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Monday, April 1, 2013

Everything Coffee: Tips, Advice And Information

By Lin Merton


It is indeed difficult to find many people who do not enjoy a steaming cup of coffee, at least every now and then. In order to have the very best experience while drinking coffee, it is important to know a fair amount about the subject. The tips and advice in the piece that follows are a great way to get started.

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.

If you like to grind your own coffee, try adding a few nuts to the grinder along with the beans. Many people enjoy the interesting flavor nuts provide to a cup of coffee. Some great nuts to try include: almonds, hazelnuts and macadamia nuts. You can even experiment with nutty combinations!

A great tip for people who brew their own coffee is to make sure you brew your coffee between 4 and 5 minutes. Anything less and your coffee will be too weak and anything more will result in bitter tasting coffee. If you prefer weaker coffee, you should still brew for 4-5 minutes and then add water of milk later.

The water temperature is extremely important for brewing a great tasting cup of coffee. If you are not satisfied by the coffee your automatic machine is producing, check the temperature of the water after it is heated. It should be between 195 - 205 degrees Fahrenheit to produce the best tasting cup of coffee.

If you want to keep your coffee hot in the pot, warm up the pot beforehand by putting hot water into it. Insulated carafes work best, as you should never let coffee spend time on top of a warming plate. This will just burn it. Prewarming hot water is very convenient to use to rinse out your sink.

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.

Never store your coffee beans in the refrigerator. Coffee beans tend to soak up odors from other foods in the refrigerator, ruining the taste of your brew. Instead, if you aren't planning to use them within a week or two, store the beans in an air-tight container in the freezer to preserve freshness.

If you want to brew your own espresso, you need to use beans that have been finely ground. You can also use this grind in your regular drip brewer if you like really strong coffee. A good grinder will allow you to control the consistency to suit your preferences.

Use coffee beans that are between three and ten days old. if you use those that are not fully matured, your coffee will not have a flavor that is very robust. If you wait too long to use them, you may end up with a cup of coffee that tastes stale.

If you notice that your coffee machine takes longer than usual to brew your coffee, you should clean it by running hot water through it. Your coffee machine might be slower because of calcium deposits. You can get rid of calcium deposits by getting a filter for your tap or using bottled water.

When brewing coffee that will end up iced, make it extra-strong. Use up to two tablespoons of ground coffee for every four ounces of water. This ensures that your coffee will not taste diluted or watered-down once you pour it over the ice. Never pour hot coffee into a cold glass, however; allow it to cool first.

Try pre-wetting coffee filters. This helps heat glass and ceramic brewers, along with rinsing away extra flavors that dry paper filters may transfer into your cup. Start by opening up the filter, then placing it in your cone brewer with a pitcher or coffee mug underneath. Finish by pouring some near-boiling water through it in order to wet all of the sides.

A great tip when brewing coffee is to always use the right water. You can't just use any water when brewing coffee. If you're using dirty tap water, you can probably expect an unpleasant tasting cup of coffee. Good water to use should have some minerals in it that will help to extract the best flavor.

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.

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.

Try sweetening your coffee with something other than sugar for one week. Then take a look in your canister to see just how much more sugar you have. This can be a real eye opener for how much of the sweet white powder you usually use. You will likely find ways to enjoy future coffee without risking diabetes so much.

Don't let your coffee stay on the burner for any longer than 20 minutes after you have made it. By letting it sit there; you will find your coffee to have a harsh taste. Furthermore, leaving it on the burner for too long can burn both the pot and the coffee.

Just about everyone enjoys coffee, whether first thing in the morning or alongside a rich dessert. Anyone wishing to get the best out of their coffee drinking experience needs to take the time to educate themselves on the topic. By keeping the preceding advice readily available, it is easy to become a true coffee connoisseur.




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