When is the last time you had a cup of joe? Did you make it yourself or buy it from a restaurant or cafe? What’s the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had? It’s time to enjoy that fresh taste in the morning again. Consider the following helpful tips regarding your options with coffee.
After you open store bought coffee beans, do not continue to keep them in their retail package. The key is to put them into a container that shields them from light and air. This helps maintain their freshness.
To save money by buying bulk coffee without sacrificing flavor, measure out what you plan to use immediately and store it at room temperature. Coffee tastes best when it is brewed from room temperature grounds. Coffee you plan to use within the next week can go in the refrigerator, and the remaining beans or grounds should go in the freezer.
Buy a coffee grinder, and buy whole bean coffee. There is no substitute for the taste of freshly ground beans. If you can’t afford a coffee grinder, you can still buy whole beans. Most supermarkets have grinders that you can use to grind your coffee purchase before you leave the store.
Do you need to exercise? You should drink a cup of strong coffee an hour before you go for your run or head to the gym. The caffeine will give you the energy you need to work out efficiently. However, it is very important that you drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout session.
If you want to help the Earth out a little in your coffee habit, then buy filters that are reusable. These will spare you from wasting a lot of paper filters in the future. This is green for the planet, and saves the green in your wallet. Many reusable filter enthusiasts also think their coffee tastes better this way.
Use your used coffee grounds in your compost pile! Coffee grounds offer many beneficial ingredients to a compost pile including pest control. Coffee grounds contain caffeine which helps prohibit the growth of fungus that can quickly destroy your vegetable garden. The next time you brew a fresh pot of joe don’t throw away those grounds; add them to your compost pile!
If you do not consume all of your coffee, refrain from reheating it. Use a thermal mug to keep the coffee hot for long periods. If you can’t do this, then just brew another pot for better flavor.
To ensure that your coffee stays fresh as long as possible, avoid grinding all your beans at once. Once ground, heat and humidity will rob your coffee of the fragrant oils that provide much of its flavor. Instead, only grind the amount of coffee you will use for a day or two. Doing so will help you maximize the flavor of your beans.
Keep your coffee press from getting corroded. Regardless of how great your coffee and filtration are, repeated water passing through the press leaves a residue. The mineral buildup might start ruining the taste of your coffee. The simplest fix is run hot water with some white vinegar included every few weeks to keep your coffee tasting fresh.
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.
Cappuccino is a popular coffee based drink that many people enjoy. It does not have a lot of caffeine, and comes in several delicious flavors. It is quite sweet, and is high in calories unless you choose the low-fat version. Many convenience stores and gas stations have cappuccino machines so you can enjoy a cup on the road.
To get the cleanest taste and the least negative effects from your coffee habit, consider trying organic coffee. Because coffee beans absorb the flavor of virtually everything, they are exposed to, those that are processed with chemicals tend to have a muted or distorted flavor. On the other hand, organic coffee beans offer a very clean and pure brew.
Adapt your coffee to water ratio in function of the technique you are using to brew your coffee. A Technivorm or a vacuum pot will require you to use more coffee grounds than a French press or a drip machine. Drip machines are actually the cheapest way to make coffee but you will get a better flavor with other techniques.
Try using charcoal filtered water to brew your coffee. There are commercially available water filters that will charcoal filter all water that enters your household. Alternatively, you could get a coffee maker featuring a built-in filter. Another option is buying charcoal filtered bottle water at the store.
If you are a coffee drinker with a short attention span, then consider getting a single cup brewing machine. These machines pre-measure their grounds for the perfect cup every time and also give you the choice of switching out your brew with every cup you drink. A single-cup machine also ensures that every cup you have is hot and freshly brewed.
If you want to take your cup of coffee with you, use an insulated mug to keep it hot. There are many types available, but usually the aluminum insulated ones work best. If you want to take your coffee along as you drive, make sure to get a mug that fits into the cup holder in your car.
Take the time out of your day to enjoy that refreshing cup of coffee in the morning. It is a pick me up that you don’t want to miss. So many flavors, so many choices, and you are free to explore your options. Next time you’re in the store, make out like a kid at a candy shop.
