You wake up in the morning, and you start the coffee pot brewing. Only thing is, you have settled into a routine in which you hardly enjoy that first refreshing cup. Shake things up a bit! Continue reading to find out how you can enjoy more options when it comes to your fresh brew.
Try adding spices to your coffee grounds to create your own “artisan” flavors. Think about things you would add to chocolate if you are having trouble deciding what to try. Start with simple things like cinnamon and nutmeg. You can also do things like adding a little vanilla abstract to your cup to enrich the flavor of your coffee.
Are you pleased with your drip-machine coffee? If not, try allowing the machine to get warm by just putting water inside. After you have run the machine with water, start it up again with coffee grounds. Also, it’s an excellent method for cleaning the machine.
Brewing your own coffee at home can add up to huge savings when you compare it to the costs of going to a coffee shop every day. Invest in a good no-spill travel mug so that you don’t regret your decision. Use that expensive coffee as a way to treat yourself when you achieve one of your goals.
Once you open a bag of coffee beans, don’t reuse the bag. It is far better to put them inside an air-tight container that keeps out light and moisture. They will stay fresh for awhile this way.
Be sure your water is clean, fresh, and tasty. Your coffee is only as great as the water used to make it. A good way to ensure a good cup of coffee is to try the water before hand.
You should purchase a coffee grinder. This really brings out the flavor of the coffee by leaving the oils intact. Many coffee grinders have variable settings in determining the coarseness of your coffee grinds that you wind up with. If you do not want an additional appliance in your kitchen, try to find coffee makers featuring integrated grinders.
If regular coffee no longer provides you enough caffeine, consider brewing espresso. This does mean you will need a different piece of equipment, as your regular coffee maker likely cannot do it. Espresso machines are typically expensive though, and the intensity of the caffeine levels is too much for some. Try espresso a few times somewhere else before making this commitment for your home.
Good water is just as important as quality coffee when it comes to brewing a great cup. If the water you are using is not very tasty, you cannot expect to end up with a quality cup of Joes. The best coffee is made with spring water or tap water that has been run through a filter.
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.
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.
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.
Avoid using pre-flavored and packaged coffee beans. These beans are sprayed with extra oils that are very difficult to clean out of grinders and coffee machines. That oil stays in the machines and mixes with later batches causing strange-tasting coffee. They also tend to make the coffee smell better than it tastes.
Avoid reheating your coffee at all costs. When you reheat your coffee, it tends to lose a lot of its natural flavors. If you do not plan on drinking your coffee right away, but you want to make sure it stays hot, your best bet is to pour it into an insulated mug.
To cut down on acidic coffee, pull out that salt shaker. You can use just a pinch of salt in your coffee grounds when brewing to curb the acidity of the brew. Be careful not to overdo it. Too much salt will obviously change the overall taste of the brew.
If you have trouble staying awake and have been buying those expensive energy drinks, you should start drinking coffee instead. Each energy drink contains about 100-150 milligrams of caffeine. You can get the same effect from drinking a cup of coffee or two, and you will not have to spend as much money.
When brewing coffee, use fresh, clean water. Since your coffee essentially consists of mostly water, the quality of the water you use will affect the quality of the coffee you drink. Avoid using a water-softening filter for the water you use in your coffee. Super soft water fails to properly extract the coffee oils.
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.
Now are you excited? It’s time to go coffee shopping! No matter what your flavor, and no matter your budget, there are plenty of options available to you. Keep the tips you’ve read here in mind as you hunt down your next fresh brew. You are sure to be delighted.
