Is coffee in the morning enjoyable to you? That is the case for many people! Do consistently purchase the same kind of coffee? If so, then you need a coffee makeover! Keep the following advice in mind the next time you have a cup of coffee.
Once you buy a machine, do a test run. Run water through it as if you are making coffee. This will remove any strange smells or debris that may have been sitting inside of it.
Always make sure that you store your coffee in an airtight container if you are not planning on using it. This will help to preserve its freshness so that you can make coffee that is desirable for all of your friends and family. Coffee tastes the best when it is fresh, as this will help to optimize your brew.
If you like your coffee sweet but want to use less sugar, there are many healthier alternatives. Agave nectar does contain sugar, but its low GI means that it won’t cause problems for diabetics. Additionally, sugar substitutes like splenda and stevia don’t dissolve in hot liquids, including coffee.
It is a good idea to purchase a coffee grinder for your home. When you grind your beans immediately prior to brewing, the flavorful, aromatic oils remain intact and the coffee tastes better. Also, you can change the coarseness if you want to change up your style. If you would rather not have yet another appliance, try to find a coffee maker that has a grinder included.
For people who really enjoy a great cup of coffee, never take your beans or grind out of the freezer and into the hot water. Keep your beans at room temperature prior to brewing. If you have a lot, freeze some and keep enough at room temperature for the week.
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.
If you are buying coffee from a drive-in window, always error on the side of caution to stay as protected as possible. Typically, when you are buying coffee in this form, it will be piping hot, as you will not want to burn your hands or other areas of your body.
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.
Even if you do not have a coffee grinder at home, you can purchase whole beans and grind them at the supermarket. Most stores that sell whole bean coffee also have a machine that you can use to grind your coffee as you purchase it. This is a great way to choose the grind you prefer.
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.
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.
Is your coffee better tasting when you put creamer or milk in there? There are several ways to put milk in coffee. While chilled milk is popular, it provides for a different coffee experience than warm milk does. Different types of milk will also offer different flavor profiles.
Do you spend a lot on coffee? Save money by purchasing your own reusable mug and a home coffee press. You can brew your own gourmet coffees for a fraction of the price you’d spend elsewhere. In addition, you’ll find that you save time and avoid long lines by making coffee at home.
A good tip for cleaning your coffee maker is to run vinegar through it. This helps as the vinegar kills residue and any foul smells that may be found in your coffee maker. To do this, simply pour the vinegar in as you would the water and let it brew.
After you give your dog a bath, rub his coat with some coffee grounds. This is a safe and natural way to keep fleas off of him. You have to make sure to cover every part of the coat or there is no guarantee he will be protected from them.
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.
Ideally, this article has helped to stimulate some thoughts in your creative coffee concepts. What type of coffee are you going to try next. Do you know a friend that likes coffee also? Go take her on a romantic outing to the coffee store — and to a new coffee lounge.
