You might be one of those people who drink coffee daily. Millions do. However, you might not think there is anything else to know about the topic. After all, you mix the beans and the water and that’s it, right? Wrong! There are a lot of things you can learn that can improve your coffee. Here are just a few tips.
Do not leave your coffee open any longer than necessary. While preparing your coffee, don’t open the can or bag until you are ready to scoop. Immediately after scooping, close the coffee container. This will keep your coffee fresher longer. It also keeps the flavor and aroma from evaporating in the air.
Buy whole coffee beans and grind the coffee yourself. Coffee that is freshly ground is much more flavorful and aromatic than pre-ground coffee. Each day, only grind the amount of coffee that you need for that day. If you have any extra, place the leftover grinds in an airtight container in the fridge.
Remember that coffee is a very absorbent food. So, proper storage is essential. Keep your unused coffee in a place that is dry and cool where it is protected from both sunlight and heat. However, do not store it in your fridge or freezer. Also make sure the container is opaque and air-tight, to prevent coffee from absorbing flavor and aromas from other foods.
If regular coffee no longer provides you enough caffeine, consider brewing espresso. This does mean you will need a different piece of equipment, as your regular coffee maker likely cannot do it. Espresso machines are typically expensive though, and the intensity of the caffeine levels is too much for some. Try espresso a few times somewhere else before making this commitment for your home.
There is a lot of different choices in coffee makers. Most people have the standard drip brew machine that makes about 12 cups at a time. Some of the latest models of coffee makers use individual pods, and make only one cup. These machines work very fast, and are great for people in a hurry.
Do not buy purchase coffee that has packaged beans and is pre-flavored. These coffees are made using oil that is hard to clean out of a coffee pot. They will also affect future pots of coffee that you make, giving each subsequent cup a funny taste. Furthermore, the flavors these coffees are made with tend not to taste good anyway.
To lower your caffeine consumption, you don’t need to just quit. Grind up half decaf and half regular beans to make your own blend. If you’re going to use coffee that is already grounded, simply put both in the coffee maker.
Are you looking for an original gift for one of your friends who loves coffee? You should get them a gift basket filled with different blends of coffee. This will be an opportunity for your friend to enjoy quality coffee while discovering new flavors. You should even get a gift basket for yourself if you want to discover some new blends.
Avoid buying coffee beans from bins where several of the beans are visibly broken. Chances are these beans are either old and dry or have been exposed to heat or light. All of these conditions allow the rich flavor of fresh beans to seap out. A bin full of fresh beans should also have a very strong aroma.
When trying a new coffee, do not get a full-size bag of beans or ground coffee. Start small, no matter how much you think you will enjoy the new flavor. That will help you avoid having coffee around that you don’t drink because you bought it too hastily and don’t like it!
Don’t be afraid to spice up your coffee grounds. You can add lots of different things to develop different flavors, like allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices. If you’re afraid of adding too much, you could even add a pinch after the brewing cycle instead. You’ll be surprised at the flavor combinations you can create!
If you are grinding your own coffee, the medium grind is preferable for regular purposes. It works great for the home drip brewer. It should be around the consistency of common table salt when you are done. Practice with your own machine until you learn what produces flavors you prefer.
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.
If you are a regular coffee drinker, and it is an important part of your day, consider expanding your knowledge and learning more about how to brew a better cup. Look for freshly roasted beans, available in most supermarkets these days, in the specialty coffee aisle. Grind the whole beans yourself at the store, then consume them within a few days, in order to get the best flavors.
Make it a habit to only grind enough coffee for your immediate use. When you grind a whole bag of coffee, you are speeding up the flavor shelf life. Those grounds will lose flavor within a couple of days, where the fresh beans would have held out a little longer.
These are just a few of the tips can help you find out more about coffee, and in turn help you make a more fantastic cup of coffee. Apply the tips to your own coffee practices, and you will start tasting the difference and you are going to love it!
