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.
For those individuals who do not want to consume caffeinated drinks, but love the flavor of coffee, they can enjoy decaffeinated coffee. Some people do not have a problem with a little caffeine, and half-caffeine coffee is a good choice for them. There is no appreciable difference in the flavor between full and half-caffeine coffee.
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.
Protect the beans if you want to buy coffee in bulk. Coffee beans can absorb flavors from other foods, and their flavor is diminished if they are exposed to heat or light. That’s why you must store beans in an opaque, airtight container.
Store your beans and coffee grinds properly. Whole beans and ground beans both lose their flavor rather quickly. To prevent this, get them into a container that is airtight, and place the container in a dry and cool area. For extended storage, you could even freeze the beans for up to three months.
Avoid purchasing beans that come in cans or in vacuum-sealed bags. Coffee beans need to be protected by valve-sealed bags to remain fresh. Besides, valve-sealed bags allow the carbon dioxide that emanates from the beans to escape, which means the beans will retain all their flavor and stay fresh longer.
If you really want to try your hand at making a great cup of fresh roasted coffee, try roasting the beans yourself. There are a variety of ways to roast your own beans if you have access to green coffee. You can even put them on a cookie sheet in your oven to roast them yourself.
When you are storing coffee, try not to store it in containers that are made out of glass. While there may seem to be airtight, the reality is that they are not, and a lot of air will be able to reach the coffee. This will negatively affect the taste.
While you may find yourself anxious in the early morning, don’t pour a cup of joe before it is finished brewing. While some machines have features to do this, your coffee’s quality will suffer. If you can’t wait for your first cup, buy a coffee maker with a timer. These coffee makers will start brewing your coffee before you wake up.
The amount of time that you brew your coffee is very important. Around 4 or 5- is all it should take. If you brew for longer than five minutes, the coffee ends up tasting bitter. If you brew for less than four minutes, usually you end up with a weak and flavorless brew.
The best tasting coffee comes from the best water. If the water from your tap tastes awful before you make your brew, it is still going to be unpleasant after making your brew. Use bottled water if you have to or purchase a simple filtering system to improve the taste of your water.
For the best tasting coffee, use fresh beans that are between three days old and ten days old. Younger beans have not had sufficient time to mature and the taste can reflect this. Older beans are already going stale and losing the maximum flavor they had during their peak time.
Do you want sweet coffee without the sugar? Use milk instead of sugar with your coffee. It has a taste that is sweet and you won’t have to use creamer. It is healthier to use warm milk instead of sugar and cream.
Try a new variety or blend of coffee every week. This can be a great idea for a lot of reasons. You can try new tastes of course, and that helps you avoid getting bored with one flavor, but there is also an opportunity for you to buy a new favorite.
Most coffee drinkers prefer a mild cup of coffee over any other strength. Roast your beans for around 7 minutes, or until they double in size and pop. This will make you a wonderfully mild and smooth cup of coffee. This is perfect for iced coffees and other coffee drinks.
The size of your coffee grounds has a lot to do with the way your coffee tastes. A finer coffee grind will mean that more surface area of the bean is exposed to water while a coarser grind will mean less. No matter which grind you prefer, an even grind particle size is very important for a great cup of coffee.
Ask your favorite coffee shop how they make the coffee. This will of course give you some great ideas about brewing your own coffee, but make sure that you ask good questions. Ask about technique, but also ask where the coffee comes from and how it is grown and harvested. You want to make sure you’re having the best coffee, after all!
Even if your coffee pot has a “pause and serves” type feature, avoid using it. Let the coffee brew completely before pouring yourself a cup. When you use this feature, the coffee pot needs to wait and let the water heat to the proper temperature before it can start dripping again.
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.
