Nothing beats a good cup of coffee, whether in the morning or at night. But, did you know that there are certain things you should and should not to do to make the perfect cup of joe? In this article, you will learn what it takes to be make the best coffee around.
After purchasing coffee beans, wait until you’re ready to brew a pot of coffee before you grind them. When you grind beforehand, the coffee loses its flavor. Don’t make it a habit of grinding beans ahead of time, or you’ll be serving up some weak coffee.
Though freezing items can allow them to last longer, remember that coffee stored in the freezer ought to be left there for no longer than 90 days. Going beyond that time frame means the coffee will likely start to spoil.
In order to boost the flavor of your coffee, think about using a French press. This press will squeeze out more oil from the beans into the cup. This avoids the common problem of paper filters absorbing all the oils that standard coffee makers use.
If you are planning to store coffee beans, keep them in a place that is close to room temperature. This will help to extend the longevity of the beans, so that no flavor is lost providing great-tasting coffee for a very long time. Storing coffee beans in temperatures too hot or cold can cause them to go stale faster.
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.
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.
Try using coffee when cooking meats. When you think of coffee in foods, you typically think of a flavor that is rather strong. In desserts, that’s definitely true. But when you use coffee as a rub for red meat, it actually brings out the flavor of the meat itself, making for a much tastier meal.
To control the strength of your coffee, watch the size of your grind. In this case, coffee is a lot like garlic. The tinier you dice (or grind) it, the more potent the flavor you’ll get when cooking or brewing. If you are looking for a milder flavor, then keep your grind rather large.
Add a bit of chocolate to your morning coffee, if you have become bored with drinking the same old coffee day in and day out. You will get a nice energy boost and add a delicious flavor. One of the best ways to increase energy is to use a dark chocolate coffee in your morning brew.
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.
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.
Do you add artificial sweetener to your coffee? Some artificial sweeteners can actually bog down the flavor of coffee with chemicals. You can try drinking black coffee, or just add a little bit of raw sugar to give it a better flavor. If you absolutely must use sweetener, try just using a half packet.
If you prefer a strong cup of coffee than you should roast your beans from 12 to 14 minutes. The bean sugar caramelizes, giving the beans a slightly oily appearance when taken out of the roaster. This will give your coffee almost a smokey taste, perfect for espressos or those who just love a strong cup of joe.
To gauge which roasts are right for your taste preferences, pay close attention to the color of the beans. Typically, the darker a bean is roasted the stronger its brewed taste will be. French roasted beans are dark but Italian roasted beans by far produce the darkest and strongest coffee.
If your kids have been bugging you for a sip of your coffee, but you do not feel that it is appropriate for them to have it, consider buying coffee flavored syrup for them to add to milk. This gives you the same great coffee flavor without worrying about caffeine.
In conclusion, there isn’t a better feeling in the world than drinking that perfect cup of coffee, just as long as you are making it properly. The above article gave you tips to help ensure you will always be making the best coffee you can. Use them for coffee bliss!
