Coffee is something that people from all walks of life have long considered to be a dietary staple. A strong foundation of knowledge when it comes to coffee can help those who love it get even greater enjoyment from drinking their daily cups. The tips that follow below are a great to place to get started building that base.
When you only want to have one cup of coffee, try using a single cup machine. These machines brew just one cup of coffee at a time. You can also choose from a lot of different delicious flavors. There are tons of makers out there that have different features.
If you purchase coffee beans, do not store them in their original packaging if it has been opened. You have to keep the beans in an opaque, airtight container. This lets it stay fresh for longer.
To get the best possible coffee, look for the ones that are made of 100% Arabica beans. These beans are of top quality and will give you the best taste after you are finished brewing. Furthermore, these beans preserve their freshness longer so that you can have great coffee for a very long time.
If you have a hard time finding fresh, roasted beans in your area, then consider roasting fresh beans yourself. The easiest and most fool-proof method is to place green coffee beans on a baking tray and roast them in the oven. Preheat the oven at the highest temperature and roast the beans until you hear them start to crack.
Where the beans originated is a big factor on the taste of coffee. Try out different blends and brews to find different tastes. Price should not influence your decision since you might get more energy from a certain blend and not need to drink as much coffee as you would with a weaker blend.
For the freshest and best-tasting coffee around, buy it directly from the company’s website. Typically, these companies will roast the beans for you and send it out within a few days of doing so. Simply go on the Internet and look on the company’s website to find their “grinding process”.
One way to keep coffee fresh is by buying whole bean coffee and only grinding as much as you plan on drinking at the time. Most coffee loses its flavor because people make more than they plan on drinking. Light, humidity, air, and oxygen can quickly decrease the flavor and aroma of your coffee by damaging its oils.
A good tip to keep in mind when brewing coffee is to rinse off your paper filters before actually brewing your coffee. Rinsing off the paper filter will get rid of any loose paper particles, which will prevent your coffee from tasting funky. All it takes is a few extra seconds.
Many people use bacon soda to keep smells from permeating refrigerators, but used coffee grounds have the same effect. Coffee acts like a natural sponge, and it will absorb any odors it comes in contact with. This is why you should place a small dish of them in your refrigerator to keep odors at bay.
Wait until your coffee is done brewing before pouring a cup. Some machines allow this option, but your coffee quality is going to suffer. Rather, think about getting a machine equipped with a timing mechanism. Then, you can set it up so that coffee is ready for you to drink when you get up in the morning.
Pay attention to the soil the coffee beans were grown in. If you grind your own coffee, beans are important. The soil used to grow the beans you are using can make a huge difference in taste. Do a bit of research if you have particular tastes when it comes to coffee.
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.
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.
You don’t have to waste money on fancy coffees. Unless you’re really picky, it’s unlikely that you’ll notice a great difference between blends of coffee. Often, the plainest coffees will be the ones you enjoy most. There is nothing wrong with buying cheap coffee if it satisfies your coffee needs.
Do not throw away those used coffee grounds once the pot is empty. You can use them to exfoliate your skin. Mix them with a small amount of olive oil and make a scrub for your skin. This will remove any dead skin cells and leave your skin nice and smooth.
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.
Avoid packaged and pre-flavored beans if you enjoy flavored coffee. Oils are sprayed on these beans which make it almost impossible for you to completely and properly clean your grinder and coffee machine. Additionally, the sprays might smell good, but they don’t really flavor the coffee all that well.
If you are using a coffee grinder, chances are that a small amount of previously-ground coffee lingers in the bottom of the grinder. To get rid of this stale coffee, try grinding a few fresh beans, and discard them. Then add the full amount of fresh beans you wish to grind.
It is difficult to find people who do not relish even the occasional cup of coffee. However, the key to getting the most out of drinking coffee is to acquire a thorough knowledge of brewing, selecting and enhancing it. The piece above is a perfect starting point for beginning the process.