you enjoy a retro feel to your experiences, percolating your coffee on the stove is a method to consider.

Take notes and learn what you prefer

The same goes for the brand and strength of the coffee you try. Trust me, my friend. If you don't make a note of what you enjoyed, why you enjoyed it, or why you didn't care for it, they're all going to become one big caffeinated blur.

Allow your palette some time to create preferences, enjoy the process of making the coffee, and most of all, take a few minutes (or more) to savor the java.

Then, before you know it, you'll be brewing coffee like a pro!