Coffee is something that everyone is familiar with. But how much do you really know about it, other than that you like it? Finding out more about coffee can really improve the coffee you drink, whether you drink coffee every day or not at all. Here are some tips to help you do that.
If you often find yourself needed only one cup of coffee at a time, consider investing in a Keruig coffee maker. This company carries multiple flavors of single-cup brewing solutions. There are several coffee makers with many different features.
Don’t reheat brewed coffee. While this certainly does not let dangerous fumes into the air, as some have claimed, it does have an effect on taste. Certain components will begin to chemically break down shortly after the coffee is brewed. It may develop a taste that is bitter or “off”.
Do not throw away your old coffee grounds. If you have a garden, you can use your coffee grounds as fertilizer for your plants and flowers while keeping the pest away. You can also use old coffee grounds to scrub dirty dishes or clean your kitchen counter instead of using chemicals.
Do not use tap water when you are making coffee unless your faucet is fitted with a device that will filter out all of the impurities. There are many people that have no problem with tap water, but the reality is that tap water that tastes bad will make your coffee taste just as bad.
If you’re working from home, you can use coffee to get out of the house. The majority of coffee shops offer free Wifi. So, simply get your laptop and enjoy drinking coffee and working there. Also, many restaurants have this option as well.
If you really want the freshest coffee with a gourmet taste, avoid pre-packaged coffee that sits on the grocer’s shelves. Purchase your coffee beans directly from the roaster through their website. Most roaster’s will have the coffee on your doorstep in just a couple days. This enables you to enjoy the beans when they are at their most flavorful.
Consider investing in a coffee grinder if you want incredible flavor. Doing so, you will be able to grind your beans as you need them. You will be amazed at the difference between coffee brewed from fresh beans and that made from a canned or bagged grind. You owe it to yourself.
Store coffee beans with care. Fresh beans absorb other flavors and lose their own if they’re exposed to heat and light. Thus, it is important to keep beans in air-tight containers that are opaque.
The best coffee makers actually extract the essence of the bean. Drip coffee makers do not do this. Find an inexpensive French press and taste the difference. A French press will extract the oils from the bean and put them in your cup as opposed to a drip coffee maker which will leave them in the filter.
When you get some coffee beans, put most of them away in an airtight container. Place the container in your freezer if you do not have a cool place to keep it. You should grind small quantities of beans, for instance enough to last you for a week. Experience with different grinding techniques if you want different flavors.
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.
Think about just using coffee to make ice cubes. If you enjoy cold coffee, but do not like how it gets saturated with water from melting ice, then this is an interesting alternative. It lest you avoid diluted beverages, and it stays naturally chilled for a decent period of time.
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.
Try asking your family and friends the types of coffee that they recommend. There are a lot of blends out there that you haven’t tried, but your family and friends may have. Ask them what’s good and what they drink. They may also invite you over to have coffee sometime.
If you do not use your coffee maker often, make sure that you do not leave grounds or brewed coffee sitting in the machine. They will sprout mold within a few days, which can be harmful and difficult to remove. Diluted bleach solutions or white vinegar can remove mustiness and kill mold spores if necessary.
Know your coffee lingo. Knowing the right words can mean the difference between an excellent cup of coffee you enjoy, and the kind of “slop” that is rumored to be served by your mechanic. Know the difference between Arabica and Robusta, and a latte and a cappuccino, and you’ll be able to better decide what you want.
The water used to brew your coffee is an often overlooked ingredient in producing a great tasting cup of coffee. If you have very hard water at your home or bad tasting city water, consider using bottled water to brew your coffee. If you wouldn’t drink the water, you shouldn’t use it to make coffee.
Research a coffee machine before you buy it. You may think that the coffee itself is the most important thing in having a good cup of coffee but that’s like saying that the gas is more important than the car you’re putting it in. A good coffee machine can make a world of difference, so research before buying.
The tips here can assist you in having great coffee. You might think you’re having great coffee, but until you try all of the tips here, you can never be sure. Use this article to help you make great coffee, cup after cup, day after day, and year after delicious year.