Coffee is just so refreshing isn’t it? You may wonder how you can enjoy your coffee differently than you do. Be sure that you haven’t explored every option available to you. Continue reading to find out just how you can spice up that next cup of joe in the morning.
When you are making a coffee pot, wait until the last minute to grind your beans. The longer it stays ground up the less flavor it will have. Never grind all of your beans ahead of time because the coffee will become weaker in taste.
Brewing your own coffee at home can add up to huge savings when you compare it to the costs of going to a coffee shop every day. Invest in a good no-spill travel mug so that you don’t regret your decision. Use that expensive coffee as a way to treat yourself when you achieve one of your goals.
If possible, purchase coffee that has never been exposed to pesticides. Coffee beans are very absorbent and tend to pick things up from the soil. Pesticides will affect the flavor of your coffee. Coffee grown without the use of pesticides has a better taste.
If you like a delicate flavor in your coffee, try adding some right to the pot while it’s brewing. A pinch of cinnamon or a few drops of vanilla will add flavor to the brew. Flavoring your coffee this way will keep the flavor from being too overwhelming, and you won’t need cream or milk.
Avoid storing your coffee in the freezer. The extreme temperatures of the freezer will destroy the oils in the coffee. Instead, drink what you have or buy smaller amounts of coffee. If you do not buy too much coffee, you will not need to worry about storing it for an extended period of time.
Take advantage of any repeat customer program that your local coffee house runs. Even a single-unit independent place might have a punchcard system where you get a free cup of coffee for every five that you buy. Never throw these away, even for places you do not frequent much. They can still add up to free cups of joe over time.
When you buy beans in bulk, you should take extra precautions to keep them fresh. You do not want your beans to suffer from heat and light. Additionally, other foods can contaminate unprotected beans. For that reason, you should store your beans in a non-transluscent, air-tight container.
When brewing your coffee, use bottled or filtered water. Doing so, you will obtain maximum flavor for your brew. However, you do not want to use water that is too soft. The flavor will not be extracted as well. Look for a nice balance. Compare the flavor of your coffee with different brands or types of water.
Although it can be difficult to create drip coffee, you can make it better. One limitation of drip coffee models is that they can take a while to heat up. However, you can remedy this problem with a couple of easy steps. First, run a single pot of water through the machine in order to heat it up. Once this is done, pour the water in for brewing. That’s it. You can save a lot of time and money doing this instead of going to a nearby coffee shop.
When brewing coffee, use fresh, clean water. Since your coffee essentially consists of mostly water, the quality of the water you use will affect the quality of the coffee you drink. Avoid using a water-softening filter for the water you use in your coffee. Super soft water fails to properly extract the coffee oils.
For those of you who prefer a more medium cup of coffee, you should roast your beans for between 9 and 11 minutes but no longer than that. When they come out of the roaster they will look dry, but it produces a much sweeter taste than a mild brew.
If your kids have been bugging you for a sip of your coffee, but you do not feel that it is appropriate for them to have it, consider buying coffee flavored syrup for them to add to milk. This gives you the same great coffee flavor without worrying about caffeine.
Buy new coffee beans every two weeks. Once you open coffee beans, they usually don’t have a set expiration date. You can seal them in airtight containers to keep them fresh longer. You will, however, likely find that the quality of the taste starts to fade a bit after two weeks.
Drip brew coffee with cold water only. Never put hot water in them. In these types of machines, the coffee is brewed as the water gets heated. If you start with hot water, you will probably burn the coffee. Burnt grounds are sometimes a safety hazard and they make horrible coffee.
If you love the great taste of freshly brewed coffee, stay away from the grocery store. The beans you can grind on the coffee aisle say “fresh,” but have been sitting there for quite some time. Instead, go directly to the roaster’s website. Many places will ship your beans within a day or two of roasting, giving you maximum freshness!
Purchase a coffee maker that brews into a thermal carafe or pot. If you are the type of person who likes to nurse your coffee, this allows you to enjoy hot coffee for as long as you want to spend drinking it. This also keeps the coffee tasting good and not losing its flavor.
Now are you excited? Get pumped, and go buy that gourmet blend you’ve been wanting to try. Experiment with different flavors, add some different ingredients to your coffee. Heck, even through it on some ice! Remember what you’ve read here as you jump out of bed tomorrow for that fresh cup of coffee.
