Among life’s simplest, yet most enduring pleasures is a cup of hot coffee. Sadly, not enough coffee drinkers have a great deal of knowledge about their favorite drink, and therefore many miss out on some of its best attributes. Review the tips and information in the article below regularly, and you will always be armed with interesting and useful facts about coffee that you can share with others.
If you want great coffee at home you have a couple choices. You can invest in either an espresso machine, or one of the new single serve coffee makers. The espresso machine will require a bit of a learning curve as you learn to properly brew espresso and steam milk, but can be a great way to impress your friends.
Take note of the water you’re using to brew your coffee. Using bad water will lead to a poor pot of coffee. It is suggested that you use water with minerals. If not, the coffee could seem bitter.
You can choose from a variety of coffee types. Not everyone likes the same type of coffee, and most find that there is a wide variety of blends and flavors to choose from. Some like mild tastes, while others prefer the robust ones. You can also get flavored coffees such as hazelnut or raspberry. Most folks though just use creamer for added flavor instead of brewing flavored coffee.
Fresh coffee beans taste better than anything you can buy in stores. Did you know you could roast your own beans and enjoy fresh coffee every day? You can easily roast your own beans by placing them in your oven or using a heat gun. Buy some cheap beans to practice.
If you are living alone, or are the only one in your family who drinks coffee, consider purchasing a single-serve coffee maker. Companies such as Keurig have created coffee makers that use a coffee pod, a single serving of coffee grounds in a small container that fits inside the machine. This type of coffee maker is also useful if you like to drink a different flavor of coffee each day.
If you want to keep the best coffee in bulk, keep the beans fresh. Fresh beans absorb other flavors and lose flavor when you expose them to heat or light. Use an opaque canister that does not allow any air inside, for long-lasting freshness.
Don’t throw away your old coffee grounds. They can serve a wide variety of useful purposes in your home. They can help clean your dishes and get rid of backyard pests. In addition, they can be used as compost in your garden. Finally, they even have some beauty uses! It’s amazing what these old coffee grounds can do.
If you are in the market for a new coffee grinder, check out models with either conical or flat burrs for grinding. The reason for this is that the heat generated will be less. This helps your coffee taste much better. A grinder with a blade isn’t that consistent. This is way too hot and it might burn your coffee.
If you are used to an independent coffee house, then be careful when ordering in Starbucks. They have a very different language for their products, as part of their distinct branding. The Caramel Macchiato you love back home is not going to taste at all the same in a Starbucks while on the road.
To get the broadest exposure to different coffee types, consider participating in a tasting. This is a low-cost way for you to try a wide variety of beans. Tastings also give you the opportunity to see how each bean is best brewed. Do not be afraid to ask your barista for other recommendations based on what you like or dislike.
For great coffee at home, it is essential to make sure your coffee maker has been thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis. By running hot water cycles every so often and using a bit of lemon juice routinely to remove deposits, it is possible to have a fresh, tasty pot of coffee every single time.
If you tend to eat cookies with your coffee in the morning or night, try dipping one into the other. Cookies taste great when combined with coffee, and can give you the injection of flavor that you desire. Make sure that when you dip, you have a napkin or towel nearby to avoid a mess.
Always drink coffee out of a mug that is designed for hot items. Never pour coffee into glass, as this can possibly break your glass and leave you with stains that you do not want. A mug is probably the best option that you can choose when deciding where you want to drink your coffee out of.
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.
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.
Be sure to clean your coffee machine. Many people just keep making coffee over and over again, but you have got to make sure you clean it regularly. Run a mixture of vinegar and water through your machine to naturally clean the machine instead of using chemicals. When you do this, you can be assured you have the most delicious coffee you can have.
Coffee is something that an amazingly large percentage of the world’s population has loved for centuries. Unfortunately, a general lack of information about coffee can result in many drinkers losing out on a truly optimal coffee experience. Apply the guidance above, and you will never need to worry about falling into that category.
