Coffee has gotten a bad rap in the last decade, but that hasn’t stopped millions of people from flocking to overpriced coffee shops. And, there’s nothing wrong with that. However, people should know more about the coffee they drink than they currently do. The article below has the information you need to become the coffee aficionado you long to be.
An airtight container is the best place to keep coffee. If your coffee is not properly stored then it will lose its taste. Coffee bags with valves do not remain airtight once the seal has been broken. This valve is to allow heat and steam to escape after the roasting process.
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.
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.
Take advantage of any repeat customer program that your local coffee house runs. Even a single-unit independent place might have a punchcard system where you get a free cup of coffee for every five that you buy. Never throw these away, even for places you do not frequent much. They can still add up to free cups of joe over time.
Protect the beans if you want to buy coffee in bulk. You do not want your beans to suffer from heat and light. Additionally, other foods can contaminate unprotected beans. That is why you should keep beans in a dark, air-tight container.
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.
Keep your coffee in the refrigerator. The best coffee is fresh tasting coffee and keeping it cold is a great way to preserve the freshness of it. Simply store the coffee in the container you buy it in and put it in the fridge. This will ensure the freshest coffee.
When adding syrup to your coffee, add it to hot coffee before you add anything else. After pouring a cup of hot coffee, add the syrup before adding other items like cream or milk. The heat from the coffee helps the syrup dissolve quicker. This helps boost the overall flavor and smell of your coffee.
When making coffee use fresh cold water. Never put hot water in them. The brewer will heat the water for you during the brewing process. If you brew coffee with hot water, your coffee grounds will get burnt. The result is bad tasting coffee, and a safety hazard to boot.
Keep track of how much coffee you drink. Drinking coffee is a great way to get some energy and black coffee can help you keep your weight under control but drinking too much coffee can make you feel stressed and cause you to get a bad complexion. Avoid drinking more than three cups of coffee throughout your day.
Try not to drink coffee after 3 pm. Unfortunately, the caffeine can be detrimental to your sleep plans. Avoid drinking coffee past 3 in the afternoon.
Salt may be useful if you find your coffee is too acidic. Just be sure not to add too much salt, though. A simple pinch will do the trick for you. You can even try sea salt, and you will have a balanced, natural flavor with trace minerals.
Never get caught up in a coffee shop debate about whether or not baristas are tipped enough or should get tipped at all. Both sides are passionate about their arguments, and when everyone has a cup of coffee in their hands, a tense conversation can get anxious pretty quickly and out of hand.
Use filtered, cold water for brewing coffee. This helps reduce mineral build up and wear on your coffee maker. More importantly, filtered water makes a better cup of coffee. If you think about it, coffee is just flavored water, so the better the water is, the better the coffee will taste!
The amount of time you spend making your coffee will have a great bearing on the taste of it. Four to five minutes is the ideal time for the best tasting coffee. Coffee that brews for a lesser time is bound to be weak, while coffee brewed for more time is likely to be bitter.
If you enjoy going to coffee shops, you should ask about membership cards and rewards. Most coffee shops have a reward system for their customers. You could save a lot of money by joining a rewards program for your favorite coffee shop, especially if you always go to the same franchise.
While a hot cup of coffee tastes great when the weather is cold, it is not so tempting in warm weather. This is a great time to switch to iced coffee. You can make iced coffee easily by making your coffee stronger to account for the ice that will melt a little and water the coffee down.
Rinse filters before you use them for coffee. Many people just put their filters into their machines without realizing there can be some stray fibers of paper. Rinse the filter quickly and you will ensure that those fibers don’t give you the taste of paper in your morning coffee cup.
Now that all that is said and done, you are closer to being an expert on coffee. Continue researching the wonderful world of coffee, and it won’t cease to reward you. The wonderful aroma and taste of the perfect coffee will continue to please you for the rest of your life.
