Make a great cup of coffee
I have to start the day with a fresh cup of coffee, hot and strong. Coffee is an essential drink for many people. A good cup of coffee can be a ritual and for some it is almost a religion. There are people who drink anything prepared and others who would rather do without it than drink coffee made from poor quality beans, bad tasting water or from a dirty pot. Some people think that all it takes to make good coffee is to buy the best coffee. That’s a good starting point, but there’s more to it than just the bean. Here are some considerations to think about when it comes to making a great cup of coffee.
Using fresh beans: The coffee bean is where the magic begins. You can make your coffee in the most expensive and advanced coffee maker in the universe, but if you’re using stale or substandard beans, your cup of coffee will taste horrible. With that said, you want to make sure you buy whole coffee beans from the freshest sources, or that your coffee beans are produced from beans that are kept as fresh as possible. Keep them fresh. Lately we have tried the Keurig K Cup system and the coffee is always fresh.
Bean Grinds – There are typically several different grinds a machine will do for a coffee bean. There are course grinds, espresso grinds, and standard drip grinds. There are also fine grinds. The finer the coffee grind, the more oils and essences are released from the bean. However, a fine grind will also need a fine filter. The feel of coffee on the palate can also be affected by grinding.
Use good tasting water: This is an important factor when it comes to making a cup of coffee. If the water tastes like minerals or chemicals, then the coffee won’t taste as good as it should. It may taste too acidic or it may taste strange. Many coffee purists only brew their cups of coffee with filtered or purified water. This way they get the best water experience to brew their coffee beans. Nobody wants the taste of impure water to compete with their fine coffee beans. Using water from a filtered tap or cold filtered water from the refrigerator works great.
Use a good, clean coffee maker: Many people continually brew coffee in the same coffee maker, without thinking about the cleanliness of the coffee. While it’s true that water is heated to the boiling point to brew the beans, coffee beans leave behind oil deposits and stains. Tap water will leave scale or calcium deposits in the brewing compartment of the coffee maker. This compromises the flavor of the final cup of coffee. A coffee pot can be cleaned easily and in a non-toxic way by running a little vinegar and water through the pot. The vinegar will remove lime and calcium deposits. Be sure to rinse well to remove any traces of vinegar. Wash your pitcher with soap and water.
Filters: There are several types of filters, depending on the grinding that is produced or purchased. There are wide filters for standard drip coffee makers. There are small cone paper filters and there are metal filters that are reusable. The filter to be used will depend on the consumer. However, a reusable filter or paper filter made from unbleached paper does a great job of protecting the integrity of the coffee’s flavor.