Pu’er Coffee

 You bought beans with a great reputation — so why does your coffee taste off when you brew it at home? Don’t blame the beans first. Most likely the problem is in the brewing steps. Drip-bag coffee looks simple — just pour boiling water, right? There’s a lot more to it. Those drips that come out creamy and smooth with bright fruit or nutty notes weren’t made by chance. Here are four of the most common brewing mistakes, each with practical fixes. Follow them and your next drip-bag brew will taste noticeably better. Mistake 1: Judging water temperature by feel? Boiling water kills the flavor Pouring boiling water straight onto the grounds is a common habit. You might think hotter water brings out more flavor, but the result is often bitter, burnt-tasting coffee that feels harsh on the throat. That’s not the beans’ fault — the high temperature is extracting the “bad” compounds. There are two key groups of compounds in coffee grounds: one group contains the aromatic and fruity/aci...

 The moment you open your eyes in the morning, you might not even head to the bathroom first—you head straight to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Sounds familiar, right? But standing in front of your coffee shelf, you might suddenly freeze: pour-over feels ceremonial, instant is super convenient, and drip bags strike a nice balance. But after drinking them long enough, that nagging thought pops up: Which of these is actually the worst for your health? 1. The Three Coffee Brothers — Which One Do You Pick? Let’s meet the “three brothers” of the coffee world: pour-over, instant, and drip bags. Same family, totally different personalities. Pour-over coffee is like the picky eldest brother. You need gear—dripper, kettle, fresh beans. Grind, pour, wait. The aroma is beautiful, the flavor is layered, but the process takes patience. Perfect for slow mornings. Instant coffee is the impulsive middle child. Scoop, hot water, boom—done in 3 seconds. It’s made by extracting and dryin...